P38 - Phantom gearbox fault?

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H

Happy Pappy

New Member
Posts
89
Location
Notts/Lincs border
Hello,

My N Reg 4.6 HSE occasionally pops up and says that there is a gearbox fault. However, the garage says this happens if the battery has been flat or something. It's had the diagnostics done and nothing showing. The gearbox has been checked out at the garage. The gearbox oil is pink and fruity fresh looking. It drives in all gears, including the Lo set nice and smoothly. If it's been running a few times during the day it doesn't pop up. If it's been sitting for a few days it might or might not pop back up again.

So, using your mystic powers gents, any ideas??? :confused:
 
You are assuming Hoody that I have a wattmeter or something else handy like that to play with. I'll see if I can borrow one and find out. I doubt the battery has ever been changed so I might just do that as a precaution anyway. Anything particular I should be looking for in a battery or anything I should be aware of when I do it? Please tell me the alarm isn't going to go off and it will delete the internet if I don't reconnect it with 3 seconds.
 
have a look in your owners manual about the procedure for removing battery, i think you have to disconnect the terminals on the battery within about 17 seconds after taking the key out of the ignition. best way is to have the bonnet open and everything ready just before you take the key out and pull the terminal off!!!! oh and remember KEEP THE KEY IN YOUR POCKET when your doing this.
 
Happy Pappy said:
You are assuming Hoody that I have a wattmeter or something else handy like that to play with. I'll see if I can borrow one and find out. I doubt the battery has ever been changed so I might just do that as a precaution anyway. Anything particular I should be looking for in a battery or anything I should be aware of when I do it? Please tell me the alarm isn't going to go off and it will delete the internet if I don't reconnect it with 3 seconds.
Click to expand...

DON'T DISCONNECT the battery unless you've researched how to stop the immobiliser etc locking you out!!!

I'd start off checking the connections to the gearbox ECU. A bad earth could have the same effect as a bad battery.

Mine had a bad battery and I only ever got the gearbox fault message just after it had died in the middle of nowhere (by which point a gearbox fault was the least of my worries - grumpy ****ed off missus was more of a concern!), but it does commonly appear when the battery (or alternator) is iffy.

Guy
 
Mine has exactly the same problem, has been plugged in and no gearbox faults showing on the computer, its had a new alternator and a new battery, battery fully charged and alternator working as it should... Transmission fluid was clean but did a change for new and new filter aswell, but still showing gearbox fault, locked in third gear.
the selector switch on the side of the gearbox is fine, I've checked every connector I can find and am running out of ideas now
 
crazyjase said:
Mine has exactly the same problem, has been plugged in and no gearbox faults showing on the computer, its had a new alternator and a new battery, battery fully charged and alternator working as it should... Transmission fluid was clean but did a change for new and new filter aswell, but still showing gearbox fault, locked in third gear.
the selector switch on the side of the gearbox is fine, I've checked every connector I can find and am running out of ideas now
Click to expand...


Jase,

Yer more than likley looking fer a BAD EARTH somewhere its "Out wiv the old wire brush I'm afraid!!!
 
Is the bad earth likely to be on the gearbox harness? Or could it be anywhere?I know there are trillions of earth points, the other thing I checked is the fuse box which seems fine, but I did notice the earth under it seems quite corroded?
 
crazyjase said:
Is the bad earth likely to be on the gearbox harness? Or could it be anywhere?I know there are trillions of earth points, the other thing I checked is the fuse box which seems fine, but I did notice the earth under it seems quite corroded?
Click to expand...

it HONESTLY could be ANYWHERE Jase ....But the fusebox is a real good startin point & work away from there .....

Wammers (Tony) will be on in the mornin ..hes WAAAAAYYYY better at this than I am !!! (I'll send him a PM askin his advise, jump back on here tomoz & it'll have bin posted up fer ya!!)


Keith
 
thanks VERY much Keith, I've had this problem since January! I've been using my 1953 series one daily because it works on the button not like this modern rubbish! Everso grateful for your help, I'd almost given up on it and had the scrapman take it away! But if you think its an earth then I'll give it one last chance and try to sort it

Jason
 
crazyjase said:
thanks VERY much Keith, I've had this problem since January! I've been using my 1953 series one daily because it works on the button not like this modern rubbish! Everso grateful for your help, I'd almost given up on it and had the scrapman take it away! But if you think its an earth then I'll give it one last chance and try to sort it

Jason
Click to expand...


Jase I dug THIS>>>>>>
Read this thread and then moved on to the one about fuse box problems. Lokk for the post from TOMMO138 where he offers a link to a site on fuse box repairs. In there I found some-one talking of loss of power, gearbox warnings and even loss of ability to change and all linked to an electrical fault in the fuse box which, seemingly, can clear itself. Might be worth a read.
Click to expand...
Out from a post 3 weeks ago by Dogsbody .......will try & find the post he mentions but the Corroded Fusebox Earth is lookin more & more like a GOOD CAUSE of yer fault ....
 
I had the same prob and it was the battery to be precise it was the lead from the starter to the battery which had corroded and was not charging completely I checked the Alt output but of course didnt check what was being delivered to the Battery might be worth a look
 
crazyjase said:
Mine has exactly the same problem, has been plugged in and no gearbox faults showing on the computer, its had a new alternator and a new battery, battery fully charged and alternator working as it should... Transmission fluid was clean but did a change for new and new filter aswell, but still showing gearbox fault, locked in third gear.
the selector switch on the side of the gearbox is fine, I've checked every connector I can find and am running out of ideas now
Click to expand...

The "gearbox fault" is usually associated with Voltage problems as already posted by others.But a possiblity in your case with the box stuck in third is that the gearbox ECU has failed and the fault is actually not caused by Voltage issues.:eek:
 
Well mine seems fixed for the moment. I put a decent new battery in this afternoon (and found and fixed my dodgy washer bottle problem whilst at it) and all the error messages have gone away at last. You'll be pleased to know that I didn't lock myself out whilst doing it although it did take me a while to find the code for the stereo. The battery was the original one! Good god how long is a battery supposed to last even in a Land Rover???

Anyway, assuming it's not a charging or earth fault still hiding behind my nice new battery to suck the life back out of it I think I'm sorted so many thanks for that. Good luck Jase. I really hope you've got yours cracked.
 
Happy Pappy said:
Well mine seems fixed for the moment. I put a decent new battery in this afternoon (and found and fixed my dodgy washer bottle problem whilst at it) and all the error messages have gone away at last. You'll be pleased to know that I didn't lock myself out whilst doing it although it did take me a while to find the code for the stereo. The battery was the original one! Good god how long is a battery supposed to last even in a Land Rover???

Anyway, assuming it's not a charging or earth fault still hiding behind my nice new battery to suck the life back out of it I think I'm sorted so many thanks for that. Good luck Jase. I really hope you've got yours cracked.
Click to expand...

Batteries normally have a warranted life of two years, they tend to last several minutes after that time.
 
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