P38A EAS issue 35mph max, normal ride light only.

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Richdove

Richdove

Well-Known Member
Posts
155
Location
Isle of Wight
95 4.0L Auto. I’ve search threads on EAS but couldn’t answer this issue so apologies for starting a new one. I had the 35mph warning, in other threads this is accompanied by 4 flashing lights. Mine just had the normal ride height light and not flashing. I stopped switched off and restarted but the condition was the same. The height can’t be changed. A few miles previously I’d refuelled £98.20....... and on leaving the forecourt the alarm started sounding. At first I thought it was another vehicle as I was moving (alarm with immobiliser?) I got out and cycled it open/close a few times and the alarm didn’t sound. Front RH window has unset itself at the same time and won’t reset. It’s worth mentioning it intermittently didn’t go into access or wade a few days before. EAS software and lead on its way...... any thoughts?
 
What's your battery like? >12.5 after 1 hour when engine off? >14.3V at 2000 RPM with everything ON?
Any water in the drivers footwell?
 
Footwell dry. 12.3v and 13.3v with it all on but at idle, as I can’t do both jobs. Can I measure it at the cigarette lighter? It now has the top 3 of the 4 lights illuminated though not flashing.
 
Sound like the battery is suspect, with 12.3v that is normally a dead battery the alarm and stuff will have been triggered as you started it and the voltage dropped on cranking, get the battery drop tested if you need a new one an mf31 120ah 1000cca battery megastore.
 
I've had that before. Twice.

When I poked my Faultmate into the car and read off the fault codes it said that some valve was permanently closed. On the next occasion it was some height sensor being out of range. Case 1 was a dead driver board and case 2 really was a height sensor. Don't buy anything until your diagnostic equipment arrives and when it does, read off the fault codes and post it on here. We'll take it from there. Whatever you do, DON'T go buying bits willy-nilly until you have a decent idea of what's gone wrong. That's a great way to spend a lot of cash, have a huge cache of "spares" and a none-too-pleased wife/girlfriend/housemate. Don't ask me how I know.

BTW, the diagnostic will let you read off the battery voltage while running the engine at the required 2000rpm as @DanClarke and @brianp38dse 's advice. Sit tight in the meantime.
 
Thanks for the responses gents. Battery is an Exide Pro Start 110ah 750amp fitted in 2017, she spins the old girl over a treat but I can see what the numbers are saying. Perhaps it my multimeter...... let’s see what the codes say and I’ll be back. Towards the weekend after the eBay delivery.
 
DarthDude said:
I've had that before. Twice.

When I poked my Faultmate into the car and read off the fault codes it said that some valve was permanently closed. On the next occasion it was some height sensor being out of range. Case 1 was a dead driver board and case 2 really was a height sensor. Don't buy anything until your diagnostic equipment arrives and when it does, read off the fault codes and post it on here. We'll take it from there. Whatever you do, DON'T go buying bits willy-nilly until you have a decent idea of what's gone wrong. That's a great way to spend a lot of cash, have a huge cache of "spares" and a none-too-pleased wife/girlfriend/housemate. Don't ask me how I know.

BTW, the diagnostic will let you read off the battery voltage while running the engine at the required 2000rpm as @DanClarke and @brianp38dse 's advice. Sit tight in the meantime.
Click to expand...
EAS software and lead will not read the battery voltage, Sounds like it needs a hard fault clearing.
 
Can the voltage be read at the cigarette lighter? It’s difficult to see the tacho holding a multimeter on the battery or do I just have to get the wife involved, she who persuaded me to buy another P38 and keep the current one.......
 
Richdove said:
Can the voltage be read at the cigarette lighter? It’s difficult to see the tacho holding a multimeter on the battery or do I just have to get the wife involved, she who persuaded me to buy another P38 and keep the current one.......
Click to expand...
I think reading it off the cigarette lighter is fine. I've actually got a thingy which tells me the state of my alternator and battery by poking it into the cigarette lighter socket so I'm sure that'll work.
 
You'll get an approximate value when it's running, should be good enough to see what's going on.

With everything turned on, I see low-mid 13v only get 14+v with most things off. New alternator bought late last year and no reason to believe it's not working properly.
 
Get some croc-clip leads for your multimeter, and extend them. That way you can read the meter inside or outside the car, regardless of what you connect to !!

Ciggie lighter socket will probably give different readings to battery & alternator terminals anyway.
 
DarthDude said:
I've had that before. Twice.

When I poked my Faultmate into the car and read off the fault codes it said that some valve was permanently closed. On the next occasion it was some height sensor being out of range. Case 1 was a dead driver board and case 2 really was a height sensor. Don't buy anything until your diagnostic equipment arrives and when it does, read off the fault codes and post it on here. We'll take it from there. Whatever you do, DON'T go buying bits willy-nilly until you have a decent idea of what's gone wrong. That's a great way to spend a lot of cash, have a huge cache of "spares" and a none-too-pleased wife/girlfriend/housemate. Don't ask me how I know.

BTW, the diagnostic will let you read off the battery voltage while running the engine at the required 2000rpm as @DanClarke and @brianp38dse 's advice. Sit tight in the meantime.
Click to expand...
Well..... lead and software arrived, installed the drivers, got it plugged in, changed comm port in the drop down, hit initiate and the tx numbers stream but only pp in the first line on the tx side. I’ve plugged and unplugged and swapped ports but the same message. I had hoped to come back with some fault codes...... lead supplied by p38spares.
Any ideas?
 
Richdove said:
Well..... lead and software arrived, installed the drivers, got it plugged in, changed comm port in the drop down, hit initiate and the tx numbers stream but only pp in the first line on the tx side. I’ve plugged and unplugged and swapped ports but the same message. I had hoped to come back with some fault codes...... lead supplied by p38spares.
Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Bad comms,check the odb2 port for corrosion, both sides.
 
tomcat59alan said:
Bad comms,check the odb2 port for corrosion, both sides.
Click to expand...
The driver was software supplied with the lead. The EAS software recognised the lead on comm5 so I’m thinking that’s ok but .......... I’ll stand corrected. I’ll give the OBD a look. Thanks for the help gents.
 
You should have gone to wammers for your bits, save a bit of £££ and you know its all good esa and rave on the disk
 
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