Hi, yes it was exactly like that. Just some clicks then nothing. The Land Rover dealer and the AA guy said it was a "sticky starter motor" coz it started when I gave the starter motor a tap. Resolved by forking out £350 for a new starter motor. No problems with it at all since then and thats been about 3 weeks and it even sounds better when starting. I'm loving my FL2 again.

Hope this helps

daddyo wrote:

Thanks for that guys. But I'm useless at mechanical things and I don't know anybody who is. When I read about the earth strap my mind went blank. Is this something my LR dealer would know about or could I take it to Quick Fit and plead honest ignorance?

I know, real men should be good at this stuff but I have even cut my hand on a fairy liquid bottle and don't even mention Ikea!

At least you are here searching for a solution. IMO that makes u a real man
By the way, almost anybody can do this, that includes u
Your LR dealer will be most reluctant to do it perhaps cos it sounds too simple
Perhaps those who have done it may assist wt pics so u can better appreciate how simple this may be.

daddyo wrote:

Hi, yes it was exactly like that. Just some clicks then nothing. The Land Rover dealer and the AA guy said it was a "sticky starter motor" coz it started when I gave the starter motor a tap. Resolved by forking out £350 for a new starter motor. No problems with it at all since then and thats been about 3 weeks and it even sounds better when starting. I'm loving my FL2 again.

Hope this helps

So i'm back home. Came in yesday, and jumped on the vehicle to try out all d ideas from the trails.

Firstly i checked for battery drain with my digital multimeter (DM), didnt come up with any result. Guess i did this wrong or maybe meter issues. Vehicle power off, negative battery terminal/earth strap disconn, DM switch on DC Amps, DM red wire in 20A socket, DM black wire in COM. Then connected DM black wire to disconnected earth strap, and DM red wire to negative battery terminal. Result = 0A. Not sure where i went wrong. I even opened the driver door to intentionally introduced current, same result.

Secondly i tried the extra earth strap - Battery negative terminal to Body, no result. Vehicle still fail to turn over. battery @ 12.57V.

Next i took out the bottom protective plate gave the starter and solenoid a tap. Tried starting, vehicle turned and started as though there was no problem in the first place. Switched off, tried again, back to base. Need some more taps i guessed.

Took out the starter assembly. Tested unit according to this youtube video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PWG6Il_ZJI) and it failed the solenoid test. Took out the 3 screws that secures solenoid, water found inside solenoid enclosure - Perhaps thats why its failing. Got a replacement solenoid, coupled it, and reinstalled starter assembly to engine.

Then comes the moment of truth....

Key fob in dash, leg on brake pedal, push start button, engine turning, engine start. Stop. Retry, ok. Stop. Retry, ok. Stop. Retry, ok. Made a couple of short trips around town to get tools and parts for lube oil change out, vehicle starting like brand new. I think i'm lovin this.

Bottom protective plate still out. Will replace lube oil later before reinstalling.

Thanks guys for all the help, me wife thinks i'm a superstar. Her baby is back on the road.

Will update on how the oil change went, hopefully.

GWB1967 wrote:

Mine was apparently fixed by Hunters in Guilford. At least I have a copy of the invoice from them that they gave my dealer.

Pegleg wrote:

Most vehicles used to be designed with an additional earth strap.
It was considered a safety issue. If one became loose or heavily corroded, the vehicle would still run.
Dangerous to have engine power failure; particularly on mways.

I've suffered this problem, usually when I'm far from home. Weekend before last 500 km from home it misbehaved all weekend sometimes a few km's from the nearest road. We resorted to the hammer remedy and it's started every time since. We think it is because we left the hammer out instead of putting it back in the tool box!

I'm told that the starter solenoid is a known weakness with Nippon Denso starters which also affects Land Cruisers Cruisers (and I'm sure many other makes).

Mine's being replaced tomorrow after fitting a test light between the signal wire and earth as suggested above. The battery was replaced and an additional earth strap added without solving the problem.

