Range Rover P38 door switch

Hmmm, yet another fault on the '98 HSE Rangie. The alarm keeps going
off, once a day, when the car gets hot in the sun. Message centre
says "Alarm activated, RH front door" and occasionally the air
suspension won't go up unless I re-slam the door. Guess the door
open/closed switch is failing, BUT it's located inside the door lock
mechanism, along with other switches and motors etc, bet it's gonna
cost hundreds! Anyone had this fault and cured it?

Alan C

Ask [email protected] - I think he's been through the same issue

Ron


"cutlea01" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hmmm, yet another fault on the '98 HSE Rangie. The alarm keeps going
> off, once a day, when the car gets hot in the sun. Message centre
> says "Alarm activated, RH front door" and occasionally the air
> suspension won't go up unless I re-slam the door. Guess the door
> open/closed switch is failing, BUT it's located inside the door lock
> mechanism, along with other switches and motors etc, bet it's gonna
> cost hundreds! Anyone had this fault and cured it?
>
> Alan C

cutlea01 wrote:
> How annoying is Google when it places your post 4 times?!!
>
> Anyway, sorted the fault. Noticed in another post, Richard Brookman
> also has this exact same fault, but on the pasenger side door. The
> cure was in the lock mechanism. Unfortunately you have to remove it
> from the vehicle then take it to pieces. The fault was due to a piece
> of plastic that wasn't quite operating the door ajar microswitch
> corectly. This needed to be heated and bent slightly, then
> reassembed, checked, and replaced into the door. Quite a complicated
> repair, and almost needed watchmakers tools! Otherwise a replacement
> mechanism is required, £118 +VAT, LR price.
>
> Alan C

Is the switch that reports the fault the same as the pin switch that
operates the door lights (I thought it was)? In which case, the door is
operating perfectly (lock fine, interior light fine). But when the car has
been standing in the sun, I turn the key and get the bleeps and "LH door
open". I open and shut the door, and no further problem that day. It
started in France in June, when it stood for a week in some very hot
sunshine, and has been doing it about every other day since. If the
"message centre" (ie dash display) takes its information from a different
switch, then that may be faulty I suppose. It's in for it's MoT this week,
and I'm going to ask them to check it out while it's in.

--
--
Rich

Land Rovers
Boat
Dog
Wife
Kids - in that order

Ask [email protected] - I think he's been through the same issue

Ron


"cutlea01" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hmmm, yet another fault on the '98 HSE Rangie. The alarm keeps going
> off, once a day, when the car gets hot in the sun. Message centre
> says "Alarm activated, RH front door" and occasionally the air
> suspension won't go up unless I re-slam the door. Guess the door
> open/closed switch is failing, BUT it's located inside the door lock
> mechanism, along with other switches and motors etc, bet it's gonna
> cost hundreds! Anyone had this fault and cured it?
>
> Alan C

> Is the switch that reports the fault the same as the pin switch that
> operates the door lights (I thought it was)? In which case, the door is
> operating perfectly (lock fine, interior light fine). But when the car has
> been standing in the sun, I turn the key and get the bleeps and "LH door
> open". I open and shut the door, and no further problem that day. It
> started in France in June, when it stood for a week in some very hot
> sunshine, and has been doing it about every other day since. If the
> "message centre" (ie dash display) takes its information from a different
> switch, then that may be faulty I suppose. It's in for it's MoT this week,
> and I'm going to ask them to check it out while it's in.
>
> --

Yup, it's the same switch, although not actually a "pin switch" like
we used to know! I actually witnessed mine at the moment it played
up, and the interior lights came on, was just luck I happened to be by
the car. The alarm went off, then reset itself. Unlocked the car with
the remote, placed key in ignition, bleeps and message "Alarm
activated RH front door" was displayed. When the door is closed, all
worked fine again (mostly, sometimes needed a good slam to clear the
fault "RH front door open") untill the car was again left in the sun.
The switch is buried deep within the mechanics of the door lock
actuator module, luckily I was able to repair mine, but was very
fiddly with loads of tiny bits. Seems that over time parts inside had
worn leaving enough slop for the switch not to be operated fully when
the door is closed. Guess when the sun warmed everything up the switch
operating levers would move just enough to fail. Fiddly job, even to
get the actuator out is horrid, let alone back in again!

