Freelander 1 (1.8K) 1998

Hi to all,
I've just signed up to this forum as it seems to be the best Landy one around! I'm hoping that someone out there can help. I have been given the above vehicle with a blown engine.....so replaced the lump, new fuel pump as the old one had seized and a new battery. Started it up and after five years idle it fired first time, amazing!! Now the problem, I noticed that the Hill Descent yellow warning light (only) was illuminated and the hill descent wouldn't work. I borrowed a friends Auto Boss Star diagnostic computer and ran a check.....but it showed no fault codes. To be sure I told the Star to clear all faults which it did and when I restarted the car the light went out and the H.D. worked perfect! However the speedo will not work at all and the odometer is blank....nothing, no error code, zilch. I mentioned the H.D. light as I was told that this, the A.B.S. system and the speedo are all linked via the A.B.S sensors, but the actual values on all four sensors are identical and the A.B.S also works perfectly. Finally I checked the actual value of the speedo using the Star and its saying that I'm doing 141 K.P.H. when I'm sitting in it stationary. This is doing my head in as I can't get it through an I.T.V. (Spanish M.O.T.) without it working and I haven't got a clue where to go from here. Many thanks to anyone out there who can point me in the right direction.

If the Odometer isn't showing a valid total mileage, then it's probably the speedometer assembly that has failed.

Nodge68 said:

If the Odometer isn't showing a valid total mileage, then it's probably the speedometer assembly that has failed.

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Hi, many thanks......it crossed my mind that it might be that but before laying out money I just wanted to see what others thought. Is there anyway that I can test the head unit? Again many thanks for a prompt reply. Sorry meant to ask, are these prone to failure?

Bob_In_Spain said:

Hi, many thanks......it crossed my mind that it might be that but before laying out money I just wanted to see what others thought. Is there anyway that I can test the head unit? Again many thanks for a prompt reply. Sorry meant to ask, are these prone to failure?

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A dedicated diagnostic reader might give more information on the Ipack ECU. However they are cheap enough to buy second hand.
You could try the connections on the back, but that's a long shot.
Normally if the odometer isn't showing a mileage value. Something serious has gone wrong with the Ipack ECU.
They are generally pretty reliable. But after a 5 year layup, anything could happen to the electronics.

Again many thanks, Ill try and get my hands on a dedicated code reader and take it from there, changing the speedo' head seems like the cheapest, easiest option to start with. Regarding code readers can you recommend any specific type?

Cheers

Minot sure if any aftermarket reader can read the IPK? Might be possible from Testbook? But they are not cheap and they're clunky old tech.

I'd agree with Nodge: if no odometer reading, then something very odd is afoot.

Did you change the engine ECU when you changed the engine? That might be an explanation for the strange IPK behaviour...

Hi Bob
sorry nothing to do with your problem.
were moving to Spain on Sunday I'm driving down in the Freelander and was wondering is your car on Spanish plates or did you have to change yours?

Hi Rob_Bell,

Thanks for the reply, no I didn't change the ecru with the engine....I should have guessed that could be an issue, I had a similar problem with my ML 270 last year, a box of tricks called an AAM gave up the ghost and I had a nightmare getting one, although I eventually did and after a reprogram with the Star it was fine. Is it possible to get one of these Freelander ecu's second hand and as with the Merc, reprogram it? Also would you say it's worth changing the speedo head as a first move? Cheers.

Marilee, hi mate.....I assume that you are coming down here to live having asked this question...in short no it's still on English plates although I do intend to matriculate (convert it to Spanish registration) soon. However this isn't anywhere as straight forward as anything back in the UK, it can end up being a very drawn out and costly exercise. If you want drop me a line on [email protected] and I'll gladly point you in the right direction.

Cheers

Bob_In_Spain said:

Hi Rob_Bell,

Thanks for the reply, no I didn't change the ecru with the engine....I should have guessed that could be an issue, I had a similar problem with my ML 270 last year, a box of tricks called an AAM gave up the ghost and I had a nightmare getting one, although I eventually did and after a reprogram with the Star it was fine. Is it possible to get one of these Freelander ecu's second hand and as with the Merc, reprogram it? Also would you say it's worth changing the speedo head as a first move?
Cheers

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It's not easy or worth changing the ECU. You just need to find a working dashboard assembly that matches yours. There are a few different revisions and obviously you'd need a 1.8 petrol dash.

I have a display from an S reg 1.8 petrol fl1. Let me know if you are interested in it
Regards
Dean

Just a thought, i have a commercial freelander that the gearbox failed on, so i swapped gearboxs with a 2000 model, now the speedo doesnt work, nodge thinks it could be that the commercial didnt have abs but the 2000 model did, so it uses a different drive? Could this be an issue with yours?

Not sure if you managed to sort the HDC warning but if not try loosening the throttle cable at the throttle body. It needs to be very slack there or you get the HDC light on at around 5-10mph.