Unusual Electrical Activity...

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Doo

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George saw little use over the summer, but she was started and allowed to run for 20 minutes or so each week. Sometimes even a 50 mile round trip on the odd occasion.

Before I set off for Lithuania, I'd had a trip round town and when I came home, I went to my garage, did a 3 point turn and that's when the ABS & TC light lit up. I couldn't tell if it happened as I engaged reverse or as I was reversing, but wondered WTF? o_O

It didn't happen again so I assumed it was a glitch after I had left the headlamps on overnight :rolleyes: killing the battery. I jump started off my wife's Citroen (left them together half an hour with the Citroen idling and George getting a charge).

Anyhoo, I gave George a good run before leaving for Lithuania and came back 12 days later & fired up although it sounded like a lazy starter... Once or twice the ABS & TC lights came on as I was reversing, but they could be re-set by switching off the ignition and starting up again, drive a few feet and out they went.

However, yesterday I had to fetch some stuff I'd loaned a friend and as I set off, I thought I saw a flicker...!! Nah! Kept on driving, and there it was again, a flicker... It looked like it had come from my left side. Then, the interior lights came on. All of them, then off. Now out on the open road, hitting pot holes and drains, they came on & stayed on for ages before going off o_O

Looked at the dash to see if the door open warning lit up, but nothing. Stopped, checked all doors & rear hatches, all closed up tight.

I hit the door lock with my elbow and the lights didn't come on for a while, so I unlocked again and fairly soon after the lights came back on... possibly coincidence :rolleyes:

Came home, reversed, stopped, ABS & TC lamps on, interior lights off, parked.

I did notice the ABS & TC came on when I pressed the brake to shift into D to go into my space (which probably rules out a short at the reverse switch itself). I think my accumulator needs replaced, but not convinced this is the cause of my gremlins.

So, would the battery perhaps be the cause? As I stated, it does seem to turn the starter sluggishly and so it's possible the alternator is doing "queer things" to try & keep the battery in a charged state.

I have a spare battery on the jaguar and I have a good deep cycle one for Mildred, our caravan to use as test subjects.

My fuse box seems ok. The only changes made to the car recently (Saturday) was a goood long wash from my valeter mate and some new wind deflectors on the side glass.

Any idea's on the interior lights and why they'd come on & off with a bump as there are no loose wires, no sunroof either.
 
Hi bud long time no hear...Could be a faulty brake light switch .duff battery always cause problems,When selecting reverse with foot on brake ,,brake lights on ,reverse lights on might be a voltage drop enough to trigger abs fault,with a poor battery.and check all abs sensors are all seated all the way in .... o_O O and interior lights might be water in light switch on the roof after washing if uv a leaky screen...
 
Hi bud long time no hear...Could be a faulty brake light switch .duff battery always cause problems,When selecting reverse with foot on brake ,,brake lights on ,reverse lights on might be a voltage drop enough to trigger abs fault,with a poor battery.and check all abs sensors are all seated all the way in .... o_O O and interior lights might be water in light switch on the roof after washing if uv a leaky screen...

No leaky screen, was replaced new two years ago. I wonder if I could remove the reversing bulbs to see if it makes a difference...:p

I'm thinking battery, although it was purchased new June 2016. Hoping it's not the alternator :confused:

Mates Clio, helped him rebuild the engine before I went to Lithuania. Got back 12 days later and two days after that mate got in touch saying the battery light was on, power steering light, etc. Figured alternator was gubbed. Was right, brushes worn & one shorter than the other.

Anyway, found a brush pack (rectifier too) on line for 27:70. Fitted and working. Very happy bunny as alternator over 100 quid! o_O

These guys, quick & professional https://www.jcrsupplies.co.uk/

Can the brushes be swapped out on these or is it a strip down job? Haven't looked and too bloody knackered to go out just now :oops:
 
Low battery volts cause many problems. Is the carpet wet in the drivers (RHD) footwell? Otherwise interior lights could be the door lock micro switches. Regulator assemblies with brush gear are available for the P38 , you need to specify a set point of 14.7 volts to suit modern batteries.
 
