Hi, I am having a problem getting my 2006 range rover sport to turn over. Seems like I have power to all necessary places, but the starter won't turn over. I am wondering if it is an immobizler issue. The key will lock and unlock the doors. When I put it in the ignition, I get dash lights, when I turn it to the start position, relays click but it will not turn over? I am wondering if the key will lock and unlock the doors, is that a confirmation that the key is still fully paired to the car. Ideas? thanks. Phil

2005 LR3
2006 Range Rover Sport

 

Sounds more like a starter, or fuse.. Multimeter to the starter and check voltages.

 

You could have a starter where the solenoid contacts are not as good as they should be.

It took me a year of starting challenges to finally change out the starter which resolved the problem. The problem in my case was not actually the starter motor but the solenoid contacts, however the most practical fix is to change the whole assembly instead of just the solenoid contacts which you can purchase separately as a Denso repair part. The jpg's show the solenoid contacts.

I found that if I kept my battery on a charger overnight so that at first start in the morning, the battery was closer to 13 volts than 12, that the additional volt was enough to overcome the weak solenoid contacts. That would be your hint that the problem was the solenoid, but it took me a year to figure that out. I was assuming battery or a dozen other things but had discounted the "starter" as being the primary problem.

I suppose that this was because generally after first start, all was good for the rest of the day.

In other words, if your starter motor will work with the a battery charger attached, then the solenoid contacts or the battery are most likely weak.

Re the immobilizer, you will not even get any clicking when it is doing the immobilizer bit - that is preventing an engine start; yes, you could have lights and the radio but there will be just silence from the starter motor and or solenoid.

To me, the best immobiliser is removing the fuel pump fuse - everything works; engine turns over etc, but it will not start.

 

thank you for the responses. In my situation, I get lights and warnings on the dash. When I turn the key to start, I can hear clicking in a relay under the glove box on the passenger side, and on occasion clicking from a relay in the fuse box in the engine compartment on the right wheel well. I do not get any clicking or noise of any kind from the starter or the solenoid. That is what caused me to think that I might have an immobilizer issue, although it sounds like it could or might be a starter issue as well. Is there any way to check the starter without removing it thanks

 

Hey bbyer, any chance you have tested this using a different ECU, FOB, or cluster? In my experience on VW platform, the immobilizer will allow the car to start, but only for about 2 seconds (it very clearly cranks and starts though). LR software engineers might have taken a different approach, so was just curious if you experienced this before.

 

It was a few years back when I experimented but I have a key cut for just getting into the 3 from outside using the exterior door lock - in other words, just the shiny metal teeth bit and no electronics.

When I tried it in the ignition, yes, the ignition cylinder rotates and if I recall properly, various lights will function, however there definitely is no engine turnover.

I might try it again in the next few days - have the key tied under my 3 so it is not that fun to get at and see if my memory is correct.

Regarding the clicking relay sounds, that is also what I thought I was hearing - noises from the passenger side fuse/relay box area or the engine fuse/relay box location but it was the starter solenoid instead.

For me, the only way to really know if it is a relay is for someone to be touching the relay and feeling the movement inside. I find clicking noises are often difficult to isolate as to where they are coming from.

 

The hide-a-metal-key is a great idea. On a recent camping trip I realized my worst nightmare. LR3 running, doors all locked! I almost always lower a window 4" or so ANY time I start the engine and let the vehicle run...for just this scenario.

Luckily, I'd left the sunroof open as well (I slept in it the night before) so we found a long branch and hit the unlock switch on the console. In. Victory.

 

Nice, thanks for the follow-up on the immobilizer behavior on LR and also for the great idea about storing a secondary key solely for unlocking the door.. that is gold

 

...but getting a key cut is not trivial. Maybe it's easier without the shank being on the FOB but I could not get it done (in Seattle) a few years back.

 

Yes, a properly cut key shank is not as simple as it should seem to be.

In my village, not even the big lock smith shops can actually cut a proper blank successfully; they get close, (it looks identical), but that is not good enough; as such I ordered an official cut key thru my LR dealer - took about six weeks for it to arrive.

My LR dealer then gave me an old key fob that they had laying about and I removed the existing "key" from the dealer supplied fob and set in the new cut "key".

That way the new "key" has a "handle" but of course the electronics to do not work. Alternatively, one could achieve the same results by ordering one of those "official LR" key fobs off of eBay, (that of course the electronics can not work either), but at least one would have the handle.