Member Since: 06 Mar 2007
Location: Kent
Posts: 51
Hi all
I had the D3 booked in this morning for them to test the battery, but I was unable to get the thing started - even by jump-starting from another vehicle. I'll explain the history of the problem:
First noticed the problem about a week ago when I tried to start it and just got some random lights flashing on the dash, doors randomly unlocking/locking and relays ticking.
I connected jump leads from another vehicle, started the engine on the other vehicle and tried cranking the D3 engine. It got further than before - i.e. I could hear the engine try and turn over but there wasn't enough power to get it fully started. So, I left the other car ticking over for about 5 minutes with the jump leads still connected, then cranked the D3 and this time it started fine.
I left the D3 ticking over, stopped the other vehicle, disconnected the jump leads and then took the D3 for a spin. Everything seemed fine. Parked the D3 back on the drive, stopped the engine, left it for a few minutes and started the engine again and it started fine.
The Mrs tried to stargt the car a day later and the problem was back. So, I booked it in at my local stealership for today and this morning I tried to jump start it again in the same way, however this time I get absolutely nothing - no life from the D3, no lights on the dash when I turn the ignition - nothing. Even when the other vehicle is running, connected with jump leads for over 10 minutes, I get nothing.
I spoke to the stealership who were pretty unhelpful, they didn't seem to be able to offer any advice and just said I would need to get the car to them via some breakdown service. The car is out of warranty and I have no breakdown recovery currently (times are hard ).
Just wonder if anyone has any ideas on what the problem might be? Could it still be a battery problem, or something else?
Cheers
tomo'05 (55) TDV6 HSE Auto Zambezi Silver
28th Jul 2010 10:08 am
tomo
Member Since: 06 Mar 2007
Location: Kent
Posts: 51
Anyone got any ideas? I can't get the D3 started even by jump-starting - no life whatsoever.
Cheers
tomo'05 (55) TDV6 HSE Auto Zambezi Silver
29th Jul 2010 10:10 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72788
Might be worth getting RAC sorted asap as recovery will be £1/mile x 2, min!
29th Jul 2010 10:15 am
tomo
Member Since: 06 Mar 2007
Location: Kent
Posts: 51
Thanks for the reply DSL. Recovery it is then
Cheers
tomo'05 (55) TDV6 HSE Auto Zambezi Silver
29th Jul 2010 10:23 am
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72788
I suggest that as a non techie, someone else may know how to help but sounds like battery is knacked and not accepting any charge.
29th Jul 2010 10:29 am
tomo
Member Since: 06 Mar 2007
Location: Kent
Posts: 51
I'm also non-tech, but the fact that I get no indication of life just turning the ignition on (before you crank the engine) when another vehicle is connected with jump-leads strikes me as a bit weird? I would expect to get some of the dash lights, etc to come on.
Just wondered if there is some master 'ninja' reset switch - or maybe a fuse or something? I reckon it will be drivable to the dealer if only I can get it started
Cheers
tomo'05 (55) TDV6 HSE Auto Zambezi Silver
29th Jul 2010 10:36 am
wslr
Member Since: 21 Feb 2010
Location: Somerset/Devon
Posts: 39
As said, the battery can't even hold enough charge to run the ECU's (i.e. 7.5v).
Don't mess about with fancy aftermarket batteries either - Optima etc... From my experience Genuine Part batteries last much longer than fancy ones.
Get on the phone to the dealership parts department and order the correct GENUINE PART battery for the car. Since LR started using more than one ECU in a car(i.e. P38/Disco2), they have always underestimated the required battery and so you will always find the battery part number supeceeded several times to a massively powerful one which will just fit in the space you have. IIRC, the D3 batteries are around 110GBP retail. Ask for your 10 percent off as there is a nice profit margin in there on batteries for the dealer.
You'll also have a load of DTC's in the ECU's on the car so you may have to have them cleared using IDS, although I doubt there will be a problem.
Finally, make sure the alternator is OK. The battery failed like that for a reason so check it isn't overcharging.
29th Jul 2010 11:28 am
tomo
Member Since: 06 Mar 2007
Location: Kent
Posts: 51
Thanks wslr , yep the current battery that Land Rover fit in the D3 is 950 CCA. My D3 is a 55 plate ('05) and the factory fitted battery is only 850 CCA, so they upped it quite a bit since then.
I'll order the battery from Land Rover, btw The Large One quoted me £103.64 inc for the part (LR018609), my stealership quoted me £130 so I'll be knocking them down. I would order it from Nick but couriers can't ship batteries.'05 (55) TDV6 HSE Auto Zambezi Silver
29th Jul 2010 11:42 am
Trackman
Member Since: 16 Apr 2010
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 430
Sounds like your battery has died internally from your sequence of events. It does happen even on new batteries.
Remember to start the D3 you need power for the ECU and all the other electronics plus the glow plugs. The glow plugs will take about 100amps. So if your battery is very low or faulty your jump leads need to support that current through the croc clips and maintain the voltage through all the connections. Its a tall order!
Good Luck.
Ian.
29th Jul 2010 12:23 pm
tomo
Member Since: 06 Mar 2007
Location: Kent
Posts: 51
Thanks Ian
I'll give it another go tonight with some heavy duty jump leads. Spoke to someone technical from the service dept at the dealership who was surprised that I got nothing with the other vehicle connected, he said I should have got 'something' come on on the dash when I turned the ignition on. He said this is very rare which worries me slightly
Cheers
tomo'05 (55) TDV6 HSE Auto Zambezi Silver
29th Jul 2010 12:28 pm
zarnd
Member Since: 23 Apr 2010
Location: Kent
Posts: 794
Sounds like battery is completely flat. Either try jumpstarting it agian, or remove it and put it on trickle charger overnight at least. If you jump start it again, make sure you do some good miles in it. On a healthy battery, for every start sequence you need to drive roughly 11 miles to put the same amoun of charge back in, so jump starting it and taking it for a spin around the block is not going to do anything.
Member Since: 06 Mar 2007
Location: Kent
Posts: 51
Thanks zarnd - good to know! Gonna borrow some heavy duty jump leads and charger tonight, so hopefully will get the thing to the dealer without recovery.
Cheers
tomo'05 (55) TDV6 HSE Auto Zambezi Silver
29th Jul 2010 1:22 pm
Trackman
Member Since: 16 Apr 2010
Location: Glasgow
Posts: 430
Tomo,
If you have a voltmeter check the battery voltage before you put the jump leads on. If its less than 8V jumping it is a waste of time. There is insufficent energy present and you are trying to pull all the starting current from the other vehicle.
Try charging it overnight then jump it to get it started and don't stop it!
Ian.
29th Jul 2010 3:55 pm
tomo
Member Since: 06 Mar 2007
Location: Kent
Posts: 51
Thanks again Ian I do have a voltmeter, so I'll take it along with me too.
Cheers
tomo'05 (55) TDV6 HSE Auto Zambezi Silver
29th Jul 2010 4:43 pm
tomo
Member Since: 06 Mar 2007
Location: Kent
Posts: 51
Just an update on this....the heavy duty jump leads made no difference, so I took the battery out and put it on charge over night. When I connected it to the charger it was showing 2 volts, after putting it on charge all night it was only showing 3 volts.
My uneducated conclusion would be that the battery is 'dead'.
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).
quoted me £103.64 inc for the part (LR018609), my stealership quoted me £130 
so I'll be knocking them down. I would order it from Nick but couriers can't ship batteries.
