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WPRO18



Member Since: 13 Feb 2023
Location: London
Posts: 79

 2005 Defender 90 Td5 SW Cairns Blue
Odd electrical issue query
Regarding my TD5 90, a rather random electrical issue occurred in isolation and seemingly all now resolved... But I should probably educate myself as to why it happened..

Dash cam connected to the cigar lighter via dual USB (always plugged in for many years / starts normal). Today I connected phone charger to the dual USB input it's charging my phone as normal (car was already on).

I've carried out an errand and left the phone connected and switched car off (all devices now off). Upon immobilising it to restart and turning key the gauge read / all lights as normal then attempting to crank, the whole car shut off as if the battery just completely failed. Tried unlocking/locking again and no joy. I've tried to do again and this time disconnected cigar lighter connections and no go. This time however now the odometer has disappeared off and can't lock the car.

Attempt to look at the battery and it all looks normal... 5 minutes or so pass by . So try to restart it / immobilise it and it fires up like no issue.

Drove normally and has since restarted multiple time since..

I presume the issue was I temporarily overloaded the circuit? So won't be doing the above again but why did it restart after 5 or so minutes had gone by...
Post #1043020 17th Aug 2024 3:27pm
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macfrank



Member Since: 05 Nov 2015
Location: somewhere in the north
Posts: 1027

Germany 2015 Defender 110 Puma 2.2 SW Keswick Green
I don't think the USB charger is connect to this issue. It's fused at 20 Amps and those USB chargers wont draw much more than a few amps (if you draw 2x2A at 5V it's just 1.6A at 12V).

Check that the battery terminals are tight. Maybe also the battery itself is on its way out.
Post #1043073 17th Aug 2024 10:02pm
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WPRO18



Member Since: 13 Feb 2023
Location: London
Posts: 79

 2005 Defender 90 Td5 SW Cairns Blue
Hmmm thanks for that but now the wondering starts!

Terminals all tight and new Bosch S4 battery a few months ago and holding strong / reads good.
Post #1043083 18th Aug 2024 8:34am
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Hazza



Member Since: 10 Jan 2011
Location: North Yorkshire / Leeds
Posts: 211

United Kingdom 1990 Defender 110 Td5 HT Bronze Green
Check all earths, especially battery to chassis/transfer box, and also main ECU earth in driver's seat box 1990 Defender 110 200TDI Camper - now converted to Td5 power
Post #1043125 18th Aug 2024 7:47pm
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WPRO18



Member Since: 13 Feb 2023
Location: London
Posts: 79

 2005 Defender 90 Td5 SW Cairns Blue
Ok thank you I shall. Out of interest, due to imminent MOT I decided to wash the car and doing so pressure washed the chassis quite a bit including transfer box area... would water temporarily affect the earths ?
Post #1043169 19th Aug 2024 10:47am
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WPRO18



Member Since: 13 Feb 2023
Location: London
Posts: 79

 2005 Defender 90 Td5 SW Cairns Blue
Quick update.... I have used the vehicle numerous times since originally posting and couldn't replicate the issue.

HOWEVER day of MOT Rolling Eyes , car starts fine and I've gotten it from the storage space and switched off the engine (must have been less than a minute from startup) and go to start again and it doesn't crank / odometer eventually disappears off, car is dead has replicated all issues in first post.

(cigar lighter items are already disconnected so can rule that out now).

I've checked the battery again but nothing. After turning the isolator off and on again and set/unset the alarm immobiliser etc the car now starts.

The MOT was a distance away so car has spent around 15minutes running / warmed up (it passed in simple fashion at least Bow down ). Car was stopped and started multiple times during test and then I stopped/started after doing errands and the issue is just not there. Battery feels very healthy.

I will wait now overnight and do the same thing again i.e. start it first time cold and switch it off very quickly. Does this bring up any ideas?

Typical how it never did this before, however going for service a couple weeks ago and it has shown this fault since .... Where are the cynics amongst us????

