Defender TD5 not cranking after under body jetwash

[Sisu9]

Came back from a 500 km round trip on very salty roads to took the car to the local jetwash on the way home. Cleaned it underneath as best I could with the lance. When I turned the key to the 2nd click the dash lights came on and there was the faint noise of the fuel pump and then nothing else.

Tried several times but eventually pushed it out of the wash bay and the family and I got a taxi home, My plan is to go back tomorrow when hopefully things have dried out.

Is there anything I should try before giving in and calling the recovery service?

Thanks in advance for any ideas,

Edited by Sisu9 on Sunday 13th February 18:48

[100SRV]

Hopefully the starting motor has water inside and it will drain out.

A good motorway run in the rain is my preferred way of washing road salt off the underside.

[Sisu9]

Aren't these car supposed to be able to cross rivers and the like. Surely they should be able to survive a car wash

[anonymous-user]

Have a look at the feed to the starter solenoid (on the side of the main motor itself)
Often comes adrift.

[Sisu9]

Went back this morning. On the first attempt, still nothing on the second key position. I then tried again and it fired into life.

Clearly, something had dried out. Short of never driving through standing water on the motorway or washing underneath, what can I do to prevent this from happening again? My wife is already making reference to getting a 'sensible car' etc. Heaven forbid!

[100SRV]

Check underneath for any missing sealing boots then give the electrical connectors a good spray of WD40. I've never experienced a failure to start from any wading activities to this points to something not being as the factory intended. Note that the majority of automotive electrical systems are NOT intended to withstand water ingress under the kind of pressures a jetwash can supply so be a lot more judicious where you aim the lance next time. Wheel arches are fine, underbonnet is not.

[Red9zero]

Replace it with a 300tdi ?

[anonymous-user]

I think the wading aspect is coincidental.
Try reattaching (and crimping up a bit) the lead to the starter solenoid.
Mine did exactly as you’re describing, including starting on a second attempt, and it was a poor but visibly intact connection on the solenoid.

[Sisu9]

Will have a look at the connections to the motor. Are these best accessed underneath the right side of the car?

[paintman]

Sisu9 said:

Aren't these car supposed to be able to cross rivers and the like. Surely they should be able to survive a car wash

Think Land Rovers max recommended wading depth for these in standard trim is 500mm.

High pressure water onto electrical components is never a good idea.

Be an idea to check & clean the cable ends & terminals on the starter motor - if there's a build up of dirt & general muck it can make it easier for current to short to earth when wet.
Undo & clean with a bit of emery/sandpaper.

Edited by paintman on Monday 14th February 11:22

[anonymous-user]

Underneath, on the right, in front of the driver.

[camel_landy]

paintman said:

Sisu9 said:

Aren't these car supposed to be able to cross rivers and the like. Surely they should be able to survive a car wash

Think Land Rovers max recommended wading depth for these in standard trim is 500mm.

And on another pedantry note... Whilst people talk about "Snorkels", it's actually a "Raised Air Intake". They're not for wading though deep water, they're there for getting cleaner air when on dirt/gravel/dusty conditions.

M

[camel_landy]

Crossflow Kid said:

Underneath, on the left.

IIRC - The ECU and a load of other relays for the TD5 are in the battery box, under the passenger seat...

It sounds like something low-current related though.

M

[Red9zero]

camel_landy said:

And on another pedantry note... Whilst people talk about "Snorkels", it's actually a "Raised Air Intake". They're not for wading though deep water, they're there for getting cleaner air when on dirt/gravel/dusty conditions.

M

Can't you get them specifically for either application ? I know you need to extend the breathers for a proper install too. Mine was advertised as having a snorkel fitted, but failed to mention that is wasn't actually connected. Although being a soft top, wading isn't probably the best idea anyway !

[Sisu9]

Yes, I know about the link fuses and relays under the passenger seat. Just bought a 60 amp link fuse for the heated seats. Seems like the Finnish Army had removed this! Mine is LHD.

Thanks for tips, I shall get under the car and give the connections for the starter motor and good clean and re-crimp.

Next job is to use that Loctite conductive glue to try and fix where one of the tabs has come off the heated tailgate glass!

[camel_landy]

Red9zero said:

camel_landy said:

And on another pedantry note... Whilst people talk about "Snorkels", it's actually a "Raised Air Intake". They're not for wading though deep water, they're there for getting cleaner air when on dirt/gravel/dusty conditions.

M

Can't you get them specifically for either application ? I know you need to extend the breathers for a proper install too. Mine was advertised as having a snorkel fitted, but failed to mention that is wasn't actually connected. Although being a soft top, wading isn't probably the best idea anyway !

It will help mitigate some of the problems associated with deep water but there's a whole lot of other issues to deal with, over and above preventing hydraulic lock:

• Electrics
• Oil seals
• Breathers
• Buoyancy (...one which often leads to death by drowning in flood water, when the car simply floats and then taken downstream by the flow.)

I think the closest you'll get is the Waterproofed Wolf, as used by the Royal Marines.

M