Becm

I've had my 1999 P38 (4.6 HSE auto on LPG) for 4 years and despite repairing quite a few things (alternator, head gaskets & skim, radiator, thermostat, water pump, EAS pump seal, rear suspension air bags, passenger door lock, etc) at various times, it's been great at what I wanted it for - a comfortable motorway cruiser (although I continually miss the 300 TDi 90 that I swapped it for ).

Recently my motorway miles have been reduced (and i bought the wife a Freelander to replace her Smart so she can do some of those trips too), so I decided to sell the RR and get another Defender - so obviously the RR decided to start playing up

Last week, I went out to the car first thing in the morning and all 4 indicators were on (constant). I jumped in and the LCD dash told me that the alarm had been triggered - I checked for damage etc but presumed a child had knocked it or the wind had activated it etc - I'm pretty sure that the alarm hadn't actually sounded.

Every morning this week I have been getting the same message (without the indicators and never in the evening when I come home) but this morning was different:

My wife got home at 1am and noticed that the RR indicators were on again (no audio alarm). she unlocked and locked the car on the remote and thought no more of it. When I went to the car this morning the battery was flat, so I got the usual plethora of fault messages (gearbox, TC etc) and no starter. I tried jumping it but despite good starter speed, there was no fire.

Both keys lock/unlock the car remotely as well as spinning the starter - but it won't fire. perhaps unrelated but I occasionally get a "key in ignition" message when I've removed the key - I put the key back in and out a few times and it clears.

I went to disconnect the battery this evening (to charge it) and despite the car being unlocked - the alarm went off (first time I've ever heard it and boy it's loud ) it wouldn't stop with the lock/unlock but ceased if I put the key in the ignition?

I've had a long read through several sites and suspect a BeCM fault - there seem to be a few threads on here, so I thought I'd ask the eggspurts?

Jim

It sounds like your BeCM is being woken up by the remote fob receiver due to it picking up spurious radio signals. Quick fix for that is to disconnect the blue signal wire to it from the antenna. The antenna is embedded in the offside rear window and the receiver itself is just below it under the trim behind the back seat.
If the battery becomes discharged, it does affect the BeCM which can then give you the weird effects you're having with indicators etc. The none starting is more than likely the engine ECU becoming out of sync with the BeCM. Do you get the 'Check Engine' warning light when you turn the ignition on? If you do, there may be something else but if not, then you've lost sync. Any (Land Rover) garage (doesn't have to be a dealer - there are many independants around) with the CORRECT diagnostics can resync for you or you can buy a 'Syncmate' tool from Black Box Solutions which does the job.

thanks Derek - just been out to check and yes I do get the check engine amber light. I don't want to be buying more special tools for it, so I'll have to try and find someone with the right kit locally.

I've read up about stray transmissions waking up the BeCM via the fob receiver - and although I live 2 miles from an airfield it can't be that because I park right on the airfield every day with no problems (and have done for years). I also live on a cul de sac and none of the neighbours has got a new car (we'd had the Freelander for 2 weeks before this started) or radio equipment so I have no idea what could be interfering?

scimjim said:

thanks Derek - just been out to check and yes I do get the check engine amber light. I don't want to be buying more special tools for it, so I'll have to try and find someone with the right kit locally.

I've read up about stray transmissions waking up the BeCM via the fob receiver - and although I live 2 miles from an airfield it can't be that because I park right on the airfield every day with no problems (and have done for years). I also live on a cul de sac and none of the neighbours has got a new car (we'd had the Freelander for 2 weeks before this started) or radio equipment so I have no idea what could be interfering?

Click to expand...

hi,it could be a wireless doorbell or a wifi signal,or anything that emits a signal on or near the same frequency as the becm,this is 433 mhz i think.

cheers gemsdad - I think wifi is 2.4 GHz plus, so I can discount that - and we have hard wired doorbells (the whole estate are hirings) :scratching_chin:

scimjim said:

cheers gemsdad - I think wifi is 2.4 GHz plus, so I can discount that - and we have hard wired doorbells (the whole estate are hirings) :scratching_chin:

Click to expand...

i think someone on here found that it was his or a neigbours wifi that was causing his becm troubles.it could be another cars system,anyone got a new car lately near you??.

gemsdad said:

it could be another cars system,anyone got a new car lately near you??.

Click to expand...

we just got a 2000 Freelander1 but as I said, we'd had it a week or two before these problems started and they're always parked next to each other. no one else in the drive has had a new car in the last 2 or 3 months.

Just looked at wi-fi signals in range and no new ones?

scimjim said:

we just got a 2000 Freelander1 but as I said, we'd had it a week or two before these problems started and they're always parked next to each other. no one else in the drive has had a new car in the last 2 or 3 months.

