Eas !!

Hi there, I hope I am doing this right as it is my first proper post. Have been using your brilliant site for several months now for advice etc, and have bitten the bullet and joined as need a bit more help if that's OK. Have P38 Vogue 4.6 which we were practically 'given' - RHD - knew that there is a problem with EAS.

Have bought the software and lead and have cleared various faults, including RR valve closed - were advised this was probably leak from rear airbags, re-run the car and hubby replaced the two rear air springs, but still ongoing. The car seems to like going up into wading mode much of the time and last fault read that exhaust valve was closed - car stayed in high, did not drop to bumper stops - cleared fault, levelled out and then it went to 'normal' at the back and high at the front. EAS hard fault and then it dropped to bumper stops. Have cleared fault again, cleaned out exhaust valve (lots of white chalky limescale powder stuff dropped out) and it's running fine again. This time fault said that it was the FL valve closed. Went out for a run in it again - for the moment it's fine - played with access mode in the car park - it will only drop at the back, front stays in normal height. Any advice would be really gratefully received. We are thinking that at the minute we may need to replace the exhaust valve, maybe some/all of the valve blocks, or is there a leak in the system? Certainly the two short tubes from the cruise crontrol are cracked and these are on the change list for this week - could these have an effect also please? Not sure if these work with the EAS - certainly cruise control isn't working at the moment. We don't think it's the compressor as this isn't noisy and it comes straight back up or goes back down easily enough, except when it's messing around in wading mode. ANY advice would be really really gratefully received. We're in the south of France and there aren't really any bods here that know what they're talking about - especially the main dealer which is 100 km away anyway!

On average, have managed between 50 and 150 miles before it goes into EAS hard fault modes, no more, hence can't go very far in it.

:welcome2: Your a bit far away or I could help. If you have contamination in the valve block I would suggest it needs stripping, cleaning and overhauling for a start. You can get an "O" ring kit for not a lot of money. Question is where is the contamination coming from. I'm sure I have seen a thread on this before, try a search. Possibly it's coming from the air dryer.
Other possibilities include the driver pack and bad connections. Worth unplugging all the connectors and cleaning them with electrical cleaning fluid.
No height sensor faults?

Cruise control is nothing to do with the EAS.

Thanks for your reply - this is a great help - hubby is going to have a look at the valve blocks (and we'd though that maybe we should get this kit) - luckily we have a friend here that is an electrician so he helps a bit as well. Will let you know what happens next! We've had no height sensor messages in the fault lists, so hopefully that's a good thing? It's almost that it's getting confused and sending it up into wading mode, and another thread I found suggested the exhaust valve which we've now cleaned out - watch this space.....

Have got a problem with a damp/sticky drivers footwell, but reading the various threads on that and having already checked the air con drains underneath, think the o rings on the heater matrix need replacing (hopefully that's all it is) - our local garage who is a 4x4landrover guy can do this, but he doesn't have all the software for the P38 and the like -that's another story for another day though!!!

infrance said:

Thanks for your reply - this is a great help - hubby is going to have a look at the valve blocks (and we'd though that maybe we should get this kit) - luckily we have a friend here that is an electrician so he helps a bit as well. Will let you know what happens next! We've had no height sensor messages in the fault lists, so hopefully that's a good thing? It's almost that it's getting confused and sending it up into wading mode, and another thread I found suggested the exhaust valve which we've now cleaned out - watch this space.....

Have got a problem with a damp/sticky drivers footwell, but reading the various threads on that and having already checked the air con drains underneath, think the o rings on the heater matrix need replacing (hopefully that's all it is) - our local garage who is a 4x4landrover guy can do this, but he doesn't have all the software for the P38 and the like -that's another story for another day though!!!

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If you get a garage to do the "O" rings it cost a lot. It's not a bad DIY job, look at www.rangerovers.net for short cuts that save the dash coming out.

Check the EAS exhaust silencer is not blocked.

Thanks for that (again!) - have just realised you are in France! It was the exhaust silencer that hubby cleaned out today (white chalky/limescale powder came out) - who knows maybe that will do the trick, but am thinking I am being a little hopeful, although that was the fault reading time before last. Are going to keep in running around until get next fault up and see what happens - if I press the override button and keep it at 'normal' level, does that work, or will the 'wading' wish of the car override this???

Have had a look at the o ring replacement shortcut threads and sites earlier on - I think hubby could do this with a little help from our friend, if not it will have to go chez Lionel (although he is very reasonable and won't charge us 12 hours labour unlike a main dealer!)

Thanks again!

Hi, went out to car this morning - was in 'high' - started engine, came straight down to level. Pressed inhibit switch as we had read that this should keep it in this position. Drove 100 metres, went back up into high - have now taken inhibit switch off again! I know that I can drive it for a bit and then it will go into EAS fault mode again - wonder what it will tell us this time! Hubby is going to have a look at the valves, connections etc, but not sure where we should go next.

infrance said:

Hi, went out to car this morning - was in 'high' - started engine, came straight down to level. Pressed inhibit switch as we had read that this should keep it in this position. Drove 100 metres, went back up into high - have now taken inhibit switch off again! I know that I can drive it for a bit and then it will go into EAS fault mode again - wonder what it will tell us this time! Hubby is going to have a look at the valves, connections etc, but not sure where we should go next.

