P38A engine disabled

[kermit_rr]

Hi, what conditions cause the engine to be disabled? Ie the dash message when you try to start?
Just recently I've been unlocking, get in, turn the key, engine cranks for tenth of a second then stops and displays 'engine disabled' for a brief moment, then disappears and engine continue cranking and starts normally
Remote receiver aerial is plugged in as i thought that might be related.
Is it battery related? Bad connection somewhere?
Thanks

 

[Datatek]

Hi, what conditions cause the engine to be disabled? Ie the dash message when you try to start?
Just recently I've been unlocking, get in, turn the key, engine cranks for tenth of a second then stops and displays 'engine disabled' for a brief moment, then disappears and engine continue cranking and starts normally
Remote receiver aerial is plugged in as i thought that might be related.
Is it battery related? Bad connection somewhere?
Thanks

Diesel or petrol? I'd start by checking the battery voltage while cranking and make sure the battery terminals are clean and tight.

 

[kermit_rr]

Sorry, petrol 4.0 thor.
I've just cleaned the battery posts and they are nice and tight, so that's one down. I'll check cranking volts in a while. Thanks

 

[DanClarke]

You may have passive immobilization enabled and a duff coil on the column.
Lock & unlock the car with the remote and start it immediately. IF PE is set in the BeCM and you don't start it within a minute or so of opening the car then it automatically immobilises the engine. I turned Passive Immobilisation OFF on mine for this very reason.

 

[Datatek]

You may have passive immobilization enabled and a duff coil on the column.
Lock & unlock the car with the remote and start it immediately. IF PE is set in the BeCM and you don't start it within a minute or so of opening the car then it automatically immobilises the engine. I turned Passive Immobilisation OFF on mine for this very reason.

On my diesels, you could unlock the car and load up but it would never show "Engine Disabled", there was no time limit. I suspect that this would be due to the passive immobilisation coil. However, when the drivers door lock started playing up, the engine disabled press remote message kept occurring. Turning of PI cured that, I also turned off EKA and I can now operate both cars using the just key without the FOB.

 

[DanClarke]

On my diesels, you could unlock the car and load up but it would never show "Engine Disabled", there was no time limit. I suspect that this would be due to the passive immobilisation coil. However, when the drivers door lock started playing up, the engine disabled press remote message kept occurring. Turning of PI cured that, I also turned off EKA and I can now operate both cars using the just key without the FOB.

I'm not sure on a timer Keith. I have a feeling I read somewhere it was 20 seconds or so that it went from "open & ready" to PI "ON" and requiring a refresh from the RF remote. I shall go look.

 

[kermit_rr]

Noticing things more as I'm now able to drive it more!
I don't know if it's related but sometimes i can park up, switch off and the fob won't lock. The light on the fob lights up though. The trick is to 'unlock' which causes the indicators to flash, then you can lock with the fob

 

[kermit_rr]

I've just pulled a code..
P1667 (Anti-theft alarm serial link fault drive cycle Signal out of range or below minimum)

 

[DanClarke]

@Datatek Keith, this is from the Landrover Workshop Manuals I found online. 30 Seconds.
This is why with kids buggies etc. to be loaded in the boot, i never made it to startin g the car within the 30 seconds. As my passive immob coil round the column is kaput it would never re-mobilise unless I pressed the open door button on the remote again. Mystery solved.

 

[Rubberknees]

Noticing things more as I'm now able to drive it more!
I don't know if it's related but sometimes i can park up, switch off and the fob won't lock. The light on the fob lights up though. The trick is to 'unlock' which causes the indicators to flash, then you can lock with the fob

I have this on my spare fob I try to use twice a week, doesn't do it all the time maybe 8 times out of 10. Interest to find out why.

 

[wammers]

I have this on my spare fob I try to use twice a week, doesn't do it all the time maybe 8 times out of 10. Interest to find out why.

When the key is inserted into the ignition switch a magnetic field in the switch excites a coil in the fob. This then transmits a signal to the RF receiver, this is then sent to the BECM. If the BECM recognises the signal as being genuine it mobilises the car. If it is the wrong signal or in your case the signal is weak and not received by the RF receiver the car is immobilised.

 

[kermit_rr]

When the key is inserted into the ignition switch a magnetic field in the switch excites a coil in the fob. This then transmits a signal to the RF receiver, this is then sent to the BECM. If the BECM recognises the signal as being genuine it mobilises the car. If it is the wrong signal or in your case the signal is weak and not received by the RF receiver the car is immobilised.

Is that what's happening to me, a weak signal? It that what's throwing the error code?

 

[Datatek]

@Datatek Keith, this is from the Landrover Workshop Manuals I found online. 30 Seconds.
This is why with kids buggies etc. to be loaded in the boot, i never made it to startin g the car within the 30 seconds. As my passive immob coil round the column is kaput it would never re-mobilise unless I pressed the open door button on the remote again. Mystery solved.
View attachment 184284

As you say, if the passive coil is faulty, you will have a problem. Otherwise the 30 second time to insert the key is irrelevant as re-mobilisation occurs as soon as the key is inserted.

 

[Rubberknees]

When the key is inserted into the ignition switch a magnetic field in the switch excites a coil in the fob. This then transmits a signal to the RF receiver, this is then sent to the BECM. If the BECM recognises the signal as being genuine it mobilises the car. If it is the wrong signal or in your case the signal is weak and not received by the RF receiver the car is immobilised.

Been playing with the fob open car put key in ignition it starts ,take key out and then car locks. If I don't put key in ignition after having opened car it doesn't lock unless I press open key and then lock key. Is this to do with the ignition coil?. My other fob has no problems either way. Excuse my ignorance but these things are not my strong point.

 

[Datatek]

Been playing with the fob open car put key in ignition it starts ,take key out and then car locks. If I don't put key in ignition after having opened car it doesn't lock unless I press open key and then lock key. Is this to do with the ignition coil?. My other fob has no problems either way. Excuse my ignorance but these things are not my strong point.

When you put the key in the ignition after unlocking, you should see the LED in the FOB flash assuming your car has the passive immobiliser fitted. I have one FOB where that function has failed, I have yet to find out why.

 

[kermit_rr]

new fob is my next purchase.. only one key and its in a rather 'worse for wear' state

 

[Datatek]

new fob is my next purchase.. only one key and its in a rather 'worse for wear' state

You can get replacement buttons for the FOB and complete new cases. I have turned off the passive immobiliser and EKA on my P38's so I can just use a key. The cost of a second FOB is too high for me.
If you do decide to buy a second FOB, make sure it's not the same Key Number as the one you have, so if you have Key #1 order Key #2 or vice versa, if you can't identify which key number you have, order Key #3.

 

[kermit_rr]

cheers, i figured a second key was just a sane thing, especially as I've read so many stories about not routinely using the physical key to lock/unlock and I'm not totally screwed if I lose/damage it. Sometimes I'll press a button and the LED doesn't flash either

to identify which key number i have, I programmed the seat memory to forward for #1 and back for #2 then used superlock 'lazy' function to auto adjust the seat position on unlock - seat went back so my existing key must be key #2

 

[kermit_rr]

i'm guessing my next big investment should be a nanocom

 

[Datatek]

cheers, i figured a second key was just a sane thing, especially as I've read so many stories about not routinely using the physical key to lock/unlock and I'm not totally screwed if I lose/damage it. Sometimes I'll press a button and the LED doesn't flash either

to identify which key number i have, I programmed the seat memory to forward for #1 and back for #2 then used superlock 'lazy' function to auto adjust the seat position on unlock - seat went back so my existing key must be key #2

That's a smart way of defining which key you have.