Hi All, thoughts on a self inflicted problem would be welcome.
The blade on the ignition key somehow become detached and lost. To keep me going before buying a new steering lock and key I removed the old lock, dismantled it, removed the internal spring-loaded sliders, reassembled and replaced it.
Any key now turns the ignition, even a screwdriver, and I'm using the door key (lock and key have been changed in the past) to start it. The original fob (with transponder) has to be held next to the new key to start the engine.
However, this stopped working three days ago. I have no idea why. Then yesterday it started working again. Nothing was touched when it stopped working or started again. I'll have a look for duff connections around the lock but any other thoughts?
This may be completely unconnected but ... when starting the engine didn't work the remote locking/unlocking didn't work. When the engine starting returned the remote locking/unlocking also started working again.
Some months ago the remote locking stopped working and I used the four digit key code to get the engine going. I kept driving for several weeks using the door key to manually lock and unlock the car. For some reason every few days the engine immobiliser would activate and to silence the alarm, and start the engine, I had to waggle the code into the driver's door lock again. All was fine when magically, the remote started working again. (A new battery in the fob made no difference and the red light flashes as it should.)
The Disco is being used for local journeys only at the moment because of head gasket problems, so I haven't hurried to buy a new steering lock/ignition switch and but I wonder that when I do this intermittent problem might continue.

Whoops!
I find that holding the key with the fob in it close to the ignition doesn't work if the red light on the dash is flashing, I actually have to press the unlock button on the fob before I can then insert the other key and turn the ignition on. You get about 30 seconds after using the unlock fob before the car rearms the immobiliser.
It sounds as if you have an intermittent fault with the fob and the thing in the upper part of the car that takes its signal. Incipient Altzheimers prevents me from remembering the technical term for it, it is like a kind of receiver aerial, maybe that's it "receiver". Anyway, they are prone to suffering from water ingress so that may be some of it, but others like sierrafery will come on and say i am wrong prolly!!!
Best of luck!

Once again, thanks Stanleysteamer for your speedy reply. That's very interesting about the flashing light on the dash. It was flashing when holding the fob next to the key didn't work. And when it worked two days later I don remember it flashing. I tried the engine before checking if the remote unlocking/locking worked so this does suggest an intermittent fault somewhere. Oh dear.
I guess that there isn't a way of disabling the whole immobiliser/alarm/key chip system? If there was I'm very happy to do that and go back to the old fashioned way of unlocking a car with a key and living without an immobiliser.

Bertie Wooster said:

Once again, thanks Stanleysteamer for your speedy reply. That's very interesting about the flashing light on the dash. It was flashing when holding the fob next to the key didn't work. And when it worked two days later I don remember it flashing. I tried the engine before checking if the remote unlocking/locking worked so this does suggest an intermittent fault somewhere. Oh dear.
I guess that there isn't a way of disabling the whole immobiliser/alarm/key chip system? If there was I'm very happy to do that and go back to the old fashioned way of unlocking a car with a key and living without an immobiliser.

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There is a way , but you need a Nanocom or a Hawkeye or a Foxwell, possibly.
I have a Foxwell but have never used it for this. Don't even know if it can. there are threads on here about this as it is quite a common problem. but my first action here would be to find the receiver and check it out, it may just need cleaning up, drying out, whatever.

Aha ..... I have a Hawkeye Total used to try and keep a P38 Range Rover going. I've never tried it on the Disco. I'll certainly try to find the receiver and clean and dry that (somewhere in the roof near the rear sunroof, I believe) and if that doesn't work I'll experiment with the Hawkeye.
Once again, many thanks for your help.

Bertie Wooster said:

Aha ..... I have a Hawkeye Total used to try and keep a P38 Range Rover going. I've never tried it on the Disco. I'll certainly try to find the receiver and clean and dry that (somewhere in the roof near the rear sunroof, I believe) and if that doesn't work I'll experiment with the Hawkeye.
Once again, many thanks for your help.

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I think you'll find you have to give the Hawkeye people money to unlock it for your Disco, unlike a Foxwell which will do all LR models and all Jag models.
But best of luck with all of your efforts.
Give it time and guys like Discool and Sierrafery will come on and tell you what you need to know!