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OK, so I drove the 15km to town, behaved perfectly - 'normal' ride height all the way. Stopped twice (once for the car wash), moved off and then it went back to 'high'. Light blinking on high, drove on and it tried (as usual) to change back to 'normal'. This carried on for about 8km until it went into fault mode, as it couldn't change back to normal ride height again. Back was definitely down, front was up. Got home on the EAS fault, car back in car park, expect it to have dropped all ways round later on! Guess need to check the valve block - interestingly, when I started the car first thing, I got out and had a listen in the corner under the bonnet where the eas valve block et al is and it was clicking - is this normal? Sorry for all the questions! Having cleared out the exhaust valve silencer are assuming it's not that - will have to see what fault message we get this time!

Sounds like you have a sensor fault. You may not get a fault code because it is reading the correct height but just in the wrong place. So the ECU thinks there is nothing wrong.

infrance said:

OK, so I drove the 15km to town, behaved perfectly - 'normal' ride height all the way. Stopped twice (once for the car wash), moved off and then it went back to 'high'. Light blinking on high, drove on and it tried (as usual) to change back to 'normal'. This carried on for about 8km until it went into fault mode, as it couldn't change back to normal ride height again. Back was definitely down, front was up. Got home on the EAS fault, car back in car park, expect it to have dropped all ways round later on! Guess need to check the valve block - interestingly, when I started the car first thing, I got out and had a listen in the corner under the bonnet where the eas valve block et al is and it was clicking - is this normal? Sorry for all the questions! Having cleared out the exhaust valve silencer are assuming it's not that - will have to see what fault message we get this time!

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The clicking is normal as it trys to self level. I agree with Wammers, I think you may have a height sensor problem if it's not the crap in the valve block. You need to read the sensor heights when it goes wrong to see if all the readings are correct or not.

wammers said:

Sounds like you have a sensor fault. You may not get a fault code because it is reading the correct height but just in the wrong place. So the ECU thinks there is nothing wrong.

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Thank you muchly! We will look at this later and see what it says when we run the software again.

Datatek said:

The clicking is normal as it trys to self level. I agree with Wammers, I think you may have a height sensor problem if it's not the crap in the valve block. You need to read the sensor heights when it goes wrong to see if all the readings are correct or not.

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Thank you for all this - hopefully hubby will have time to run the software tonight and will look at the sensor heights at the same time - are going to look for crap in the valve block also ..... really appreciate all the help here.

Datatek said:

The clicking is normal as it trys to self level. I agree with Wammers, I think you may have a height sensor problem if it's not the crap in the valve block. You need to read the sensor heights when it goes wrong to see if all the readings are correct or not.

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Hi Guys - just to give you a quick update really - didn't get time to run the software last night (as it won't work from our laptop as the usb/scart adapter we bought won't let it find the right port, so we take the normal comfuser out with an extension lead, hard drive, monitor, the whole lot - good job the rangey's roomy - sorry I digress!). Anyway, having left it for 24+ hours, the front is still 'up' and the rear down on it's bumper shocks as per yesterday when I'd got it back. Not sure if I mentioned it before or not, but when we tried to put it into 'access' mode when we were testing things the other day, the back went down but not the front. As it hasn't moved I think we can safely assume we have no leak in the system maybe? Hubby is going to get to the valve block tomorrow and have a look see and we'll run the software for the heights as well. If it is a height sensor, would this be why it constantly thinks it's off road when it goes over the slightest bit of normal (rough) road, ie just the usual bumps and cracks in country roads? Will come back to you, but wanted to let you know that REALLY appreciate your help (unlike the comment I saw from someone else earlier today who had posted an EAS help request - unbelievable!)

infrance said:

Hi Guys - just to give you a quick update really - didn't get time to run the software last night (as it won't work from our laptop as the usb/scart adapter we bought won't let it find the right port, so we take the normal comfuser out with an extension lead, hard drive, monitor, the whole lot - good job the rangey's roomy - sorry I digress!). Anyway, having left it for 24+ hours, the front is still 'up' and the rear down on it's bumper shocks as per yesterday when I'd got it back. Not sure if I mentioned it before or not, but when we tried to put it into 'access' mode when we were testing things the other day, the back went down but not the front. As it hasn't moved I think we can safely assume we have no leak in the system maybe? Hubby is going to get to the valve block tomorrow and have a look see and we'll run the software for the heights as well. If it is a height sensor, would this be why it constantly thinks it's off road when it goes over the slightest bit of normal (rough) road, ie just the usual bumps and cracks in country roads? Will come back to you, but wanted to let you know that REALLY appreciate your help (unlike the comment I saw from someone else earlier today who had posted an EAS help request - unbelievable!)

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You just have to select the comms port after the program has started, usually comm port 4.

Datatek said:

You just have to select the comms port after the program has started, usually comm port 4.

