P38A Losing codes if battery goes flat

Range Rover P38 2001 4.0 petrol plus gas conversion.
It's been in the same garage now three times when it has refused to start. First time they said the immobiliser had been disconnected and it wouldn't happen again. When it did fail a couple of months later they replaced the BECM. Now it has happened again (It was with the garage for 8 months because he reckoned he had lost his P38 code diagnostics) I am told that if the battery goes flat it my lose all of it's codes and have to be recoded.
Is this likely? What if the battery is disconnected?

I think you need to find a new garage. If you disconnect the battery ( to replace with a new one) the radio loses its code and needs to be entered again and the windows and sunroof need to be reset.
the fob may lose sync, which means central locking wont work and engine immobilised message on the dash

what exactly happens when it refuses to start? what messages do you get?

Wot @kermit_rr says, plus that is all doable by owner nothing special required. Aslong as all else is ok, but lets not worry about that yet. Do you have the EKA code?

Oh and please edit the postcode, just needs close not that close.

J

kermit_rr said:

I think you need to find a new garage. If you disconnect the battery ( to replace with a new one) the radio loses its code and needs to be entered again and the windows and sunroof need to be reset.
the fob may lose sync, which means central locking wont work and engine immobilised message on the dash

what exactly happens when it refuses to start? what messages do you get?

Click to expand...

And the battery needs to be disconnected in a particular way,if you haven't got the hand book.Slacken the earth clamp bolt on the battery,turn on the ignition,turn off then remove earth lead WITHIN 17 seconds.Welcome by the way.

You're right, I do need a new garage and it won't be going there again. the first time it wouldn't start it didn't even turn over and It was an immobiliser problem. The second two times however it would turn over but wouldn't start. Because it has been so long since it was waiting for the garage to fix it I can't remember any codes but I don't think they were particularly relevant. It's been suggested having a solar panel linked to the battery to keep it topped up!. I'm not familiar with what EKA stands for.

rayvee said:

I'm not familiar with what EKA stands for.

Click to expand...

Ask the garage that did the swap they may have it and pray they didnt just use the 1 in the different BECM. But they should know.

If its original you can ask any Land rover dealer to get it for free. Stands for "Emergency Key Access"

And yes many have solar panels if car is left for a little while not used.

J

unless a previous owner has butchered your car, there is no immobiliser to remove or disconnect - it is enabled or disabled through diagnostics
EKA is Emergency Key Access, a 4 digit code to enter with a key in the drivers door
a solar panel or other charging source will help

rayvee said:

Range Rover P38 2001 4.0 petrol plus gas conversion.
It's been in the same garage now three times when it has refused to start. First time they said the immobiliser had been disconnected and it wouldn't happen again. When it did fail a couple of months later they replaced the BECM. Now it has happened again (It was with the garage for 8 months because he reckoned he had lost his P38 code diagnostics) I am told that if the battery goes flat it my lose all of it's codes and have to be recoded.
Is this likely? What if the battery is disconnected?

Click to expand...

That sounds A LOT of money for what is probably RF interference. A quick search on here will bring back shed loads of results.

There are 3 lots of codes that might need syncing if the battery goes totally flat:

1) EKA.
2) Engine immobiliser code.
3) keyfob sync.

Could be any or none depending how lucky you get. BECM rarely goes wrong unless wet.

Grrrrrr said:

That sounds A LOT of money for what is probably RF interference. A quick search on here will bring back shed loads of results.

There are 3 lots of codes that might need syncing if the battery goes totally flat:

1) EKA.
2) Engine immobiliser code.
3) keyfob sync.

Could be any or none depending how lucky you get. BECM rarely goes wrong unless wet.

Click to expand...

Yes there are a few who specialise in doing expensive repairs on BECMs there is nothing wrong with.

rayvee said:

You're right, I do need a new garage and it won't be going there again. the first time it wouldn't start it didn't even turn over and It was an immobiliser problem. The second two times however it would turn over but wouldn't start. Because it has been so long since it was waiting for the garage to fix it I can't remember any codes but I don't think they were particularly relevant. It's been suggested having a solar panel linked to the battery to keep it topped up!. I'm not familiar with what EKA stands for.

Click to expand...

Solar panel in the Lake District your 'avin a laff..get a cheap maintenance charger if you have power near to the car. Aldi have them time to time for less than £14.

There may be someone close by with a Nanocom,
you should change the ‘area’ on your profile to something more vague like land of the wet. Dont use your postcode for internet safety reasons.

Thanks all. Unfortunately it hasn't answered my main concern with the P38. If the battery goes absolutely flat do all the codes get lost and have to be reinput with the right diagnostics? Is this normal?

Which codes have you been led to believe will be lost everytime a battery is removed. The radio code, yes and rarely the BECM code. Model pending..... Finding a garage who can deal with your p38 is a must. The answers are in the posts matey.

rayvee said:

Thanks all. Unfortunately it hasn't answered my main concern with the P38. If the battery goes absolutely flat do all the codes get lost and have to be reinput with the right diagnostics? Is this normal?

Click to expand...

ok try this. I have only ever had to use EKA maybe twice in lot of years.
My 2001 & 1996 I have only ever had to sync keys after replacing a battery, and enter radio code.

EKA is always better to have before you need.

many do have other issues but again they are usually because of other issue not normally seen, and usually caused by other broken/badly maintained things.

HTH.

J

i've taken the battery off mine a number of times with no problem at all, just enter radio code and reset windows

Thanks.
It's not the radio code or use of the emergency access code. The garage has to reset the vehicle codes with (presumably) a diagnostics kit and they said that if the battery goes totally flat the codes may have to be reset!. It does sound a bit far fetched to me but that is what I have been told. The battery was fine when the car wouldn't start (the engine kept turning over but wouldn't fire - the BECM had previously been replaced) but because it took 8 months for the garage to get its diagnostic tool back (a long story) the battery would have been completely flat.

The only codes an owner can enter are the 2 you have mentioned.

any other codes need diagnostics at varying degree of levels.(Which some owners do purchase) So keep the car in good order and you will be unlucky to need anything other than what the owner manual explains about the codes mentioned and sync of keys maybe.

J

Oh dear @rayvee ... I think that garage has had you over mate.
I would be asking for all my money back as they clearly don't have a scooby-doo and don't know this vehicle very well at all.
As long as you don't slander/libel them perhaps a mention of their name might elicit opinions from others who may have crossed their path?

DanClarke said:

Oh dear @rayvee ... I think that garage has had you over mate.
I would be asking for all my money back as they clearly don't have a scooby-doo and don't know this vehicle very well at all.
As long as you don't slander/libel them perhaps a mention of their name might elicit opinions from others who may have crossed their path?

Click to expand...

Or a little look on line at reviews for their garage may throw up a few nice surprises, a call to Trading Standards in your town ...

Keep a copy of ALL correspondence, written on paper, texts and e-mails, log any 'phone call as to whom and what time etc ...

If you have legal cover on your vehicle insurance that maybe a good thing ..

Try to pay any bills that you HAVE to with a credit card, (extra protection) ...

@Hippo is it worth you PMing him any tips before the brown stuff gets deeper ?

Thanks Marjon,
That's what the garage was saying that they needed the diagnostics, but what I did suspect was the fact that they would need to input all the codes again if the battery went flat(presumably if the battery was disconnected as well). I found it interesting that you mentioned some owners buy their own diagnostics. If you have that and find out what's wrong would it still have to go to the garage to be fixed?