How to Solve Engine Start Issue in 2018 Range Rover Sport Autobiography
Are you experiencing engine start issues with your 2018 Range Rover Sport Autobiography? If so, you’re not alone. Some Range Rover Sport owners have reported similar problems, and in this blog post, we’ll explore what caused the starting issue for a recent customer of Garden City Garage and how we solved the problem. So, whether you’re a seasoned Range Rover Sport owner or just purchased your first one, this post is a must-read for anyone experiencing engine start issues.
The Range Rover Sport Autobiography is a luxury vehicle that offers a combination of performance, comfort, and off-road capability. So it’s not unsurprising that one of our clients decided to spend his hard-earned money on this 2018 Land Rover Range Rover Sport Autobiography.
Mr R’s enjoyment of driving his Range Rover Autobiography was replaced with frustration when it failed to start one morning.
However, he was quick to think and trusting his old garage he took his Range Rover Sport Autobiography to them for help in diagnosing the issue. The garage identified an issue with the fuel system, but despite replacing various parts, they were unable to fix the problem.
It became apparent that they did not have the necessary Land Rover expertise to repair the vehicle. Frustrated with the lack of progress, Mr. R decided to book with Garden City Garage.
Upon arriving at the garage, Mr. R met with our Range Rover specialist, Joshua Williams. He detailed all the issues he had been experiencing with his vehicle from the first day he had it up until the present day.
Joshua listened attentively and made notes to help him diagnose and fix the problem.
The client explained that the Autobiography would not only fail to start at times, but it also did not rev properly, which made the vehicle impossible to drive. This had caused a significant amount of frustration for him.
Joshua also learned from the previous garage that the fuel rail pressure sensor, high and low-pressure pumps, and the fuel filter had all been replaced, but these replacements did not resolve the issue.
Joshua, our Range Rover technician, couldn’t rely on the diagnosis from the other garage, so he had to perform the diagnosis again. But before starting, Joshua first verified the customer’s complaints.
Faults Found
Our Range Rover technician performed a visual inspection of the vehicle, before using any specialist software. He checked for leaks in the fuel system, inspected the fuel level in the tank, and also looked at the dash for warning signs.
Luckily, there were no leaks in the fuel system, but the Engine Management Light (EML) was illuminated on the dash. This meant that there was a particular issue that the manufacturer-specific diagnostic tool could decipher.
So, without wasting time, our Range Rover expert initiated the 15-step diagnostic procedure to help find a swift way out for Mr R’s vehicle.
Our Range Rover technician began the diagnosis process by performing a visual inspection of the vehicle. He checked for leaks in the fuel system, inspected the fuel level in the tank, and also looked at the dash for warning signs.
Luckily, there were no leaks in the fuel system, but the Engine Management Light (EML) was illuminated on the dash. This indicated that there was an issue that we needed to get to the bottom of.
So, without delay, our Range Rover expert Joshua initiated a 15-step diagnostic procedure to quickly find a solution for Mr R’s vehicle issues.
Diagnostic Procedure
At Garden City Garage, our experts always follow an in-depth diagnostic process to ensure accurate diagnosis and cost-effective solutions for our customers.
Following this routine, Joshua performed a visual inspection of the Range Rover Sport Autobiography. He found nothing out of the ordinary other than the warning signal on the dash.
To determine the cause of the warning, our Range Rover specialist used the SDD TOPIx diagnostic software on the vehicle. The scan revealed the following error code:
- P008721 – Fuel rail pressure system bank 1 too low
This fault code pointed towards the fuel rail, which the previous garage had also diagnosed. However, their solutions were not successful, and it was up to Joshua to find the correct one.
Our Range Rover expert performed fuel pressure tests for high and low pressure, and the system was found to be working fine with no signs of failure. So, what could be causing the issue?
Well, Joshua delved deeper into the issue and found the problem was hidden under the DRV valve.
For our readers that like a bit more technical information, the DRV or Drive Motor Regulator Valve is responsible for controlling the flow of high-pressure fuel to the drive motor and regulates the amount of fuel supplied to the drive motor based on the driving conditions.
Upon removing the DRV, he discovered that one end had snapped into the bank one fuel rail. In other words, the broken DRV was causing a malfunction with the fuel rail in this Range Rover Sport.
Such problems shouldn’t occur in an expensive vehicle, but like any complex piece of machinery, small components can wear and brake over time causing a bigger issue. It’s often a matter of luck, and in this case, Mr Rees had the misfortune of a faulty Range Rover Autobiography.
Luckily, he had Joshua, a qualified and experienced mechanic, to help him through this ordeal.
Solving the Problem:
Our Range Rover technician explained the diagnosis to the client and informed him that the fuel rail would need replacement, and the vehicle would start to run like new.
The client was satisfied with the explanation and gave Joshua the go-ahead to proceed with the repair.
Our expert immediately got to work, removing the faulty fuel rail and replacing it with a new one. Once the genuine Land Rover part was in place, Joshua carried out an adaptation reset, after which the Range Rover Sport was ready to drive.
But before going out for a test drive, our Range Rover technician rechecked the vehicle for fault codes. He cleared all the old ones, as no new codes were registered on the vehicle.
Afterwards, our technician took the Range Rover for a test drive, checking its performance, power delivery, and overall drive.
The vehicle was as good as new! Our team called Mr R and gave him the good news.
Summary
Our client came to Garden City Garage with a Range Rover Sport Autobiography that was experiencing start-up and drive issues. The Engine Management Light (EML) was also illuminated on the dash.
Our lead Range Rover technician, Joshua Williams, listened to the client’s complaints and immediately began a thorough diagnosis of the vehicle.
After performing a visual inspection and finding no leaks in the fuel system, Joshua used his expertise and knowledge to dig deeper and find the root cause of the problem. Utilising our 15-step diagnostic procedure, he quickly determined that the fuel rail was at fault and needed to be replaced.
With the new fuel rail in place, Joshua performed an adaptation reset and took the vehicle for a test drive to ensure that it was running smoothly. He confirmed that the vehicle was back to normal and called the client to give them the good news.
At Garden City Garage, we pride ourselves on providing efficient and cost-effective solutions for our clients. We provide dealer level expertise but better-than-dealer value and service.
If you’re experiencing issues with your Range Rover Sport Autobiography or any other Land Rover model, don’t hesitate to contact us for expert diagnosis and repair. Call 01639 320036.
