Nigel, I have certainly had cars on which the engineers had actually thought out how to change headlight/sidelight bulbs, which are such a common failure point, but presumably LR didn't employ any of these guys !!!

I can never understand why car manufacturers make it so difficult to change stuff like light bulbs. They must think that their bulbs never fail when you see some of the stupid steps you have to go through, just to change a bulb. And seeing as I am in a grumpy mood I have another point that really gets up my nose - why are manufacturers stopping putting oil dipsticks in cars ???

If anything should be fitted as standard it ought to be a dipstick. Relying on the stupid electronic system, and the 500 steps required to check the oil, is just asking for trouble. At least if there is a dipstick then any twonk can physically check the oil, but with the electronic stuff people won't bother. I had a Merc 220E which didn't have a dipstick, and in the 4 years that I owned it I never checked the oil, except for its' annual service. The requirements for checking the oil made it that you were hardly ever in the correct position to go through the various steps to get a reading.

And, lastly [thank God, says the reader], what has happened to having a spare wheel ?? These days, when people get a flat tyre, they sit on the side of the road for a couple of hours until their roadside service provider turns up and fills the flat tyre full of gunk so that [a] the owner gets home, and [b] the tyre garage chucks out the tyre and fits a new one.

I normally carry one of those kits where you pull out the screw or nail and push in the string thing so that you get an instant repair. The only problem is that I haven't bothered buying an electric pump so I have to use the old fashioned foot pump. My daughter gave me an electric thing, some years back but it was totally useless.

So that's my grumpy rant for the day, now I am going to go out for a walk, just before it rains, with my Te***o umbrella which will probably collapse in the wind just as the rain starts. I could have easily lived next door to Victor Meldrew, we would have had a lot to talk, or complain, about !!!

Pierre3.

Thanks for your reply, Marty. I was aware that you are very busy, and that you would be away in Europe for a while.

Whenever you get the chance to check them out would be fine as I am not in a rush to get a replacement for my own. I have mine currently set so that it is fully closed in the roof space so at least there is no rainwater getting in. I am happy with this for the time being, but I would quite like to have a working sunroof again. I just don't want to put in a cassette in a poorer condition than my own.

I took my sunroof cassette out, about 18 months ago, and at the time I removed the seal around the glass and tidied everything up so, at the moment it is in good shape. But it is non-operational because the motor seems to be knackered, and the cable that retracts the roof seems to be not pulling the glass back for some reason. If I can get a good cassette, without rust or corrosion around the glass, then I would put that it in so that I can let out the flies and bees from inside the car on sunny days !!!!

Pierre3.

Marty, I sent a couple of PM's to you regarding the possibility of a good, complete sunroof cassette. Didn't hear from you so I assume they are all gone, but if you have a good one then I may still be interested.

Pierre3.

So I finally got a bit of luck with the weather, nice and warm, and sunny this morning. I jacked up the car and grabbed the wheel top and bottom and gave it a good pull and shake in both directions. It's absolutely solid, there is no give in the bearing at all, from what I can see and feel.

I just need to wait for some Wabco sensors from a breaker, to arrive and I will stick one in the front left hand [passenger] side hub and hope that the ABS/TC message clears off, permanently. I am fairly sure that the current sensor is a spurious one, as I had one replaced around 18 months ago - I just can't remember which one !!!

I also spent an hour and a half replacing the sidelight bulb on the drivers side front, in behind the battery. Being as I have the largest 950 a/h Yuasa extra heavy duty battery fitted there is very little room to get my hand between the battery and the headlight, and then under the headlight plug to twist/undo the sidelight holder. It is just easier to remove the battery and then twist the holder. I had to do a small bit of cleaning to the bulb holder and then the actual plug connected to the wires. I used electrical contact cleaner and gave both plugs a good soaking. Then a scrub with a toothbrush, and finally a blast of brake disc cleaner. Now the bits are all squeaky clean, and the fresh bulb is perfectly happy, shining out its' little shiny message !! Just wish that it is a bit easier and quicker.

Pierre3.

Thanks Richard, that's another bit ruled out. I still have to find the opportunity to check these bearings, as the weather has not been the best.

Pierre3.

Thanks for all the invaluable information, guys. I just need a bit of good weather to get the wheels off the ground, to check the bearings.

Is there any reason why I can't tighten the bearing ? If there isn't much movement in the bearing can I not tweak it up to take out any looseness in the bearing ? It would just save all the work replacing the hub, or getting new bearings fitted.

I wonder what type of bearings are fitted to the Britpart hub, as I notice that the Island 4x4 hub is listed with the Timken name so I am guessing that Timken bearings are fitted to this hub.

