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tomw2000

Member Since: 12 Dec 2011
Location: Lincolnshire
Posts: 4

TD5 electrical gremlin (53 plate defender)

Hey all - newbie here so be kind. I do post on ffrr and PHs.

I have an intermittent electrical gremlin, which I am hoping someone here might be able to identify:

Sometimes - and it doesn't matter if the whether is hot or cold, wet or dry (or engine hot or cold), I try and start the vehicle, I turn the key - and (for whatever reason) the orange engine management light and squiggly coil light do not come on - and when this happens the car won't start. It does turn over.
I return the key to normal position and wait a few secs and then it's always started fine. Maybe takes a couple of goes. But as soon as the orange engine managment and squiggly coil lights come on she starts fine.

This happened this morning. But got the car going and off I pootled to Grantham station. BUT: less than a mile from home there's an exposed lane (yes, that lane - where I flipped the car over last Dec...) which gets frost/ice/black ice on it...so i crawl along there....car running fine. I get to the end of the lane...and pull onto the A52...this road gets gritted, so I get my foot down and the car cuts out. All the dash lights light up. I am fairly sure (maybe imagined it) that the Traction Control light came on first (which I'd not seen happen before)...so I eventually get the car re-started after a few attempts and limp onto the verge.

I wonder if wet/damp does cause an issue? I do have the 'they all do that' leak of water into the driver side footwell. And wondered if that might affect electrics?

Car is being recovered - by my local wrench. Good guy. But not Defender specialist. And am sure they'll plug her in and look for faults.

I know the info above is vague but anyone got any ideas?

In October the car had ace service at JE Engineering (I have stage 1 and 2 remaps of theirs and a few other bits) and had been driving brilliantly, like a new car since. She'd not demonstrated this problem for an age before she went in so I didn't mentioned it to them. I just need her working reliably.
Or will the only 'fix' be to get a newer one?

And I had update from wrench earlier:

He said they'd noticed, when she didn't start, with the lights acting as I described above - they also saw the temp guage shoots up. So quick call to his mate and they now think it's the 'ignition relay'. £30 part. so worth a try. It arrives tomorrow.

I'll update when I have more news.

Any ideas?

12th Dec 2011 4:09pm

party monkey

Member Since: 31 Dec 2010
Location: Oxon.
Posts: 1311

2005 Defender 110 Td5 XS CSW Cairns Blue

Welcome to the forum

Out of interest, when you turn the key and get the symptoms you describe, do you hear the fuel pump whirring ?

Reason I ask is that I have the ability to isolate the fuel pump from the ignition and when I forget and turn on the ignition with the fuel pump isolated, I get exactly what you describe.... No MIL/Preheat lights and temp gauge goes to the max.

How that is linked into the Ignition/Fuel Pump relays god only knows

(Intelligent people will no doubt arrive on here to advise) but it's maybe worth mentioning to your local chap

Jon - 110 td5 [sold]. Currently Defenderless.

12th Dec 2011 5:21pm

tomw2000

Member Since: 12 Dec 2011
Location: Lincolnshire
Posts: 4

hey

hmm, ok not listened for the fuel pump specifically - but when I get the symptons I decribed (no orange engine or squiggly coil lights) the whole vehicle is very quiet...so doesn't sound like the fuel pump is running when the warning lights and the start fail....

Hmmm.

(I'm not mechanically handy at all, so it's all gibberish to me).

12th Dec 2011 5:28pm

robpenrose

Member Since: 15 Jan 2011
Location: Hampshire or Cornwall
Posts: 338

Listen under the rear drivers side wheel arch. You should here it when you put the ignition on. Current:D4 HSE
Gone: BMW Z4MC
Gone: Defender TD5 90 CSW
Previous: Discovery TD5 ES (Gone)

12th Dec 2011 5:32pm

diesel_jim

Member Since: 13 Oct 2008
Location: hiding
Posts: 6097

If the temp guage shoots up, it could be the cut out switch under the bonnet... if this is open circuit it gives the same symptoms.

Of course, you could have an annoying break in the loom somewhere causing this.

12th Dec 2011 6:50pm

Alive Tuning

Member Since: 01 Mar 2010
Location: Louth
Posts: 610

Hello TomW2000, and welcome to Defender 2.net.

I would expect you have an issue with the main relay, which is located next to the fuse box beneath the drivers seat. You should hear and feel it click as you switch the ignition to position II. Give it a wiggle, and see if it changes things?

Give us a call on 01472 812900 if you'd like to talk to someone about it, and we'll be happy to assist you.

12th Dec 2011 7:27pm

T1G UP

Member Since: 08 Dec 2009
Location: Bath
Posts: 3101

2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Orkney Grey

on my last td5 the blue loom clip was coming apart causing similar issues. if the speedo goes mad aswell as the fuel guge thats sympton of the blue clip thing. also oil in loom

12th Dec 2011 7:33pm

landy andy

Member Since: 15 Feb 2009
Location: Ware, Herts
Posts: 5729

2006 Defender 110 Td5 USW Zermatt Silver

Sounds like main fuses (under drivers seat) or ignition switch, but if Gary, at Alive is offering help, take it, he has helped me solve problems on mine.

Andy

12th Dec 2011 7:55pm

tomw2000

Member Since: 12 Dec 2011
Location: Lincolnshire
Posts: 4

Many thanks for all the ideas guys. I'll pass on to mechanic to see if they offer possible lines of investigation

12th Dec 2011 8:41pm

tomw2000

Member Since: 12 Dec 2011
Location: Lincolnshire
Posts: 4

Update: collected car earlier. Started and ran fine. Will feedback if same issue appears.
To clarify for now only 'ignition relay' has been replaced

Thanks again all

13th Dec 2011 9:20pm

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