Member Since: 29 Dec 2017
Location: Mid-Wales
Posts: 19
Accessing the starter motor while locked out
Hi all, my 2008 Discovery 3 2.7 TDV6 has a broken passenger door lock, and a flat battery. (the door lock broke one day and the battery ran down while the car was waiting to be taken to the garage to fix it. Coincidence? Or just sod's law?!)
I have bought a CTEK battery charger and a 12S socket adapter in an effort to charge the battery through the towing socket, but the charger can't detect a battery. Whether it's that the battery has completely failed (it's 2 years old) or there's some wiring fault with the 12S socket, I have no idea.
So, my next step is trying to apply 12 volts to the starter motor positive terminal, as I've seen suggested elsewhere. However, getting to it is proving difficult. The car is sunk down on its suspension, and on a muddy surface. The front wheels are turned to the right, so I can at least access the front half of the driver's side wheel arch. I managed to get the front under tray (the part about the size of a large baking tray) off, but that didn't seem to help with access.
Can anyone please tell me the best way to get to the starter motor terminals?
Failing that, which is the cheapest window glass to replace?
Thanks
22nd Oct 2019 2:10 pm
PROFSR G
Member Since: 06 Mar 2017
Location: Lost
Posts: 4626
Can you apply a circuit tester to the 12s socket terminals and see if there is any power there? IIRC pin 4 is the +12v terminal.yµ (idµ - eAµ) ψ=mψ
22nd Oct 2019 2:26 pm
hmallett
Member Since: 29 Dec 2017
Location: Mid-Wales
Posts: 19
I did think of that, but the ironic thing is that my multimeter is locked in the Land Rover!
22nd Oct 2019 2:38 pm
3disco
Member Since: 23 Sep 2010
Location: devon chardstock
Posts: 504
When I had a flat battery AA managed to back feed the system by putting a live feed onto the starter motor accessible through the o/s wheel arch.
22nd Oct 2019 3:06 pm
hmallett
Member Since: 29 Dec 2017
Location: Mid-Wales
Posts: 19
Thanks, that's my plan, but it's actually getting to the starter motor terminals that I'm struggling with. Do you remember if they pulled parts of the wheel arch liner off?
22nd Oct 2019 3:09 pm
3disco
Member Since: 23 Sep 2010
Location: devon chardstock
Posts: 504
From memory he took the under panels off and then realised he could get at the terminals by jacking up the car and putting the wheel on full lock so no need to remove panels!
22nd Oct 2019 4:15 pm
sutty2006
Member Since: 02 Jun 2016
Location: stoke on trent
Posts: 135
Can the front grill be removed enough to get arm up and pull bonnet cable? I know the clips are at the top but worth a try. I don’t think new grills are expensive if you break it.
22nd Oct 2019 8:51 pm
hmallett
Member Since: 29 Dec 2017
Location: Mid-Wales
Posts: 19
Thanks all. In the end I pulled the front grill, and could unlatch the bonnet. Luckily(!) it looks like this car has had this done before, so the shroud around the nearside bonnet latch mechanism was already removed, allowing me to open it with a screwdriver. For the nearside latch I could just pull the cable.
8th Nov 2019 10:36 am
eightfoot
Member Since: 12 Apr 2015
Location: sunny essex
Posts: 762
just as an after thought on this what tow socket was you using to connect the charger the black or the white one ?please excuse any grammer/punctuation mistakes,i'm thick,thankyou
current vehicles 2005 d3 2013 d4
8th Nov 2019 4:10 pm
hmallett
Member Since: 29 Dec 2017
Location: Mid-Wales
Posts: 19
It was the white one.
Battery turned out to be completely knackered. Down to 5v. Replaced under warranty.
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