Hi guys - well, I have got to the bottom of the problem. As Richard correctly says - the tester didn't know his job !

I went back to the test centre in my car [not my P38] and looked for the supervisor and we had a chat. He looked through the test results and agreed that there is nothing wrong with the brakes, that all the brake test results were a "Pass".

Where the problem escalated was that the knobhead who did the test firstly wrote [typed - whatever] that the ABS was in fault. He then proceeded to explain to me that the front right wheel was "locking up", and I couldn't figure out what he was on about. I asked him whether it was an issue with the ABS light being on but he said it wasn't on !!! But he hadn't driven the car after doing the brake test, although he must have seen that there was no light on when he drove the car into the test bay, about 100 yards. His last comment was that the ABS wasn't working and it needed to be repaired.

The supervisor that I spoke to this morning went back and rechecked the test results stored on their computer and he said there wasn't a fault, and the tester should have driven the car, or at least asked me whether the ABS light goes out when driven.

So I have to spend my time going back and forward to the test centre to sort the issue out, and with no sort of compensation for their inability to do the test properly. I have to take the car back tomorrow so that the supervisor can check that the ABS light does, in fact, go out - which it does, every single time.

I suppose the only upside is that I don't have to buy a replacement ABS unit, fit it, and go through the pain-in-the-bum process of bleeding the brakes.

So thanks for all the advice, as usual.

Pierre3.

Hi Morat, just out of interest what should happen if I do tight circles on the road ? How will I know if there is a problem with the front diff ?

I was reading another article regarding the failure of the ABS unit, and it mentioned that one of the symptoms of a faulty unit is a wheel locking up. Perhaps my unit is dodgy and I am reading too much into this issue. Perhaps I just need to replace the unit ?

I had the ABS/TC issue earlier this year but I fitted a new sensor, which cured that problem, and this current issue is different, I have no fault lights.

Just out of interest, will my Nanocom tell me anything ?

Pierre3.

I know that the test centre do the tests on a two wheel roller, I have watched the test being done.

If, and I ask in deference, if the guy did the test right [but it looks like he didn't] could the ABS unit be faulty ? Could it cause this type of issue ?

Pierre3.

Hi guys, I took my P38 for its annual test, this morning, and it failed on an ABS issue.

I had new front brake pads fitted, and a new caliper on the front passenger side, last week. The brakes, under normal road conditions, appear to be working perfectly. However, the guy in the test centre failed the test because he said that the drivers side front brake is "locking" when under braking. I don't quite understand what he is on about, but he said that it is an ABS fault.

Would anyone here on the forum have any idea what could be happening ? The brake caliper on the drivers side is the original item, but my garage guy says that it is working fine and doesn't need replacing.

I am wondering, have a memory of seeing ABS issues, whether the ABS unit could be faulty, and would it then produce the test failure fault, i.e. "locking" up the right hand wheel ?

Pierre3.

I found an unexpected problem, on Sunday, after washing the car before its annual road test tomorrow [Wednesday].

I had a brake pad wear out on the front passenger side about three weeks ago. I posted the question here, but at the time I didn't drive the car very much after getting the same answer here that I had in my mind. I mentioned, in the previous post, that the front wheel was quite dirty from brake dust, which was of course the clue to what was happening.

What I hadn't expected, and I only discovered when I washed the car, was the heavy dirtying along the passenger side of the car from the brake pad iron oxide. I had driven the car in the rain just after I noticed the front brakes acting oddly, not for very far, and obviously the wheel spray had deposited a layer of oxide all along the paintwork on the car.

I couldn't believe how rough it was, especially as I put a ceramic finish on the car last spring. I didn't expect that the oxide dust would really lodge on the paint surface. The answer was to use a clay bar and clean the whole passenger side of the car. The drivers side was, and is, perfectly fine and didn't need any attention, but there was some oxide on the lower tailgate on the passenger side.

So, I spent this morning rubbing down the passenger side paintwork with the clay bar, and then putting a fresh coat of polish on the ceramic finish. I am now happy to say that the paint has a nice satin smooth finish - again.

I will be much more particular from now on, checking the brake pad thickness, as I don't want the same thing to happen again.

Pierre3.

