P38A ABS / TC lights, 'sticky' ?

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DanClarke said:
For how much longer will spares be readily available for a 20 year old vehicle I wonder?
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Depends how many survive, lots of new parts available for cars much older than P38's. The electronics are relatively simple and can, for the most part, be junked or second hand parts used for the foreseeable future.
Newer parts may be adapted for the braking systems etc.
I doubt it will come to a shortage of parts, the politicians are intent on taking our old cars off the road before the parts run out.
 
EU say parts must be available from the manufacturer for 10 years after production stops. When the factory parts run out aftermarket suppliers come into the picture. But i understand that the EU under pressure from manufacturers is considering banning none genuine manufacturers parts. So you will not be able to fit aftermarket stuff. Also you will not be allowed to work on your own car it must be taken to a garage.
 
wammers said:
EU say parts must be available from the manufacturer for 10 years after production stops. When the factory parts run out aftermarket suppliers come into the picture. But i understand that the EU under pressure from manufacturers is considering banning none genuine manufacturers parts. So you will not be able to fit aftermarket stuff. Also you will not be allowed to work on your own car it must be taken to a garage.
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That proposal has been dropped for the moment i believe.
 
Datatek said:
That proposal has been dropped for the moment i believe.
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Good. When we are out of the EU it won't matter, but may be a big problem for those still under the Brussels thumb if it ever is adopted. Some use it, lads father in law had a Merc he bought in the UK failed in the Spanish test, because the windows had been tinted and it had side steps that were not on it's documentation.
 
wammers said:
Good. When we are out of the EU it won't matter, but may be a big problem for those still under the Brussels thumb if it ever is adopted. Some use it, lads father in law had a Merc he bought in the UK failed in the Spanish test, because the windows had been tinted and it had side steps that were not on it's documentation.
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Sticking to the homolgated spec here is enforced, no non homologated wheels and tyres sizes supposedly.
 
Datatek said:
Sticking to the homolgated spec here is enforced, no non homologated wheels and tyres sizes supposedly.
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He stripped the tint off and removed the sidesteps then replaced them after test. Even though they were genuine Merc side steps was told he had to go to a dealer to have them checked and the paperwork updated. To fit genuine Merc tints would have been around £2000.00 when he enquired. Silly rules. Specially when you see some of the crap cars driving around in Spain. Makes you wonder how they ever passed a test. Some real scrap stuff.
 
wammers said:
He stripped the tint off and removed the sidesteps then replaced them after test. Even though they were genuine Merc side steps was told he had to go to a dealer to have them checked and the paperwork updated. To fit genuine Merc tints would have been around £2000.00 when he enquired. Silly rules. Specially when you see some of the crap cars driving around in Spain. Makes you wonder how they ever passed a test. Some real scrap stuff.
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Tints are regulated in France, from memory it's 5% reduction in light transmission on front side windows and windscreen, rears can be darker.
 
Datatek said:
Tints are regulated in France, from memory it's 5% reduction in light transmission on front side windows and windscreen, rears can be darker.
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Yep same over here, but these film tints were not on the paperwork so had to be removed or Merc supplied tinted glass fitted and paperwork amended which cost a fortune. Maybe they were just being arsey with him cause he was not a spic.
 
wammers said:
Yep same over here, but these film tints were not on the paperwork so had to be removed or Merc supplied tinted glass fitted and paperwork amended which cost a fortune. Maybe they were just being arsey with him cause he was not a spic.
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I used to have a flat in Spain, they don't like Brits apart from their money, for the Spanish, the cost of rubbish collection was included in the rates, for Brits it cost extra and the bureaucracy is a nightmare.
 
wammers said:
EU say parts must be available from the manufacturer for 10 years after production stops. When the factory parts run out aftermarket suppliers come into the picture. But i understand that the EU under pressure from manufacturers is considering banning none genuine manufacturers parts. So you will not be able to fit aftermarket stuff. Also you will not be allowed to work on your own car it must be taken to a garage.
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When my Clio failed its ITV, (Spanish MOT) two years ago. because it was the rear axle mountings I had to get the job done by a registered garage and take the invoice to the testing station when I had it retested. its failed on the same this year so I think it's time for the scrap yard after 255k klms.
 
