Td5 defender engine immobiliser

[willowbank]

Afternoon chaps have a little problem in that the TD5 Defender would not start this morning,usually I get in and turn the key normally a buzzing sound is heard and the engine immobiliser lamp is lit up, press the fob and the lamp goes out, turn the key and we are away.

This morning same procedure but on turning the key the immobiliser lamp came on and went immediately off again, before I could press the fob.

I have looked on the forums on the net and seen all sorts of complicated procedures.

Has anyone experienced this and give me a clue?

Please refrain from posting anti Landrover comments, heard them all before and to be honest abit peed off at the mo because I cant get on with some urgent stuff.

All help really appreciated thanks.

Regards WB

 

[crouch valley]

This may seem silly but its not the battery in the fob is it as mine played up when the battery got low.

 

[tonyt]

mine does that when it rains - have got a leak in the windscreen rubber that is letting water into the dashboard. (rubber is now getting replaced)

 

[willowbank]

This may seem silly but its not the battery in the fob is it as mine played up when the battery got low.

Thanks for the suggestion but no the problem seems to be with the ignition itself as the immobiliser lamp does not stay on and there is no chance to use the fob when the ignition is switched on.

Regards WB

 

[willowbank]

Yes I have some rainwater getting into the floor well and it rained last night, did your immobiliser lamp go out as soon as you turned the ignition key?

How did you get round the problem and get it started?

ATB WB

 

[Hebridean]

I had a similar problem which was down to water getting behind the bulk head and into the unit.The solution was a replacement unit and a new ECU, as it had also been damaged by the faulty unit feeding back to it.

 

[Nod-1]

The earth leads go bad on the defender try and put a jump cable from the negative terminal on the battery to a solid point on the chassis if not try to clear the fault down in the ecu by removing the negative terminal of the battery for 10 mins.

 

[White Hart]

WB

Does it turn over but not fire up? if so Its worth checking but there is a fuel shut off switch under the bonnet drivers side on the bulkhead. It's a rubber switch / button square in shape round button on top. Mate if you have no luck give me a bell and we'll speak to my uncle.

​WH

 

[willowbank]

Thanks WH and all the others for advice, I have put a heater in there for the night to try and dry it out, also a dehumidifier from the caravan, will see how it is in the morning, the rain has been getting in through a perished windscreen rubber and on down through the bulkhead, so sheeted it up for the night in case we get more of the wet stuff overnight.

Regards WB

 

[243varmint]

Remove drivers seat cushion, remove metal panel under seat, engine ecu under there. First have a look for oil in the Ecu plugs. It tracks down the wiring harness from the injector loom in the cam cover. If there is oil in connectors clean out with brake cleaner. You will need a new injector harness. There is also an earth point by the ecu. I have had to run a separate earth from this point to the earth point on the transfer box on the same side( if that makes sense).
also there are connectors called header joints behind the dash that do burn out. Last resort to check these.
try entering the EKA code ( emergency key code) it's a pain in the arse to do but it should get the engine running

atb
Jonathon

 

[willowbank]

UPDATE;

In desperation I called the RAC out to see if they could locate the fault via diag equipment, he said that he had been called out to a lot of similar problems caused by the multitude of gadgets using same wavelengths to the immobilisers, anyway he checked all the usual things then it fired up, he didnt do a thing I had not already tried but it fired up.

Now heres the twist, nearby is parked my Freelander2 which at the same time (yesterday) refused to lock/unlock on the fob, that too started responding to the fob this morning without any attempt to find the fault!

Did aliens pass overhead in their spaceship on Sunday night?

I am relieved that all is working again but slightly concerned that the problem(s) might return if someone nearby uses some gadget.

Regards and thanks for the replies,

WB

 

[LuckyEddie]

Anyone got a home weather station set up near you? i.e. within two houses.
I know that these will affect the ecus as they send out strong signals to the base station.

Ed

 

[Safari Hunter]

Had the same issue with my Disco 2 a few years back. Went for a service, came home and nothing next morning. RAC couldn't fix it so towed off drive to go on their recovery truck and it started. Parked on next doors drive and it started no problem. Back on my drive wouldn't start. It's to do with RFI signals from some electronic gadget. 2 weeks later had no problems again. Never did get to the bottom of it.

Adrian