Thanks, Richard. I had to look up the different parts of the door handle and latch, and I see your point. The door latch appears to be a completely separate and self contained unit. I think that I was looking at it from the point of view of it being similar to the door handle and latch on something like a Ford Cortina, where the latch is mechanically operated by the lifting of the door handle directly.

The handles and latches on the P38 are much more "sophisticated" in comparison. I fitted new handles to my car, and a new inside pull handle cable, when the end snapped off, but I had a new latch fitted by a RR guy when the micro switches stopped working, last year. I got locked out by the BeCM, and had to get towed to a well-known RR garage to get going again.

Pierre3.

This is a very useful thread. I wondered, a few months ago, whether the front door handles could be swapped around. I was interested, at the time, about whether you could fit the mechanics of the passenger side door handle into a drivers' side door handle. My drivers' side handle did the usual thing and stopped being pulled back into the door when the door was opened, and the passenger side door handle is freely available.

It looked like I may not have been able to get a new drivers' side handle from LR as they were listed as NLA and I wanted to keep the patina on the handles all the same, so I started looking to see whether by removing the spring mechanism in the back of the handle I could fit a new mechanism from the passenger side door.

However, I never did find out because [a] I ended up getting a complete new handle, keyed for my car, from Classic LR Jaguar, and [b] unfortunately no-one seemed to have tried it ! I really needed some spare handles to strip and rebuild but I wasn't going to buy a couple just to mess about with. In retrospect maybe I should have done.

Pierre3.

Hey, thanks guys - and thanks for the part number stuff, Richard. I did send an email to LR Jaguar Classics or whatever the name is. I have had stuff from them before, specifically a new keyed-up drivers' side door handle.

I was trying to figure out what sort of foam material was used for the original water barriers but I couldn't find anything on the internet, so I will opt for original pieces, if I can get them. I have ordered quite a number of parts through a guy called Jon Wade, LR Belgium, and as he is in the EU I get the parts delivered without being concerned about taxes and duties. It costs about 5% more than ordering from Rimmer Bros, and is a little more convenient.

Thanks again. Pierre3.

Hi, I wonder whether someone could tell me the best way to replace the vapour/water barrier in the two front doors.

The existing barriers are kind of OK, but I have to fit a new window regulator in the drivers' side door [UK car] and the water barrier in this door has been opened quite a few times and I think that it is time just to fit a new one after the regulator is changed.

I looked on the internet and the only kit that I can find is from Australia, so I am ignoring that. I would prefer to fit original water barriers but does anyone know whether they are still available ? Perhaps someone has a part number ?

I suppose in the worst case scenario I could just use clear plastic, but the original water barriers are a kind of foam, and I suspect that this could make a difference in sound proofing, as well as preventing water vapour getting into the door card.

Any help would be appreciated, as always.

Pierre3.

Hi Richard, I had a look last evening, and the cut-out in the carpet is for the top of the shock absorber, at least I assume that's what it is. Put it this way, it isn't an opening for the fuel pump.

As it isn't a major problem, at the moment, then I will probably wait until warmer, drier weather comes back, and drop the fuel tank. I can see that doing it that way will also give me a chance to look at the brake lines etc.

As usual, thanks again for your advice.

Pierre3.

Hi guys, thanks for the advice.

I haven't had a chance to put the Nanocom on, but the gauge seems to drop to "empty" at about half full and below. If the fuel level is below half full then the gauge will drop to "empty" at random opportunities, there isn't a definite point at which it drops. But, usually below half full it will drop down at some point.

The car doesn't have to be stationary, I may be driving along and then notice that the gauge has dropped. And it usually returns to its original [depending on fuel level] position when the ignition is turned off for 10 or 15 minutes, i.e. going into the shop to get a cup of coffee.

It has always done this from the day that I bought it. I remember ringing the garage from where I bought it, to complain that they might have put a couple of gallons of diesel into the tank as they knew that I was driving from the Midlands [where I bought it] to Edinburgh. The gauge said "empty" and the fuel light was on, but the sales guy said that they had put 3 gallons in the tank. Sure enough, when I filled up the tank was nowhere near empty. I had to ring back and apologise !!

So the gauge has always been a bit flaky, and I just fill it at around half full, to be sure to be sure.