wammers said:
Three lamps, Hand brake/level lamp (Red). TC lamp. ABS lamp. Hand brake on = red lamp. Hand brake off, lamp should go out. If it stays on fluid level is low. TC lamp should come on with ignition and go out when minimum working pressure is reached. ABS lamp should flash on with ignition, then off, then come on and go out only when 5 mph is exceeded. If he has been playing pumping brake he may have switched TC off. That will cause lamp to come on and give a bleeping sound. It should go out and return to TC on at 5 mph. BUT if he has switched off TC and ABS is not receiving a speed signal. TC and ABS lamps will not go out. Speed signal to ABS ECU comes from O/S front sensor. As far as i can see.
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Thanks Wammers. How would I switch TC off? I haven't done it on purpose, just wondering if something I've done might have switched it off.

All 3 lamps come on when the car is turned on, and then stay on. 'ABS fault' comes on the dash with a bleep when I start the car, but doesn't stay on the message display. The Brakes respond fine, ABS pump works as expected (kicks in after 5 or 6 uses of the brakes).

The O/S front sensor sounds like a likely place to start since I had that wheel off recently.
 
TallPaulB said:
Thanks Wammers. How would I switch TC off? I haven't done it on purpose, just wondering if something I've done might have switched it off.

All 3 lamps come on when the car is turned on, and then stay on. 'ABS fault' comes on the dash with a bleep when I start the car, but doesn't stay on the message display. The Brakes respond fine, ABS pump works as expected (kicks in after 5 or 6 uses of the brakes).

The O/S front sensor sounds like a likely place to start since I had that wheel off recently.
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Don't know what you have done. But TC on your year of car can be disabled for MOT test on a single axle brake test unit. This is done by switching ignition on and pressing brake pedal ten times within five seconds. Traction fail should then show on message centre plus a beep. When a speed signal of 7 Km is received by the ECU TC should return to normal. I don't know if that is your problem but it's worth looking at. Look at the sensors.
 
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Wazzajnr said:
I've got nanocom for thor engined p38 and happy to put it on for you if you can get to Standish sometime.
If yours is gems, it should still read everything apart from engine.
Pack of choccy hobnobs is my charge for plugging it in and clearing any codes and you get a cuppa tea thrown in.
Pm me if you wanna bob down.
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I might take you up on that if I can't fix it by wiggling the Sensor about, ta very much!
 
You might be lucky with reseating the sensor(s), I tried it but the sensor was definitely defective.
A Nanocom when connected told me exactly which one and I replaced it (20 minute job) and all was ok thereafter so only £18.xx to fix the problem.
Just to be on the safe-side I also snagged an ECU for my model (Wabco-D) and its now in my spares stash.
 
wammers said:
Don't know what you have done. But TC on your year of car can be disabled for MOT test on a single axle brake test unit. This is done by switching ignition on and pressing brake pedal ten times within five seconds. Traction fail should then show on message centre plus a beep. When a speed signal of 7 Km is received by the ECU TC should return to normal. I don't know if that is your problem but it's worth looking at. Look at the sensors.
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A single axle brake test? That should wind the viscous coupler up a treat. They use portable rollers for the axle not being tested over here.
 
Datatek said:
A single axle brake test? That should wind the viscous coupler up a treat. They use portable rollers for the axle not being tested over here.
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If the rollers rotate in opposing directions the diff takes the rotation. But as brakes are tested the TC could activate if it was not disabled.
 
wammers said:
If the rollers rotate in opposing directions the diff takes the rotation. But as force is applied to test brakes the TC could activate if it was not disabled.
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OK, the rollers rotate in the same direction here which would seem to be quicker way of doing the brake test and checking the side to side balance in one hit. I wonder what they do with LSD's?
 
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