Hi guys, just a sort of generalized question - the ABS/TC lights are showing on the dashboard display. I have changed the two front wheel speed sensors with working, second-hand, Wabco sensors and there are no irregularities showing on my local garages' fault diagnostic computer. So the two other things that I am wondering about are - is the problem either the ABS pump, or could it be a fault in the dashboard display unit ?

The brakes do appear to be working fine, and I haven't noticed any change in footbrake performance.

Pierre3.

Hi, I hope that this may be a last question for a while !!!

About two weeks ago the gearbox oil cooler fan started running as soon as the ignition switch is turned on. So I got under the car to see what may be the problem, and I found two cylindrical type sensors screwed onto one of the supply pipes. But, despite hours searching, I have not been able to find any information about replacement sensors.

I have found a couple of different part numbers, STC3338, and NSC101060, or FF012060, but these appear to be flat sensors which screw straight to the side of something, perhaps the gearbox. There is a few bits online about about the gearbox oil cooler fan running all the time but nothing about the parts needed to solve the problem.

I appreciate that no many people here have 2.5 DHSE's but perhaps someone may have found a solution to the problem. I am including a picture, from somewhere online, which shows the same set-up as my car uses, and it can be seen that there are two round cannister type items on one of the pipes. One seems to be to switch on a dashboard warning light, and the second seems to be the fan switch. I think that it is this switch that is stuck closed, keeping the fan on permanently.

Pierre3.

Well, I have today found the result of Brexit, and its' real implications.

I bought a set of second-hand, original ABS wheel sensors [Wabco], and a rear centre seat belt buckle, the small one in the middle of the rear seat, with a second-hand value of £50, which included the DPD carriage fee.

I received an email from DPD to say that the Irish customs have pulled the package of 4 sensors and the seat belt buckle, for inspection. Now they are looking for certificates of origin, and all this stuff - full itemised commercial invoice which clearly states country of origin, commodity codes and description of goods. The commercial Invoice must be on the sender’s company letterhead.

Being as the parts are from a P38 breaker the chances of my guy having all this nonsense at hand is probably nil. So, a first delivery never turned up, now I need to supply this documentation, and I expect to find that the delivery has been sent back to the UK. And this is a direct result of Brexit.

But I suppose that I can just pay out for new new Wabco, instead !!! Or buy the airfare to the nearest airport and collect them. Either option doesn't make sense.

It does, now, make me understand why people convert to springs. Before the nonsense that is Brexit it wasn't a big deal to get second-hand stuff sent from the UK, now it is becoming a no-no.

Oh well, at least this will push me to make a decision about my P38. I don't think that I can justify buying new parts every time something goes wrong, and, anyway, not all parts are available new. So if I can't buy used parts without all the documentation then the vehicle could, possibly, be no longer repairable.

Pierre3.

Hi, I have spent two hours reading through the various threads etc., and RAVE, hoping to find the default EAS height figures, as per the factory. I have come across all sorts of different figures, such as the sizes for cutting the measuring/setting rods, or the height of the wheel arch, measured from either the ground upwards or from the "centre" of the wheel cap. But I can't find a straight forward set of figures as set by LR.

I have a slight issue with the rear drivers side [RHD car] remaining high, as in the highest height, after the car has been left sitting for a week or so. It is possible that it is the drive causing this, but I don't think so. I have just fitted two new rear Dunlop airbags as the originals were looking a bit tatty, but the levels are still acting in the same way as before.

I need to check the figures with Nanocomm, but I would like to know what the default figures are, just in case the programmed figures have been changed for some reason.

I noticed, today, that when I went to a shop, with a very level carpark, that the rear of the car remained sitting at full height for some reason. After pressing the switch, on the dashboard, a few times the car then reacted to the selected heights, but back on the road, for some reason, the car lifted up to full height before dropping back down as the speed went over 30 mph.

Any advice would, as always, be much appreciated.

Pierre3.

Hi, just a quick question [for a change] - is there likely to be much difference in the propshaft doughnut kit, costing around £40 and the one by LR costing £134 ?

Pierre3.

Hi guys, I am interested in information regarding the transmission brake on a late 2001 P38. The reason I ask is because I intended to replace the brake shoes in the handbrake but it turned out to be a dogs dinner !!

I read the RAVE description of how to do the job and expected to be able to do it in about 2 hours, but 6 hours later I was putting everything back together because my transmission brake seems to be different from the one described in RAVE.

RAVE says to disconnect the propshaft at the rear of the handbrake drum, where there is a rubber doughnut. So I started this and got one bolt out. The two other bolts were turned towards the top of the transmission tunnel so I said to myself just turn the propshaft with a large screwdriver. But that turned out to be impossible - because the car is a permanent 4 wheel drive, and even though the car is in neutral with the back wheels jacked up the front wheels are still connected through the transfer case.

