Thread: Diagnosing weirdness... Help...

2000 D2 Auto, mid spec.

The past two weeks. So far…
Key fob weirdness. Fob works. Well, its light comes on. Car unlocks/locks if it feels like it. Sometimes unlocking initially with the key would set it up to work for the day, sometimes not. Until recently the Valeo Utility in the Nanocom would detect a keypress, which seemed to rule out the RF receiver. But now the keypress isn’t detected.


Last week:

I went out to start the car after not using it over the weekend. The car has always started almost instantly, but at this time of year with 0° mornings I like to let the glow plugs do their thing. Not that morning. As soon as I put the key. In position II the starter engaged. Engine started, but of course the starter was still engaged. Not good. Temporary workaround was to remove relay 2. Relay tests fine, but try another one anyway. No change. To use the car while I cogitate, a jumper wire, or just quickly insert relay and car starts.


For some reason, possibly because I was thinking about Tinguu’s non start issue I checked the XYZ indication. The lights on the shifter, and the PRND in the odo don’t change, no matter what position the lever is in. Hmmm… BUT, Car only starts in P or N. Tricky. Car engages gears and drives, fine. Changes gears, Sport mode works etc. Checking XYZ inputs using the Nano shows it working. Also, if I turn the key off, and select any gear, when I turn the key back on the indicators will show that gear, but won’t move if I move the lever, so eg if I select 3 with the key off it will show 3 when I turn it on, but it won’t change again until I turn it off and on again. The car will start with “3” indicated, or any gear at all, as long as the lever is in P or N.


Ok. Then I went to get some fuel, and the fuel flap wouldn’t open. I appreciate Ian’s comment re having the key off, as we all forget stuff, but I have owned this car since 2009 and I didn’t forget. Then, that night, I was testing the lights. Hard to do alone, but ok in the dark. Reverse lights work as they should, when they should. BUT, the rear fogs do not, and they did before all this started.


Next… sigh… The windows don’t work. I can command them with the Nano, and they all work fine. The key now only activates the driver’s door lock, but the dash switch operates them all.


I know enough to never rule anything out on these cars, but I’m reasonably confident the XYZ is ok. I was suspecting the BCM. Yesterday I removed it, and the WABCO one next to it, expecting to se water damage and corrosion ( car used to get wet carpet on that side ), but no. Clean as if new, with no obviously burned components or dry joints. Put it all back, everything as it was…. Except now the clock doesn’t work


The car won’t start at all now, but that’s the starter, and I’m heading out to change that for the spare.

I have checked as many earths as I can see near the BCM.


I should add… the week before all of this, I, in response to James' question, set the car to “Manual” to see if it would start in any selected gear. The answer to this is “Yes”. I straightaway reset it to Auto. It shows Auto now. I think this is coincidental to my issues, but it is a Disco….


Any, and I do mean any, thoughts welcome. I'm nervous to test anything else, in case the car is possessed.

Anyway, it's not going anywhere for a bit. Got a few other jobs to do.