Advice sought, P38

hi guys,

well im new here so forgive me if these questions have already been asked, bought a nice RR there a few weeks ago and was going well for about a week, then when the tank got low the power dropped and had trouble starting it. so new fuel pump was ordered and has just arrived will be fitted this week. then i got "Gearbox Fault" message up on the dash in the same week, box went in to limp mode and RR dealer coulnt comuncate with it so i went and bought a new transmission ECU, BINGO! fixed, then the air suspension went last sunday, got new rear air springs shipped and fitted them, back to RR dealer for diagnostic! to be told there is a fault in the "Valve Block", so hey presto went out and got a new valve block fitted it and nope it didnt rise, went to RR and there T4 diagnostic broke! so been on the bumpstops for a week! (must point out i live in a rural part of ireland roads are very bad and my spine and liver and not happy with me!!) there is obviously a fault in the ECU that needs to be cleared and tracked a guy down that has a diagnostic machine to hopefully clear the faults.

here's my question, can software besides RSW solutions stuff be downloaded and do this kinda stuff ourselves? sick of going back and fourth to RR

2nd i know all these faults ive had are common enough with the P38 (mine is 2000 year) surely i must be over the worst! might i also point out that until 2 weeks ago i had no clue about this kinda stuff, funny how having a car you love will make you do so much research your eyes begin to bleed!

thanks in advance for any info!

RSW solutions for the EAS is the only downloadable software as far as I know.

Black Box solutions sell their Faultmate to cover the rest, a single vehicle licence for the Nano is not that expensive, certainly cheaper than going to the stealers on a regular basis. Solenoid blocks can be overhauled quite cheaply.

You will certainly need to clear the fault message before the suspension will rise,

From the sound of your messages, you may have a dodgy battery, "Gearbox Fault" is a common message if the battery voltage drops.

i already went down the road of testing the battery, its perfect. it was the gearbox ECU changed it and its been working a treat since,

as for the rebuild kit i was thinking about it, but got a 2nd hand valve block for €150 delivered. if it doesent work i have the old one to rebuild or keep as a back up.

there is a guy due to arrive here in the next 1hr to try remove the "Hard Fault" i also ordered my own cable should be here during the week.

so after i get that done do you think im out of the woods with things to be done? or is it a never ending pit of loosing money owning a range rover?? lol

there is currently no software available that will comunicate with the becm other than the stuff you can buy at extortionate prices. there is a gadget called the hawkeye from bearmach, ive never seen it in action but its claimed to be able to clear most faults.

bar far the best is the rovacom/faultmate type of stuff.

there are people out there trying to develop open source software to comunicate with the becm but as you can imageine theres lots of things they dont know about the system because the stuff that works is kept very top secret!!

interesting, its a bit unfair to have to pay €90 every time a fault needs clearing. someone needs to develop a way that the "Hard Fault Mode" could be jumpered out of or software besides RSW. god bless the days when fixing a car needed a screwdriver and rachet not a laptop! lol

P38_Ireland said:

interesting, its a bit unfair to have to pay €90 every time a fault needs clearing. someone needs to develop a way that the "Hard Fault Mode" could be jumpered out of or software besides RSW. god bless the days when fixing a car needed a screwdriver and rachet not a laptop! lol

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If you do a search on eBay you'll find an EAS 'kicker' which plugs into the EAS diag port and 'kicks' the EAS out of hard fault mode. No PC or software required.

Matt

hi p38 ireland.not in the same boat but could be if i have trouble, also live in rural ireland and 50 miles from the nearest parasite, touch wood our p38 has not missed a beat yet, but always waiting. what part of t country you in. nan-ber

P38_Ireland said:

interesting, its a bit unfair to have to pay €90 every time a fault needs clearing. someone needs to develop a way that the "Hard Fault Mode" could be jumpered out of or software besides RSW. god bless the days when fixing a car needed a screwdriver and rachet not a laptop! lol

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when irishrover gets back from his holidays he will be able to help you,he is a master when it comes to p38s and their many problems,he is also based in ireland,a place called edenderry.

hi gemsdad. checked out irishrover on t net before seems 2 know his stuff .but rural ireland is like t desert and im aleast 4 hours drive from edenderry , one way.

nan-ber said:

hi gemsdad. checked out irishrover on t net before seems 2 know his stuff .but rural ireland is like t desert and im aleast 4 hours drive from edenderry , one way.

