So -9 last night and possible -10 0r -12 tonight, and so I know the car wont start tomorrow.

Has anyone bought a thermal jacket for the lump of battery the TDV8 has? The ones Ive seen for sale are too small, and I dont have a-free King size duvet at hand.

The battery is charging fine, and above 3* C starts fine. Once it dips below this, I get poor starting, and once it hits about -2 it wont start.

My BMW had a thermal jacket, so thought I might try one for this car. Previously owned 1999 Disco 2 TD5
Disco 3 HSE TDV6 2007
Gone 2007 TDV8 RRS1 in Buckingham Blue.

How do know if the knocking at the front has been sorted?

You can hear the knocking at the rear better

Hi,
sounds more like a Heater Plugs issue than the battery needed a coat

does the TDV8 have timed climate? how does it start if it does with running that first

dont think a Good battery should suffer that much in the cold,
whats the battery reading while the cars still asleep before trying to start it ?

 Porsche Cayenne 2022
gone Porsche Cayenne 2020
gone Corris Grey HSE Dynamic 2016
gone Ipanema HSE lux 2010
gone Rimini HSE 2005
!!

When you say poor starting or won't start is it that the engine won't turn over or just doesn't fire up?. I know that extremes of cold can affect battery performance, but if the battery is good the temp shouldn't cause that much difference. As Riverblanche says, do you not have a FBH fitted, this would make a massive difference. 2010 RRS, TDV8
bali Blue / colour coded
side steps / flappy paddles
black perforated leather
22" overfinch
heated everything, TV,fridge ...... now with gold calipers and mud flaps !( black mud flaps that is) !!
Many years ago,,,,, 1955 series 1 landie , sometimes wish I had kept it

Gents, the car turns over if and only if I use it every single day. If it sits for 2 days or more it then plays up.

The FBH is locked out, and as I never fully understood what it did (I always thought it only kicked in after the engine is running?) if I have it wrong, what is its actual role?

The battery is 12 months old and during normal ‘warm’ days starts multiple times aday withoiut issue.

At least one of the 8 glow plugs needs replacing as I can see and smell unburnt fuel when it starts when cold. Previously owned 1999 Disco 2 TD5
Disco 3 HSE TDV6 2007
Gone 2007 TDV8 RRS1 in Buckingham Blue.

How do know if the knocking at the front has been sorted?

You can hear the knocking at the rear better

The FBH heats the coolant.

When the coolant temperature is low (as I understand it) the ECU will change the fuel mix and expect the glow plugs working. If the plugs aren't all working it won't start and you'll get lots of unburnt fuel smoke from the exhaust as the engine turns.

Letting the FBH run warms the coolant and bypasses the problem above.

If the car won't turn, then thats a battery problem.

I have knackered glow plugs on mine and under 4 degrees it won't start. As the plugs are likely to break when being removed I have left them and just use the FBH when its cold. With the coolant warmed up it always starts no problem.

Hi,
Think you have toooooo many variables to give just one answer, other than don’t waste your money on a battery blanket , buy a lottery ticket it would be money better spent 👍

Charge your battery if you can? Do you have a tow socket
Then leave over night and check the battery voltage while car is still asleep/locked tow socket again !
I can leave our Freelander for 2 weeks and it still has 12.7V

The fbh is fitted to help the coolant get up to temp quickly but you can have Timed Climate which fires it up before you open the car so the car is warm for you
This is also a workaround for bad heater plugs!
A car in cold weather not getting up to temp can use a lot more fuel so a none working fbh is not good they can often fire up in stop start traffic not just when you first set off!

There are specialists for heater plug removal may be worth a search in your area?

Find a good independent garage that knows what there doing

All depends how much you need the car to be there if you need it ?

👍  Porsche Cayenne 2022
gone Porsche Cayenne 2020
gone Corris Grey HSE Dynamic 2016
gone Ipanema HSE lux 2010
gone Rimini HSE 2005
!!

You have problems other than just your battery - how many glow plug cycles do you go through on start - I go through at least 3 cycles when temps get below zero and it starts fine. We do not have FBH here and from yout comments you need to learn how they work as it will help your starts.

So get your glow plugs checked.

Garry 07MY RRS TDV6
Arctic Frost
Aspen Interior

One of these, might be what you want......

One of the best things I ever did on my car was add the FBH controller. I use it every time I go out in the winter not just to help with starting but on the (unproven) premise that if the car is warmer at start up, there is less strain on engine parts in those first 5 minutes or so. I just click the third button on my key whilst I am finishing my cup of tea and half an hour later go out. And of course once I start the car and drive off, the heater warms up that much quicker.

I believe that one reason for JLR including the FBH was to help reduce emissions when the engine is cold so that is another bonus. But of course without the controller it only starts up once the car is running.

I even start my FHB during the summer months as it can't hurt.

Comparing mine to the video, I need to leave my headlights on for a count of 6 to get it to start, and mine will run for up to half an hour. One other thing to note is that if the controller stops working, it can be rebooted by disconnecting the power lead to it for about 20 seconds and then reconnecting it.

I've just checked my spreadsheet and was a bit shocked to see that a local indie charged me £400 for the purchase and installation of the unit but see that the unit itself is around £300. But still worth it if it helps the car start on your very cold winter mornings. Robin
2008 Range Rover Sport TDV8
Gone:
Jaguar S-Type V8 4.2 Sport
MGZTT 190 2.5

Just reset mine, after changing my battery...



Had mine in car around 4/5 years now..Think it was only around 120/130 quid delivered.. Very simple to fit.. (Has to be for me)

Linky:.........https://lr-fbh.co.uk/shop/

Thanks for all the responses folks.

Another very cold night at -13c and yes it took ages to start, even from a jump start.

I will look to get the FBH adapter and fit it. Taking the battery out tonight to give it a good charge, then will test it to see if its ok.

Then we are looking at glow plug replacement before the next winter.

Thanks again.

And just as an add on. I ran a search on how to unlock the FBH and spent the morning in wonder at the arguments from the ‘experts’ on DISCO 3 site about its functions. It’s no wonder peaople get confused.  Previously owned 1999 Disco 2 TD5
Disco 3 HSE TDV6 2007
Gone 2007 TDV8 RRS1 in Buckingham Blue.

How do know if the knocking at the front has been sorted?

You can hear the knocking at the rear better

Hi,
I had a different type from over on D3 site that were made by one of the forum members (Discostick )

it had a connector so you could use a laptop to diagnose the FBH and worked the same way as robin's by a flash of the lights using key fob

Click image to enlarge

MartinsTDV8 wrote:

Taking the battery out tonight to give it a good charge, then will test it to see if its ok.

Didn’t Kev (knWatkins) have one for sale from his L320? 2006 2.7 TDV6 HSE in Cairns Blue.

So do I really need to purchase an IID tool as well as the FBH remote? That’s putting a quick ‘cheap’ fix at close to £1000

My HAWKEYE reads that the FBH is locked but cant do anything to it, so I am assuming it wont work on the remote? Previously owned 1999 Disco 2 TD5
Disco 3 HSE TDV6 2007
Gone 2007 TDV8 RRS1 in Buckingham Blue.

How do know if the knocking at the front has been sorted?

You can hear the knocking at the rear better