Member Since: 04 Aug 2005
Location: Newbury
Posts: 6861
the fbh won't fire up if the car is open or still 'awake' (4x4 screen still on, park brake light still on etc). best way would be to set the time on the 1533 and then set it to come on in half an hour or so when the disco has shut down properly.and theeeeennn......???
20th Jan 2010 10:31 am
irl32
Member Since: 27 Aug 2009
Location: Co Mayo
Posts: 66
My rear sensor relay keeps sticking, the usual on off with the key sortes it mut this morning it stuck again and i was unable to free it, the clicking all the way to work near drove me insane
20th Jan 2010 1:50 pm
Matty 2332
Member Since: 02 Dec 2008
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 670
Wonder of wonders my FBH now works With the help of the oval timer i installed today, I can now call heat on demand, as well as that it fires up automatically as it should - 3 degrees and below etc. I sorted ot by pulling the FBH fuse with the ignition 'on' this seemed to unlock it. I noticed that with the bonnet open the unit would whiz and whurr but not fire up. Closed the bonnet and drivers door and hey presto.
Permagrin fully restored
20th Jan 2010 6:49 pm
mattgreen
Member Since: 15 Sep 2009
Location: Worksop
Posts: 211
Matty 2332 wrote:
...I noticed that with the bonnet open the unit would whiz and whurr but not fire up. Closed the bonnet and drivers door and hey presto...
Glad that you now have heat!
I had the bonnet up this morning, ignition on with Mrs Matt at the controls - the FBH made the whizzing noise, I then pulled the fuse for 10 seconds, re-inserted and then she started the engine - didn't notice the tell-tale smoke/smell
Strangely the whizzing noise didn't stop when I pulled the fuse (number 23 I think, yellow (10amp?) symbol is a car with 3 wavey heat arrows coming up through the floor).
blue meanie wrote:
the fbh won't fire up if the car is open or still 'awake' (4x4 screen still on, park brake light still on etc)....
Is this true for the standard FBH or just the one modified with the oval timer?
PS this bloody FBH is driving me nuts...I will get it working one day. I thought having the Discovery wouldn't be like when I had the old Defender 110....
21st Jan 2010 11:18 am
blue meanie D3 Decade
Member Since: 04 Aug 2005
Location: Newbury
Posts: 6861
mattgreen wrote:
Is this true for the standard FBH or just the one modified with the oval timer?
both, it's designed to only work when the engine is running but if the vehicle is asleep then it can be run via the 1533 either by program or remote switch of some sort.
The action of unlocking or other that wakes the vehicle up will shut off the FBHand theeeeennn......???
21st Jan 2010 11:37 am
Matty 2332
Member Since: 02 Dec 2008
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 670
From my own trials I can confirm that the FBH will only whirr and not fire up if you have either the door or bonnet open. If yours is making a noise, albeit whirring it is not locked out. I would give it a go when its cold (3 degrees or less,) and over a quarter of a tank of fuel. start her up, heating on, then after a minute or two check the passenger side wheel arch for smoke which should be coming out of the little exhaust. Remember though - all doors / bonnet closed. I have also added some redex during my last two refuels, this must have made it through to the FBH by now and cleared any gunk.
As stated I fitted the oval timer and cut the additional red wire going to the FBH plug to wire the timer in and it eventually fired up time after time giving the redex a chance to do its job. I have had to take the timer off now as the timer unit is slightly faulty. I thought that as i had cut the red wire to the fbh it would no longer fire up without the timer, to my suprise it did and has done since. So to summarise, if the FBH does not work, and you dont have the timer i would consider..
1. Is their enough fuel in the tank ? ( 1/4 plus, though some say so long as the low fuel light is not on)
2. Is the ambient temp 3 degrees or below ?
3. Is the coolant level below 70 degrees ?
4. Is the battery fully charged? if its weak the FBH will not start.
If all this is okay then try
1. Check to make sure both plugs to the FBH are securely fitted
2. Check your fuse (No 22) not just a visual check, put it on a tester.
3. Try leaving the fuse out for 1 hour (though only remove after the car has 'gone to sleep'
or
4. Pull the fuse with the ignition on, then replace after a couple of minutes
If you are getting nothing from the unit, no noise or anything then take it to the stealers for a diagnostics check, usually free, or see if there are any Disco 3 members nearby with an 'autologic or faultmate that could spare you a couple of minutes to clear any faults causing the lockout. I think a regular problem with them is the build up of sludge inside the unit. As stated redex sorted mine, but of course you have to get it running to draw the stuff through. Thats where my recently purchased timer came in. It forced it to fire up and stay on. Fitting it was easy, about a 2 hour job following the instructions on the 'sticky'.
