I’ve a 2013 Freelander 2 that started to give some hesitation in starting last year when the temperature dropped to around 4 degrees c. After visit to local Land Rover dealer they couldn’t find anything in the way of fault codes. After numerous calls for then to leave car outside and witness the difficult starting I gave up with them and removed vehicle. Continued throughout the rest of winter and although it did struggle it started all the time. Summer came and issue went away. Today at 1 degree outside and low and behold problem reappears. Push start button and engine offers to start on cylinder off. Stops instantly and automatically turns over and fires up. Diesel engine. It’s very much like a glow plug is not working but last year the main dealer was confident they were also ok. Has anyone had or is having same issues or known problems.

Cheers Chris

Have you had your battery checked Freelanders are very sensative to battery voltage fluctuations, if your battery is getting on a bit the cold weather will see it off and start to give you starting issues HSE TD4 Stornoway Grey ★ Rear Spoiler ★ Black Leather Interior ★ Panoramic Roof ★ Navigation with Bluetooth ★ 19 " Alloys ★ Alpine Stereo 10 Disc Auto changer and Ipod connection and lots of other nice toys ★

Is it not just the delay for the glow plugs to warm up? Will take an extra second or so in cold weather to start.

Hi guys. Battery has not been checked but vehicle did go to Land Rover dealer all be it last year for same issue. Problem was checked and they were hooking up to diagnostics. Unfortunately it was difficult for then to understand after first start the vehicle was ok for the rest of the day so as soon as vehicle was taken into the garage it was ok. Sounds terrible but trying to explain the the garage to leave it outside in the cold, get the workshop manager, supervisor to witness was pointless exercise. It feels like glow plug or injector sluggish. I’m not seeing a delay which I’d expect for glow plug heating, it’s a cylinder type not firing. It really is first hit. Thanks for the feedback.

Chris

Just put a new battery in my car.
http://www.freel2.com/forum/topic30002-15.html Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!

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I've suffered with problems in the past after I've used cheap supermarket fuels... the water and stuff caught in the fuel filter started to thicken up in the colder weather and starved the engine of fuel... just a thought.

The answer was to have the fuel filter changed asap - instant fix both times!!! I learnt after the second one... 2002 Honda VFR800
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It may be worth trying pressing the start button without the brake pedal - leaving the "ignition" on for 5 seconds then pressing the start button again with the footbrake. Costs nothing to try and seems to help mine. Silver 2009 HSE

simont wrote:

I've suffered with problems in the past after I've used cheap supermarket fuels... the water and stuff caught in the fuel filter started to thicken up in the colder weather and starved the engine of fuel... just a thought.

The answer was to have the fuel filter changed asap - instant fix both times!!! I learnt after the second one...

I have had similar with previous car. In the end stopped using 91 petrol, & used 98 mostly or 95 if I could not get 98. Also the fuel filter never needed changing again. The extra I paid for 98 gave better milage & paid for itself, & maybe just slightly ahead, & no filter replacement costs.

Diesel in winter.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_diesel_fuel

We even get cold weather in Australia

Click image to enlarge

 Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!

Acoustic insulation ARB TPMS 3xARB air compressors After cooler Air tank On-board OCD pressure air/water cleaning Additional 50L fuel Carpet in doors ABE 2x1kg Waeco 28L modified fridge Battery 4x26ah Solar 120w Victron MPPT 100/20 DC-DC 18amps 175amp jumper plug Awning 6x255/60R18

Thanks everyone for feedback. I’ll try the filter and certainly another fuel location throughout the winter.

Chris

Mines used to do this changed the glow plugs as three were open circuit. Used to smoke a bit for the first couple of minutes. But like Glenna said leave the ignition on a few seconds before starting.

This is interesting.

I have a Peugeot Boxer van for my work, which has the same engine in it, & for the last 3 winters, has also suffered the same issue.

The dealer tried to blame poor fuel, however I always fill up with Shell or Esso, then they said fuel filter, but they'd just serviced it & changed the filter, & it still happened!

Glow plugs may be the culprit after all? Armed with this info, I can go back to my dealer & push for them to replace them!

I hasten to add, my freelander hasn't suffered this problem!

The first year it happened Land Rover tested all glow plugs and ruled them out. Diagnostics didn’t pick anything up as they kept hooking up after initial start, which is ok once it’s going. I was told there is a module of tricks that operates below temperature that can become temperamental but again they said all ok. I tried the push start button without brake this morning but still sluggish. I certainly feels like one plug not heating. Very frustrating for sure.

Did they just test them with a multi meter properly, I.e checking the resistance of rack or quickly check they are open circuit? I prefer to remove them, test the resistance to make sure they are all about the same and then finally connect them to a battery and watch them heat up. Have often found a plug with a resistance reading that differs from the rest taking substantially longer to flow cherry red.

I’m not sure what method they checked the glow plugs. I probably wrongly assumed as it went into the dealer, one it would have been known issue and two it would be easily rectified. I’m in Aberdeen and popping in past this morning so will ask what exact checks were performed. I’d be pretty cheesed off if they had them out and didn’t check them correctly. It’s what you’d expect from main dealer.

Is it peter vardy you used? I enquired bout getting a control unit programmed from them last year and between the attitude and the price of almost a kick in the arse away from £200 per hour decided to use a independent specialist in bridge of don (RSL motors) was pretty well priced and was happy enough with the service. I have also heard only good things about the 4x4 specialist across the road from peter vardy (greenbank 4x4)

My grandparents also have had only bad experiences with peter vardy in Aberdeen when there jag was having issues. They just loaded the parts cannon and fired away.