P38A Remote not working

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H

Hichem

Member
Posts
25
Location
Italy
Hi guys
I have the remote control issue on rr p38 dse my2001 lhd with manual gear.
I bought the car one month ago having already the remote not working.
The previous owner said the remote stopped working since he changed the car's battery and had the immobilizer deactivated in land rover local dealer.
Before going throught all of these changes, he said, the remote control was working fine to lock/unlock the car.
Moreover he had brand new door handle and latch ordered from LR based on car's VIN following to a break-in theft attempt.
Well, some days ago I was working on the driver's door and had the battery disconnected and reconnect and here comes my big surprise:
The engine was deactivated with the following msg: Engine deactivated, press remote.
No way to turn on the engine as the remote key is not working! I changed the remote batteries and tried to unlock invain.
Anyway took the car to a local dealer and the engine was happily reactivated.
So dears,
Having the immobilizer deactivated, as told by previous owner, the engine shouldn't have been deactivated as it did.
Am I wrong?
Now the car is running but I want the remote key with new batteries fitted to be working in case I may be facing the engine deactivated again.
Any correct procedure on how to resync the remote with the BECM or is there any other issue I have to check to sortout the nightmare
Any idea?

Thank you all in advance for your support
 
Hichem said:
Hi guys
I have the remote control issue on rr p38 dse my2001 lhd with manual gear.
I bought the car one month ago having already the remote not working.
The previous owner said the remote stopped working since he changed the car's battery and had the immobilizer deactivated in land rover local dealer.
Before going throught all of these changes, he said, the remote control was working fine to lock/unlock the car.
Moreover he had brand new door handle and latch ordered from LR based on car's VIN following to a break-in theft attempt.
Well, some days ago I was working on the driver's door and had the battery disconnected and reconnect and here comes my big surprise:
The engine was deactivated with the following msg: Engine deactivated, press remote.
No way to turn on the engine as the remote key is not working! I changed the remote batteries and tried to unlock invain.
Anyway took the car to a local dealer and the engine was happily reactivated.
So dears,
Having the immobilizer deactivated, as told by previous owner, the engine shouldn't have been deactivated as it did.
Am I wrong?
Now the car is running but I want the remote key with new batteries fitted to be working in case I may be facing the engine deactivated again.
Any correct procedure on how to resync the remote with the BECM or is there any other issue I have to check to sortout the nightmare
Any idea?

Thank you all in advance for your support
Click to expand...
The alarm can be deactivated, not sure that applies to the immobiliser. The alarm is deactivated on mine but a dodgy door lock causes the "Engine Immobilised press remote" message from time to time.
Does the LED on the FOB light when you press the buttons? The LED should also flash when the key is put in the ignition which causes an automatic re-sync on your year of car.
 
Hi,
The led blinks while pressing the fob button.
I'm not sure it flashes when inserting the key in the ignition as I never paid attention to this point.
What if not flashing as I understang this is the friendly procedure to resync?

H
 
I have recently turned off passive Immobilisation in my 2000MY P38 (because frankly it was a Pain in the backside).
I have observed that a flat or failing (<11v) battery can cause the thing to lose synch with the keys all too easily (presumably corrupting volatile stuff in the BeCM).
The coil round the ignition barrel has never worked on my vehicle as far as I know and either EKA entry or Nanocom has been needed to re-synch.
Interestingly I have found that on several occasions only one of the 2 keys will work (the other presumably being so far apart on the rolling codes).
Clearing RF memory with my Nanocom brings BOTH keys back into full synch and operation.

They are strange beasts these P38's, aren't they?
 
DanClarke said:
I have recently turned off passive Immobilisation in my 2000MY P38 (because frankly it was a Pain in the backside).
I have observed that a flat or failing (<11v) battery can cause the thing to lose synch with the keys all too easily (presumably corrupting volatile stuff in the BeCM).
The coil round the ignition barrel has never worked on my vehicle as far as I know and either EKA entry or Nanocom has been needed to re-synch.
Interestingly I have found that on several occasions only one of the 2 keys will work (the other presumably being so far apart on the rolling codes).
Clearing RF memory with my Nanocom brings BOTH keys back into full synch and operation.

They are strange beasts these P38's, aren't they?
Click to expand...
Hi Dan, when putting the key in the ignition the FOB does not flash. Do I have to entry the EKA before this could work?
These are beasts from the future with a high AI which is not yet known to human.. :)
 
Not strange, just massively misunderstood.

Post 1998 (or was 1997?) they had easy-sync....the coil around the ignition switch will register a correct key and resync the rolling code.