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Low battery volts cause many problems. Is the carpet wet in the drivers (RHD) footwell? Otherwise interior lights could be the door lock micro switches. Regulator assemblies with brush gear are available for the P38 , you need to specify a set point of 14.7 volts to suit modern batteries.

Excellent. Thank you. I am a tad upset that the battery didn't last much longer than two years. Cost me a ton o_O

I do think it is the battery as I have experienced similar antics with my Jaguar...
 
Just fit a new battery to mine. hankook 115AH 1000CCA and fires up on first click. £100 from battery megastore. delivered next day. Cheers to Datatek for the heads up on this battery.
 
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Just fit a new battery to mine. hankook 115AH 1000CCA and fires up on first click. £100 from battery megastore. delivered next day. Cheers to Datatek for the heads up on this battery.

Here's the thing, she always fires up 1st go, no matter how slow she appears to turn over.

Another thing I have been noticing is the LPG is not at all happy. It appears to be hunting, then sometimes it just cuts out altogether, starts up on petrol and runs fine. Seems to hate foot to the floor on LPG as she feels as if there is a choked filter sort of feeling. I'm guessing the solenoids are shutting... I'll do a check on the sitting volts, the starting volts and idling volts with & without a load.
 
Excellent. Thank you. I am a tad upset that the battery didn't last much longer than two years. Cost me a ton o_O

I do think it is the battery as I have experienced similar antics with my Jaguar...
Modern lead calcium batteries are intolerant of being fully discharged, with some just one full discharge is enough to knacker them.
Hankook are good (no connection just a happy user) good price from Battery Megastore on line deliverered,
115AH 1000CCA
 
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Modern lead calcium batteries are intolerant of being fully discharged, with some just one full discharge is enough to knacker them.
Hankook are good (no connection just a happy user) good price from Battery Megastore on line deliverered,
115AH 1000CCA

I have allowed it to go flat at least 3 times. Completely super flatter than a witches tit kind of flat. But I was under the impression Oldham were suited to the Range Rover P38.
 
I have allowed it to go flat at least 3 times. Completely super flatter than a witches tit kind of flat. But I was under the impression Oldham were suited to the Range Rover P38.
The name on the battery means little these days, I acquired a P38 with a brand new Varta battery, it will not start the car in cold weather. I had the same problem with the Varta I bought for my Transit, fine in Summer NBG in winter. I now have the Transit, my tractor and ride on mower running on Hankook. The P38 matters not as it's a renovation project, but with a solar panel plugged in when parked, it will start. My other P38 has an 8 year old Alphaline I bought from Battery Megastore, (now superseded by Hankook) and it's still going strong.
 
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I have a brand new battery I got from Halfords for my diesel Fiat (Doblo 1.9 jtd that I am now planning to break for spares. The gearbox is a recon which cost me 800 quid and driven about 500 metres... New DMF flywheel, new clutch, new driveshafts, etc :( Was going to convert it, but some drunk cunt threw a bottle through the side windows. The body damage alone makes it beyond economic repair. Bah!).

Anyway, it's a fair old ampage and should last til next year or until such times I can afford to spend another 100 quid on a battery.
 
When was the time the lpg filters were changed?

By me, about May or June this year. Bought a whole load of parts, pipe, filter kit, new filler pipe, etc.

It's only recently started this around the same time as the ABS & TC and whatnot.

However, my mate who supplied the battery told me it has a 3yr warranty! So tomorrow I go to the shop with car & it's reg (before the private reg) and see if they can test it and supply a new one....or a new alternator :confused:
 
Have you tried any diagnostics ?

Don't even have any fire sticks...mind you, I don't have a fire :rolleyes:

Seriously though, I am certain it is a voltage issue because too many voltage critical issues occurring.

Besides, the turning over slowly thing seems to be a bit of a giveaway :confused:
 
Turning over slowly if the battery is good would suggest bad connections, have you checked the earth strap from engine to chassis and the negative connection from battery to chassis?
 
Turning over slowly if the battery is good would suggest bad connections, have you checked the earth strap from engine to chassis and the negative connection from battery to chassis?

That's the thing, I'm no longer convinced the battery is good. But, going to get it checked today and see if it is good or not.

I'll report back :cool:
 
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