After rigorously cleaning every single connector over the past week I managed to get the thing to start. Other than buying a copy of the SDD software this was a cheap fix.

It needs a new battery though as I temporarily borrowed the one from my series 2a as well as new tires. Voltage seems a bit low when running though (12.4v) so my hunch is that the alternator might also be a goner but that isn't too bad for what I paid for it.

So, excellent outcome. Which connector or connection would you hazard a guess on that solved the issue? Did you touch the the BCU in the passenger footwell for example?

I had cleaned the bcu twice the past week, fully took it out and inspected it and that wasn't it. I then cleaned the connectors under the valance in the engine bay and the ones in the passenger footwell. All of them actually looked clean and not corroded when I inspected them but maybe it just needed them taken off and on

It had to be something simple from my testing. I could see can bus traffic so it was t fully dead and the main bcu was responding.

Got this car for my son to drive as a commuter to school so he's stoked


.

Thanks for the update,
The LR2 is a safe vehicle for a young man.

I am going to put some dielectric grease on each if the connectors now as well to keep problems away. I don't really have much of an historical maintenance record on this car (it's got 185k miles on it) so will do a few of the base line fixes (plugs, oil changes, tires etc). Alternator seems to be a goner as I am not registering higher voltage when the engine is running and the coolant reservoir sensor is out as I am getting a low coolant warning when plenty is present. Neither of those are expensive repairs and fairly easy to do.

For what it is worth, you don't need Windows XP to run the SDD software. Microsoft Edge on Windows 10/11 allows you to run the page in IE mode, which will simulate the ActiveX functionality needed. It's a little know feature but it worked great on my laptop.

Perseverance furthers.

Some good news is always welcome

Santas_satan wrote:

After rigorously cleaning every single connector over the past week I managed to get the thing to start. Other than buying a copy of the SDD software this was a cheap fix.

It needs a new battery though as I temporarily borrowed the one from my series 2a as well as new tires. Voltage seems a bit low when running though (12.4v) so my hunch is that the alternator might also be a goner but that isn't too bad for what I paid for it.