hey guys, ive got a 2006 LR3 with 80000 miles and for the past month or so ive been having an issue with her starting up. Basically every morning i go out to start her up and all i get for the first 5-10 attempts is a click, just one click. checked the battery and it tests good. if i pull the key out and keep trying it will eventually start up and be good starting for the rest of the day. any ideas? please any help would be much appreciated.

 

Starter problems for most vehicles, including Rovers, seem to fall under weak battery (dead cell, or won't hold up voltage under load), corrosion of some type on battery terminals and lugs, same corrosion on high current battery wires near the underhood fuse box, same corrosion on cables at the starter. Because it is a "series" circuit, the same corrosion on ground bonding points, like where the negative battery is attached to the frame can also be an issue. All those corrosions increase the resistance to the point where the voltage drop is so great that the starter solenoid won't engage.

You can also have a defective starter relay, and the starter itself can be suspect. But if you are hearing the relay "click" under the hood, then I would not suspect iginition switch. Perhaps a swap of the starter relay with another relay and checking wiring connections would be a start. Hope your battery test was done with a meter or test machine, and during the test the vehilce had to be off, crank, and just idle. A static test of a battery with just a voltmter is not a complete analysis, it has to have a load.

Other wise, off to the dealer for some weight reduction - of your wallet.

 

@op,

i am having the same problem with my brothers LR3. i just ordered a new starter... his is also a 2006 with 153k miles
i went with the starter because any time i have had a "ticking" issure it was usually the solenoid on the starter. and i figure just to be safe replace whole unit. i will try to install this week with a write up on how to...

also note, the dealer tested the battery and alternator. and since the starting "ticK' is intermitent the dealer couldn't replicate the problem. Now it is happening more frequently.

Michael.