P38A 97 P38 Gems - EAS issue which seems to have expanded

"I'm back" border services apparently decided they didnt like the OBD cable so that was a 100 days to get the final RSW piece.
'97 P38 Gems
So fired up the RSW software and there are some other odd issues that never presented before.

As for EAS indicated that RR / FR / FL height sensor incorrect.
Ok so started at the rear RR opened HS cable connection to check if it was clean / corroded - looked fine.
Then I was the brain surgeon and wanted to remove sensor to take a closer look - lucky me the sensor casing on the upper screw broke.
So cant even switch side to side to see if sensor is pooched / compare.

In running through the RSW program checked ABS and that opened a few issues and ABS light has now started to blink which it never did before.
It spit out codes
1,2,3 pressure switch warning switch failure
1,2,5 - not a fault
1,2,6 - brake switch failure
1,2,8 - No voltage at ECU Pin 1 when ignition on
1,2,15 - rear right wheel sensor air gap too large

So left it to look up answers / look at wiring diagrams etc.
Had not run the RSW / key stage two bit to much and had restarted motor in process.
But when I came back to it next day - the battery was dead as a door nail.
While previously it was sitting for weeks just doing other things / running it / move it back and forth.
So put Batt charger on over night an great in the am.

So started with the ABS sensor tapped it to see if loose / slipped - no - in good and solid
Curiosity - disconnected the RR ABS
Re run program - same fault - gap to large? - and now also "open circuit RR ABS sensor" (that makes sense)
Dash display indicated a traction failure

But in so doing that the with the ABS sensor the LF wheel height sensor was not showing a fault any more?

Had some other sundry sensor fails -P0183 Fuel temperature sensor circuit high range fault
- P1708 - Transfer box link - signal line permanently at ground (Driving cycle A)

Seeing as the generic plug and play sensors are simple enough to replace and ordered new sensors a/o will order replacements and just plug in.

Now, had earlier rebuilt compressor / valve block - had run it with the bipass and all seemed to work fine / pressure built in tank / compressor was not working excessively.
Checked all the connectors for dirt / rust / continuity all checked out fine
All the connectors in that area looked fine / clean and never yanked on to stress the connectors so assume they are not damaged / fine.

So then I thought as I have the unit up on jacks, the wheel well liner out I would check out repalcing the shock absorber(s)
Was feeling around the top of the shock to see what I was dealing with / space for wrenches etc.
I would swear I got a shock when the back of my thumb touched - checked for random voltage but guess I just caught a nerve on something

I have already switched around the potential affected relays and had exchanged new ones on hand - nothing seemed to get worse or improve.

I'm getting the impression I have a or a couple connections / connectors with an issue??
Which is not my first thought as the vehicle only has 120K on it and spent every minute not being driven pared in a garage until very recently but hey.

Yes, I had check engine light come on and I guess the couple of sensor readings explain that.

But before the Black box BECM and AES kicker resolved any issues in a minute - so the current melt down doesn't make allot of sense.

The ECU pin 1 issue is of interest.

Suggestions on where to start - I get the impression this has to be a pragmatic progression.

Ideas?

Cheers

First thing is to get the battery fully charged or tested. This can give no end of faults for the abs and srs also the gearbox for example.
You could have touched a nerve but also if you are running a pc/laptop connected to the car make sure the electrics have an earth on the plugs.

Deal with one issue at a time or you'll become lost with the faults present.

As Mark said, the battery needs to be fully charged. Many of those fault might disappear with good battery voltage.

The battery was fully charged when I started the RSW sequence, ran engine to check it in process as well as after - the battery is rather new. The oddity was it drained down over night after I left it?
So it was charged over night following and ran the subsequent program yesterday - so I will see today if it drained down over night again today.

Yes Guys - I dont want to open up to many can's of worms at once -
Question is where to start or what "issue" might be a trigger or cause or contributing to the other faults and focus on that first?

That was detailed on when I disconnected the one RR ABS sensor and the FR height sensor fault disappeared or was it just coincidental? Or just "Rover" as one wonders why day drinking is a bad thing.

I will assume the specific ancillary sensor issues - I will just replace them not a big woop - if I still get faults from them then I know issue originates in pathway or else where but I then at least I know sensors are good.

With the RSW and EAS - does anyone know if it will check all the whole system or will get hung up on the Heights issue then progress or is it the Rover system will not "open" the balance of system until initial critical faults are corrected?
Just considering if this may be a progressive issue and whether I will have to find and order progressive parts?

So, suggestions on where to start?
And / or what typical problem connections to check?

