gearbox

Just driven from UK back to France (1000km) in my 1998 P38 2.5DSE, towing my motorbike (250kg) and all the wife’s shopping in the back (150kg).
All went well and arrived home after 16hrs of driving (never went over 60mph).

Never used the RR for a couple of days then set off down the shops, started all OK the after about 1 mile lost all transmission, nothing, no park reverse forward just free wheeling.
Stopped by the side of the road, tried selecting the gears manually, low range, sport button, nothing. Sat there wondering what to do for 10 mins then tried again and I’m off, turn around and go back home. Gears seem to change OK except won’t go into 4th. No noises, no sign of slipping, no fault warning.
Checked transmission level, bit low, so toped it up, still the same. Just been down the road and back and still the same, reverse, forward OK except won’t go into 4th.

Any suggestions?

Suck eggs time....

Did you check the gearbox oil level correctly - Engine Running at idle, go through gears slowly and back to park, and check with engine still running??

If you did, do you have any fault messages on the display i.e. GEARBOX FAULT

If not and still no drive, I'd be looking to check the XYZ switch and/or the selector cable thereto...

If that checks out, diagnostics could be inorder to ensure the ECU isn't holding any codes and is actually functioning correctly...

when you say 4th do you mean t/c doesnt lock

I only checked the Automatic Transmission fluid level, I have a dipstick, took 1 lt to fill it back to the top mark. No fault warnings coming up. Thinking overnight maybe its stuck in low ratio, will take it for a drive and go through the gears manually. Then will check the gearbox oil level later when its cold, let you know

Check you can select low range, if it doesn't work could be the transfer box ECU interfering with things.

Just been for a short drive, can select 1,2,3 and drive, all gears change no problem, but when in drive its doing 3000rpm at 50km per hour.

Selected low range and the following warning came up

METTRE PT MORT (French), which I think, is this below. I was stationary at the time.
Going back to normal warning disappears.

SELECT NEUTRAL you have made an attempt to change
gear ranges without the gearbox
being in NEUTRAL select neutral

Any suggestions?

wchilds said:

Just been for a short drive, can select 1,2,3 and drive, all gears change no problem, but when in drive its doing 3000rpm at 50km per hour.

Selected low range and the following warning came up

METTRE PT MORT (French), which I think, is this below. I was stationary at the time.
Going back to normal warning disappears.

SELECT NEUTRAL you have made an attempt to change
gear ranges without the gearbox
being in NEUTRAL select neutral

Any suggestions?

Click to expand...

Check the transfer box ECU (under the passenger seat on RHD) for smells of burning. Check the transfer box shift motor connectors are clean and that the motor is not seized. A duff transfer ECU can cause strange things to happen with the auto box shift patterns.

is the ECU under the drivers side on LHD?
The fuses are under the Pax side

Found it, It is under the drivers side LHD. No smell of any burning/heat, checked the Transfer Box oil level, that was OK. Anyone got a spare ECU in France I could borrow to check it out?

When I put a fuse in to No 11 the TXF box does not go into neutral I get a beeb beeb but nothing showing on the dash and the gears still work, Does this indicate its the TXF motor stuck?

wchilds said:

is the ECU under the drivers side on LHD?
The fuses are under the Pax side

Click to expand...

Yes

wchilds said:

Found it, It is under the drivers side LHD. No smell of any burning/heat, checked the Transfer Box oil level, that was OK. Anyone got a spare ECU in France I could borrow to check it out?

Click to expand...

Where are you in France?

wchilds said:

When I put a fuse in to No 11 the TXF box does not go into neutral I get a beeb beeb but nothing showing on the dash and the gears still work, Does this indicate its the TXF motor stuck?

Click to expand...

Either the motor has seized, not uncommon, or the transfer ECU has failed possibly due to a seized motor.

50km north of Toulouse

wchilds said:

50km north of Toulouse

Click to expand...

Too far away fom Poitiers for me to help.

Tried the ECU, tried the Transfer Motor all OK. Drained the oil, bit black, had a good feel around in it, nothing. Then put my finger into the drain hole and could feel a large piece of metal there, felt like a bit of a cog.
So managed to get a second hand transfer box from a guy down the road who was breaking his.
Taking out the old one was not too bad, but putting in the replacement on your own is a bit hard work, but succeeded and I am back on the road.

Thanks to all the suggestions given

wchilds said:

Tried the ECU, tried the Transfer Motor all OK. Drained the oil, bit black, had a good feel around in it, nothing. Then put my finger into the drain hole and could feel a large piece of metal there, felt like a bit of a cog.
So managed to get a second hand transfer box from a guy down the road who was breaking his.
Taking out the old one was not too bad, but putting in the replacement on your own is a bit hard work, but succeeded and I am back on the road.

Thanks to all the suggestions given

Click to expand...

Lovely restrained language used there.
Congratulations - on doing the job and your language.