My 2001 Discovery is turning into a basket case.. Long story short while at work in Iraq, someone decided to take it for a joy ride, must had backed into something and busted the Left Rear Bumper tail light. We get home (in Mexico) to find it almost un drivable. It will start sometimes, M&S lights blinking, no windows working, turn signals not working and its not shifting out of park. When you push the pin on the shifter it will shift but way hard and only goes into limp home mode. I have replaced the Battery with the proper sized battery. Alt is working well, 13.60.. I was told to look at the XYZ switch, took it off, looks almost new.. i used the ohm meter and nothing appears open or shorted. put it all back together and put it back on. I have checked grounds, power leads etc.. with zero success.. every time i think i have it figured out, something new pops up. The new thing today is..... Code P0705 circuit A which I have no idea what that means and now for the best part... it actually started but jumped backwards when it started, no reverse lights on but it is in Reverse!!! I am no mechanic but can figure most stuff out but now I am way lost!! the worst part is, we are 3 1/2 hours from the nearest LR dealer and I can only imagine the cost once we would ever get there!! LOL!! HELP!!!

 

The reverse mode problem really sounds like the xyz switch is on incorrectly.

I would still suspect a bad xyz switch, but another guy had a similar situation and it turned out to be a wire by his starter (link to his page on option 2 below).
If someone really took your car for a joyride, maybe they tried to hot wire it at the starter and melted something like the guy in option 2 below.

1)I found this thread from another discovery 2 owner that is describing the same exact problems as you. He went through a ton of things looking for his problem. He started with the XYZ switch and took it off and said it looked good so he put it back on and went hunting for other causes. He finally went back to the switch, took it off and I think blew it out with air (you'll have to read to make sure) and it worked for him.

P0705 Error code and reset - DiscoWeb Message Boards

Another guy had the same problem but cleaning the switch didn't work and he had to replace it. A new switch is like $700 so try one like this from ebay ($89.00) if you decide to get a new one.
Land Rover Discovery 2 Transmission Position Switch XYZ 99 00 01 02 03 04 | eBay

2) This guy had similar issues even after replacing the xyz switch and found his problem to be: "The last thing I checked was the energiser wire to the Starter solenoid (the thin green wire). Loose oily connection. Pinch up with the pliers and Vroooooom! Check the obvious simple stuff first."

M and S lights – replaced xyz switch and problem is back – other possible causes? - Australian Land Rover Owners

 

Thanks Brother, this is driving me nuts.. I am a Paramedic trying to wrench on my Dream SUV and its breaking my heart!!! LOL!!

Anyway, here is the deal... The ignition is fine, they used our keys when they took it for the joy ride so all is good there...

I have been tracking wires all day, I mean, I know what a good reading is on a multimeter and when there is a closed and open circuits but feel lost there.. Nothing is jumping out..

I actually found that the transmission was in Reverse when I crawled under to look at the XYZ switch again. I must have accidentally moved the spline but it still started.. So I disconnected sprayed contact cleaner in both plugs waited to dry and re-connected the switch... Now nothing, turn the key and nothing. the dash lights all lighting up the same, M&S and the "drive" with a line through it...

Code reader is still flaging the P0705 "A" Circuit and now P1668 which the best I can find is Anti theft, I am guessing that is the super lockdown of the tranny and engine...

I will keep looking... Maybe cracking the XYZ switch open and sraying contact cleaner and air drying for the night may do something , I dont know now!! LOL!!!

My Wife and I are actually asking friends of ours that know a LR Mechanic that would like a nice place to stay in Akumal Mexico, We cook, provide beer and they help me get this beautiful SUV back on the road again, thats how desperate we have become!! LOL!! My Siberian is even taken to crawling under the truck to see if he can speed the process up because he wants to go for a ride!! LOL!! I am only home for another week to 2 weeks before I re-deploy and have to get this running and make sure it stays that way for the wife while I am gone!!

Thanks a bunch!! I will keep you posted!

John

 

Is the red light blinking on the dash? You might be immobilized. I was trying to help another member on here that was getting the P1668 code. He got his truck towed to the dealer only to have them tell him he just had a loose battery cable.

