Hi everyone

I'm a reasonably new owner of a 2005 range rover sport and I currently have a problem I could really use some advice on please

Yesterday I tried to start the car and I got messages on the dash HDC FAULT SYSTEM NOT AVAILABLE and TRANSMISSION FAULT TRACTION REDUCED. Also it allows me to turn over the car without pressing the brake pedal and the car carries on turning over as long as the key is turned, usually it would stop after a short period

I read on another forum that a new battery fixed this issue for another owner, I have just this minute fitted a new battery and there is no change. I've done some further reading and it seems it's a common fault but there is little to what is the cause. I'm guessing it must be something electronic? I've had a check and there is no dampness to the carpet in the footwells as I read it may be water getting in

Has anyone experienced this at all and know what part needs replacing to fix?

many thanks

Make sure the car is in Park, Be sure to press the brake pedal, If that does not work it could be Glow plugs. Assuming you have a derv car itisme

The car is in park and pressing the brake pedal makes no difference

So the dash warnings of HDC FAULT SYSTEM NOT AVAILABLE and TRANSMISSION FAULT TRACTION REDUCED and also the fact the car engine continuously turns over without stopping until I physically turn the key back could be related to the glow plugs?

thanks

Only a guess but could it be a case of the notourious brake light switch strikes again  2007, HSE, Cairnes Blue, Factory tints, Love it !!!

That maybe the case. Just had mine changed as i had alsorts of warning lights and loss of power until took foot off accelerator,then put it back. The brake light switch has many functions on top of being a brake light switch. itisme

hi, thanks for that, I've just been reading on a forum that someone had a similar problem on a Discovery with the brake light switch which was blowing fuses relating to the car starting, I will go and check all fuses now and see if I can find anything. I'm assuming the Discovery and the Sport share a lot of similar issues

Is this brake light switch an easy fix? Where do I look for this or how to check?
Is the purchase of a Hawkeye Diagnosis recommended? I want to keep this away from the main dealers if possible
thanks

Ok no blown fuses.
I found a guide of how to change the brake light switch, it seems like a very common problem and a cheap and simple thing to fix so perhaps it's a good place to start if potentially related?
Can a faulty brake light switch cause the car not to start though? I have read about the links to various dash warning lights and also it seems like power can be lost or the car going into limp mode because of a faulty switch but I can't find anything to say it's linked to car not starting like my problem.Any suggestion?

thanks

Replacing the brake light switch would be a low cost and easy thing to try. You mentioned had replaced the battery but did you carry out the hard reset procedure at the same time? If not then may be worth a try. Also check the battery and earth connection are clean and sound. Are your stop/tail light bulbs all working properly? Bulbs must be high quality OE. It is possible for a filament to blow and the bulb to short internally which can cause multiple problems of the type you described. Don't use cheapo Halfords bulbs.

If none of the above helps and you want to run diagnostics check yourself the IID tool would be a good purchase . For an outlay of about £300 it soon pays for itself when you consider that JLR dealerships generally charge £100 or more just for one diagnostic session! 2008 MY Java Black TDV8 HSE

hi Paddi

No I didn't do a hard reset, is this bridging positive and negative terminals? If so i will do that shortly. I will also check the rear brake lights

I definitely see the value in getting the diagnostic tool, I have VAG Com software on my laptop for my previously owned audi which paid for itself many times over

Do you have a link where I can get the IID tool you mention please? The ones I have been looking at is this one here - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LAND-ROVER-OMITE...4d1c973b17

thanks

Search the site for hard reset. But please don't bridge the terminals or you will blow yourself up! Disconnect the battery leads and the bridge them with a jump lead or similar.

See here for a recent discussion on merits and sources of the IID tool which is the tool of choice for us DIYers.

http://www.rrsport.co.uk/forum/topic39181.html 2008 MY Java Black TDV8 HSE

thanks, I will read up about the diagnosis tool you recommend

I done the hard reset and the transmission fault error has gone, it is just showing the hdc fault now

It still wont start and the brake lights work fine

I guess the next thing to do is change the brake light switch and I'll then report back with what happens, any advice in the mean time is greatly appreciated

Some progress then but not really what you need

Can't say have ever seen a post where the brake light switch prevented starting but you never know.

Just a long shot but I wonder if the new battery had a decent charge when you bought it. It is always a good idea to give it a full charge just in case it is a bit low on volts which is known to cause problems of many kinds.

You mentioned the starter turning the engine over until you physically turn the key back which sounds very odd. Have you checked that the steering lock is released? 2008 MY Java Black TDV8 HSE

hi Paddi

The battery definitely had a good charge, the one that come off it didn't actually need replacing (I just read a new battery may fix all problems) the old one would still easily turn the car over but this new one sounds so much stronger, when it's turning over you can tell the battery is good, it turns over more aggressively than the old one. I guess having a new battery is not a bad thing so I don't see it as money wasted

I made a bit of a mistake with the key turning. It does eventually stop itself, it just goes for longer than what felt normal. I had no comparison as the car usually just starts immediately as soon as the key is turned

All the electrics and warning lights aside it does sound like a fuel starvation to me, where exactly can I check the fuel or the fuel pump? I just assumed the non starting was related to the warning lights as this all happened at the same time

thanks

Is the fuel pump belt on? What year is it and when did it have all the belts done? The fuel pump belts hardly ever get changed by garages as they are a pain to get too! Takes a few hours to fiddle about with.

If yours is old and a high miler could of possibly broke? Not sure worth checking. I'm not Fat. RRS TDV6 HST.

hi, it is 100k miles on a 2005 and can't find any history of this belt being changed, where is the fuel pump located please and I will take a look?
thanks