My 2007 TD4 XS manual was recently regularly failing to start after pressing the clutch and then the start button. Repeatedly pressing and lifting the clutch with a click each time eventually started the car. Of course it never exhibited this when I took it in to my main dealer!
There is a free relevant software update LTB00093 which they tried but did not solve the problem. Took it in again the next time and left it overnight with them as it usually failed in the morning. Guess what.... it didn't misbehave when I took it in.
The technician then had an idea it could be the switch on the clutch pedal acting erratic and sometimes inhibiting starting so as it's only cheap they replaced it and IT WORKS!!
So don't fork out on a solenoid refurb or starter motor just yet...I'd suggest the software upgrade and a new inhibitor switch if anyone has a similar problem. Full marks to my local LR main dealer!

I recently had this intermittent starting issue with my 2007 TD4 S Auto which I bought in the autumn. I initially suspected a poor battery but this was not the case. Following the thread above I decided to buy a Solenoid repair kit (£16.10 including postage from RepairkitsUK). Fortunately my brother loves this sort of job as a lot of covers and hoses have to be removed to get to the starter motor but he managed to remove this and change to contact parts on the solenoid. The difference in quality (thickness) of the contacts is very clear. It seems the original part on the FL2 were not up to the job.

Despite cold, damp weather the car has started first time every time since Saturday when the repair kit was installed. Cost just the £16.10 plus a crate of beers!

Hope this helps somebody with a similar problem.

Been experiencing exactly same problems recently - been going through quite a few big puddles recently which may have aggravated the solenoid problem.

This forum is a mine of information!

Have sent away for a RepairKit .....

Starter solenoid failures are nothing new.
Most garage workshops can't be arsed to fiddle around with it, take the easy way out and replace a perfectly good starter motor. Another member of the failed FL2 clutch/DMF club, twice.

emetoolite wrote:

So i'm back home. Came in yesday, and jumped on the vehicle to try out all d ideas from the trails.

Firstly i checked for battery drain with my digital multimeter (DM), didnt come up with any result. Guess i did this wrong or maybe meter issues. Vehicle power off, negative battery terminal/earth strap disconn, DM switch on DC Amps, DM red wire in 20A socket, DM black wire in COM. Then connected DM black wire to disconnected earth strap, and DM red wire to negative battery terminal. Result = 0A. Not sure where i went wrong. I even opened the driver door to intentionally introduced current, same result.

Secondly i tried the extra earth strap - Battery negative terminal to Body, no result. Vehicle still fail to turn over. battery @ 12.57V.

Next i took out the bottom protective plate gave the starter and solenoid a tap. Tried starting, vehicle turned and started as though there was no problem in the first place. Switched off, tried again, back to base. Need some more taps i guessed.

Took out the starter assembly. Tested unit according to this youtube video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PWG6Il_ZJI) and it failed the solenoid test. Took out the 3 screws that secures solenoid, water found inside solenoid enclosure - Perhaps thats why its failing. Got a replacement solenoid, coupled it, and reinstalled starter assembly to engine.

Then comes the moment of truth....

Key fob in dash, leg on brake pedal, push start button, engine turning, engine start. Stop. Retry, ok. Stop. Retry, ok. Stop. Retry, ok. Made a couple of short trips around town to get tools and parts for lube oil change out, vehicle starting like brand new. I think i'm lovin this.

Bottom protective plate still out. Will replace lube oil later before reinstalling.

Thanks guys for all the help, me wife thinks i'm a superstar. Her baby is back on the road.

Will update on how the oil change went, hopefully.

Two and half years later, still loving this baby . No repeat of starting problems after the starter solenoid was replaced.

Good day all,

I'd like to first thank you for all the consistent care and useful advices. I bought a SE TD4 from a friend which was experiencing the very same problem. After it completely gave up, I looked for solution and ended up reading this post. The problem with mine was SOLENOID KIT and PLUNGER. It was easy to diagnose after I told the auto electrician and they fixed it in the matter of hours. It didn't cost so much and the car is perfectly fine. Cheers!

OK, all good on this thread but I must ask. When atempting to start did you hear the starter tryng to engage ? A CLONK noise or similar ? Or not. This is importanta because if the CLONK is present this means that the 12V reached the solenoid but the plunger does not fully engage. If there is No clonk the 12v does not arrive to the solenoid wich is another matter. So, did you hear CLONK or not.

I would say it was more like a click noise, os a soft clunk! and It'd happen only once for each try.