Pierre3.

I sent him a PM, but just if you happen to be talking to him then perhaps you could let him know that maybe I could do with one, if they are good.

Very many thanks,

Pierre3.

Richard, could you let Marty know that I sent a PM, this evening, to him with reference the sunroof cassettes that he has ?

If he has a complete good one, with clean outer seals and the motor securely attached, and the price is right then I wouldn't mind one.

Pierre3.

Yes, you are probably right. In fact, I contacted James Coleman and ordered some Wabco-D ones from him, this morning, as I am now in some doubt as to the likelihood of the others ever actually turning up.

I was reading that you need a thirty ton press if you want to fit Timken wheel bearings. What happens if you choose SKF bearings instead ? Do you still need such a big press, or can you reasonably expect to be able to do them in the average garage ? And my garage is very average !!!!!

Pierre3.

Richard, thanks for the explanation. OK, so it looks like I have two problems. one is probably a leaking passenger side rear airbag, and two, one of the ABS sensors is flaky.

I'm a bit disappointed because a guy in Aus is supposed to be sending me 4 Wabco used sensors, in good nick off a P38 that has only had tarmac use in Melbourne or somewhere. I don't think that he is a crook as he has a lot of stuff on the Range Rover P38 facebook forum, a guy named Nick Thomas. But who know, it won't be the first time, and I will look elsewhere.

Pierre3.

It's an interesting discussion, sure enough. Just to add another dimension to the discussion - a company in the States which builds hydrogen powered trucks is call Nikola.

Nikola was supposed to team up with GM, which they did for a while, and now I think Nikola are working with another truck manufacturer, and one would think that the future is looking bright. Based on the reviews in the US financial papers I fancied a punt on the Nikola shares, they looked good at $10, and being in league with GM they should have a pretty solid background. But what happened after two years - the shares tanked, to about 0.50 cents a share. I just hung on until last year, when they got another decent share review and the price went back up, but not quite to the original $10. I didn't lose too much, fortunately. Now I am putting those losses into my P38, with as much chance of getting my investment back as if I had stayed with Nikola !!!

Pierre3.

Hi Richard, what is the effect of the flexible sensor arm not working correctly ?

Pierre3.

Hi guys, thanks for all your invaluable advice.

In regards to the misreading of the sensors it is possible, I suppose, that this would explain why the rear passenger side wheel goes down over the course of a week ? Although more likely to be the airbag.

I will follow up on all the advice given so freely, but much appreciated, over the next couple of weeks. I need to wait for some good weather, and also to get my walking abilities back !!!

Pierre3.

Hi guys, I hope that this is allowed but I want to look for a bit more information in regards to the ABS/TC warning lights coming on, on the dashboard.

I got under the car yesterday, and following both Richards' and Bolts' advice I gave the passenger side sensor a couple of taps with a light hammer, and the warning lights went out, tested by driving about 1/4 mile. So everything appeared hunky-dory, but I know that you readers have guessed that that is not all.

I went out on a 40 mile, each way, journey and after around 10 miles the warning lights came back on while gently bumbling down a motorway. So I continued on to my destination, parked and switched off ignition.

After three hours I returned and set off again, but after 6 miles this time the warning lights came back on and stayed on until I got home, about 1 1/2 hours - due to heavy traffic.

So could I be looking at, as Bolt suggested, a flaky wheel bearing on the passenger side front wheel. This is where I had a lower reading on the Nanocom, when doing as road test as suggested by Richard. The static readings were all around 2.30, a bit above and a bit below, but when driven slowly three readings varied from the 2.30-ish figure by very little, but the front passenger side sensor gave readings around 1.80.

So tapping the F P Side sensors cleared the fault.

Some research suggests perhaps a faulty wheel bearing, a faulty sensor, or a CV joint going faulty. Do I just have to bite the bullet and change everything ?

Pierre3

Ha, that's fine then. Provided it lands on the two ends then I will be able to crawl out from under it !!!

Richard, thanks for the RAVE page number. And after reading your post I went back out, got out of my electric wheelchair and lay down on my remote control inspection trolley, and rechecked the front bumper - where I found two hex head bolts. As I didn't have a hex head driver with me I decided not to remove the bumper on my own. The danger of it falling on my head and bringing me back to sanity was tempting, but I decided against this course of action.

On a more serious note, when I had a look at the gearbox oil cooler fan it looks as if I could remove it by undoing the phillips screws that hold the small fog light grill in place. The grill seems to be right in front of the fan sensor and it does look as if I remove the grill then the sensor should be right there, hopefully with enough manipulation space to remove it. First job I will attempt is getting the fog light grill screws out.

