P38A EAS expert in Herts/Beds

Hi

My W reg 4.6l V8 P38 conked out on me last night, with the EAS failing and a 35 mph warning on the dash and all the suspension lights illuminated.

I am technically very basic, and have replaced the EAS compressor in the past, but on that occasion the suspension just failed while driving with no warning codes.

Going to the car this morning I tried a little DIY fault finding. The compressor is not running at all, but a spot of internet research shows me that the compressor will not run when there is a fault code showing.

I am now feeling out of my depth. I'd rather not just go and buy a reconditioned compressor if that won't fix my problem.

Can any please recommend a good garage in the Hitchin/Luton area who has good knowledge of the workings of the P38 EAS?

Very many thanks in advance.

@Datatek will know, it may be something simple you can do yourself.

Look at the suspension post in the tech section. There are a set of steps you need to follow before assuming its the pump e.g the pump may be worn after constantly working due to a leaky airbag. You can force the pump to run by jumping a relay, but cannot remember off the top of my head. With the 35mph warning, it does sound like a hard fault so will need to be cleared. I would help but only have Diesel on my Nanocom. Hopefully someone else can assist.

Thanks all every one.

I would be surprised at the leaky air bag as the car can sit for days and not drop its level. But I'm not saying it's not that.

Without wanting to sound defeatist, but I'm sure I will, our laptop lasts about two minutes on battery power, and we can only park 50m from our house, so extension lead a bit tricky.

I'm hoping to avoid taking the car to the nearest garage where they might spend hours not fixing the problem. I was hoping for a recommendation for a P38 über guru.

Just to show my ignorance even further, how far can I drive with the suspension down on its stops? Steering lick will be greatly impeded, so it will be a 16-point turn to get us heading in the right direction to start with... There is a 4x4 place not far away, so I could limp there if needed.

Many thanks again

While this won't help your immediate issue, buy a small inverter that can plug into the cigarette lighter socket and use that to power your laptop on the car battery or with the engine running.
No need then for a 50M extension lead. They are very cheap to buy.

EntropyUK said:

Look at the suspension post in the tech section. There are a set of steps you need to follow before assuming its the pump e.g the pump may be worn after constantly working due to a leaky airbag. You can force the pump to run by jumping a relay, but cannot remember off the top of my head. With the 35mph warning, it does sound like a hard fault so will need to be cleared. I would help but only have Diesel on my Nanocom. Hopefully someone else can assist.

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Thanks. Will try that bypass trick to see if the pump will actually run.

EntropyUK said:

only have Diesel on my Nanocom. Hopefully someone else can assist.

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any NANOCOM with P38 software loaded will work on suspension no matter what engine

Sorry to sound dim, but if I get a cable to connect my computer to the car and download the EAS software, will this tell me exactly where the problem lies?
I have read elsewhere that this lock out kind of fault can be caused by a glitch in the system and clearing the error code via the computer will put things to rights. Is that just nonsense?
I don't mind replacing broken parts. I certainly don't want this to happen with the kids and dogs in the at night in the rain on the side of the motorway again...

No it’s not nonsense, depends on what the problem is.

Wait for Datateks evaluation, he knows his EAS inside out

The compressor will not run while there is a hard fault present, you need diagnostics, the cheapest being the free RSW EAS suite.
If the compressor has failed, it's usually due to it feeding leaks in the system, airbags being the number one cause, they have a design life of 7/8 years 80K miles. The leaks open and close with movement and may hold air when stationary. One other cause of leaks is melted pipes due to an exhaust blow.
There can also be problems with the valve block.
You cannot get anywhere without diagnostics.
Glitches are rare.

Datatek said:

The compressor will not run while there is a hard fault present, you need diagnostics, the cheapest being the free RSW EAS suite.
If the compressor has failed, it's usually due to it feeding leaks in the system, airbags being the number one cause, they have a design life of 7/8 years 80K miles. The leaks open and close with movement hold air when stationary. One other cause of leaks is melted pipes due to an exhaust blow.
There can also be problems with the valve block.
You cannot get anywhere without diagnostics.
Glitches are rare.

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Understood. Thanks v much.
Car has done 103k miles, so the bags are probably on their last legs and I've had the motor for seven years.
Very much hope not exhaust burning pipes as I've recently parted with not insignificant quantity of dosh having new exhaust fitted.
Will get the diagnostics kit together and see what the car tells me.
Thanks again for everyone's help at the weekend. Much appreciated.

Aliztur said:

Understood. Thanks v much.
Car has done 103k miles, so the bags are probably on their last legs and I've had the motor for seven years.
Very much hope not exhaust burning pipes as I've recently parted with not insignificant quantity of dosh having new exhaust fitted.
Will get the diagnostics kit together and see what the car tells me.
Thanks again for everyone's help at the weekend. Much appreciated.

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If the exhaust that was replaced was blowing, it could be that the pipe from the valve block to the air tank has a pin hole in it.
I can supply the EAS cable and software and also a guide for replacing the airbags which, as you say, are almost certainly on their last legs.

EntropyUK said:

Look at the suspension post in the tech section. There are a set of steps you need to follow before assuming its the pump e.g the pump may be worn after constantly working due to a leaky airbag. You can force the pump to run by jumping a relay, but cannot remember off the top of my head. With the 35mph warning, it does sound like a hard fault so will need to be cleared. I would help but only have Diesel on my Nanocom. Hopefully someone else can assist.

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It'll read the EAS, just not the engine module.

Pipes gone from exhaust would be fortunate, cheaper than bags.

Read wammers post in the tech section

I wouldnt recommend to go to a garage as in my experience. very few garages are up to speed on EAS stuff. The experts are here.

pete12345 said:

Read wammers post in the tech section

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+1 on this wammers post sorted me out when my eas went . Follow it step by step

And if you need new pump or valve block etc, contact KurtJohnston. Superb service, just got my new bits today. Chuffed to bits

RangeRoller dt said:

Our expert is in France. @Datatek will know, it may be something simple you can do yourself.

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Wrong,our resident expert @wammers is a lot closer, look for his guide in the technical archive.

Sorry Alan, didn’t realise it was a competition. I’m not going to look it up, don’t have EAS thank god.

Datateks not bad mind. He’s coming along...