QuestionHi John,
I just purchased a '95 Discovery SE7 this past Sunday(the guy who sold it to me didn't give me any repair history or records since he was a mechanic himself and changed oil, etc every 3000 miles). I drove it eight hours from Maine to NJ. No worries driving it. The next morning, however, I go to start the car and nothing. I turn the key and not a sound. Frustrated, I leave for work and when I come home, the car starts. So, I thought that since the car had been sitting up in ME, maybe it just needed to get the kinks out or maybe it got overcharged. I bring it to Pep Boys Monday night to replace tail lites, head lamps and then I bring it back to them Wed morning to get a quick check so that I can get a NJ inspection that evening. They let me know that the car is fine but it will need a few things and that they think the starter is about to go but that it should pass inspection. I go to my car and it's dead. They had left the lights on and it drained my battery. They jumped the car,it started and I was on my merry way...without my radio since now it has to be recoded by LR since the battery went dead. Since it was after 7pm, the inspection would have to wait until Thurs. On Thurs morning, my car didn't start in the morning. It whirred as if it wanted to start...but it just didn't turn over. We jumped it and it still wouldn't start. I had it towed to Joe's electrical (local guy who is supposed to be a wiz with electrical on all cars). Just when he's beginning to look at it, guess what, the car starts. He now isn't sure what it is since it's now running. He truly believes it isn't the starter, alternator or battery (like the Pep Boys thought)...but possibly the distributor.I drive it over to Pep Boys but at this point I'm not sure what it is I want them to do. I leave, drive it to school that evening, park it for 5 hours, and after class it starts. Again, no worries. So, based on what I've told you, what do you think it is? Can you help me? This sporatic starting problem is making me crazy. Thanks, Jenn
AnswerHi Jenn,
You have asked a number of questions. . .
First of all, I suggest you go to www.rangerovers.net and look at the directory of shops that work on Land Rovers. Is one near you?
Local gas stations, "my mechanic", and the "auto electric guy" are formulas for disaster on these cars because people like that seldom have the tools or skills to service these vehicles.
Your car may be having wiring troubles, or it may be having alarm troubles. Specialized Land Rover test gear is needed to talk to the alarm.
Here is a link to the Land Rover service section of out web site which has more info:
http://www.robisonservice.com/servicedep/rover_dept.asp
Here is a link to one of my magazine articles on how to choose a shop for your Land Rover
http://catalog.roversnorth.com/downloads/thenews_pdfs/NSP94_pg2.pdf
As regards the source of your actual problem . . . anything I could tell you is just a wild guess, hence my advice to help you find a qualified shop.
regards
John