I put a fuse in F11, and got the message that the transfer case was selected, but I still couldn't turn the propshaft. The only way of doing it was to actually drive the car a bit until the remaining two bolts turned around so that I could get a spanner on them. I then removed all three bolts holding one side of the rubber doughnut, and expected to drop the propshaft, as per RAVE. But nothing happened. So I then removed the other three bolts that hold the doughnut, so that the doughnut was free to move, but the propshaft was going nowhere. The only thing was that now I could turn the propshaft because it was no longer connected to the transmission brake drum.

On inspection I then found that my transmission brake is quite different from the one described in RAVE. Firstly, the reason that the propshaft can't be removed is because there is a short stub sticking out from the three legged connection on the back of the handbrake drum. This prevents the propshaft from being removed. The only way to remove the propshaft is to drop the UJ end, at the rear axle. And of course these were rusted solid. Cut them off is the only solution, so out with the angle grinder with a thin cutting blade, I use a 9 inch grinder.

So I cut off the 4 bolts and hoorah, I was able to remove the propshaft, which isn't the way RAVE says that is the method for replacing the handbrake shoes.

I thought that I was finally at the point whereby I could now pull off the handbrake drum. RAVE says to unscrew a large Phillips screw that holds on the drum. But there is nno large Phillips screw on mine, instead there are 4 nuts sticking out of the drum which I suspect are holding the drum on, but at this point I decided that this is a garage job as I have no idea what the 4 nuts are screwed on to. If I loosen these nuts I may not be able to tighten them without removing the drum, which I can't do. I tried to lever the drum off but it is held tight, so something is holding it. Is it these four nuts ? Who knows, because RAVE doesn't cover this handbrake.

I am wondering if LR decided to fit a different type of transmission brake by the time of my P38, i.e. June 2001. Whatever it is, it isn't in RAVE.

If anyone has come across this type of transmission brake perhaps they could explain how to get the handbrake drum off. So far I know that you have to drop the propshaft entirely, which isn't described in RAVE, and that the drum is not held on with a large Phillips screw.

Any advice will be appreciated.

Pierre3.

Hi, I received two new rear air bags for my P38, can somebody tell me what are the soft rubber pipes, located in the top, or bottom, used for ?

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

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.

Hi, I thought that I had solved a problem with the drivers' side door latch blowing up and locking me out of the car. I did the LR emergency manoeuvre and bashed the latch with a steel rod, thereby allowing into the vehicle. I then got a new door latch from my usual LR dealer - but, as has been pointed out, the "f***-up" of the electrical connector plugs came into play.

The door latch that arrived has - yes, you guessed it - two connector plugs. But my latch has only one. F, f, f*** !!!!

So, I am wondering whether I can take the original plug off my broken lock and then take the two plugs off the new lock and reconnect them into the old single plug, to reconnect to the wiring loom.

The first picture is the new, two plug arrangement; the second picture is the original plug off the banjoed door latch; and the third picture is the plug connector on the end of the door wiring loom.

The correct door latch is FQJ103260 but this is NLA and LR tell me that they have no prospects of new stock arriving. So this leaves the second hand market with the prospect of the door lock failing again, whenever it feels like it. The latch that I currently have is FQJ103220 but it is for the previous model of P38. The part number FQJ103260 seems to have been fitted to very late P38's and when I asked LR they said that that part number shouldn't have fitted to my vehicle, based on the chassis number. BUT - it is !!

If it is possible to rewire the plugs then it will avoid having to [a] buy second hand; and [b] rescue the cost of buying the two plug latch.

Any suggestions would be most welcome. A last comment - I have seen a new passenger side door latch for a LHD P38 with the correct plug, and all the mechanical lock connections in the correct position. But would this door latch work in the drivers' side door on a RHD vehicle ?

Pierre3.

hi, I am looking for a foam rubber filler piece that sits behind the drivers' side door card, on the top front edge of the door. It could be something that will have to be made up of other materials but I would be interested to see whether there is an actual part number for it.

Perhaps someone mave have a suggestion for another type of foam rubber to make it up, if LR don't have it.

Pierre3.

Hi, I would just like to check with the members here, about the drivers door lock acting the maggot again.

I thought that I had the lock issue sorted, after the rod connected to the rear of the key barrel became disconnected. I sorted it out by fitting a new rod locating spring fixer.

However, today I went out in the car, and pulled into a garage to fill up. And what happened - I closed the drivers side front door, to fill up, and the door just bounced back open. I immediately knew that the latch was faulty, again.

The difference this time is that the lock, or latch, is vibrating or buzzing, really loudly, when I unlock the car with the remote keyfob. As with the last time, neither the inside pull handle, the key barrel, or the outer door handle don't release on the drivers' door. Only the passenger door, the two rear doors and the tailgate, for a second or two, just long enough to get those doors open.

Am I right in guessing that the door latch has packed up this time ?

Pierre3.

Hi, I would like to ask for more advice, this time about removing the roof rail finishers to check for a water leak.

I park the car facing forward on a slight downward incline, and leaking slightly towards the passenger side [RHD]. I noticed water marks on the sun visor, and SWMBO said that the roof lining above the visor is wet. With the way that the car is parked the rain almost certainly runs across the roof, towards the pass. side front corner and therefore runs down the roof rail finisher trim.