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the man is a wizard with them,it's a pity he is so far from you,it would be worth it to get your car fixed though,it's only 4 hours away,imagine the money you would save over the stealers prices.

rsw do a free software for this. they even show you how to make the lead for it. they also do a thing called a buddybox v3 (bit pricy). but not used either of these as the p38 that i had never had a suspension fault. just evey thing else broke
heres the link
Land Rover Reset Tools

nan-ber said:

hi p38 ireland.not in the same boat but could be if i have trouble, also live in rural ireland and 50 miles from the nearest parasite, touch wood our p38 has not missed a beat yet, but always waiting. what part of t country you in. nan-ber

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im in Dingle Co Kerry., you?

jdandcoke said:

rsw do a free software for this. they even show you how to make the lead for it. they also do a thing called a buddybox v3 (bit pricy). but not used either of these as the p38 that i had never had a suspension fault. just evey thing else broke
heres the link
Land Rover Reset Tools

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yeah ive seen all RSW's stuff and it is good, as i said im in a rural part of the country and thoes cables arent available easily. i have bought one from ebay and should have in middle of the week but would have been nice to get my landy up and running sooner.

so is it fair to say im over the worst with the problems ive had? i mean there arent really any more major problems that can happen is there?

P38_Ireland said:

yeah ive seen all RSW's stuff and it is good, as i said im in a rural part of the country and thoes cables arent available easily. i have bought one from ebay and should have in middle of the week but would have been nice to get my landy up and running sooner.

so is it fair to say im over the worst with the problems ive had? i mean there arent really any more major problems that can happen is there?

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in answer to your last sentance. :hysterically_laughi:hysterically_laughi:hysterically_laughi

actually is there no where you can download the T4 software and do your own diagnostics or even buy the software? already have the laptop! lol

gemsdad said:

in answer to your last sentance. :hysterically_laughi:hysterically_laughi:hysterically_laughi

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really? that bad huh? what else am i going to be getting ready to replace? i have a 2000 plate and im at about 167K oh and the radiator was done just before i bought it

what engine/gearbox is in your p38??.what model is it.

ioh m in clifden.almost as isolated as you, but rural.but thankfully had no trouble yet bar a low voltage battery that brings on t gearbox fault. mines a 99 , fitted a new set of koni s and they are t job, put 2 new bags in t front, herself was headin 2 france and t old one s looked t worst 4 ware so 2 be sure i played it safe.have a minor niggle with t hevac, t cheque book lamp comes on, i take out t dash remove t servo motor,turn on t ignition let it cycle itself replace it and hey presto light goes out 4 another 2 months. cant find t problem opened t servo , all looks good so its 38 mystery.94k on t clock when bought with history. from now on i m t history. oh t radio plays up, volume stays up or down , wont respond wont turn off, again turn off t car give it a second an your back 2 normal.

nan-ber said:

ioh m in clifden.almost as isolated as you, but rural.but thankfully had no trouble yet bar a low voltage battery that brings on t gearbox fault. mines a 99 , fitted a new set of koni s and they are t job, put 2 new bags in t front, herself was headin 2 france and t old one s looked t worst 4 ware so 2 be sure i played it safe.have a minor niggle with t hevac, t cheque book lamp comes on, i take out t dash remove t servo motor,turn on t ignition let it cycle itself replace it and hey presto light goes out 4 another 2 months. cant find t problem opened t servo , all looks good so its 38 mystery.94k on t clock when bought with history. from now on i m t history. oh t radio plays up, volume stays up or down , wont respond wont turn off, again turn off t car give it a second an your back 2 normal.

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i had that with the servo. changed it, still broke:doh:. so i thought **** it and just put a coat on
anit it something on do with not changing the pollen filter often enough