Good luck, I got there in the end,
Regards
Matt
21st Jan 2010 2:08 pm
mattgreen
Member Since: 15 Sep 2009
Location: Worksop
Posts: 211
Matty 2332 wrote:
... If yours is making a noise, albeit whirring it is not locked out....
Thanks Matt for the detailed breakdown of the steps.
Given mine was whirring (like a fairly quiet high-pitched sound) it mustn't be locked out. It's in at the dealers on Monday so they can run the diagnostics.
I'll try the other steps you mentioned too.
21st Jan 2010 2:31 pm
Matty 2332
Member Since: 02 Dec 2008
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 670
Let us know how you get on Matt. Now mine is working for the first time in 12 months, what a difference it makes. I would recommend investing in a timer though
Regards
21st Jan 2010 4:42 pm
wezzzor
Member Since: 25 May 2008
Location: limerick
Posts: 86
my fbh has recently stopped working! its 2005 model, and it would have tried to start on a low fuel tank as its been cold here for the last month and got caught out one day with no garage nearby and the engine had been on and off a good bit. am i right in saving the earlier models dont have the ''wont start if the amber fuel light is on'' feature? also had the srs airbag light light on a few times but has now gone out, loose connection under the seat, but the faults will still be logged! will clearing these faults possibly bring the fbh back to life?
also if i fit the 1533 timer, does the flame button over-ride the ''safety cut off signals'' that the disco is sending the fbh?
26th Jan 2010 2:34 pm
Renton
Member Since: 13 Jan 2009
Location: Somewhere in the middle
Posts: 1718
Had the same issue with mine 2005. Went to a Websato dealer this morning and they had it going within a minute. Apperently after a few startup failures the FBH locks. A LR dealer or Websato dealer can fire the FBH up without the car running, make a pc reading, and unlock the FBH.CLUB ILLEGAL CAR WASHERS
26th Jan 2010 3:19 pm
wezzzor
Member Since: 25 May 2008
Location: limerick
Posts: 86
mine was locked out for ages when i bought it, never even knew! LR plugged in diagnostics and got it going and worked great till recently. must get diagnostics hooked up again to see what was the cause for the lock out this time. I've tried all the usual fuse out procedures but no luck!
26th Jan 2010 6:42 pm
Matty 2332
Member Since: 02 Dec 2008
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 670
I'm not sure whether the timer will over ride the 'low fuel' lockout, I dont think it will somehow.
26th Jan 2010 8:20 pm
amondeggs
Member Since: 03 Sep 2009
Location: Telford
Posts: 155
this may a stab in the dark but my FBH would not work at all despite the low temp of late. Last week I had reason to change my battery and following this it has started up every time. This may be a coinsidence but worth a mention
26th Jan 2010 8:58 pm
DaveS
Member Since: 15 Aug 2009
Location: Weybridge
Posts: 241
The FBH uses a glow plug to start up that draws a heavy current. I think that Webasto heaters include a circuit to prevent them from starting if the battery voltage is too low. I know that similar heaters by Eberspacher work this way.
26th Jan 2010 9:32 pm
robsmith
Member Since: 02 Sep 2007
Location: Staffordshire
Posts: 2394
I've developed a new test method for a functioning FBH.
On a very cold morning start up and drive normally for about 10 minutes. Realise you have run out of fluid in the washer bottle and stop to refill. Drop a vital bit down behind the FBH. Grope around to find the dropped object, making sure an arm or hand makes contact with the FBH exhaust pipe. If you experience a strong burning sensation from the hand or arm in contact with the pipe you know the FBH is working correctly.
Obviously if you are afraid of pain you may wish to volunteer a substitute such as the neighbourhood scrote.....Rob Smith
Silver rools OK
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With the help of the oval timer i installed today, I can now call heat on demand, as well as that it fires up automatically as it should - 3 degrees and below etc. I sorted ot by pulling the FBH fuse with the ignition 'on' this seemed to unlock it. I noticed that with the bonnet open the unit would whiz and whurr but not fire up. Closed the bonnet and drivers door and hey presto.
