Have I got Immobiliser problems developing? Help please

[Shropshirewrangler]

Jeep Sahara 2001 4.0 Automatic RHD export model 75000 miles.

Yesterday I drove about 40 miles, parked for 5 mins. went to start the Jeep (usually I turn the ignition on, wait for the immob. light to go out then start, this time I went from ign. off to start with no pause) and got the sound of a flat battery not engaging the starter solenoid, then the dash went blank and the radio asked for a code.
After several attempts to start the Jeep with nothing happening at all I took the hand brake off, moved the shifter from P to 1 and back turned the ign. on and it started!

Drove for about 15 miles, parked for around 10 mins, got back into the TJ put the key in the ign and turned on - nothing - blank dash all dead.
Got out, closed the door, opened it again and noticed the speedo and rev counter went from 0 - max then dropped back to 0 then blank dash. Repeated the door opening and closing several times with the same result.

After a few minutes got in, took hand brake off, turned ign on and it started!

Drove the 50 miles home without turning the engine off and parked. Left it for 5 mins and checked for fault codes by ign on then off 3 times. Each time the dash lit up and there were no fault codes, just the "done" message.

Started the Jeep normally about 2 hrs later.

This morning all was normal and I took the Jeep for a 60 mile trip.

Sorry to be so long winded but I know little of vehicle electrics other than that some apparently un-related things can be connected.

My Questions -
Has anyone experienced a similar problem and what was the cause/solution?
Was it self inflicted by not pausing between ign. off and start?
Is it likely to re-occur if some repair is not completed.

Thanks in advance for your help.


.

 

[mrblaine]

Jeep Sahara 2001 4.0 Automatic RHD export model 75000 miles.

Yesterday I drove about 40 miles, parked for 5 mins. went to start the Jeep (usually I turn the ignition on, wait for the immob. light to go out then start, this time I went from ign. off to start with no pause) and got the sound of a flat battery not engaging the starter solenoid, then the dash went blank and the radio asked for a code.
After several attempts to start the Jeep with nothing happening at all I took the hand brake off, moved the shifter from P to 1 and back turned the ign. on and it started!

Drove for about 15 miles, parked for around 10 mins, got back into the TJ put the key in the ign and turned on - nothing - blank dash all dead.
Got out, closed the door, opened it again and noticed the speedo and rev counter went from 0 - max then dropped back to 0 then blank dash. Repeated the door opening and closing several times with the same result.

After a few minutes got in, took hand brake off, turned ign on and it started!

Drove the 50 miles home without turning the engine off and parked. Left it for 5 mins and checked for fault codes by ign on then off 3 times. Each time the dash lit up and there were no fault codes, just the "done" message.

Started the Jeep normally about 2 hrs later.

This morning all was normal and I took the Jeep for a 60 mile trip.

Sorry to be so long winded but I know little of vehicle electrics other than that some apparently un-related things can be connected.

My Questions -
Has anyone experienced a similar problem and what was the cause/solution?
Was it self inflicted by not pausing between ign. off and start?
Is it likely to re-occur if some repair is not completed.

Thanks in advance for your help.


.

Typically there is no need to wait for the immobilizer key to go out before starting. If you start it without a proper key at any time, it will start, run for about 3 seconds or so and then die. It does not kill power to the dash or anything else that allows the vehicle to operate. It just turns off the engine after it starts.

The next time the dash powers up and it doesn't start, try pushing the shift lever further into park towards the dash and then try it. It may be that time was an issue with the NSS not being fully engaged in the park position.

The first thing I would do is pull the terminals at the battery and clean both sides to shiny bright and reinstall and see if that changes anything.

 

[Shropshirewrangler]

Thanks for that - I'll clean the terminals and battery leads and check the earth points as well - simple things first (I do tend to over-complicate things!!)

 

[Wrangler 62]

What was the problem in the end?

 

[Shropshirewrangler]

What was the problem in the end?

Cleaned the battery terminals and clamps with WD40 and fine emery paper, tightened them firmly and it solved the problem