Thx - Cheers,

frozen north 2 said:

The battery was fully charged when I started the RSW sequence, ran engine to check it in process as well as after - the battery is rather new. The oddity was it drained down over night after I left it?
So it was charged over night following and ran the subsequent program yesterday - so I will see today if it drained down over night again today.

Click to expand...

If it does drain overnight and as you say the battery is new you need to do a battery drain test...

Well yes, there was some on and off minor drain, historically.
But up until now I could leave it two months with out a starting issue.
This EAS issue - on bumpers - has been on going a few months waiting on one thing or another.
So I have not been running it that much other than stationary to move fluids and check Batt.

But when I started this program with the RSW program, RR height sensor disconnected as well as the RR ABS sensor disconnected the battery drained over night.
Unless that is related to the EAS bit operating after engine turned off and one should leave a door open to shut down that system?
Unfortunately I cant leave a door open - I can't fit in garage right now.

But will see in a few minutes if the Batt drained again.

Cheers,

Headlamp wipers not seating properly?...

How did you do battery drain test?...

Batt was totally fine - so didnt test it in the rain. Couldn't tell you why one day it bleeds out over night - carry out the same process the next day and no following impacts.
Probably not specifically material to the EAS etc repair.
But will just make sure its fully charged as I progress through this.
I have a trickle charger I use for other things I may stick on it just to be sure

But noticed lately that when I lock it with the fob - it is super locking (beep) immediately.
Other of the boys suggested earlier to not super lock as if it screws up your "cutting metal" to get back in so I rarely do it anymore.

Cheers

If you battery is a decent size, no way will it fully charge from flat overnight with a typical DIY charger. What voltage do you have on the battery terminals after it has stood for a while?

Well the battery in this is a big sealed unit - I'm told by the "everything battery" commercial supplier it is basically the same as is put in a "freightliner"
The charger is a decent $200 multi batt type / 2A - 13A - engine start modes.
Usually the charger can get anything operating in less than 3 hrs or 1/2 hour if in the engine start mode.

When I first charged it I ran 13A for an hr, engine start for 20 mins and left it for 24 hrs on the 2A -
But didnt test actual voltage following

But 36 hrs after charge twice running RSW over the two days its at 11.99 v and starts everything immediately
I know I have an on and off again "dead ground" - and maybe that will turn up in this process.
But will put it back on the charger again today and check voltage tomorrow.
If I go by other things 13.2 - 13.5V should be peak charge?

A number of the faults have progressively disappeared but the EAS remain.

So suggestion(s) where to start?

Cheers

Ok Batt on charger 1/2 hr 12.78V
So doing some checks from other things that I have read before
Can't check voltages - on charger - but the meter has a continuity tester that indicates by volume the "quality" on connectivity.
Checked - delay relay connections - Pos 6 to Grnd - good / Pos 8 pwr to ECU pin 1 good / ECU Connector Pos 18 - Grnd Good - now I need a longer test cable to check the connection to ESA valve block & pressure switch.
Batt @ 12.96v will leave on trickle chg over night check tomorrow
Cheers

Have you checked behind the kick panels under the dashboard to the left and right?
The white connectors there get corroded and cause no end of issues with the eas and sound from the stereo amongst other things.
My son cut every plug behind these panels and soldered every one on his, I did just the white connectors on mine.

frozen north 2 said:

Ok Batt on charger 1/2 hr 12.78V
So doing some checks from other things that I have read before
Can't check voltages - on charger - but the meter has a continuity tester that indicates by volume the "quality" on connectivity.
Checked - delay relay connections - Pos 6 to Grnd - good / Pos 8 pwr to ECU pin 1 good / ECU Connector Pos 18 - Grnd Good - now I need a longer test cable to check the connection to ESA valve block & pressure switch.
Batt @ 12.96v will leave on trickle chg over night check tomorrow
Cheers

Click to expand...

1/2 hr on the charger and you saw 12.78V? That means nothing as it will just be the surface charge which will subside in less than 1 hr.

Next progress and any more ideas while I have things open?
Batt taken off charger - immediate voltage 13.21V - five hours later 13.16V

Opened the two side / kick panels - left side / drivers - pristine clean looks like it just came out of factory even the foot rest once I loosened the bolts unscrewed the three by hand and are still shinny.
White connectors - solid / opened easily contact points shinny - but they will provide another volt or continuity test point

Rt side panel / passenger - in process took floor matt out and noticed floor was wet. So popped out the "rocker panel / door threshold"
There was some standing - turns out water / glycol in the trough around cabling. No apparent damage to metal finishes / cables / cable tape. Cleaned / dried with wet / vac and then an amount of paper towel will leave open to air dry further.
So apparently heater matrix or O rings have sprung a leak in the interim period but carpet is not damaged / moldy so apparently not long ago - next problem to address (dont have the matrix but do have replacement o-rings)
Now I have to look up how to pull matrix.

