1996 discovery immobilizer issue - need help

[superderek3]

a year and a half ago my discovery started to exhibit issues starting. I would turn the key and it would only click from the passenger foot well. I took off the panel and beat the green box a bit and then it would start. I've also had issues where the hazards turn on by themselves and wont stop, again, beat the green box till it stops. Now, the issue has progressed to the point where I cant drive it because it takes 5 minutes of box beating to get it to start.
From research online, I heard this may be a spider issue, I found instructions to bypass it online, and also looked in my LandRover electric manual (1996 model) for the location of the spider. To my surprise, there is not a spider in there, nor a harness for it. Did some US 1996 models not have the spider?
I should note, the last time I was driving the thing, a read light in the upper left of the console lit up. It looked either like a thermometer in a jagged circle, or a key in a keyhole (immobilized???) Months back I noted that my stereo was dead, and the ignition key was surrounded in red. Summary of these too lights: I took out both bulbs.

The last clue is that the central locking is now dead.

So Now what? Drop in a Chevy 350? Burn the thing down? (seriously, are there carb/magneto ignition motors that match the transmission???) Where does Lucas live?

There must be some hotshot who knows how to hotwire it.

[bartell]

Originally Posted by superderek3

a year and a half ago my discovery started to exhibit issues starting. I would turn the key and it would only click from the passenger foot well. I took off the panel and beat the green box a bit and then it would start. I've also had issues where the hazards turn on by themselves and wont stop, again, beat the green box till it stops. Now, the issue has progressed to the point where I cant drive it because it takes 5 minutes of box beating to get it to start.

I am no hotshot on automobile security systems. We don't use them in my world. (TG!)

Yours is called the Lucas 10AS immobilization system. Very complex. Known for anomalies. Easy to misconfigure which leads to odd and varied operational issues

It uses a rolling match between the 10AS and GEMS (the ECU) to enable most of your normal operations. The 10AS is housed in a grey box (I assume that is the one you're banging). It controls a number of other functions including welcome and interior light activation, alarm sound and lights flash options, catalyst overheat monitoring another 20 or so additional goodies.

It cannot be bypassed but it can be made less invasive.

If you hear the click and the fuel pump operates, and engine turns over but does not start and there is no “check engine” light with the ignition on, that usually indicates that the security is armed. You can attempt to disarm it by cycling the PLIP several times. If this fails you will have to perform a Security Learn procedure.

This is done through an OBD interface using a specialist module, which can added to a Rovacom or other LR diagnostic/programming tool. The system CAN be set NOT to self-arm which I advise you to have them do. (I believe that self-arming was required by law in the UK at one time.)

Also remember that the vehicle's management can easily get confused. After a improper start up procedure, or a failed attempt to start, the ECU will go into a I-don't-like-you mode. So when the car fails to start, turn it off, count 20 seconds to allow it to reset and only then turn the key until you hear the pump come on and "click" Then engage the starter.

James