Thread: L322 Dead Battery?

Originally Posted by JarrahJack

I have even heard of owners taking out the RFID chip and taping it near the ignition switch behind the trim to allow starting with cut keys.

Jack

TD6 Perth

Yep, that works. I tried it to find out, I only have one key and thought I'd give it a go, but couldn't bring myself to leave it like that... It makes them very easy to steal... You do need to get the RFID chip fairly close though.

Yep,

Ok Guys. Mea Culpa. It's a misnomer on my part for the RFID chip thing. My understanding, which admittedly could be very flawed, is that its a combination of both the chip and a rolling code that gets you over the start line. Seems this may not be the case after all if just the chip and a key blank will start the car. Something not right about that to my mind though!

So yes, the chip isn't powered. You do need some grunt in the key fob though or the rest doesn't happen.

Anyhoo, as previously stated I don't really think this is the problem (the real problem seems to be the starting battery) but it might not be helping the cause.

Cheers,
Iain

James,the battery is original and it's due for a change,it is 9 years old,change the key fob battery with a original Phillips from Dick Smith,I changed the fob battery 3 years ago after it done the same thing.The fob batteries are $7. Pat

OK.... So now i am concerned,

I have replaced both Batteries and had NO success... A warning comes up saying "Pre-Heating" When i try to start it but not every time...

What Fuses should i be checking to see if there is a problem along the line somewhere?

It also started showing "AirSusp-Inactive"

Desperate Regards, James.

Time for a recap...

My 2003 Td6 Range Rover will not start it goes through all the usual processes when the key is inserted however when the key is turned to fire the engine up there is nothing other then a click.

The starter motor doesn't try to kick over at all. This all started suddenly whilst i was away. I have replaced the Main Battery as well as the battery in the Key to no success

Other common problems which i have been reading about include the following;

1. Starter Motor
2. Positive Terminal
3. Crank Sensor
4. Starter inhibitor

I have tried starting the vehicle in Park and Neutral both of which have not worked.

Faults which have been showing include "Airsusp-Inactive" and "Pre-Heating"

Also on the last attempt to start the car the clock spun around and went to 12:00... Is this some form of lockout? As it seems to show a little clock in the service area on the dash and counts away...

It is very painful having my dream car just sit there whilst i drive the Disco...

Hmmm,

'tis indeed problematic James.

Now for the first few faults/messages. If you have replaced the main battery but not reset the steering angle sensor then you will continue to get this message in the information centre. The SAS needs to be reset every time the main power source has been disconnected (or after a non-scheduled power loss). This is simple process that basically involves moving the steering from centred then lock to lock and back to centre before driving. I con't recall offhand if you need the engine running but i suspect without the PAS this process would be very hard. Short answer, ignore this message for the moment.

The Pre-heating message usually only comes on if it is exceptionally cold wherever you tried starting the car (think alpine mid-winter cold). It comes on to warn you not to attempt to start the car yet since the usual (almost instantaneous) glow plug sequence hasn't heated the area enough - yet. it will normally only happen the very first time since the second time the normal sequence is usually enough, especially if the engine ran. It can also come on if the amount of power going to the glow plug circuit is low and therefore more time is required to generate the same heat energy.

The above in combination with the clock reverting to midday suggests to me you have an abnormal power drain. The clock will reset to zero whenever you disconnect the battery or draw enough power during start to make the voltage drop below the threshold for keeping the time and other ecu settings active.

I can vouch from personal experience that this sort of reset because of voltage drops can be a side-effect of a rapidly dying battery. This shouldn't be your problem as you've just replaced it. Still if there is a short somewhere you may have inadvertently killed the new one. Don't panic - highly unlikely - just mentioning all the possibilities that occur to me.

So it could be a starter problem. Do you notice anything else current/voltage related during your attempts to start? Do the interior lights dim during start attempts, for example?

Hard to diagnose at a distance. Definitely plugging in some sort of diagnostic tool would be beneficial if there is someone nearby who can help out with that.

Keep us posted.

Iain

When i attempt to start the car every time the clock resets itself now... And i just tried it with the lights on they don't dim however when the key is first turned to try and start the car there is a noise of what sounds like a relay under the bonnet and the light turn off briefly then back on.

I was just on the phone to a friend who works at All4x4 in at Kotara and he informs me that aftermarket batteries simply don't cut it. My new Battery reads 12.25 and he tells me they wont start with anything under 12.7 is this true?

Have any of you been successful with an aftermarket battery?

He also said that when the battery is changed the computer needs to be reset... however others on here have successfully changed the battery themselves?

James.

Hi again James,

Not sure about the 12.7V thing. My old battery (the one I replaced last year) had a reading of a little under 12V (about 11.8 I vaguely recall) at one stage and this managed to start the car, if only just. My replacement battery is an Amaron silver-calcium jobby that matched the original battery spec.

The voltage itself is a good beginning but what is important in a battery for starting (particularly a diesel) is the CCA rating. This is the output that the battery can sustain during starting operations. I think the spec for the L322 suggests a CCA of 750A or better, with a RC rating of 160 or better. The CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) rating gives an indication of the amount of power the battery can deliver under stress (such as starting) while the RC (Reserve Capacity) gives an indication of how long the battery can maintain a constant moderate load (such as running all the ECU's and devices in a modern car).

I think the minimum spec is about a DIN90 battery, with a DIN120 battery preferred. I'm sure that the battery you have measures up to the specification levels.

As to needing to reset the computers, I am not sure what your friend is talking about here. If he means that all the ECUs need to be reset after replacement of a main battery then that is not the case. My battery was removed and replaced without even having to recode the radio (though I did have to reset the clock). I did get the "Air Susp Inactive" message but as indicated previously this is a known situation and was an easy fix anyway.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Iain