Serious Electrical Gremlins

[Landy_Lover]

Hello All,

I apologise in advance for the long story. My car is a 2012 Defender Puma 2.2

Backstory
A few months ago whilst on the freeway for a split second I seemed to lose all power. All the dash lights came on and everything died, then immediately came back. This has happened a few times since, though very intermittently, usually not long after start up when under load or if I flick headlights on etc. I have noticed this seems to be occurring more often lately. It happens once in a journey and then it's fine.
Occasionally on start up the glow plug light and fuel pump will stutter, as if there is a bad connection/earth somewhere.
Another thing I recognised a few weeks back is that my immobiliser light will be on solid red when I get in the car and start driving (I rarely lock it) and I need to lock and unlock with the fob before restarting and then the light is gone.

This Week

I got home from work this week and when I tried to lock the car with the fob, nothing happened. I stopped twice on the way home at shops and it was fine both times. I figured it was the fob battery, changed it and still no worky. Also, the car wouldn't start. I figured this is because I can't deactivate the immobiliser because the fob is buggered. Tried my spare fob and still nothing.
When in the car I can press the fob buttons and see the immobiliser light blinking in time, so the fob is talking to the car. I can not lock it, no indicator flash, no alarm goes off after key locking and entering the vehicle, central locking only works occasionally.
The only way I can start the car is to turn key to position 2, disconnect the battery, reconnect and then it may start. This can take anywhere from 2 to 20 attempts.

What have I done?
- Read every forum post I can find across the internet and tried all suggestions.
- Changed car battery.
- Changed fob battery.
- Checked all fuses and relays.
- Unplugged immobiliser unit overnight.
- Obtained and entered the EKA code.
- Tried to resync the fob.
- Checked earths.

Today
This is where it gets weird.
After buggering around for hours trying different things I have noticed that when the glow plug light/fuel pump stutters at key position 2 it will start.
If I turn the key to position 2 and see no or a very brief flash of glow plug light it won't start. This is the only common occurrence I can find between not starting and starting. Otherwise it's a raffle.

If anyone has any clue I am forever grateful. I am at my wits end.

Cheers
John

[skidrov]

Not 100% sure but a relatively quick, simple & cheap thing to try would be replacing the ignition switch (the one at the end of the key barrel). Known to fail & cause odd starting results.

Then try checking/reseating the ignition/starter relays - I think they are the ones under the seat.

If no joy it may be the dreaded immobilizer issues... Which I understand are very difficult to resolve (sorry, I realise I'm not helping with that statement...)

Hope you get a result, good luck!

[Landy_Lover]

Thanks mate,

I'll see what I can see.

Cheers

[Landy_Lover]

In case this sheds any more light.
Sometimes after I get it started the left indicator will stay on constantly, solid light.
The bulb that lights up the fan speed lever has started working. This has never worked since I have owned it (4 years), I didn't even know it had a light in it.

[JDNSW]

Beginning to sound like a bad earth to everything in the dash?

[Landy_Lover]

Thank you JDNSW, sounds that way indeed.
This will be the next point of investigation.

Cheers

[sashadidi]

Clean and refresh all earth connections

[Landy_Lover]

Thank you sashadidi I'll be doing this over the weekend.

Last night I removed the instrument cluster and checked all connections. All look good.
Also, tried to clutch start it as a matter of interest. It did not start.

Cheers

[DiscoMick]

Does it make any difference to lock/unlock it with the key, not the fob? Using the key should mean the immobiliser is off.
But checking earths certainly sounds a good idea.

[Landy_Lover]

Thanks Disco.

I can lock and unlock the car with the key and see no difference. Sometimes the central lock will work, other times not and I have to remove/replace the negative battery lead until I can central lock it. The fob does not unlock/lock the car, but I can see it communicating as when I press the fob buttons the immobiliser light reacts.
I f I use the key to unlock there is no alarm.

I have a few days off, so I'll be giving the earths a good going over.

Cheers for all the help.

[DiscoMick]

Interesting. I assume the battery negative is okay.
Earths sound more likely then. Good luck.

[Landy_Lover]

G'day all,

After spending some time and doing some research I think I'm getting a little closer.
While checking and refreshing all earth points I found my inertia switch has had the rubber cap eaten off it by rats (or mice, I cannot exclusively blame the rats). Where I lived a few years ago had a few of these nasties kicking around, they ate my neighbours wiring loom as well.