Alan C

"The Becketts" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Ask [email protected] - I think he's been through the same issue
>
> Ron
>
>
I've had a look at the workshop manual, trawled the net etc, and it
seems getting at the lock actuator is not that difficult, once the
interior door card is off. Will also give me the oppertunity to sort
the rattling speaker while I can get to it. Might be able to open the
actuator once it's out and examine the switch, clean it, bend the
contacts or whatever. Of course, if required I can replace the unit.
Another electrical Rangie bit that's bitten the dust! Why, oh why,
can't Land Rover make or sourse electronics that last? The Japanese
can.

Alan C

"The Becketts" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Ask [email protected] - I think he's been through the same issue
>
> Ron
>
>
I've had a look at the workshop manual, trawled the net etc, and it
seems getting at the lock actuator is not that difficult, once the
interior door card is off. Will also give me the oppertunity to sort
the rattling speaker while I can get to it. Might be able to open the
actuator once it's out and examine the switch, clean it, bend the
contacts or whatever. Of course, if required I can replace the unit.
Another electrical Rangie bit that's bitten the dust! Why, oh why,
can't Land Rover make or sourse electronics that last? The Japanese
can.

Alan C

"The Becketts" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> Ask [email protected] - I think he's been through the same issue
>
> Ron
>
>
I've had a look at the workshop manual, trawled the net etc, and it
seems getting at the lock actuator is not that difficult, once the
interior door card is off. Will also give me the oppertunity to sort
the rattling speaker while I can get to it. Might be able to open the
actuator once it's out and examine the switch, clean it, bend the
contacts or whatever. Of course, if required I can replace the unit.
Another electrical Rangie bit that's bitten the dust! Why, oh why,
can't Land Rover make or sourse electronics that last? The Japanese
can.

Alan C

> Is the switch that reports the fault the same as the pin switch that
> operates the door lights (I thought it was)? In which case, the door is
> operating perfectly (lock fine, interior light fine). But when the car has
> been standing in the sun, I turn the key and get the bleeps and "LH door
> open". I open and shut the door, and no further problem that day. It
> started in France in June, when it stood for a week in some very hot
> sunshine, and has been doing it about every other day since. If the
> "message centre" (ie dash display) takes its information from a different
> switch, then that may be faulty I suppose. It's in for it's MoT this week,
> and I'm going to ask them to check it out while it's in.
>
> --

Yup, it's the same switch, although not actually a "pin switch" like
we used to know! I actually witnessed mine at the moment it played
up, and the interior lights came on, was just luck I happened to be by
the car. The alarm went off, then reset itself. Unlocked the car with
the remote, placed key in ignition, bleeps and message "Alarm
activated RH front door" was displayed. When the door is closed, all
worked fine again (mostly, sometimes needed a good slam to clear the
fault "RH front door open") untill the car was again left in the sun.
The switch is buried deep within the mechanics of the door lock
actuator module, luckily I was able to repair mine, but was very
fiddly with loads of tiny bits. Seems that over time parts inside had
worn leaving enough slop for the switch not to be operated fully when
the door is closed. Guess when the sun warmed everything up the switch
operating levers would move just enough to fail. Fiddly job, even to
get the actuator out is horrid, let alone back in again!

Alan C

How annoying is Google when it places your post 4 times?!!

Anyway, sorted the fault. Noticed in another post, Richard Brookman
also has this exact same fault, but on the pasenger side door. The
cure was in the lock mechanism. Unfortunately you have to remove it
from the vehicle then take it to pieces. The fault was due to a piece
of plastic that wasn't quite operating the door ajar microswitch
corectly. This needed to be heated and bent slightly, then
reassembed, checked, and replaced into the door. Quite a complicated
repair, and almost needed watchmakers tools! Otherwise a replacement
mechanism is required, £118 +VAT, LR price.

Alan C