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Engine disable message P38


Brad Chip

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(Iwill post on Landyzone & RRnet but was hoping someone on here may help)

Got big problems. Owned her for 2 weeks and my battery went flat the other day so removed from vehicle and bench charged it. Put it back into my Range Rover P38 (year 2001) only to find that the engine has disabled itself. Luckily I had the owners book with the emergency code and how to enter the code. Using the drivers door lock I tried to enter the code but it is not accepting it and the alarm just goes off when I try to start the engine. I have confirmed with Land Rover dealership that the number is correct, but is still doesn’t work.

As per my hand book it says insert the key in to the drivers lock and turn AC 4 turns returning back to the vertical key position each turn, then enter the 4 digit code CW (one turn for each digit of the code) then the next digit AC then CW and AC with the last digit then turn the key CW and hey presto the engine should be enabled, HA! HA! Insert the key in ignition all the messages for window set come up then turn to start the engine and engine disabled message appears again. I have tried entering the code lots of time ensuring im doing it carefully with full turns etc

When I spoke to the guy at landrover today he said it could be the electronic bit isn’t reading the key turns properly and to replace the part myself is £140. If this will sort it out so I can drive the vehicle then sobeit, but I don’t want to purchase it, install it, only to find out it still doesn’t work.

Any ideas from anyone would be helpful at this stage.

Cheers BC frustrated owner)

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Have a detailed search on the forum.

This has come up before and the problem was that the switch in the lock was not working.

I may be wrong but I believe the immediate fix was to take off the door card and find the required wires so that the switch signals could be mimicked by touching the wires together. I think there was also a way of cleaning the switch but I may be wrong on that.

Good luck

Steve

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Have a detailed search on the forum.

This has come up before and the problem was that the switch in the lock was not working.

I may be wrong but I believe the immediate fix was to take off the door card and find the required wires so that the switch signals could be mimicked by touching the wires together. I think there was also a way of cleaning the switch but I may be wrong on that.

Good luck

Steve

Cheers Steve, i was searching on RR.net and like you have kindly suggested the door actuator may not be reading my key. I am trying to find out how to test it and remove it to clean it if possible, where on this site might it be, i will have a hunt around myself but if you come across it let me know. Thanks again for your reply

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Which key are you using ?

Are you using the factory alarm or an after market one ?

If you use Key No. 1 it should re-sync itself anyway, key 2 is normally the one that gives problems. Mine might be different though as mine allows me to unlock the door with the key and, in that case, the alarm doesn't sound - maybe that indicates that you do have a problem with the switch in te drivers door... I'm pretty sure the alarm shouldn't sound if you opened the door with a key.

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.... door actuator may not be reading my key. I am trying to find out how to test it and remove it to clean it if possible ....

Locate the 'lights on' warning light (it's between the two dials). Switch the sidelights on and off so you are clear where it is, and what it looks like. Leave the lights switched off.

It is the 'lights on' warning light that tells you if each single twist of the key has been 'seen' electrically by the BECM, by flashing on, then going off after a short pause.

Next, wind the drivers window down, and leave it down.

Now standing outside the car but with your head poked in the window space, use the EKA procedure as per the handbook.

The light is mentioned, but it's easy to treat the mention as irrelevant.

The micro-switch itself is part of the door latch mechanism, which 'probably' has to be removed if you want to fiddle.

It's 'possible' that the whole latch assembly is covered in dried out grease, and this is inhibiting free movement of the mechanical bits, so not operating the switch. You might be able to flood the latch while it is in-situ with some sort of solvent, even WD40 will help to wash away the dried grease and dirt.

It's easier to do this in-situ cleaning if you remove the door trim panel, but you can, just about, see the latch by use of a small torch, by viewing down past the glass (with the glass fully down). You may have to insert a soft wedge to push the glass sideways to get this view.

It is this view that enables you to see that the rod connecting the key mechanism and the latch is in place, which it must be in your case, otherwise you could not open the door with the key.

Obviously these comments only cover 'does the switch work or not?'; they do not cover everything that could be wrong.

As Dave W says, 'friendly re-synchronisation' should work in your case. (FS is how it's described in the manuals. I can't be certain if it's in the Workshop Manual Electrical Section, where it describes the BECM functionality, or the ETM)

Good Luck.

PS

Removing the latch is not easy.

And if, having got it out, you thought that was hard, wait until you try dismantling the latch because you have a grand scheme to change just the switch (which is not available as an LR part - RR.net has some details).

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Locate the 'lights on' warning light (it's between the two dials). Switch the sidelights on and off so you are clear where it is, and what it looks like. Leave the lights switched off.

It is the 'lights on' warning light that tells you if each single twist of the key has been 'seen' electrically by the BECM, by flashing on, then going off after a short pause.

Next, wind the drivers window down, and leave it down.

Now standing outside the car but with your head poked in the window space, use the EKA procedure as per the handbook.

The light is mentioned, but it's easy to treat the mention as irrelevant.

The micro-switch itself is part of the door latch mechanism, which 'probably' has to be removed if you want to fiddle.

It's 'possible' that the whole latch assembly is covered in dried out grease, and this is inhibiting free movement of the mechanical bits, so not operating the switch. You might be able to flood the latch while it is in-situ with some sort of solvent, even WD40 will help to wash away the dried grease and dirt.

It's easier to do this in-situ cleaning if you remove the door trim panel, but you can, just about, see the latch by use of a small torch, by viewing down past the glass (with the glass fully down). You may have to insert a soft wedge to push the glass sideways to get this view.

It is this view that enables you to see that the rod connecting the key mechanism and the latch is in place, which it must be in your case, otherwise you could not open the door with the key.

Obviously these comments only cover 'does the switch work or not?'; they do not cover everything that could be wrong.

As Dave W says, 'friendly re-synchronisation' should work in your case. (FS is how it's described in the manuals. I can't be certain if it's in the Workshop Manual Electrical Section, where it describes the BECM functionality, or the ETM)

Good Luck.

PS

Removing the latch is not easy.

And if, having got it out, you thought that was hard, wait until you try dismantling the latch because you have a grand scheme to change just the switch (which is not available as an LR part - RR.net has some details).

:):):):) Its fixed i removed the actuator and disassembled it to find it was a sticking arm/mirco switch. fitted now starts up Yippee. Thanks for your replies everyone. :D

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