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Our laptop doesn't like to run it on any of the comms ports - each time it seems to run it, but nothing then happens, whereas take the big old comfuser out, comms port 3, clickety click, eas reset! May give it a whirl again and try comms port 5 as someone suggested that for the laptop. Once we have this all sorted, are going to get a kicker to keep in the glovebox me thinks so won't have to keep a computer in the car! Thanks again.

infrance said:

Our laptop doesn't like to run it on any of the comms ports - each time it seems to run it, but nothing then happens, whereas take the big old comfuser out, comms port 3, clickety click, eas reset! May give it a whirl again and try comms port 5 as someone suggested that for the laptop. Once we have this all sorted, are going to get a kicker to keep in the glovebox me thinks so won't have to keep a computer in the car! Thanks again.

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Just to be clear, you don't select the comms port on the computer but on the RSW software, there is a drop down menu at the top left of the main screen after it has reported comms failure

Datatek said:

Just to be clear, you don't select the comms port on the computer but on the RSW software, there is a drop down menu at the top left of the main screen after it has reported comms failure

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Hi again, yes it's on the software - comms port 3 selected when we use the pc, but the laptop don't like it (or rather the software don't) Hubby tried something else on the laptop and it ran with that software comms port 5 so we shall see - he wondered if it was because of the extra lead (ie the extension one), but I said it couldn't be - anyway, even though it's a bit of a hassle taking it all out to the car, we know the big pc works the software and clears the faults, plus it gives the 'locals' down here something else to talk about! Shame you're not closer as I'm sure you could have this all sussed for us in a jiffy. Have got a Disco to fix after we've sorted out this and the heater matrix o rings on the rangey, but that's a story for another day!

Datatek said:

The clicking is normal as it trys to self level. I agree with Wammers, I think you may have a height sensor problem if it's not the crap in the valve block. You need to read the sensor heights when it goes wrong to see if all the readings are correct or not.

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Hi, I'm back after a LONG delay - hubby ain't had the time to look at this properly due to one thing and another. Consistent fault keeps coming up now - FL valve closed or exhaust valve closed. Still up to it's usual tricks of faulting to wading mode, going to level, jiggering around and hard faulting out (only able to do a max of 50km before this happens). Before hubby starts opening the valve block, can we tell if this is full of crap without taking it apart? Sorry if this is an obvious question - he's more than willing to undertake the refurb of it with the kit, but as we're new to this, bit nervous. Also about to order a height sensor as are also now convinced it's this...this morning's reading on the sensors was 225 on the FL and the other three slightly different at 56,60 and 70 respectively. As soon as you pull up at a stop or traffic lights, pull away, it goes up into high mode. Have reset it again this afternoon, it'll be fine for a few miles (although it'll flash up and down) and then it will go again. He wanted to ask - if he disconnects the FL height sensor, will it go into hard mode straight away or is there a way of bypassing this so that we can 'test' the system out? Sorry if being dumb, any more advice gratefully received before he goes taking bits out!

infrance said:

Hi, I'm back after a LONG delay - hubby ain't had the time to look at this properly due to one thing and another. Consistent fault keeps coming up now - FL valve closed or exhaust valve closed. Still up to it's usual tricks of faulting to wading mode, going to level, jiggering around and hard faulting out (only able to do a max of 50km before this happens). Before hubby starts opening the valve block, can we tell if this is full of crap without taking it apart? Sorry if this is an obvious question - he's more than willing to undertake the refurb of it with the kit, but as we're new to this, bit nervous. Also about to order a height sensor as are also now convinced it's this...this morning's reading on the sensors was 225 on the FL and the other three slightly different at 56,60 and 70 respectively. As soon as you pull up at a stop or traffic lights, pull away, it goes up into high mode. Have reset it again this afternoon, it'll be fine for a few miles (although it'll flash up and down) and then it will go again. He wanted to ask - if he disconnects the FL height sensor, will it go into hard mode straight away or is there a way of bypassing this so that we can 'test' the system out? Sorry if being dumb, any more advice gratefully received before he goes taking bits out!

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It is NOT the valve block, you have a duff sensor.

wammers said:

It is NOT the valve block, you have a duff sensor.

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Thank you, thank you wammers, this is the way were were going and have also seen another thread about the 255 height reading that you replied to earlier - you said that this is either a duff height sensor or maybe it's even disconnected - hubby's just walked back through the door - we're going to go and have a look see if it's come undone connection wise and if not hot foot it onto fleabay to buy a new one. Thanks again - will come back to you again if needs be......

infrance said:

Thank you, thank you wammers, this is the way were were going and have also seen another thread about the 255 height reading that you replied to earlier - you said that this is either a duff height sensor or maybe it's even disconnected - hubby's just walked back through the door - we're going to go and have a look see if it's come undone connection wise and if not hot foot it onto fleabay to buy a new one. Thanks again - will come back to you again if needs be......

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It does'nt need to be undone a dirty connection could be the problem if the fault is intermittant. Lots of otherwise good sensors play up in wet weather for instance. When moisture gets inside them. Or into the plugs.