Check the inertia switch under the hood, on the passenger side firewall. Make sure the button hasn't popped up. Here is what it looks like. inertia switch.pdf

Also, try closing all the doors and hood, and lock and unlock the truck a 2 or 3 times at the drivers door. See if that lets you start the truck.

 

No Blinking red light on the dash... I have checked the battery cables top to bottom and again but nothing is loose, corroded or cracked. I looked at the inertia switch and it is fine, nothing popped and the fuel pump does fire up when you turn the key which is way weird... I also did the shutting the whole truck up and locking and unlocking 20 different ways to sunday, even did it in a series of 3 while standing on one leg!! LOL!! The only thing that is weird is that I ensure the battery stays disconnected while working on it, and before I am ready to fire it up or try at least, I do the open the drivers door, turn the ignition key to the run position then hook up the positive cable... Starts first thing in the morning then as soon as I turn it off and tinker around looking and playing with connections, it will not start again the entire day... I got no clue now!! LOL!!

 

So, let me get this straight. If you hook up the battery before you turn the key to the on position it will not start? But, if you put the key in before hooking up the battery, then it will start?
That is really weird.

1)Will it start every time you disconnect the battery and restart it, or just at cold start in the mornings?

2)After you get it to start can you shift into gear and drive?

3) When you have the key in the on position, and you tap on the break pedal, can you hear the break pedal switch clicking? And, hear and feel the Gear Selector Interlock Solenoid clicking? (Place your hand on the shifter cover and tap on the breaks. You should feel it under the cover)

I think that your best bet (in my opinion) is to get a used XYZ switch off of ebay. I know it's hard to spend money when you are not sure if it will fix your problem, but without a scanner like TestBook, Hawkeye, or Nanocom you are limited to the testing and diagnosing you can do. The Code 0705 is all you have to work on and that points to the XYZ as your issue.

Mud and water inside XYZ,

 

Did the people that had your keys take your truck off-road or in high water? That might explain the busted rear bumper light, from our trucks very poor departure angles. (Just goggle "Poor Departure Angle", almost all rovers come up. LOL)
I have been reading other post that have had this code and most got this code after getting stuck in mud or going through high water. The A/C also drains right on top of the switch so it is fairly common for them to fail.

Use some electronic cleaner spray and air to clean the inside the XYZ switch and nothing else.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/CNC-QD-Ele...11-oz/16817418

 

Ok so here is the weird process... in the morning, after about 12 hours of me not touching the truck, I have the drivers side door open, the key in "run" and then I connect the Positive Battery cable. Now, with that said, it has started a couple of times during the day but not much. This morning I got a Zero on cold start doing this, been trying for an hour or so with no start.

When it is running, it seems to be in Reverse gear. I looked last night and the XYZ switch was in Park and I accidentally rotated the spline to Reverse, corrected it and no start.

When I pulled the XYZ switch out there was no water or mud damage noted, it looked completely dry inside, almost brand new.. A little dust but nothing that looked bad.. all the contacts were shinning and bright looking so I assumed that everything had to been in order so I put it back together using the one link I found on here using bolts and silicone.

This morning when I tried to start it, the Right Blinker was blinking and the turn signal lever was not pushed up to Right, it was in the center position.

I checked the Grounds on the Alt again and all seems good. Checked the Battery Ground and again all good. I just pulled the XYZ switch out again and am going to open it up and spray cleaner in it and let it sit in the sun to dry out??? Maybe that will work???

Just seems like I am running around chasing my tail here but eventually something has to work!! LOL!!! We hope and hope soon!! LOL!!!

 

Oh yes and I can hear and feel the gear selector interlock solenoid engaging every time I hit the brakes....

 

All you did was clean the XYZ and now the blinker comes on? Call a priest, that thing is possessed. I have no idea how cleaning that switch would effect the blinkers. It is starting to sound like you have a computer issue going on.
I think we need to find DiscoMike and get his opinion on this topic. He is the forum guru of sorts, but I haven't seen him for a while.

Let me see if I can find him. You have to sing his theme song with Dos Equis bottles on your fingers.

"Disco Warriors, come out to play"
"Disco Warriors, come out to play"