It's happened again!!!!!
Almost a month since the new battery went in and didn't start this morning

It's been driven mostly everyday since the battery went in as I can remember but yesterday it wasnt driven at all, wasn't too cold but was raining.

The lights came on the dash and everything was normal, waited a second or two then turned the key and it just made the click sound and didn't turn over.

Now I'm confused, is it just the fact it wasn't driven or is there another problem. I have already removed the Sat Nav unit from the boot but clearly this wasn't the problem originally then nor was the the old battery?

So what is the voltage at the battery terminals with the engine off?

Jump start it and check the voltage with the engine running?

You could have an alternator problem?


If it is current drain from electrical kit on board, you will have to test fuse by fuse until you find it. .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999

I'm just off that after almost a month the problem is now maybe back. The fact it wasn't driven for 1 day yesterday then it's a non starter this morning is odd.

I don't have a voltage checker so couldn't check.
I jump started it off the VW estate, I didn't even leave it more than 30 seconds before starting the range the the battery clearly wasn't completely flat.

Do you try and give it a few starts or just the one turn of the key ?

I only ask as my 2002 L322 sometimes gives a resounding clunk/click i'm dead when i turn the key. I then try it a couple more times and it starts as if nothing has happened.

Does this approx once a fortnight and has done since i've owned the car for nearly four years.

I've still got the battery it was fitted with when i got the car.

Starter motor? Not my RR but I had those symptoms with my 911, did the whole lot myself before the garage replaced the starter motor..

a click could be the solenoid failing to engage on the starter, however given that it started off a jump then that is less likely, however it may have needed just that little bit more to make it engage. There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
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True, however mine also would start from a power booster, the extra ommph probably engaged the solenoid

My bad! When I said clicking sound, I meant the sound you get when any car fails to turn over. It was the same sound I was getting back in Dec with with the battery drain problem.

As I don't have a volt metre I couldn't check the power before trying to start again.
It's just odd it started off a jump and again a few hours later to go home. It's been a month, well 2 days off a month with the new battery and sat nav unit taken out so after 1 day of no driving why the non starter!!!!! I want to cry

Also as I said before, since the new battery went in its been driven almost everyday even over X-Mass so maybe the new battery is holding charge and as it wasnt driven yesterday maybe it was too long for it to hold out?
I maybe over thinking the matter....

I still think you should get the starter checked, I took two batteries back before I took it into the garage

I will do.
With the battery drain problem I have surely the new battery wouldn't have lasted this long thou?

I've got the same problem with my 2007 TDV8. It drains overnight but starts with a booster pack. After a couple miles there's enough charge to restart it, but left a few hours it'll drain again. I had a new starter motor 12 months ago and a big Bosch battery about 2 years back.

After all the posts and suggestions it looks like its one for a professional. I'm based in Herts too, so was looking for an auto electrician or specialist LR garage to help.


UPDATE:

Mine turned out to be nothing more than a duff battery. Don't ask me what it cost to sort to at a LR Approved garage, but it started with a diagnostic check (£95 +VAT), then new LR OEM battery + fitting charge + test the next morning (1/2 hour labour). I had a nose bleed.

Last edited by kaoleary on 23rd Jan 2016 9:31pm. Edited 1 time in total

These are in your neck of the woods, L'R specialists rather than Auto Electricians, but I've only heard good things about them.

http://www.gandgautomotive.co.uk/about.php

http://www.benington4x4centre.co.uk/

And slightly north of Herts but I can recommend http://www.woburn4x4.co.uk/

If they are no good for your fault, I do know of a good sparks that does P38's, he might do later cars as well, will let you know  Yesterday I couldn't spell Engineer... Today I are one!
Inventor of the 'Guide-o-Matic automatic wheel alignment tool'
Former long term L322 owner, Up/Down graded to a Classic Tractor!

Thanks.
Bennington are good for fixing but electric's I don't think they speciality in as they were rather stuck with my car.
I will check out the other link thou

If you want to fix it yourself , all you need is time , basic tools , and a multimeter ...

A multimeter set to volts on the battery will give you battery volts (+12) and alternator volts (+13)

The battery 12v is more important ....
If you don't have that , you need a good charged battery to start trouble-shooting .

You need to think of the car in basic terms .
"Big" 12v goes from battery to starter motor , and "big" - 12v goes back through engine to chassis to battery .
All these points can be checked with temporary jumper cables
(Eg if jumper cable from engineblock to battery negative "cures" your problems look at earth straps between block and battery , or one step further if jumper from chassis to battery fixes it there us your problem)


Going back to a good fully charged battery , If you have 12v and the car doesn't start you can then start the process of elimination ...
Do you have 12v at the "big wire" on the starter ?
Do you have 12v at the "little wire" on the starter when the key is turned ?
If you jumper the big and small wires does the starter turn ?
(Carefully placed jumper wires , or if you're brave a screwdriver)
If everything is ok , check and clean the connections on the aterter , if you have 12v at both points you're starter needs looking at .

Once you've done all the basic checks , and are certain the "big" electrics are in good order , you can start looking for little problems that are causing a drain .

For this you will need the amps setting on your multimeter .
Remove battery ground (-) and place one lead on the cable and one on the battery .
A high reading here will show a definite drain .
You then need to remove the fuses and relays one at a time and watch for the amp reading dropping .
Make notes , as it may be 2 or more small problems making one big drain)
Once you have noted the problem circuits you can leave the fuses out to make certain they are your only problem.
If all is good you then need to look at the individual circuits that the "bad" fuses supply ..

You will now put your meter into "continuity" mode , or ohms if it doesn't have a beeper .
You can check individual Bulbs , wires etc for breaks/faults using continuity .
Basically , if you get a piece of good wire you will have continuity from one end to the other when you place a lead at each end .
Likewise a fuse .

If you don't have continuity it means there is a break somewhere in the wire .

If you have 2 seperate wires (+ and -) going to a bulbs for instance , and you have continuity with a lead on both wires with the bulb removed then the two wires are touching . You have a break causing a short .

You can also use continuity to check door switches etc .
With the wires removed , place the leads on the switch and press the switch in and out .
You will here the beeper telling you when the contact is made and broken .

NOTE: a simple thing like a bad boot switch will be "telling the car" the boot is open , so the car will leave the trunk light turned on . This will drain your battery

If these simple test don't find the problem (and mist of the time they will as the problem will be a bad switch , crimped wire , short to earth ) you will need to check cleanliness of connections and resistance of invidual wires to check for bad joints ,
But you can revert back to the "big" wire test you did using jumpstart leads on a smaller scale by "jumpering" individual circuits using lengths of single-core cable to temporarily replace sections of the cars wiring harness .

Good luck !!!
Ian