I did notice that the carpet has a very clean cut where I think the pump is, under the rear seat. I have never lifted it up but it does look like it is factory made, what is the likely hood that there is an access hatch underneath it ? I can't go out and check as I am not at home where the car is !

Pierre3.

Hi, I am back again - this time I am looking for a clue as to why my fuel gauge is acting strangely.

In the past two years I have had the gauge act with a mind of its' own, in that when the tank level gets down to just below half-full the gauge will suddenly drop to empty. It will stay like that for perhaps 10 miles, or else if the ignition is turned off, and then it comes back up again.

This morning, when I turned on the ignotion the gauge sat on empty, but for the first time a message came up "Fuel Gauge Fault". This stayed on for about 5 minutes and when I went to drive off I noticed that it had gone and the gauge was back up at its normal position [depending on fuel level].

I asked my local garage guy and he thought that it is a cable issue, he suggested that it could be the connections on the top of the pump or a plug connection a bit further along the cable [wherever that might be].

Perhaps someone can suggest what could be the issue ?

Currently waiting for new brake pads to arrive, although I think that I may replace the discs as well. They look a bit heavily grooved but I was looking in poor light. I will look again tomorrow.

Pierre3.

Thanks for your advise, Richard, I have probably saved £300-£400 !!

Pierre3.

Thanks Richard. Would I be advised to fit new calipers, as well as carriers ?

Pierre3.

Dodgy front brake disc.

It looks like the brake pads have disappeared ! The other three wheels are perfect, but the front passenger wheel has a load of crap on it.

Pierre3.

I did inquire, a while ago, about the low brake fluid warning message coming up very ocassionally, so I think that the pads on the passenger side have gone past their best by a long way. I am going to have a look at them after the weekend, but hopefully it is only the pads making a mess of the wheel rim.

I did a tot up of the parts if the calipers need replacing, allowing for Mintex discs and EBC pads and calipers, plus the caliper carriers, all from JGS4x4 Land Rover Parts, and the total comes to around €550 including taxes, carriage and duties. So I will have to have a good look first, to see if I need to replace everything.

Pierre3.

Richard, I wondered about that, although I haven't noticed any deterioration of braking performance.

I went outside, just to have a look, and I see that there is a lot more black dust on the passenger side front wheel rim that any of the others. In fact, the passenger front is quite black whereas the other three are clean, having all been washed three weeks ago.

Maybe the time has come to do something about the front calipers, i.e. maybe fit new calipers and brake shoes.

Thanks for the advice, I'll see about taking off the front wheels and seeing how things are underneath.

Pierre3.

I wonder whether anyone might have an idea what is causing a grinding noise at very slow speeds. I have noticed this just in the last day, when I slow to a stop, at traffic lights for instance, if I let the car move slightly forward with my foot still on the brake I have noticed a mechanical grinding noise and a roughness in the drive.

As soon as I drive off, however, everything seems normal, the noise and the grinding sensation disappears. I don't see any problems with the gearbox, the oil was changed three moths ago and all has been well, so I am wondering whether there is something going on with the front diff ? I have no reason to suggest this except from reading other posts regards the diff going down the pan.

Any suggestions would be welcome , to give me an idea of where to start looking.

Pierre3.

Richard, that is an interesting observation. I think that I will change it anyway, just to be safe !!

Pierre3.

I ordered the complete unit, including the viscous unit, and OEM rating from British Landrover in Belgium. But it certainly wasn't £50. It is costing €220 in cluding delivery to Ireland.

The item that I have ordered is Fan Assembly - PGG101290P1 - OEM. Rimmer Bros have listed at €160 but then I would have to add import taxes plus delivery so there isn't much difference in getting it from Belgium, except that I don't have to prat about paying the courier the taxes, VAT and admin charges when it arrives. I just get it left at my front door, as per EU purchases.

I couldn't find anything in my cars paperwork, I have a big file of service work that came with the car when I bought it, that suggests that the fan has ever been changed, and the stories both here and elsewhere have finally persuaded me that a new, known unit is really a must. So I decided to get the loose change from down the back of the sofa and just buy a new unit. The only problem now will be when I can fit it. The weather outside isn't the warmest but, hopefully, there may be a spell of warmer weather that will give me a chance.

Pierre3.