HEY,
did you guys find out what's wrong???
i'm having the same problem... please let me know...
thanks

 

My 2003 Discovery II failed to start today. It has always been fine, but i seemed to notice a few days a ago, there seemed a little 'sluggish' when I started the engine one time. Yesterday was fine. Left the car in the garage, now it just won't start.
I can tell it's not battery.
When turn the key, can hear the fast paced tapping sounds somewhere behind the engine, but it won't start the engine.
Where should I be looking?

Today is Friday, sounds like tomorrow is the first Saturday I won't be able to drive my Disc.

Please advise!

Thanks
Tony

 

Tony, I know this sounds kind of simple and stupid, but try charging the battery and cleaning off the terminals. I had mine make a clicking noise after sitting while I was out of town, and that fixed the problem.

 

Thank you very much for the advice. I will check/clean it.. Before I disconnect the battery, any steps to go through ? Or just simply disconnect the earth end then the positive end?

I was worried about any security code, radio code, etc. if disconnect the battery.

Thanks again.

 

You need radio code. Put a brick on the hood switch so alarm does not get confused when it wakes up. Clean battery terminal wires and the big ones that bolt down in the underhood fuse box, plus the follow the black battery wire to where it bonds to frame and clean / tighten that. The big positive battery wire ends up at the starter. Those cables need to be clean and tight as well. Starter draws almost 300 amps when turning, so any small resistance makes quite a voltage drop.

 

Many thanks again. I saw your explaination about 'alarm switch = bonnet switch' as well. I'd use a paver brick on top of the switch

Ok, now hope this indicated not so bad a news:

I checked the wires, disconnected the negative end of battery, cleaned it, tightened it back on... now turn the key. Nothing happens, not even a click, only the SRS light would come up on the dashboard, so was the GPS would turn on.

So sounds like the battery was bad and now completely gone?

I had battery changed once by the dealer since I own the truck since 2003. I will go out to get a new battery. I will look for the radio code.

Is there a post for changing discovery II (2003) battery? Or if it's not too complicated, could you list for me the high level steps?

Best regards
Tony

 

dc10freighter: Sounds exactly like my trucks symptoms when my fuel pump started to fail. It would crank after trying it a few times and run fine when running. It just allowed the fuel pressure to leak back into tank over time. The good news is you dont have to replace the entire assembly for over 500 dollars. AirTex makes a little replacment pump that you can install in the original assembly for about 80 bucks. Pull the carpet up in the cargo area to access the fuel pump.

 

Replaced battery, problem solved.

Thank you all so much !

 

I realize sort of old post and somehow a new battery fixed one of the posts, but fro what is worth i had same problems...hard starting after long sit, easy start right after use, smell of gas, etc. when i opened up the fuel pump cover the whole thing was puddled with gas...instead of changing the pump i cleaned well, and covered with high pressure epoxy for plastic...so far so good.

FYI I just made a nice clean cut to the carpet instead of taking out everything. Took me about 30 seconds to uncover the fuel pump, and honestly you can't tell the difference once the rear seat bracket covers are screwed back in.