-1 this morning. No light, no delay...just starts instantly. John
07 HSE Narvick Black
Land Rover Series One
Triumph Rocket 111 (sadly gone!)

had delay this end and cranked, started stopped and started again all in about 2-3 seconds lots of smoke too!!!! was -6 but not sure whether it should be like this

With temperatures between 0 and -5 I'm getting a very short delay (less than 2 seconds, I'd say - just enough to be noticeable) before cranking. The car then starts with the usual (short) cranking time.

My philosophy - if it's starting with no apparent problems, don't worry about it! If everything's working properly there should be no need to turn on the ignition before starting - it's all intended to be automatic.

wizking wrote:

I have no light on mine, and no light when just ignition on. Had dealers check it out, and no other in show room at the time had a light either (61 plate). -5 here in east riding and delay of about 2 seconds but no light!!!

Mines a MY11, no Glow Plug light has ever lit, just get the message in the Message Centre "Checking System" or something similar, a delay of a few seconds depending how cold it is, it cranks, couple of turns and fires up. The 07 one also never had the Glow Plug Light come on either, just a delay before cranking depending on how cold it was, always started in a couple of turns and always had the message "HDC Not Available" for a few seconds when cold, always did it, never let me down.

The mystery deepens! But it is there loud and clear on mine. I just took a photo of it and when I figure how to post it I will.

Strangely, the handbook is out of date and shows the light in the warning panel below the rev counter and says to delay cranking until it has gone out. Nothing about the auto function of delaying cranking. Someone a Landrover needs to update this book!

Picture in Gallery - I'm going for a lie down now!

and a dash of 2SO!

Mine also has the glowplug light, but in the panel below the rev counter.

Waiting for the light to go out is for 'old style' key-start engines. With those one did, indeed, turn the key to the ignition position, wait for the light to go out, then turn the key to the start position. But not for a button-start engine - just push the button and leave it to the computer. The pdf user manual I have gets that right.

On the FL2 the glow plugs may, depending on temperature, remain on for a short time even after the engine has started - apparently this helps with emissions during that initial very cold period. So there are potentially three phases of glowplug operation - pre-cranking (the short delay between pressing the button and cranking beginning), cranking (plugs remain on during cranking) and post-cranking (when the engine has started but hasn't yet reached some operating parameter or other). I get the impression that the light is only on during the pre-cranking phase, but that's not at all clear from what I've read.

Might as well tell you about my glow plug light

This morning it was -3 degrees so I inserted the fob, foot on brake, pressed and released start button, glowplug light in RPM display (as BenT's) came on for about 1.5 seconds during which it delayed cranking, glow plug goes out, engine cranks, engine runs.

-5 deg. C. today....no delay,no light...fired up after 2 seconds of cranking...little noisier for first few seconds but runs on all 4 pots so there is probably no problem......but wouldn't it be better to have the light which ensures you that everything works OK ?


(even those fu ing Renaults have that together with start button)

I just jump in insert the fob, depress the clutch and press the stop/start button no noticable delay upto -2 so far and it starts everytime.
Often wondered about glow plugs but being push button start just took it that it must be fully automatic as there was no other instructions to say anything else.
Well I should say did work until my recent misfotune of a total siezure of the beast with very little warning well 400m of oil light and sudden stop  (GONE) FL2 2008 SE (manual) Santorini Black, the expensive one
(LEFT WITH) 300tdi Defender 90 the cold, reliable & sensible one

After all I have said, today at +4 the glow plug light lit up on starting! Never seen it before and it doesnt show up on ignition lamp test.....BUT, I DO have one. (I think it may be shy).

Yesterday -2 no light slight delay and started, today -3 glow plug light on + short delay started like a bag of bolts for a few revs then ok, maybe my plugs need changing done 45,000 mile but a lot of stop / starting (short runs).

Richard FL2 07 TD4 GS Auto
Ex 02 TD4 Auto