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Andy730

Member Since: 12 Dec 2017
Location: Douglas
Posts: 45

2007 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey

Annoying intermittent electrical fault...

Hello to the group, and thanks for checking out my post.

I have a 2007 2.4 Puma defender 90, with 35k miles on it.

In 2016 my defender first showed a starting problem where it wouldn’t start, in brief the engine would try to start but quickly cut out, this turned out to be an ‘odd’ issue with the cars security system. By simply using the key fob to lock, and then un-lock the car, it would then start again without problem.

Then, in November last year, the same thing happened again, but I simply couldn’t get it going, no matter what I tried. I ended up getting towed home

I have since acquired a Bearmach Hawkeye in hope that it would help me find the problem. What I found was that it thought the ignition wasn’t switched on, when it actually was. as such I swapped out the electrical switch at the end of the key lock (and that was a pain in the ass to be sure!) but once changed the car started just fine. I took it for a short run and all was OK, I then took it for a slightly longer run and within 2 miles of starting, and whilst moving in traffic at about 35mph, the car ‘cut-out’ for what seemed like a second or two (it felt a lot longer) as the car was in gear and moving and with my eyes on the road & traffic, what I saw was my headlights went out, the rev counter dropped to zero, the speedo might have also dropped to zero. The green LED window that shows the miles also turned off. I didn’t see if the ignition/oil lights lit up.

But once the ‘fault’ cleared, the engine picked up and everything else returned to normal. As such I carried on, although I turned around and headed back home. With Christmas & New Year past and gone, I now need to get this sorted out as it is my normal daily run about.

But what to look for and where??

I’d like to be able to turn off all the passive immobiliser stuff to remove that from the equation. Is that possible with a Hawkeye??

Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated!

Andy Andy
2007 Puma Defender
2005 Volvo S60 T5 (for Sundays)
1998 MGF

4th Jan 2018 10:24am

ibexman

Member Since: 13 Dec 2008
Location: Essex
Posts: 2945

CPS playing up🤔

4th Jan 2018 10:53am

Andy730

Member Since: 12 Dec 2017
Location: Douglas
Posts: 45

Thanks for the reply..

I've skipped through the manual... What is the CPS...? i cant find it mentioned anywhere..

Andy
2007 Puma Defender
2005 Volvo S60 T5 (for Sundays)
1998 MGF

4th Jan 2018 3:18pm

ibexman

Member Since: 13 Dec 2008
Location: Essex
Posts: 2945

Crank position sensor

4th Jan 2018 3:20pm

Andy730

Member Since: 12 Dec 2017
Location: Douglas
Posts: 45

OK, thanks.. that kinda makes sense... But would that kill the rev counter and other electrics etc...? Andy
2007 Puma Defender
2005 Volvo S60 T5 (for Sundays)
1998 MGF

4th Jan 2018 4:48pm

blackwolf

Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17372

2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey

Check that the relays under the driver's seat are really secure in their sockets. Many starting and running issues on the 2.4 can originate from one or more of the contacts on (in particular) the main relay being loose.

I don't know if Hawkeye can turn off PI, but turning off PI is one of the biggest improvements to starting performance you can make. It doesn't seem to be a particularly reliable feature (though admittedly many people have no trouble) and it really doesn't significantly reduce the security of the vehicle (the immobiliser is activated when the doors are locked regardless of the PI).

4th Jan 2018 5:23pm

Andy730

Member Since: 12 Dec 2017
Location: Douglas
Posts: 45

OK thanks, I checked all those relays in December, but no harm double checking as it would be very nice if it was that...

Andy
2007 Puma Defender
2005 Volvo S60 T5 (for Sundays)
1998 MGF

5th Jan 2018 12:03am

Andy730

Member Since: 12 Dec 2017
Location: Douglas
Posts: 45

I have pulled the main relay, and i took the top off it. The contacts looked OK, but had some small marking from what looked like contact bounce.

I simply rubbed the contacts with brown cardboard, refitted the cover and refitted the relay.

Since then (i say with my fingers crossed) all has been ok. But just to be on the safe side, i have rejoined the RAC.

I guess time will tell, but i'm using it as my daily hack, so if somethings going to fail, it'll have more chance... Andy
2007 Puma Defender
2005 Volvo S60 T5 (for Sundays)
1998 MGF

9th Jan 2018 4:11pm

Andy730

Member Since: 12 Dec 2017
Location: Douglas
Posts: 45

Well, that didn't take long...

took the car for a short 2 mile trip this morning, i got about 800 yards and, although the car kept running and driving, the instrument cluster died. i.e. the rev counter, speedo froze, the green LED window died. No other lights were on the dash at all. Even the yellow engine light went out LOL (that's lit for the faulty EGR that's on the cards to be sorted)

I got to where i needed to be and stopped the engine. Bizarrely the handbrake light lit up, but in a half power (i.e. dim) When i came to restart the car it wouldn't go... the same symptoms, it would turn over for a second or two then just die, then the next try it wouldn't even try to turn over...

So.. with having just changed to key switch, i left the plastic cowlings off the dash. (top & bottom) I found that i could press and move the harness as it plugged into the dash, doing this actually affected the dash lights. I managed to get it so that i could start the engine. As such, i returned home.

Now that i'm home, I have found that with the instrument cluster unscrewed i could pull the harness and this killed the power to the dash itself. What i've yet to figure out is this; is the bad connection on the plug to the dash, or is it down behind the dash itself.

Right now i'm not sure where the harness goes once it leaves the instrument cluster...

Any hints or advice on that?? Andy
2007 Puma Defender
2005 Volvo S60 T5 (for Sundays)
1998 MGF

10th Jan 2018 10:09am

Mo Murphy

Member Since: 01 Jun 2008
Location: Letchworth Garden City, Herts
Posts: 2227

1984 Defender 90 BMW M57 3.0 Diesel HT Auto Pennine Grey

I'd be inclined to disconnect inspect and reconnect all the plugs and see if that makes a difference.
Mo The Land Rover 90 - Many are called, few are chosen.

50 Shades of Pennine Grey

10th Jan 2018 3:01pm

custom90

Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20348

Remove, clean, re-tighten main earth strap on transfer box.

Sounds like a 'common' electrical issues, earth is common in the electrical system hence it possibility of cross linked issues.

It can have all sorts of bizarre effects.

Worth checking anyway. $W33T $0U7H3RN $UG4R
🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇮🇪🇺🇸⛽️🛢️⚙️🧰💪

10th Jan 2018 4:36pm

Andy730

Member Since: 12 Dec 2017
Location: Douglas
Posts: 45

Just adding a note here about this short thread as i've (with help & advise from others) found the problem and fixed it..

There is a complete thread on this forum about it here: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic59938.html

Just in case someone finds themselves with the same fault. Hopefully, these two threads will be of help.

Andy Andy
2007 Puma Defender
2005 Volvo S60 T5 (for Sundays)
1998 MGF

12th Jun 2018 7:04am

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