Just looked at wi-fi signals in range and no new ones?

Click to expand...

anyone got a new car within 100 meters or so from you.

hmmm - 100m? I'll check the next street tomorrow it may just be in range.

also just remembered who has a diagnostic tool nearby - he reset my EAS ECU when it went all christmas tree on me and I had to replace the rear bags

scimjim said:

hmmm - 100m? I'll check the next street tomorrow it may just be in range.

also just remembered who has a diagnostic tool nearby - he reset my EAS ECU when it went all christmas tree on me and I had to replace the rear bags

Click to expand...

where abouts are you jim???.

darn sarf - sunny Yeovil

scimjim said:

darn sarf - sunny Yeovil

Click to expand...

ok,cannot help you then mate.

I parked 100 yards from a phone mast and got zaped by it, it was hiding behind a building and it could just see the top of the mast, i do try to keep away from them if im parking up. lost remote function for doors and lost the check engine on the display.

Had to go and fetch my sync mate pluged it in got the lights on the sync mate light up but then lights went off and nothing to follow even after a few mins, but it still worked but took a while had to take key out and in again before it said "start engine" and the check engine came back on the display.

Ive seen o P bay people sell Range Rovers for £500 because of the fault i had, think they get so upsett that they sell thinking its going to cost a fortune from the stealers to get it fixed.

Derek Ward said:

It sounds like your BeCM is being woken up by the remote fob receiver due to it picking up spurious radio signals. Quick fix for that is to disconnect the blue signal wire to it from the antenna. The antenna is embedded in the offside rear window and the receiver itself is just below it under the trim behind the back seat.
If the battery becomes discharged, it does affect the BeCM which can then give you the weird effects you're having with indicators etc.

Click to expand...

Hi, Newbie to the site and seeking help please; I bought a 4.0SE a few weeks ago, which although brilliant in every other respect, has the same issue as previously spoken about above.
It has spent longer back with the garage I had it from than on our drive! Diagnostics failed to pick anything up, but looking deeper, the tech reckons the drivers door exterior handle was sticking, and not fully closing, making the alarm "think" and partially activate in lighting all signals. New handle on order, should be here any day now.

1. Has anyone else experienced this....is it a likely explanation??

2. If the signal wire is cut as described above does this not stop remotes working, or just lessen their range and the chance of spurious radio signals?

Thanks in advance!

Paul

1. Not experienced the sticky door handle but iffy microswitches in the door latch assembly can cause the BeCM to think it's being unlocked when it isn't. Maybe that's what's happening with yours.
2. You don't need to cut the signal wire, just disconnect it (it's the single blue wire). It doesn't stop the remote working but you have to get up close to the window for it to work. As you say, it just lessens the range and the chance of spurious signals.

Many thanks for such speedy responses Derek; I'll post here as and when resolved.....hopefuly the door handle will cure the issue, if not blue wire gives me another option!

Sticky door handles are a well documented issue, see Rangerovers.net, but I doubt it will affect your problem. Dodgy micro switches in the door lock might or the usual problem of the RF receiver. As Derek says, disconnect the blue aerial wire.

Garage confirmed new coded handle in tomorrow, should have the Range back on Friday......just hope it behaves, otherwise the blue wire gets it lol!

Got her bak yesterday afternoon, parked up from 5pm, but at some point between midnight and 4.20am it stuck all the freekin signal on again! Strangely it did it again 1/2 hr after I got up this morning.......just as lappy would have gone into "sleep" modeNew door handle/micro switches obviously not then the cause as diagnosed by garage monkey's.....this afternoon's asignment; locate and disconnect the Blue wire, seemingly picking up signals from our wif-fi hub!!

Fingers crossed.....................

Chaps,

The advice on this thread is all over the place. I'm going to butt in & hopefull enlighten you to this problem.

These Range Rover's have two alarm systems. One being the volumetric, in case little johnny throws a brick through your window, & the second one being electrical.

The display will show the alarm has been triggered, but it wont inform you as to what alarm, either alarm one or two.
The volumetric will usaully display alarm triggered on what ever door. The electrical will just display alarm triggered, but will display a clue. ie, illuminating the indicators persistantly. sometimes the near side will be on, sometime the offside. When the electrical alarm triggers it's because of a voltage drop beyond acceptable limits, thus the vehicle thinks that someone is chopping into the wiring.
A multitude of sinister problems can cause this, from cold weather & a weakening battery to corrosion anywhere on the looms or connectors.
Also, as others have said, the RF receiver. When these receivers fail, they don't just let all & sundry signals in, but the RF module itself soaks up more power than it should, & coupled with the becm waking without any input from a key turn or fob is enough for the vehicle to display it's warnings, & as such, will then proceed to drain the battery.

Hope this helps,