For a couple of weeks my 2013 SD4 auto occasionally sounds very rough on startup.
Glow plug symbol on dash illuminates maybe 3 secs then cranks fine (battery showing 12.45v on cold morning but only a couple of years old) but then splutters and sounds like running on three cylinders for just 3 or 4 seconds. Then absolutely fine rest of day.
One day this week it started but immediately stalled, then cranked automatically a second time then fired.
If it's very mild like 10 degrees C seems to start ok.
This morning was coldest for a while, below zero degrees, so expected problems but started absolutely fine!

Any ideas? I assumed glow plugs initially and was going to get those changed but after this morning I'm not sure.
Fuel filter done a few months ago and she runs absolutely great after the first few seconds.

Thank you,
Rob

should just add car done 56k miles

Some people say it makes no difference but you could try turning the ignition on for a few seconds before pressing start.

thanks for your reply. Must admit I have seen this approach mentioned when doing searches on the subject.
It doesn't start to crank until the glow plugs have supposedly done their stuff though. Having said that I will do this for a few days and see what happens.
Think I'm more concerned about what part is about to fail in the middle of the Highlands on my forthcoming trip!!

From my limited experience if its above 0°C then glow plugs are not necessary to allow the engine to start
Below about 2°C mine sounds a bit rough when reved the first time
How do I know this all my glow plugs are shot and not replaced yet
I have experienced start and stall and it was the egr valve
It must have been starting to get a bit dodgy at that point as a little time later I started getting codes and limp mode for it at this point starting was horrific
Bearing in mind that the egr was blanked it was all the ecu reverting to a safe map that was causing all the problems
It's now mapped out and unplugged and all good

my 2013 SD4 has been doing the same but when the temperatures have been a few degrees warmer its been fine so suspect its the glow plugs. Ill get them looked at in the summer when its next serviced.

mines done 70k and the fuel filter was changed in October and the battery has tested fine so its none of those

pinhead wrote:

From my limited experience if its above 0°C then glow plugs are not necessary to allow the engine to start
Below about 2°C mine sounds a bit rough when reved the first time
How do I know this all my glow plugs are shot and not replaced yet
I have experienced start and stall and it was the egr valve
It must have been starting to get a bit dodgy at that point as a little time later I started getting codes and limp mode for it at this point starting was horrific
Bearing in mind that the egr was blanked it was all the ecu reverting to a safe map that was causing all the problems
It's now mapped out and unplugged and all good

RogB wrote:

my 2013 SD4 has been doing the same but when the temperatures have been a few degrees warmer its been fine so suspect its the glow plugs. Ill get them looked at in the summer when its next serviced.

mines done 70k and the fuel filter was changed in October and the battery has tested fine so its none of those

I'm not sure this really helps but I don't think in these temperatures, that the glow plugs are really needed.

I don't think mine work, our Freelander wouldn't start with the old battery when the temperature dropped into minus temperatures. It was fine the rest of the time. A new battery solved that but it takes a little longer to start up on really cold days.

I've never seen the glow plug light.

However it starts fine and runs fine.

I'm going to check out the glow plug relay and change the glow plugs in the summer ready for next winter.

Last edited by Nbuuifx on 12th Feb 2022 10:42 pm. Edited 1 time in total

Thanks Nbuuifx...it certainly does help..and you may well be correct. Think I just assumed glow plugs were needed at every cold start but I'm no engineer and probably wrong. Glow plug light on dash illuminates a few secs so thought it was in action. Might upgrade battery first as it's only a couple of years old but is some generic brand. Remember upgrading battery of my previous Freelander many years ago to a Varta Silver Dynamic ( as per advice on here) and that cured a couple of electrical gremlins straight away. If that fails will take to a local LR Indy...

Cheers
Rob

Hi Rob,

I have something similar, starts pretty rough at minus and near minus temps, but at around +5 it starts as per usual.

Glow plugs are changed, battery from 2019. Started a thread about this myself:





I could not get the hang of it. Keep us posted !

From the JLR manual :
"There are three phases of glow plug heating: Pre heating, crank heating and post heating. The ECM (engine control
module) determines the heating times from the ECT (engine coolant temperature) . The lower the ECT (engine coolant
temperature) , the longer the heating times.
When the ignition switch is switched to mode II, the ECM (engine control module) calculates any required heating times
and, if heating is required, energizes the glow plug relays in the BJB (battery junction box) . When pre heating is required,
the ECM (engine control module) also sends a message to the instrument cluster, on the high speed CAN (controller area
network) bus, to request illumination of the glow plug indicator. The glow plug indicator remains illuminated for the
duration of the pre heating phase, or until the ignition switch is turned to the crank position, whichever occurs first. If
required, the ECM (engine control module) keeps the glow plug relays energized during cranking and for the duration of any
post heating phase."

So the glow plug light only illuminates if any pre-heating is needed. My understanding is that, even if pre-heating is not required, the glow plugs are used if the engine is below the normal operating temperature range to aid smooth running and also reduce pollution through better combustion and no glow plug light will appear. Jules

yorkshirerob wrote:

Fuel filter done a few months ago and she runs absolutely great after the first few seconds.

mihaiN247 wrote:

Hi Rob,

I have something similar, starts pretty rough at minus and near minus temps, but at around +5 it starts as per usual.

Glow plugs are changed, battery from 2019. Started a thread about this myself:





I could not get the hang of it. Keep us posted !

jules wrote:

From the JLR manual :
"There are three phases of glow plug heating: Pre heating, crank heating and post heating. The ECM (engine control
module) determines the heating times from the ECT (engine coolant temperature) . The lower the ECT (engine coolant
temperature) , the longer the heating times.
When the ignition switch is switched to mode II, the ECM (engine control module) calculates any required heating times
and, if heating is required, energizes the glow plug relays in the BJB (battery junction box) . When pre heating is required,
the ECM (engine control module) also sends a message to the instrument cluster, on the high speed CAN (controller area
network) bus, to request illumination of the glow plug indicator. The glow plug indicator remains illuminated for the
duration of the pre heating phase, or until the ignition switch is turned to the crank position, whichever occurs first. If
required, the ECM (engine control module) keeps the glow plug relays energized during cranking and for the duration of any
post heating phase."

So the glow plug light only illuminates if any pre-heating is needed. My understanding is that, even if pre-heating is not required, the glow plugs are used if the engine is below the normal operating temperature range to aid smooth running and also reduce pollution through better combustion and no glow plug light will appear.