As a new member I was hoping to use some of the members excellent knowledge as mine is nil at this moment.

I have just purchased my Freelander and while stuck in a traffic jam in Brussels the battery light came on, panic, with 150 kms to do and no sign of moving I turned off all electric equipment that could be done without and crossed everything....

On eventually reaching the motorway I started to increase speed and low and behold the light went out at about 2000rpm.
I nursed it home with the light coming on and off, next morning started car no light 5 mins later light on so went for a drive and the same occurred light on and off intermittently.

Next problem, message centre says transmission problem and reduced traction, car drives fine but the special programmes don't work????


PLease help as I like the car but hate problems so soon

A very frustrated

Clive

Check the following:

1. The earth strap between battery and body - this has been known to corrode and cause problems.

2. The battery itself - it could be failing.

3. The alternator - it also may be failing.

The transmission fault messages are probably just a side effect of the charging problem - they commonly occur when system voltage falls too low.

Start by checking the alternator output, sounds like it possably failing or has a loose connector, slippping drive belt etc. This will result in battery discharging and impact on many of the electrical systems

PAB you beat to to it

It will probably be a diode fault in the alternator, either the diode pack needs replacing or the alternator as a whole replaced for an exchange one?
Intermittant charging warning light problems, provided the belt isnt slipping, will mean the alternator is on its way out.
If they are going to fail its around 65000 miles, Ive had 2 go at around this mileage this in the past and one where it wasnt charging but the light never come on at all, again that was diodes.

Hi guys, many thanks for your replies,

I have checked the belt and it isn't slipping

I checked the battery voltage which was 12.69v (engine not running)

start car voltage 13.70v (no light)
voltage 13.69v (light on).

I feel that the battery may need replacing as it is an original I think as it has a Land Rover sticker on it (car has 150,000kms / 90,000mls).

I will check the earth strap later when I can lift the car up.

I will post regular updates as and when things are solved....

How easy is to change the alternator as it looks rather tight around there?????

Clive

it is possible your battery is the culprit as it is 7 years old after all.

Iain

Your charging voltage seems way to low which is triggering the battery lamp as the Voltage is regulated by the powertrain control module (PCM) not via a regulator in the Alternator like older vehicles.

A typical good charge rate is between 13.9v and 14.2 it can raise to 14.56v on a cold day.

Possible causes of battery lamps:

Slipping or broken Alternator belt
Open Diode
Open Circuit in starter motor windings
Open charging circuit
Open Field circuit
Worn Brushes or slip rings
*Defective Voltage regulator* Doesn't apply to Freelander 2

iain cooper wrote:

it is possible your battery is the culprit as it is 7 years old after all.

Iain

+1  No Longer the owner of a 2013MY Fuji White GS

"Fiat Lux" a philosophy not a car

OK the latest,
have had the battery on charge now reading 12.74v
start engine engine idling 14.36v no lamp battery burning

Still have message "terrain response system faulty, traction reduced"

Just went out to check the wording of the message and terrain selection switch worked for about 10secs and I could see the options but then fault re-appeared. I have seen that this could be one of a multitude of problems

Does this still sound like battery or alternator problem?????

Clive

I think so - worth having it professionally tested
The low voltage causes all sorts of weird error messages as the various control modules require constant info within set voltage ranges to function - used to get these errors on Jags which share some of the technology of the FL2s
HTH No Longer the owner of a 2013MY Fuji White GS

"Fiat Lux" a philosophy not a car

How difficult is it to remove the alternator????

I looks a little tight in that area (perhaps need to remove front bumper??)

Clive