Freelander 2 XS SD4 (2014) Battery Drain Problem

LR0wner8888 · May 21, 2022

A few weeks ago my Freelander 2 XS SD4 would not start due to a completely flat battery. I changed the battery for a new one, charged it up and the following day it was completely flat again. The local LR Garage checked the fault codes but could not identify the problem. They later found that if the fuse to the DAB radio/SAT NAV equipment was removed the battery drain stopped. They later found that by removing the electrical connections to the DAB/SAT NAV box located behind the trim in the boot compartment, that this drain did not occur even when the car was locked normally and the alarm set. Has anyone else had this problem? Is there a simple fix, or will the electronics box need to be replaced. If seems strange that this fault should suddenly occur within the electronics box, resulting in a continuous drain, rather than going open circuit. Any other suggestions anyone?

Nodge68 · May 21, 2022

The DAB and BT module can both cause battery drain issues. It appears that some internal faults with either module prevents them from shutting down, so they drain the battery.
Does this issue happen on superlock too?, as superlock has a different shutdown process.

LR0wner8888 · May 22, 2022

LR0wner8888 said:
A few weeks ago my Freelander 2 XS SD4 would not start due to a completely flat battery. I changed the battery for a new one, charged it up and the following day it was completely flat again. The local LR Garage checked the fault codes but could not identify the problem. They later found that if the fuse to the DAB radio/SAT NAV equipment was removed the battery drain stopped. They later found that by removing the electrical connections to the DAB/SAT NAV box located behind the trim in the boot compartment, that this drain did not occur even when the car was locked normally and the alarm set. Has anyone else had this problem? Is there a simple fix, or will the electronics box need to be replaced. If seems strange that this fault should suddenly occur within the electronics box, resulting in a continuous drain, rather than going open circuit. Any other suggestions anyone?

Nodge68 said:
The DAB and BT module can both cause battery drain issues. It appears that some internal faults with either module prevents them from shutting down, so they drain the battery.
Does this issue happen on superlock too?, as superlock has a different shutdown process.

Hi, Nodge68, thank you for responding to my question. Yes, the issue does happen on 'superlock' also. We had not been using the vehicle much recently as a result of Covid. I had charged the battery a number of times while the vehicle was not being used, but only recently was told that I should not connect both the positive and negative connections from the battery charger to the battery terminals, but should rather have used an earth point about a metre away from the battery as this could result in problems with the alarm. I don't know if this could have caused the battery drain problem, but we had never experienced an issue until about a month ago. Both the DAB radio and the SATNAV appear to work fine once the battery is charged, although at the moment the cables to the DAB/SATNAV box have been disconnected as we found this appeared to have stopped the battery drain. Are the internal faults you referred to in your response repairable, or must a new box be fitted? Is there some easy way to identify what is causing these faults and battery drain?

Nodge68 · May 22, 2022

LR0wner8888 said:
I had charged the battery a number of times while the vehicle was not being used

That's acceptable. I'd have to charge my battery once a month if the vehicle wasn't being used.

LR0wner8888 said:
but only recently was told that I should not connect both the positive and negative connections from the battery charger to the battery terminals, but should rather have used an earth point about a metre away from the battery as this could result in problems with the alarm.

It depends on the charger your using, but if it's a reasonable quality modern charger, there's no need to disconnect the battery, and using the battery terminals for both leads is completely fine.
It shouldn't cause an issue with the vehicle. That use a different place for the earth is only relevant for old chargers or jump leads, which might spark and cause a battery explosion, which again on a modern battery is unlikely.

LR0wner8888 said:
Both the DAB radio and the SATNAV appear to work fine once the battery is charged, although at the moment the cables to the DAB/SATNAV box have been disconnected as we found this appeared to have stopped the battery drain.

You mean the SAT NAV disc player under the seat?
The DAB module is in the boot, behind the LH panel.

LR0wner8888 said:
Are the internal faults you referred to in your response repairable, or must a new box be fitted? Is there some easy way to identify what is causing these faults and battery drain?

Once the faulty module is identified, it needs replacing.
I'd be running a diagnostic on all systems, to see what error codes are being generated.
Unfortunately you need pretty decent diagnostic equipment to determine the exact issue.

LR0wner8888 · May 23, 2022

Nodge68 said:
That's acceptable. I'd have to charge my battery once a month if the vehicle wasn't being used.

It depends on the charger your using, but if it's a reasonable quality modern charger, there's no need to disconnect the battery, and using the battery terminals for both leads is completely fine.
It shouldn't cause an issue with the vehicle. That use a different place for the earth is only relevant for old chargers or jump leads, which might spark and cause a battery explosion, which again on a modern battery is unlikely.

You mean the SAT NAV disc player under the seat?
The DAB module is in the boot, behind the LH panel.

Once the faulty module is identified, it needs replacing.
I'd be running a diagnostic on all systems, to see what error codes are being generated.
Unfortunately you need pretty decent diagnostic equipment to determine the exact issue.

Hi Nodge68, thanks again for your response. I have had a look under both front seats (electrically adjusted) but could not see any sign of a SAT NAV/disk player under either. I do have a module behind the RH (driver's side) panel in the boot adjacent to the filler cap area. This is about 6 inches wide x 8 inches long x 1 inch thick (from memory when the garage mechanic showed me before refitting the panel. There were two lots of connections at one end of the module, and I think he disconnected to two lower white connections. After disconnecting these we have not identified any further drain on the battery for over a week now. The car starts fine each time I have tried it since this disconnection. The garage connected their diagnostic equipment, but told me that they were unable to identify the problem from that test. With these wires disconnected we no longer can get radio, phone operation, or SATNAV operation. The car is a Freelander 2 SD4 XS model, year 2014 although purchased new in May 2015, and is fitted with electrically controlled front driver's seat.
I don't know if this additional info is any further help.

Nodge68 · May 23, 2022

LR0wner8888 said:
Hi Nodge68, thanks again for your response. I have had a look under both front seats (electrically adjusted) but could not see any sign of a SAT NAV/disk player under either. I do have a module behind the RH (driver's side) panel in the boot adjacent to the filler cap area. This is about 6 inches wide x 8 inches long x 1 inch thick (from memory when the garage mechanic showed me before refitting the panel. There were two lots of connections at one end of the module, and I think he disconnected to two lower white connections. After disconnecting these we have not identified any further drain on the battery for over a week now. The car starts fine each time I have tried it since this disconnection. The garage connected their diagnostic equipment, but told me that they were unable to identify the problem from that test. With these wires disconnected we no longer can get radio, phone operation, or SATNAV operation. The car is a Freelander 2 SD4 XS model, year 2014 although purchased new in May 2015, and is fitted with electrically controlled front driver's seat.
I don't know if this additional info is any further help.

Sorry. I mist the age of the vehicle.
A 2014 Freelander doesn't have the NAV module under the seat, so that's correct.
From memory all audio components are in the rear, behind the side panels.
The audio system is a circular system (all connected using the MOST (optical) ring), so if any part is disconnected, the ring is broken, and system will become unusable.
Also if any part of the audio system ring is disconnected, diagnostics won't work, as the data is contained in the ring.

Your best bet is to reconnect the disconnected items (take some pictures of them too), the get any codes read again.

Freelander 2 XS SD4 (2014) Battery Drain Problem

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Nodge68

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