When you say to check the earth's (forgive my novice levels of mechanic ing) is there something visible I can check or are you more indicating at using a meter probe etc)?
Post #1044255 29th Aug 2024 4:50pm
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MadTom



Member Since: 10 Sep 2013
Location: Olomouc
Posts: 612

Czech Republic 1999 Defender 130 Td5 HCPU Baltic Blue
Check earth = remove earth cables from all earth points, clean them, check that cables and/or connector are not broken or corroded, refit back and apply some conservation to protect them.
Some will be probably corroded or mechanically broken or just not tight. "Drobek" = The Small One - Discovery 2, "Blufínek" = The Blue Thing - Defender 130, and for me at least Ford Mondeo Smile
Post #1044411 31st Aug 2024 4:17pm
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custom90



Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: South West, England.
Posts: 20114

United Kingdom 
The grounding or earth points are on the transmission, black cables with an eye fitted onto a bolt they should be clean and tightened enough that they weren’t loose, if they are loose you’ll get electrical problems, the same applies to battery clamps.
Be sure that the fuse is secure in its holder in the fuse box to the supply that the circuit you are using comes from, it can sometimes be a loose fuse in the holder as well.
Basically poor contact.

Follow the battery negative ground - back to where it’s connected to the transmission, it is a large black cable, where it connects to the trans, make sure the bolt is tight. (Don’t tighten it too much).
There are also possibly a couple or a single other smaller gauge ground wire eyes on there that may be loose also or instead check those too.

If you do find that solves it, at a later date take the bolt out, put a drip or two of Loctite 222 (don’t chose any other as this one is low strength) and put a drip or two of that on the threads of the bolt then refit, as these bolts can become loose by themselves due to harsh conditions and vibration is high plus temperature changes.
It’s further more common as when for example a clutch is changed all these items get removed a refitted and not always refitted as they should be such as finger tight or just a bit loose, or swiftly become so, you can finish off with just a little Dinitrol or similar product like MadTom mentioned just for a bit of protection or a bit of electrical grease or any grease externally just o keep water away.

At rest, the battery should read approx 12.6v ish around 14.4v with engine running with an approx 5% deviation either way for voltage changes.
So 12.2v would be a bit low, 13v, on the higher side at rest.

If there is a poor ground though, high voltage drop can occur only under loads really bad can otherwise show to be normal voltages at rest.
For example if you crank the engine and you see 5v, then there is significant voltage drop due to high resistance likely cause by poor connection.
If you saw say down to 9v for a split second or two that would be okay, but not much below 8v for any time.

Each time you start it, especially when cold it draws a lot of current, the Alternator will recharge this over a journey, not so though if you start it, shut it down, restart it, that will reduce the system voltage more so especially when cold.
The lower the voltage the, more likely you’ll get high resistance issues as mentioned above.

If you disconnect the battery, be sure to resync alarm etc after doing so, before starting using the fob for immobiliser, alarm etc if fitted then start it.

Hope this helps. Thumbs Up NEVER SURRENDER! ⛽️🛢️👨‍🔧🧰⚙️ RED, WHITE & BOOST! 🇬🇧
Post #1044413 31st Aug 2024 4:43pm
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LandRoverAnorak



Member Since: 17 Jul 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 11324

United Kingdom 
Your problem sounds suspiciously like the ignition switch failing, which is something that I experienced on my 110 a little while ago. Turn the key and the vehicle appears 'dead'. Try again in a few minutes or even seconds and it starts without issue.

My 110 was a Puma but the ignition barrel and switch are the same. Here's how I fixed mine:

https://www.defender2.net/forum/post933318.html#933318 Darren

110 USW BUILD THREAD - EXPEDITION TRAILER - 200tdi 90 BUILD THREAD - SANKEY TRAILER - IG@landroveranorak

"You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought!" - Princess Leia
Post #1044449 1st Sep 2024 9:16am
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WPRO18



Member Since: 13 Feb 2023
Location: London
Posts: 79

 2005 Defender 90 Td5 SW Cairns Blue
Thank you all for the very detailed guidance Bow down - greatly appreciate it ! Credit to the forum as always Very Happy

I did take it out again and shut it off quickly (tried this twice) to replicate said recent issue but nope it's been fine since. Continued to use it as normal and it's been fine....

I'm going to have another detailed look at the earth (at first glance nothing stood out) as the crawling I did seemed to remind me I'm not as fluid as I once was Big Cry

Thanks for alt suggestion re: ignition, I will monitor this and your thread guidance is spot on.
Post #1044547 2nd Sep 2024 8:30am
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