Anyway, over the last few years since then, this switch has accumulated bugs, plant matter and probably a fair amount of salt and sand. When I cleaned it out I also found corrosion of the terminals. I think it has finally let go.
After a long search I found a supplier that could get me the part next business day. All dealers were 3 - 4 weeks. Replaced it and still have all the same issues.
All is now pointing towards the ALM, aka the 'black 10AS'.
I understand these can be difficult and expensive to source? I would also like to check with a Nanocom before I go to far.
I may purchase one of these units as they are relatively inexpensive.

Cheers
John

[Landy_Lover]

Since my last post I have replaced the immobiliser unit. I bought this second hand and had the information from my unit transferred to the 'new' one. I then reprogrammed my keys with my Nanocom and can now lock/unlock the car with the fob. After doing this I noticed a few other things come back to life that I didn't even realise were associated with the ALM system. E.g. My interior light started working when opening the door. Now that I have the Nanocom I can see all these settings and I think the ALM has failed slowly over the last few years and slowly taken out these functions.Whilst I've had some success here and reprogrammed my keys I still cannot communicate with the ALM via Nanocom (my ECU guy can't either with his tools) and the car still won't start without removing/replacing the negative battery lead. Thankfully its under the passenger seat or this process would be even more painful. Can anyone recommend an auto electrician in the Brisbane/Sunny Coast areas who knows Landies well?I'm thinking MR Automotive at this stage.Cheers

[Robmacca]

Since my last post I have replaced the immobiliser unit. I bought this second hand and had the information from my unit transferred to the 'new' one. I then reprogrammed my keys with my Nanocom and can now lock/unlock the car with the fob. After doing this I noticed a few other things come back to life that I didn't even realise were associated with the ALM system. E.g. My interior light started working when opening the door. Now that I have the Nanocom I can see all these settings and I think the ALM has failed slowly over the last few years and slowly taken out these functions.Whilst I've had some success here and reprogrammed my keys I still cannot communicate with the ALM via Nanocom (my ECU guy can't either with his tools) and the car still won't start without removing/replacing the negative battery lead. Thankfully its under the passenger seat or this process would be even more painful. Can anyone recommend an auto electrician in the Brisbane/Sunny Coast areas who knows Landies well?I'm thinking MR Automotive at this stage.Cheers

I've had nothing to do with them but since u live on the sunny coast - what about British Offroad? A bit closer for you...

[Landy_Lover]

I've recently moved back to Bris, though Sunny Coast is still an option.
I would consider going there, I frequent the place for parts.
However, the workshop is booked out for three months.

Cheers

[Landy_Lover]

I'm still working on this problem and have the car booked into MR Auto in Feb (earliest i could get [bigsad]).
I bought a Nanocom and did some diagnostics. I got a few codes that seem to point at the instrument cluster?

- U0001 High speed CAN communication bus (INTERMITTENT).
- U0100 Lost communication with ECM Module 'A'.
- U0155 Lost communication with instrument cluster control module (INTERMITTENT).

I can still start the car by removing/replacing the negative battery lead. This seems to 'trick' the ECU in some way.

Does anyone know how this works? What in the ECU an I 'tricking'?

Cheers

[simonfish]

hi mate, I've used these guys a few times, and am very happy with them. They are in Albion
Knights House of Rover – Land Rover and Range Rover Service & Repair (https://khor.com.au)

[Landy_Lover]

Cheers mate. I'll check em out.

[inken_dave]

I'm sure you have had a good look, but if your inertia switch is eaten by rodents, then I'm putting money on that somewhere they have eaten something else! If the faults are intermittent, then this could be a fact that fits the theory.

We have had our fair share of rodent induced engine failures here in Tamworth, and it would be possible that somewhere hidden elsewhere these critters have exposed and chewed more than just the obvious?

Hope you can find the issue!

[Landy_Lover]

Following up on the starting issue I have had. Finally had the car looked over (long wait list on LR mechanics atm).
The CAN system from the instrument binnacle had equalised. Fault in the Hi side. Fixed dry joint behind the plug and seems to have done the trick.
Got about 1000k's on it since the fix and still starts on the key. They were also able to work around the immobiliser, which I thought impossible on the post 2012 models. I now have no alarm system or flashy light on lock/unlock, but as these components are known to fail (I'm on my second) this should keep me going.

Unfortunately I still have what seems like an earth issue somewhere. When I turn headlights on at idle it may conk out. Also, if i hit a bumpy road it will lose power for a second. Particularly over train lines [bigsad]

I am leaning towards a fuel pump issue here. Recently inspected the top of the tank with a camera and found built up sand and corrosion around the unit. Just gotta find time to drop the tank.

Cheers
John