This is also part of the immobiliser - If you unlock the car and put the key in the ignition pretty much straight away (under 1 minute) the system acknowledges that it is the right key from the unlock process. If you leave it longer than that minute, when you put the key in the ignition, you will see the red LED in the fob flash a couple of times, this is the coil in the switch checking to ensure it still has the correct key, and will resync the key.

Also, if you unlock on the key in the door and the car WASN'T superlocked, it will do the same key sync immediately the moment you put the key in the ignition - this is to ensure it is the correct key.

The only time the EKA code should be needed is when the car has been superlocked, opened with the key in the door, and/or the coil is fecked or the fob doesn't work due to damage or battery.....THEN you will have to enter the EKA code in the door to remobilise the engine.....

The EKA code, Key Sync and BeCM to engine ECU sync are 3 seperate things!
 
yet the fob doesn't flash when put into the ignition??

I wonder if the BeCM has entered an alarmed state and is refusing to accept inputs.

Have you tried the EKA code....if the car isn't recognising the key (as it is out of sync - i.e. it is not responding to fob button presses) then if the car was previously locked on the fob and opened then with the key in the door, but the coil isn't working - you will need the EKA code to remobilise the engine.

Note: until the key is correctly synced to the car again you will need to enter the EKA code each time you want to start the engine!
 
Fob doesn't flash when putted in the ignition.
Currently I am using the car with no need to enter the EKA.
Maybe last time, before being hacked, it was locked using the remote.
The car was remobilized in LR dealer and have no idea how do they did it.
Surely since I have the car with the new handle and door latch were fitted I'm using the key to unlock/lock and to turn the engine with no issues.
Anyway the LED key FOB flashes when buttons are pressed but it doesn't flash autonomously when the the key is in the ignition...
I'm wondering if the coil maybe damaged or I may need to enter the EKA to resync the remote.
I'm quite confused and little bit afraid of locking the car using an incorrect procedure.
 
EKA won't resync the remote....it purely re-mobilises the engine because the key is out of sync or not recognised.....

Start from the beginning:
a) Does the car lock/unlock on the fob buttons?
b) Does the car unlock/lock using the key in the door?

You will need to enter the EKA code if the key is not recognised either via a button press or in the ignition....

Not knowing what the LR dealer did when 'switching off certain security features' as there are a few to choose from, we could chase a tail. Low voltages can scramble BeCM settings as as such the previous settings changes made to the security feature may have been reactivated, meaning the EKA code needs to be entered - or even the BeCM has entered an alarmed state and will not accept inputs of any kind and has shutdown....

Best course of action is to get it plugged into some high level diagnostics to interrogate the BeCM settings and see what has been changed, and see if it is in an alarmed state....
 
Hichem said:
Fortunately it unlocks all the doors including the rear gate.
Click to expand...
Now that is strange - mine, if the key is out of sync, it will unlock the drivers door and once I put the key in the ignition, and it recognises the key....it unlocks the rest!

I wonder if that is a BeCM setting....

Anyhow, still doesn't change your issue though....

The bedrock is: The car doesn't recognise your key as it is out of sync with the car and needs to be paired.

The usual method of key in door lock, turn to lock and press the lock button, then unlock and press the unlock button, then key in the ignition start engine - isn't working....
The easi-sync method of unlock the door using the key, put key in ignition start engine - isn't working....

Have you tried the EKA code?

If so and the car starts, it is a fault with the fob.....if it doesn't work....either the EKA code is wrong, entered incorrectly, the BeCM is set up to not have the EKA anymore, door lock microswitches or wiring to the lock mechanism is duff or the BeCM is in an alarmed state....

In anycase, I think getting it on diagnostics to see what the EKA code settings are in the BeCM is a must....else all we are doing is chasing tails....
 
I do fully agree with you.
I still haven't tried the EKA code. Do you believe this may help resetting any previous synchronization or pairing fault system lock ?
I will have it to get a fully diagnostic..
 
If the EKA code is required you cannot sync the fob until the EKA has been entered and accepted. Only then can the fob be synced. You can disable both immobiliser and need for EKA code in BECM using Nanocom.
 
EKA will NOT resync anything - it purely and simply re-mobilises the engine start sequence.....

You will have to enter the EKA code each time you start the car if the car and keys are not in sync and won't sync....

Note: if the BeCM is in an alarmed state - even entering the EKA code will do nothing as essentially the BeCM has locked itself down and refuses to acknowledge the world exists until a friendly person with the correct diagnostic gear gives it a shoulder to cry on and says 'there, there' in calming tones to it.......
 
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