I had the sunroof out last year and I know that the drains are clean, in fact I checked them around last August if I remember correctly. Because of where the roof lining and sun visor are wet I am suspecting that te rain is getting in through the roof sealant. Therefore I want to take off the roof trim.

I have been led to believe that it is supposed to be fairly easy, getting the trims off, but I have also read that you need to remove the windscreen top finisher first. Is this the case ? I have seen pictures of there being a slide on trim clip for the windscreen top finisher, and from pictures they appear to slide on to pegs on the bodywork just above the windscreen. How is the best way to get this top finisher trim off ? Lastly, are those trim clips still available or have they gone NLA ?

Pierre3.

Hi guys, sorry about this but I need more advice ! I posted earlier about an issue with the key not opening the drivers' side door, but the key fob works fine. Unfortunately, I have to look for further help as the problem has become worse.

I went out in the car today and the door, which I left unlocked, opened fine. I traveled about 10 miles and got out of the car, walked away, but then realised I had left something in the car and returned. I opened the door door, which again I had left unlocked, but when I closed the door it didn't fully close but it was locked, as were all the other doors. I couldn't open it at all, but, with the remote, I could open all the other doors. So long story short, I climbed in through the passenger door and drove home.

I had someone fit a new latch about 12 months ago, but, looking, back, I have my doubts that it was new. So I am thinking that the micro-switches are acting the maggot, and I now need to fit a new latch myself.

So the biggest problem now is - how do I open the drivers' side door ? I can open everything so I can lower the window. I read a topic here on the forum about getting a metal spike and breaking the top of the latch, but I wonder whether there is clearer advice on how to do this ? Or a video showing how to do it ? I think that Richard [Gilbert] has some good advice and maybe he could give me some more help !!!

All suggestions really appreciated.

Pierre3.

Well, it's me again !!!!

I am thinking of buying a couple of Wabco rear wheel sensors, from a guy in Australia. He has a few in stock, but without getting under the car how do I know which sensors are fitted to my car ? How do I know if they are the sensors with long leads, or sensors with shorter leads ?

Pierre3.

I am not sure whether this comes under "Electrickery" but here goes !!

I left the P38 with my local garage guy [who I do trust] while I was away. He was changing the heater matrix while I was visiting my son, to help him move, and my guy did the job and dropped te P38 back at my house. Now, I only lock the car with the key to save key fob transmission issues [ the fob works fine at the house but I can't go near the supermarket and use the fob as I may not be able to open the car again] but when I went out to the car yesterday afternoon, after tree weeks sitting, the key didn't work to open the car.

There doesn't feel like there is any pressure on the key when I turn it so I suspect that something may have come un-attached, such as the locking rod. The door lock opens, but only with the remote key fob that I left with the garage so is this a case of needing to resyncing the key fobs ?

Does disconnecting the car battery prevent the physical key from working in the door lock ? I thought that the key would always open the lock, but am I wrong about this ?

There are no other problems, and both keys start the car. So I am wondering if the door lock has disconnected something, or do I just need to resync the keys again ?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Pierre3.

Hi, just a quick, rather vague, question - when I start up my P38 the fan belt bits rattle or squeak for a while, until the engine drops back to a regular tick-over. I am guessing that this may be the belt tensioner but I just thought that I would ask the question anyway.

Pierre3.

I would just like to wish everyone a Happy New Year, and that the effects of 10 year single malt whisky don't last too long !!!!

Pierre3.

The first thing I will do is wish everybody a Very Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year. Thanks for the Fish [ a reference to Hitch-hikers Guide To The Galaxy], or, in fact, for all the advice given throughout the year by all the members here.

So what I would like to ask on this occasion, before I head to the hills, and my daughters' house, is which valve seal kit is the best one to buy when rebuilding the compressor block ? A lot of people seem to buy the XR8 [have I got that right, I am relying on memory alone, which is a dangerous thing to do at my age], but I have a recollection of people saying that they had had problems with some of the seals in this kit.

Perhaps there is some consensus on this issue ?

Pierre3.

Hi, back again, I'm afraid.

I tightened the handbrake as per RAVE but I'm not convinced that it is working properly. If I pull the lever up to the second click, which is as far as it now goes, then it holds the car. But if I am driving along and I pull up the handbrake then the car doesn't really slow down very much. Probably about the same slowing down as when I lift off the throttle, when travelling at about 10 mph. The car will eventually stop, but the performance isn't especially good, from what I can see.

I took a couple of pictures of the rear of the transfer case, which shows oil around the bottom of the case. This oil is also on the handbrake drum but I don't know if oil has got into the drum without stripping it.

I did try holding on the handbrake while travelling but it hasn't made any difference, so I am not sure if there actually is oil inside the drum. I couldn't smell overheated oil, anyway.

So, how difficult is it to change the seal, or gasket, at the back of the transfer case ? Does the gearbox need to be taken out to do it ?

Pierre3.