Pierre3.

Hi guys, thanks for your advice. The information from Bolt is interesting, especially as steering play is nearly always there. I will try the obvious solution - tapping the sensors to make sure that they are fully in.

OK, so an update to the above - I checked the readings with Nanocom, and Madame writing down the figures, and I got more inconsistent results from the front left sensor, compared to the other three sensors, and compared from a standing reading. So a few taps with a light-weight hammer and the issue appears to have gone. I took the vehicle for a drive around the block, about 1/4 mile, and the issue has not yet re-appeared. So a good result, and thanks to Richard and Bolt for the varied advice.

Now I need to address the gearbox oil fan sensor. I looked up how to change the sensor and most posts suggest that the front bumper has to come off, but I had a look under my car to see how difficult it is going to be, and my front bumper fixings don't look anything like the ones on the internet. It was suggested that behind the bumper there are two bolts to be loosened, and then you knock the bumper downwards and the it will pull out forwards. Well, good luck with that because the radiator is in the way of any access to the back of the front bumper bolts.

I will need to investigate this more, and see if I can find clearer instructions relating to the front bumper on my vehicle. First stop RAVE, and hopefully a clear description - when I can find the section dealing with it !!!

Pierre3.

Hi Richard. Yes, I took those readings while the car was parked in the drive, this afternoon. So, I will follow your instructions tomorrow, and see what they are then. But does this dashboard message, and the ABS and TC warning lights, just indicate a likely wheel sensor issue ?

Also, do you have any idea why the gearbox fan keeps running ? Is this likely to be a stuck closed sensor ? I have done some "research" on the squinty-net and it looks like a stuck open heat sensor is the problem. Maybe my best option is the change the sensor, and not have the fan motor go west !!

Pierre3.

Hi, i'm not exactly sure where to post this so I thought that here might be a good place to start.

I was coming home last evening, bumbling along on a quiet motorway, doing about 50 mph, when the message "ABS has failed", or something similar, and the yellow ABS light and the traction control lights came on and stayed on until I got home. The vehicle didn't appear to have any problem driving along, but obviously there is some issue.

Perhaps someone could give me a bit of advice on the problem. It is starting to get tiresome, at this stage, the constant problems which are now happening. The heater matrix and blend motors were replaced only two months ago, then the drivers side latch packed up, and the car has driven maybe 300 miles, and this includes a journey to a wedding this weekend. Now the ABS fault has appeared.

I know, also that I will need to replace the height sensors shortly, as the EAS has been, since getting it back from the garage two weeks ago, going to full height when I go around a roundabout fairly quickly causing the vehicle to lean somewhat. Then I have to press the EAS switch to drop the vehicle back down, after which the vehicle runs fine.

But firstly I need to solve this ABS issue, so any help would be appreciated.

Edit - having read through a lot of different forum posts about this, could it be so simple as a wheel sensor ? Maybe I just need to buy new height sensors and get hold of some Wabco wheel sensors to cure the problem.
Edit - I plugged in Nanocom and the readings from the sensors are - front right 2.31; front left 2.35; rear right 2.21; rear left 2.35. Perhaps someone might know if these are correct, or thereabouts.

Another problem seems to have cropped up, now. The gearbox cooler fan is running when the ignition is turned on. This is a new issue, it has just appeared this morning. The car has been parked since 10pm last evening so it certainly can't be hot this morning. Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this ?

Pierre3.

I am really pleased to say that, because of the reliable information from Richard [GilbertD], I have saved myself the hassle and, more importantly, the cost of having to buy another door latch, FQJ103260, to replace a new one that I received, FQJ103220.

I had fitted the two plug lock before realised that I needed a new single plug lock. I don't why I missed the obvious, that the new lock I was fitting had two plugs and not one, but, hey-ho, I did and I was the author of my own problem !!

Anyway, as Richard correctly says above, it turns out that the wiring colours in the plugs of FQJ103220 [two plugs], and FQJ193260 [single plug] are the very same. There are seven wires in each lock, and the answer to not being able to buy the later lock, FQJ103260, is to buy FQJ103220 and chop the plugs off both locks, then solder the single plug wires onto the two plug cable wires.

The one thing that one must remember is to keep the lock motor part of the lock, which you break off to open a locked door. The cable should be cut off at the lock end so as to give the most cable to connect to the two plug cable.

So, I am pleased to say that I have everything refitted and working perfectly. And many thanks, Richard.

Pierre3.