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Workinghprs

New Member
Hi Guys,
2001 Discovery TD5 automatic. A couple of weeks ago the key fob stopped activating the central locking but the car continued to run fine. Then one day when I returned to the car it wouldn't crank. OH went home and got spare key. Car fired up first time. OH replaced battery in keyfob and problem appeared to be sorted. A couple of days later it wouldn't start (lights would come on and it wouldn't crank, remove and retry enough times and it did start) and when it did it started in limp home mode. After much reading around OH decided that the battery was past its best(it seemed to get flat stupidly easy, when a friend replaced the window regulator he moved the window up and down a few times with the engine not running and then couldn't start it, recharged battery and it was fine. Although maybe this was the start of this problem?) Battery replaced with a big alphaline one (although OH did say that the battery only weighed 23kg vs. the 30kg on the website!) and problem remained this morning.

Odd things that may or may not be important:
1) Wiggling the key around in the ignition prior to and during inserting seem to make it more likely to start.
2) Opening the door and watching as you wiggle the key also seems to make it more likely to start.
3) The problem is definitely getting worse, two weeks ago it started first turn of the key 80% of the time, started in normal mode 15% of the time and limp home mode 5%. Now it starts in limp home mode 80% of the time and requires much wiggling and removal of the key.
4) It "feels" like the immobiliser or the car has forgotten it is in park. i.e. when it doesn't crank nothing happens at all and when it does crank it fires almost instantly.
 
Make sure you're not going down the wrong avenue with your diagnosis. It could be the starter solenoid playing up. When it is worn cranking will be intermittent or not at all.
 
Hadn't considered that. Wouldn't there be an audible click though (or would it be a lack of click that indicates the fault?) Is there anything else I could try to confirm this or shall I just get OH to replace contacts?

Many thanks,

Kath
 
Just replace contacts pretty easy and minimal cost, worth doing before looking at anything more complex..............
 
Workinghprs said:
Hadn't considered that. Wouldn't there be an audible click though (or would it be a lack of click that indicates the fault?) Is there anything else I could try to confirm this or shall I just get OH to replace contacts?

Many thanks,

Kath
Click to expand...


Hi Kath, there is a seller on Ebay that does solenoid repair kits for these cars and they work well, I've used them a couple of times now.

LANDROVER DISCOVERY & DEFENDER TD5 STARTER MOTOR SOLENOID CONTACT REPAIR KIT | eBay



Good luck

Dave
 
Workinghprs said:
Kit ordered, OH reckons starter looks a pain to remove :) Will start looking for a "how to" guide :)

Thanks for your help.
Click to expand...


Hi Kath, the starter motor is held in place with 2x 13mm bolts (bottom and middle) and 1x 15mm NUT at the top.

First remove the battery earth cable.

The 2 bolts are easy to get at but the nut is a little difficult. You'll need a 15mm socket and some extensions (approx 6-8inches long from memory) plus a socket ratchet driver. I would take the nut off first.

All work to be done from underneath. Should take about 10mins to get it off.

Once you've got the starter motor off, replacing the contacts is easy peasy.


Dave
 
Throw the top nut away once you've managed to get it off ! Very satisfying and as it's on a stud not sure what good it does anyway. Done 100k without it.
 
If you got it off in 10 minutes, you're a better man than I. The top nut is an absolute sod. Mind you, once its loose if youre lucky, you can wind it off with your fingertips. I found you can just about get it back on and started with your fingers. Don't think I'd leave it off though. Thats quite a wide flange and without the nut there might be lack of support.
 
That nut is named "the nut from hell" for good reason. Can come off easy or may take two hours. The rest of the job pales into easiness once that nuts off. Do it first, cos if you can't get it off, nothing else matters.

Re the "click", when mine went it always still clicked on the turn of the key. If yours doesn't it may be something else?!

Still, for the cost, new contacts aren't a waste of time.

Dave
 
chrimcne said:
Throw the top nut away once you've managed to get it off ! Very satisfying and as it's on a stud not sure what good it does anyway. Done 100k without it.
Click to expand...

I can just imagine the next owner of your motor trying to get a non existent nut off:D
 
I know it's a bit of a fiddle to get the top nut back on, but would argue that it's worth it.

When you see the amount of torque that goes through the starter motor and onto the the flywheel you'd fit the top nut, honestly !!!!!!
 
The next owner would probably thank you throwing it away as long as you you told them !!
As the nut goes onto a stud ( obviously) what minimal turning effect on the stud is there anyway ?
 
thebiglad said:
I know it's a bit of a fiddle to get the top nut back on, but would argue that it's worth it.

When you see the amount of torque that goes through the starter motor and onto the the flywheel you'd fit the top nut, honestly !!!!!!
Click to expand...

+1 should be refitted
 
Oh well, wasn't the starter motor contacts :( Top nut was a pain but other than that plain sailing.

Also looks like it isn't the xyz switch as shifting the lever around (through the gears) prior to starting makes no difference.

OH currently has the ignition barrel off (or at least the security screws out) and I have seen others say they can use a screwdriver to start it (my OH works in the country on a farm so security is not as much of an issue as getting it started!) so can anyone point me in the direction of what needs to come apart to get to the starter switch please?

Many thanks,

Kath
 
Scrub that, figured out it was the two small screws holding the switch into the back of the ignition and it didn't start till the sixth try. So that pretty much rules out the ignition barrel (which is loose if anything, everyone else seems to talk about it being tight / seizing)

OH has tried to switch off the immobiliser using our Nanocom, does anyone know the correct steps to take to achieve this?

Also does anyone have any other suggestions now battery, starter solenoid, ignition barrel and xyz have been ruled out?

Many thanks,

Kath
 
If anyone searches for this thread it looks like disabling the immobiliser using the nanocom has done the trick. So if your central locking packs up and the car still randomly won't start even with a new battery in the key fob then try disabling the immobiliser. Thanks for the help, next stop stripping out the headlining, fixing the water leaks and replacing the module that does the central locking and immobiliser.

Cheers,

Kath
 
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