Hi - very pleased with my FL2 but the starter system causes me concern. Sometimes it starts immediately I touch the button other times it is just 'dead' with no response at all for up to 20 / 30 seconds. It does always start but these intermittent delays, for now apparent reason, cause me concern. I have given the battery a good long trickle charge on a couple of occasions with the recent bad weather but this does not appear to make any difference. Is there anything to be gained by disconnecting the battery for a short period and effectively 'resetting' the electrics or am I barking up the wrong tree. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Paul

Could try it. A delay is not unusual, but it is for 30 seconds. I'd take it into the garage if the reset didn't work.

If it's cold there should be a delay whilst the system operates the glow plugs. Not sure it should be 30 seconds mind you. For a free country, it does seem pretty expensive these days.

Thanks for your input guys I understand about the glowplug delay but it was the intermittent nature of the time delay that is disconcerting. For example I went out last night and the car started virtually instantly after lying idle for a couple of days. Stopped to fuel up for a few minutes and the starter button was 'dead' for about 15 seconds or so before restarting. As said previously it has always started but it is the intermittent timing that is disconcerting.

m00baz00 wrote:

Thanks for your input guys I understand about the glowplug delay but it was the intermittent nature of the time delay that is disconcerting. For example I went out last night and the car started virtually instantly after lying idle for a couple of days. Stopped to fuel up for a few minutes and the starter button was 'dead' for about 15 seconds or so before restarting. As said previously it has always started but it is the intermittent timing that is disconcerting.

Glow plug delay for our temperatures should range from instantaneous to a maximum of about 7 seconds. Does anything show on the information screen as to what it may be waiting for?

Yes, take it to Strastones of Cupar. That would be your local wouldn't it? They seem reasonably clued up on things unlike a lot of their dealers.

Thanks East Yorkshire - there are no messages at all it operates perfectly normally except for the intermittent delays

yeah something's not right there. For a free country, it does seem pretty expensive these days.

Unplugging battery resets the software of the car completely. Done by dealer once on mine for another reason and worked perfectly.

If under warranty I wouldnt bother though. 2010 Freelander 2 Select TD4 auto....gone
2011 Freelander 2 TD4 auto ...current

It's no bother to do, when reconnecting, just have to reset the clock on the radio, everything else does itself.

Thanks for all the advice on this topic, I think my next step is to try the battery disconnect and reconnect - if no joy then it looks like a trip to the dealers - I was trying to avoid an 80 mile round trip. Thanks again

No problem, it's just about the only bit of advice we can give you as the electrics is a complicated business for us mere mortals, let us know how you get on.

All, Thanks again for all the advice and tips - I disconnected the battery and left it for 10 minutes or so before reconnecting - since then its like a different car - starts first time every time without any of the previous problems. I'll post if I have further problems related to this. Thank you again.

When i first read your post, i thought it could be the starter solenoid; i've seen the same thing as your starting probs many times before.
Now it sounds as if the glow plug timer went askew. Keep me posted please. Another member of the failed FL2 clutch/DMF club, twice.