immobile disco

[strapping young lad]

erm i have a problem

i initially thought the battery was dead and the fob was dead.. but both charged/replaced

i cant start the darned thing.

i can hear clicking coming from the passenger footwell.. the dash lights come on fine.. internal ight seems fine, headlamps fine.. etc

checked fuses all ok

no sign of turning the engine...

but the fob only sometimes works and sometimes the lights do what they do (the flashing) but the central locking doesnt always work


HELP!    

[Andy.]

I had a similar problem about two years ago.

Battery was fine, both alternator and starter motor were checked and both OK.

Eventually the problem was tracked down to a short/break in the main wiring loom for the immobilizer, which is why it was'nt even turning over.

Just an idea but might be worth trying to start and at the same time wiggle some of the main bulk head wires (drivers side wing) at the same time. One of my main wires had completey rotted through causing a non starting problem early this year, repaired the wire and now back to normal.

HTH.

[strapping young lad]

ah i see

will open up the footwell tomorrow in daylight and have a look

thanks andy

whats annoying is that its been fine..


oh and my brake lights dont come on either

short of checking the bulbs is there anything in the bulkhead area i could look?

[strapping young lad]

weird

its ok now but its not trustworthy

gonna have a look in daylight

[ChrisW]

Dyf

Andy's on about the 'fusible links' which are under the bonnet in the wiring loom along the drivers side wing.
They should be inside what looks like a cloth sheath - the cables have fuse links soldered into them, over time with mud and water under the bonnet they will just rot apart.

[Andy.]

Aye thats the ones Chris.

There were indeed wrapped in a cloth sheath (not anymore) and this was soaking wet, holding in the water which over time must of rotted the wires inside.

It may just be Dyf that they are starting to go, mine was Ok for two weeks after I called out LR Assist, who at the time put the problem down to a dead battery. Two weeks later went out and nothing. Opened up the bonnet and you could hear a sizzling sound, and tracked it down to the wires in the sheath. Removed the sheath and tried again starting and smoke appeared so the wires were stripped cut and changed.

Remove the sheath in daylight and check them out  

I replaced the sheath with some convoluted tubing, so hopefully they won't rot again.

[strapping young lad]

andy

are these wires identifiable in any way?

[Andy.]

Not as in what they supply power for no.

You could try and trace them back. Under my sheath there were 4 red wires soldered into 1 main red wire leading to the battery. Where they were all soldered together was where they had corroded. It's a bit tight for space but it's well worth checking the wires for condition.

[strapping young lad]

ok will do

i do have this lock thing that puts a bar behind the gearstick when its in reverse

like an anti theft device..

dont think it has anything to do with the immobility but i am going to get the centre console out this weekend and inspect in there too..