i have a 2001 disco 2 ,when i insert the key and turn on the ignition all instruments on the dash light up correctly and the radio, a/c lights work fine, but the odometer is blinking and the engine will not turn over at all.Battery is good,have installed new starter.The truck was wrecked in the driver side fender and all the damage has been repaired-replaced.The motor ran great but i had to start it by crossing the starter solonoid.Like i already mentioned i replaced the starter but now the odometer blinks with the no start issue. i have heard it might be an issue with the BCU ? Can anyone help me out and give me some pointers on how to go about fixing the issue. THANKS

 

I am newish here, but I am pretty sure you have run afoul of the immobilizer security feature. Basically, your Discovery can't detect the coded key FOB RFID and therefore is refusing to start.

One option for the short term is to use the emergency key access (EKA) code. More here: https://landroverforums.com/forum/di...d-works-45005/

Beyond that searching the web for Discovery 2 Immobilizer will bring you lots of horror stories. You can disable it with a nanocom so you won't have the issue in the future, but I think you have to turn it off before you can disable it.

I have read a bunch about it as my 2001 came with no keys from a tow company. In the end I lucked out as a previous owner had already turned the immobilizer off on my car.

 

Disco 2 keys don't have an RFID.

 

The FOB does though...or am I mis-informed. There is a travesty of contradictory information out there.

 

No, it doesn't. You don't need a fob at all. There is no RFID chip and no RFID sensor in the ignition switch.

 

RFID wasn’t invented when these things were made.

To the OP, I think you are on to something because I remember reading something somewhere about the ODO blinking- meaning it was the sign of triggering something. Focus your Google fu on that and I bet you’ll get there.

I terrified myself not too long ago and accidentally super locked mine (and my driver’s door lock is bad). Thankfully the super lock motor still worked and I could get it.

In your case, what I had to do when I pulled and then reinstalled (after realizing I’m not good enough to do the actuator rebuild with a new motor) the driver’s door lock actuator that I could pull in the inside window trip and was able to fit a slim steel rod in there to unlock it. However, as you can’t get in the vehicle, I’m not sure that’s much help and I don’t think you can “slim Jim” these doors.

 

how long have you had your disco ? and when did this start happening

 

There is a lot about Disco II immobilizers I don't know, but I do know that RFID pre-dates the Discovery.

The first patent associated with RFID was awarded to Charles Walton in the early 1980's (US4388524A).

Here is where I am confused.

There is a ton of information on the internet about getting a new FOB for Discovery II and programming the car to recognize the fob using NANOCOM or by direct OBDII programming plugs. There is also a bunch of Disco II specific information about EKA codes, how to get them, how to enter them, etc, including Youtube videos that are clearly showing a Discovery II that is immobilized and subsequently not immobilized.

There also appears to be no contention here that there is an immobilizer on these cars.

So, how does the car determine when to be immobilized if it is not based on some kind of radio frequency proximity to an identity token, probably an active or battery assisted token?

 

Also, from RAVE page 86-4-12
emphasis added by me

A coded radio frequency signal is an RFID, though it is not the modern passive RFID in common use since 2014.

OP, here is my experience, reinforced by this thread. It is almost impossible to find useful peer to peer information on this topic. Folks can't even agree on what the terminology means. This is probably because the system is quite complex and a single symptom can be the result of many possible problems.

Your best option is to download a copy of the RAVE manual (I got mine here: https://discoii.wordpress.com/2011/1...e-rave-manual/), read all of section 86 and then start troubleshooting based on what you find. Special attention should be given to 86-4-21 since I think you have having an issue related specifically to passive immobilization.

 

If you want details on the passive immobilisation system, look in the RAVE, including pages 86-3-19 and 86-4-21. If the system is turned on, the key will be detected when it is inserted into the steering column. You don't need a fob for this; the fob is for turning the alarm system on and off. That is separate from the immobiliser.
I did mislead you earlier -- there is an RF sensor in the ignition switch, but it's not clear what it responds to. You certainly don't need a fob or even anything other than a bare metal key for the truck to work just fine.