Hi all, yesterday I went to start my Freelander 2 2008, I always press the starter without pressing the clutch first to let it do the start up check. After this I put my foot on the clutch and pressed the starter again and nothing just a 'click' I tried it a further couple of times. As I thought the battery was flat I left the car and went home in another vehicle. This morning I went out with a multimeter and checked the voltage of the battery and it is reading 12.15V (the battery is only one year old).

What are the potential things to look into when this occurs? I am wondering if it might be the clutch switch? I.E there must be a switch that lets the car know when the clutch is depressed and maybe that is playing up. However, I have had no trouble with my cruise control leading up to this. My other thought was the alternator but now I'm not sure as the battery is reading 12.15V.

They like a good fully charged battery I would check the terminals are clean and tight,mine just clicked and wouldn’t start when the steering lock started playing up.

Any 12v battery that is below 12.4v is going to strugle starting a car. Give it a charge & see what it comes up to. (Now Sold). 2008 Freelander 2 (Nazca Sand) SE TD4 Auto. Statutory write off & on WOVR for hail damage but still road legal.
171037Km as of 09/05/22
Superchips Bluefin Flash
Nanocom Evo II (also sold)

Thanks for your reply. The car is starting everytime now??? I will clean the terminals after work but they look pretty tidy.

I have put the multimeter back on the battery whilst it's running and I am getting 8V which seems low to me.

I am going to order an auxiliary earth strap today just to safeguard myself but good it be a had earth or not?

Sounds like your charging system needs checking out, 8v isn't even in the ballpark! Unless of course your multimeter is out of whack. (Now Sold). 2008 Freelander 2 (Nazca Sand) SE TD4 Auto. Statutory write off & on WOVR for hail damage but still road legal.
171037Km as of 09/05/22
Superchips Bluefin Flash
Nanocom Evo II (also sold)

a100ian wrote:

I have put the multimeter back on the battery whilst it's running and I am getting 8V which seems low to me.

With the engine not running.

With the engine running. I'm not multimeter expert. I have put it on the 20v setting.

Your engine couldn't possibly crank over & start with that sort of voltage! (Now Sold). 2008 Freelander 2 (Nazca Sand) SE TD4 Auto. Statutory write off & on WOVR for hail damage but still road legal.
171037Km as of 09/05/22
Superchips Bluefin Flash
Nanocom Evo II (also sold)

Ok thanks for your help. I'm going to order the earth strap tonight anyway and I'll pick up a new multimeter or battery tester tonight too.

That earth terminal doesn’t look too good.

Excuse my ignorance, but which one's the earth terminal ? I thought batteries just had +ve and -ve

All modern cars are negative earth.

I do not like the look of that positive lead just laying on the terminal - you could have a poor connection. Try digging both meter leads into the terminals.

Talking on the phone on bluetooth while shutting the engine off has been known to flatten the battery overnight. Silver 2009 HSE

The negative terminal is also known as the earth terminal as that is the one that is connected to the car body. Almost all vehicles since around the 1960`s have been negative earth and most definitely if it has an alternator fitted. The battery terminals are marked + and - to show positive and negative and also the positive post is a larger diameter than the negative to help avoid connecting them up incorrectly.

Of course the other thing is that it's possible to have a well charged battery and it reads normal at the terminals but if you have a poor earth or starter motor connection then strange things happen due to voltage drop where it's needed. Might just be worth checking if you multimeter is accurate though since they rely on an internal battery and a reference zener diode.
Hands up those that prefer a proper meter with a needle so that you can see what's really happening especially if the voltage is varying. 3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE