Our 07 freelander is our first 4X4 and i have to say we love it, much better than the A4 convertable it replaced.

Since the cold weather moved in iv'e noticed a starting problem. When i press the stop/start button it cranks over but takes about a minute to start, because of the auto start once pressed it just keeps trying, once warm it's fine and as said it's only since the cold weather started.

Does it sound like a glow plug issue? if so anyone any experience on how much they are to change?

thanks for the help and great forum

Could be the glowplugs, but I suggest you try the following first:-

> Insert key, but don't press clutch (or brake pedal if you have auto transmission)
> Press 'start' button - this should result in several lights on the instrument cluster illumninating, including the glow plug warning lamp (at the base of the rev counter)
> Wait for between 5 and 10 seconds
> Depress clutch (or brake pedal if auto)
> Press 'start' button

This will mean that the glowplugs have fully warmed up before the engine cranks over. If the glowplugs and battery are both OK, the engine should fire fairly easily. If it makes no difference, I'd suggest that may well have a glowplu or glowplu control problem.

Hope this helps!

Mr Moo wrote:

Could be the glowplugs, but I suggest you try the following first:-

> Insert key, but don't press clutch (or brake pedal if you have auto transmission)
> Press 'start' button - this should result in several lights on the instrument cluster illumninating, including the glow plug warning lamp (at the base of the rev counter)
> Wait for between 5 and 10 seconds
> Depress clutch (or brake pedal if auto)
> Press 'start' button

This will mean that the glowplugs have fully warmed up before the engine cranks over. If the glowplugs and battery are both OK, the engine should fire fairly easily. If it makes no difference, I'd suggest that may well have a glowplu or glowplu control problem.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for that, i'll try it in the morning and report back

silvermilnec wrote:

Mr Moo wrote:

Could be the glowplugs, but I suggest you try the following first:-

> Insert key, but don't press clutch (or brake pedal if you have auto transmission)
> Press 'start' button - this should result in several lights on the instrument cluster illumninating, including the glow plug warning lamp (at the base of the rev counter)
> Wait for between 5 and 10 seconds
> Depress clutch (or brake pedal if auto)
> Press 'start' button

This will mean that the glowplugs have fully warmed up before the engine cranks over. If the glowplugs and battery are both OK, the engine should fire fairly easily. If it makes no difference, I'd suggest that may well have a glowplu or glowplu control problem.

Hope this helps!

Thanks for that, i'll try it in the morning and report back

The manual does say that in extremely cold weather there can be a delay of up 12 seconds before the engine cranks after pressing the button to allow the glow plugs to do their job, its been minus 7 here and if the car is outside all night mine has a delay of only about 3 secs before cranking starts then it fires up within 2 engine revolutions. I was only wrong once and thats when I thought I was but wasnt.

2010 Freelander 2 XS Stornaway Grey
2010 Aston DBS Morning Frost
2010 Bentley Continental Brooklands Green

Mine failed to start on Monday morning, but I connected a tractor battery to its battery via jump leads and got it going. Cold weather will have adverse effect on a battery's performance

Ye if you try the two stage starting method, as Mr Moo said, the glow plug coil will go out Mine: 2012 Golf GTI Edition 35
Family's: 2009 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Auto, Stornoway

Yorkshire - God's County

Thanks for the replies guys!

It defo cranks over but doesn't fire, it's only when the is started first thing, after that even 5 hours later it's fine.

I must be honest iv'e done the pressing the button without the clutch pressed, all the lights come on but i can't see a glow plug light.

I'll see how it is in the morning

On a plus, weve had 2 foot of snow today and the fl2 is simply the best

Silver,

You may find that if the car is left all day, even if the temperature is below zero, the glow plug light won't show. If I leave mine at work all day it doesn't. However, in the sort of overnight temperatures we've been experiencing, the glowplug light does flash on for a second or two after the car has been left overnight.

I can't remember which other warning lights are next to the glowplup light, but it's one of three lights (I think!), in a small 'box' at the base of the rev counter. It's a curly yellow 'coil' shape.

Hope it fires up better tomorrow AM!

Cheers

Ok pressed the start button without the clutch pressed, all electrics came on including the glow plug light, it went out after about 3 seconds. I waited for another 10 seconds and tried. Same result, the engine turning as it should but not firing, after about 20 seconds it fired and all was ok.

The car came with 3 months cover but the garage is 40 miles away, to be honest while we've got this bad weather i don't want to hand it in. If it is faulty glow plugs does anyone know how much they are?

Thanks for the help guys

sounds like an air leak in the diesel system to me At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

Mine has been firing after a 1-2 second delay (no glow plug light) then starting on first turn but lumpy idle for a couple of seconds at between -1 to -6c over the last few days.

Our 07 FL2 did much the same on Monday after being parked all weekend, cranked but didn't fire (kept trying but the computer dropped the starter before it was fully firing) and eventually flattened the battery.

It's been fine since, although the weather hasn't been so cold and the car has been used every day.

Turning the ignition on for the glow plug light to go out before cranking seems to help.

Could it be fuel issues? Both our diesel cars were filled from the same Shell station, and both were tricky to start on Monday.

Update. On Friday morning it was -14 ! my wife needed the car so i got a lift. when my wife tried to start the car it turned over but again wouldn't start, it does fire but it doesn't seem to be strong enough to get the car going. She rang me and i returned home with a friend in his range rover, he took the wife and kids to school while i tried to start the car.

I did the 2 stage starting and noticed the glow plug light goes out after only 2 seconds! doesn't seem very long for them to warm up. After trying for about 15 minutes the battery was starting to strugle. I waited for my friend to return and tried with some jump leads, again after another 5 minutes of trying it started and within a couple of seconds was running smooth!
I realised i'd not locked the front door of our house so had to turn the engine off I thought it would struggle to start BUT it didn't, it started on the button

I took it to a 4x4 specialist in Morley near Leeds, they happily put it on the computer and it came up with no faults well 1 fault on the turbo that he cleared.
Saturday morning and barring in mind i was driving the car at 12.30am and it was only -1 i tried to start it at 6.30am and it started on the button, i did expect it to struggle.

Not sure what to do, help please

silvermilnec wrote:

Update. On Friday morning it was -14 ! my wife needed the car so i got a lift. when my wife tried to start the car it turned over but again wouldn't start, it does fire but it doesn't seem to be strong enough to get the car going. She rang me and i returned home with a friend in his range rover, he took the wife and kids to school while i tried to start the car.

I did the 2 stage starting and noticed the glow plug light goes out after only 2 seconds! doesn't seem very long for them to warm up. After trying for about 15 minutes the battery was starting to strugle. I waited for my friend to return and tried with some jump leads, again after another 5 minutes of trying it started and within a couple of seconds was running smooth!
I realised i'd not locked the front door of our house so had to turn the engine off I thought it would struggle to start BUT it didn't, it started on the button

I took it to a 4x4 specialist in Morley near Leeds, they happily put it on the computer and it came up with no faults well 1 fault on the turbo that he cleared.
Saturday morning and barring in mind i was driving the car at 12.30am and it was only -1 i tried to start it at 6.30am and it started on the button, i did expect it to struggle.

Not sure what to do, help please

Hi Silvermilnec

Get a CTEK XS7000 charger and fully charge the battery. That will sort you out.

If a battery is partially discharged, it WILL affect some of the engine electronics. Also read under two recent battery topics! With kind regards
DiscoGeorge
1998 Disco1 ES 300Tdi with twin TrueTracs
2005 Disco3 TDV6 S
And some more serious stuff