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Car died and won’t restart

2137 Views 10 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  rangeroverwill
Hi. I’m having major issues with my 2007 RR Vogue SE tdv8. I was driving home a couple of weeks ago and I started getting warning messages on the info screen, they pinged up one after the other, HDC fault, air suspension fault, EAS fault, terrain response fault, limited gears and then engine fault, then the engine cut out and I coasted to the side of the road. I tried restarting the car and it did start for a few seconds and then died again. The central locking and interior lights all work fine and so does the radio. When the key is inserted into the ignition you can hear the key lock soliniod dissengaging and I can turn the key nonproblem but when you put the key into position 1 none of the normal startup lights come on the speedo but a message comes up on the screen saying key is in ignition, it’s as if the ignition system is completely dead. I called my road side assistance and they turned up and the mechanic tried all the usual stuff, resetting the car by unplugging the battery terminals and touching them together, nothing, he tried starting it using a jumper battery incase my battery was dying, still no joy. He tried plugging in a code reader but as the ignition system is dead the reader I ain’t getting any power from the obd2 port. Got a truck to take the car to my local garage, did some trouble shooting with the garage and discovered that there’s a little switch under the steering wheel that when pressed starts all the ignition system as if you are bypassing the key, this is called a transportation switch and is used when delivering brand new range rovers to dealerships so they can lower windows ect without the key. So i presses the button under the dash and put my key in the ignition and the car started and ran perfectly normally, no error messages at all. As soon i I release they button the engine stops and all the dash lights go out. Me and the mechanic thought perhaps it’s the ignition switch that’s faulty as the car obviously runs fine when pushing the transportation switch which by passes the ignition key system. He said removing the switch is a pain in the ass on the 07 vogue as the key in in the middle of the dash and needs the whole dash to be removed to get to it. I’m a fairly competent diy mechanic so I told him I will do that rather than pay for it to be done, he said good because he hates working in range rovers ! Haha. Anyway I hit wired the transportation switch so I could drive the car to my house, it drive perfectly home, no issues. I stripped the dash down to get to the ignition, removed it and tested the contact part which is at the back of the lock assembly, it’s a standard BMW part the same as in an X5 ect. The part tested fine so the ignition switch is not the problem here, the transponder in the key must be working as it unlocks the key soliniod when the key is inserted into the lock so I don’t think that is the problem so I’m gueesing it’s either the high speed bus having a communication fault to the immobiliser or the immobiliser is faulty. I have never been able to scan codes off this truck since I bought it two years ago as when I plug code readers into the obd2 port the readers just say link error, so there’s another issue with that part of the car which isn’t helping me diagnose what’s wrong either. If there’s any one that can shine a light on what might be going on with my RR I’d really appreciate it, I’m getting ready to tear my hair out !
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there’s a little switch under the steering wheel that when pressed starts all the ignition system as if you are bypassing the key, this is called a transportation switch and is used when delivering brand new range rovers to dealerships so they can lower windows ect without the key.
A button under the wheel ???????
Re: Car died and won’t restart

That switch is supposed to be removed prior to the truck being delivered to the first owner, its used to bypass the transport mode the trucks are put in for shipping. Wonder if your truck went back into transport mode somehow? Check your BCM (if tyhe 07's still have them).
but would the BCM stop the car from being started ? I thought the BCM just handles stuff like remote central locking ect, the keyfob unlocks and locks the car perfectly. The issue I have is that when I turn the key to start the car no lights come up on the Speedo, apart from a message saying the key is in the ignition on the info display. When I press the transportation switch everything springs into life and I can start the car using the key. Is the BCM on the same high speed bus as the ignition system ?
BCM controls if the truck is in transport mode or not.
What are the symptoms of the car being in transport mode ?
Some are inactive EAS system car lowered below access height, hard steering, disabled interior volumetric security sensing, probably a bunch more things. If the EAS is disabled and inactive you will also get faults in the HDC, terrain control maybe even the ABS system.
2
So I have an update to my issues with the car. Pictures included ! I have removed the transport switch the under the steering wheel ( which turns out is a ford switch ! ) and have replaced it with a push button switch that latches. Now if I want to start the car, I have to press this switch which then activates the ignition system then I insert the key and turn it to start the engine, the car runs absolutely perfectly with no error messages ! All the lights and air suspension works just as normal. But the engine switch off routine is slightly more complicated. I have to turn the key to position 1 which would normally stop the engine but mine doesn’t, then I have to press my new switch and the engine cuts out. If I change that sequence and press the new switch and then turn the key, the next time I start the car I get loads of error messages ! It’s very odd but at least I’m back on the road ! I just have to start the car with the correct sequence.

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So I have an update to my issues with the car. Pictures included ! I have removed the transport switch the under the steering wheel ( which turns out is a ford switch ! ) and have replaced it with a push button switch that latches. Now if I want to start the car, I have to press this switch which then activates the ignition system then I insert the key and turn it to start the engine, the car runs absolutely perfectly with no error messages ! All the lights and air suspension works just as normal. But the engine switch off routine is slightly more complicated. I have to turn the key to position 1 which would normally stop the engine but mine doesn’t, then I have to press my new switch and the engine cuts out. If I change that sequence and press the new switch and then turn the key, the next time I start the car I get loads of error messages ! It’s very odd but at least I’m back on the road ! I just have to start the car with the correct sequence.
woavv nice push start for land rover
crazy cars with crazy problems

my wife says, when i saw a range rover i already know its going to repair shop or its coming from repair shop
Man O Man, these trucks are throwing new and different things at us even after all these years..........wierd !!!!
Haha, yes they sure give us a lot of head scratching, brain busting moments ! still love them though
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