The car starts & runs OK. I can hear the ABS pump running. If I drive off without touching the brakes the ABS light goes out. However if I touch the brake pedal even very lightly then I get a beep & then ABS FAULT appears on the dash closely followed by TRACTION FAILURE. Another important data point is that the brake lights don't work. Nanocom finds no faults in ABS (WABCO D) or gearbox.

Googling I found a couple of threads where a new brake switch fixed the problem so I just ordered a replacement for delivery on Tuesday for €15.99 delivered from Amazon. It's not genuine but a genuine LR part costs €50 & I can't get delivery until after Xmas.

Here is someone with the same problem. https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/p38-brake-light-switch-abs-fault-traction-failure.200305/

Anyone care to speculate why a duff brake switch would throw the ABS FAULT & TRACTION FAILURE? If anyone sees these messages it's definitely worth checking whether the brake lights are working. I realise now that I was driving about all day yesterday without brake lights.

The brake light switch is connected to the ABS system and the BECM. As soon as you press the brake pedal, even lightly, pressure will be injected into the braking system and if the brake switch is not operating I assume the system will think the brakes have not been applied and therefore flag a fault and the ABS & Traction lamps will illuminate - The ABS system flags the fault but the BECM controls the lamps and the messages on the dash.

In further research I have dug up various threads in various forums including this one where the ABS FAULT & TRACTION FAILURE precipitated by a light dab on the brake pedal is fixed with a new brake light switch. Importantly that error message indicates that the switch has failed & that the brake lights are not working so needs fixing ASAP.

Please can someone point me to the section of RAVE that covers replacement of the brake switch? I have been searching but cannot find any detail.

Chapter 70, Brakes - Repair - Stop Light Switch From 99MY.

It has a sort of bayonet fixing so just needs twisting out and the new one pushing in and twisting (although you do have to wrestle one of the heater ducts out of the way to get to it).