If the accumulated "white connectors" are solid / clean / not corroded- why not seal them up now making sure they are bone dry "heat shrink of a type"
Apart from being a problem with deterioration are these ever used for anything? Other than testing now
Thoughts?
Is there a way to test Delay Relay - I dont have a spare of that - I assume that could be a major contributor to this?
So if all this checks out - next?
Or just keep testing back to end of line?

Cheers,

frozen north 2 said:

Next progress and any more ideas while I have things open?
Batt taken off charger - immediate voltage 13.21V - five hours later 13.16V

Opened the two side / kick panels - left side / drivers - pristine clean looks like it just came out of factory even the foot rest once I loosened the bolts unscrewed the three by hand and are still shinny.
White connectors - solid / opened easily contact points shinny - but they will provide another volt or continuity test point

Rt side panel / passenger - in process took floor matt out and noticed floor was wet. So popped out the "rocker panel / door threshold"
There was some standing - turns out water / glycol in the trough around cabling. No apparent damage to metal finishes / cables / cable tape. Cleaned / dried with wet / vac and then an amount of paper towel will leave open to air dry further.
So apparently heater matrix or O rings have sprung a leak in the interim period but carpet is not damaged / moldy so apparently not long ago - next problem to address (dont have the matrix but do have replacement o-rings)
Now I have to look up how to pull matrix.

If the accumulated "white connectors" are solid / clean / not corroded- why not seal them up now making sure they are bone dry "heat shrink of a type"
Apart from being a problem with deterioration are these ever used for anything? Other than testing now
Thoughts?
Is there a way to test Delay Relay - I dont have a spare of that - I assume that could be a major contributor to this?
So if all this checks out - next?
Or just keep testing back to end of line?

Cheers,

Click to expand...

Replace heater matrix with an Audi one Does away with the O ring problem. See PaulP38A.com for fitting. I used the Nissans heater matrix , will have a look for part number for the one I fitted.

Rubberknees said:

Replace heater matrix with an Audi one Does away with the O ring problem. See PaulP38A.com for fitting. I used the Nissans heater matrix , will have a look for part number for the one I fitted.

Click to expand...

Found it Nissens 70220 heater exchange unit

frozen north 2 said:

Next progress and any more ideas while I have things open?
Batt taken off charger - immediate voltage 13.21V - five hours later 13.16V

Opened the two side / kick panels - left side / drivers - pristine clean looks like it just came out of factory even the foot rest once I loosened the bolts unscrewed the three by hand and are still shinny.
White connectors - solid / opened easily contact points shinny - but they will provide another volt or continuity test point

Rt side panel / passenger - in process took floor matt out and noticed floor was wet. So popped out the "rocker panel / door threshold"
There was some standing - turns out water / glycol in the trough around cabling. No apparent damage to metal finishes / cables / cable tape. Cleaned / dried with wet / vac and then an amount of paper towel will leave open to air dry further.
So apparently heater matrix or O rings have sprung a leak in the interim period but carpet is not damaged / moldy so apparently not long ago - next problem to address (dont have the matrix but do have replacement o-rings)
Now I have to look up how to pull matrix.

If the accumulated "white connectors" are solid / clean / not corroded- why not seal them up now making sure they are bone dry "heat shrink of a type"
Apart from being a problem with deterioration are these ever used for anything? Other than testing now
Thoughts?
Is there a way to test Delay Relay - I dont have a spare of that - I assume that could be a major contributor to this?
So if all this checks out - next?
Or just keep testing back to end of line?

Cheers,

Click to expand...

It's not the pins you have to worry about on the white connectors but tiny traces of verdigris between the pins often on the cable side of the connectors. The connectors are there for vehicle assembly they serve no purpose once the car has been built.

Click to expand...

Thx for input guys -
soldering the white connectors would be such an awkward bugger - got all the stuff to do it though - will check those and continue on EAS issues and return to it when I am closing things up.

Looked for matrix - $100 US used / $ 135 - 240 US oem / $400 - 850 US original new and all weeks to get in hand.
Will check on Nissan alt.
Won't really be running engine much until eas / off bumpers - and dont want to open up to many cans of worms at once.

Found the wiring schematic for EAS - so will start that trace - no pwr to Pin 1 connector is likely the first issue
Will identify paths / connectors / continuity (off pwr so I cant short anything)
Then put it back on battery and re-check connections where I saw some lines have specific voltages / R's
Wish I could find a new delay relay rather than trying to determine if it is actually good. Maybe the detailed schematic will give me some insight.

Thx - Cheers