P38 Auto Gearbox ECU - Apparently!

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grego_a

New Member
Posts
8
Hi All,

Just asking for some thoughts here. Over the past couple of weeks the P38 has been making a dreadful clonking when putting the power down, which we thought was probably propshaft UJ. However, just got it back from our local Rangie fixer who said the UJs were fine, and after putting it on the diagnostic machine it came up with an error that Land Rover technical are telling him they think is the Auto Gearbox ECU failing.

Now I'm also getting a gearbox failure message (wasn't getting it before!), and the display is not telling me what gear I'm in. Also it seems like its just stuck in one gear (a high one going by the problems I'm having pulling away), and doesn't seem to be doing any gear changes.

Now I have to say the clonk sounded very mechanical, and the thought of having to fork out £500 for an ECU is a bit worrying, so was wondering if anyone else had come across this problem.

I fear if it is the ECU, after fixing the Rangie might well be finding its way to AutoTrader :)

Cheers
Angela
 
grego_a said:
Hi All,

Just asking for some thoughts here. Over the past couple of weeks the P38 has been making a dreadful clonking when putting the power down, which we thought was probably propshaft UJ. However, just got it back from our local Rangie fixer who said the UJs were fine, and after putting it on the diagnostic machine it came up with an error that Land Rover technical are telling him they think is the Auto Gearbox ECU failing.

Now I'm also getting a gearbox failure message (wasn't getting it before!), and the display is not telling me what gear I'm in. Also it seems like its just stuck in one gear (a high one going by the problems I'm having pulling away), and doesn't seem to be doing any gear changes.

Now I have to say the clonk sounded very mechanical, and the thought of having to fork out £500 for an ECU is a bit worrying, so was wondering if anyone else had come across this problem.

I fear if it is the ECU, after fixing the Rangie might well be finding its way to AutoTrader :)

Cheers
Angela
Click to expand...
Is the clunk/clonk always there when you pull away or accelerate??

Its probably the transfer case chain if so...

Look here

When you say the display isnt saying what gear your in does that mean if you put it in D it doesnt show D??

I hope this helps and doesn't sound too ominous...

-Wills :)
 
grego_a said:
Hi All,

Just asking for some thoughts here. Over the past couple of weeks the P38 has been making a dreadful clonking when putting the power down, which we thought was probably propshaft UJ. However, just got it back from our local Rangie fixer who said the UJs were fine, and after putting it on the diagnostic machine it came up with an error that Land Rover technical are telling him they think is the Auto Gearbox ECU failing.

Now I'm also getting a gearbox failure message (wasn't getting it before!), and the display is not telling me what gear I'm in. Also it seems like its just stuck in one gear (a high one going by the problems I'm having pulling away), and doesn't seem to be doing any gear changes.

Now I have to say the clonk sounded very mechanical, and the thought of having to fork out £500 for an ECU is a bit worrying, so was wondering if anyone else had come across this problem.

I fear if it is the ECU, after fixing the Rangie might well be finding its way to AutoTrader :)

Cheers
Angela
Click to expand...

Listen use the internet to find a local garage that scaps 4x4 and get the ecu from them.
they may only want 50 or 60 quid for it.

good luck
 
Cheers both,

Reading the threads about transfer case probs, that definately sound like the original problem, so just ordered an exchange.

Once we've got that fitted I will cope with any other problems. Anyway since posting the message I haven't had the gearbox fault message, but I do need to drive it like a manual i.e. from standstill won't go into drive unless you are in 1!

Angela
 
i have the same problem with it not going into gears and pulling away in 4th but mine wont go into reverse either, havnt taken it to the garage yet for a diagnostic.
 
Had The Same Problem With Mine Whilst On Holiday In The Wilds Of Scotland Last Year Appeared To Be Stuck In 3rd Took It To Main Dealer In Perth Who Told Me It Was In Get You Home Mode And I Would Need A New Gearbox Had No Choice So Cost Me £2,500 Apparently If The Oil And Filters Aren't Changed As Per The Service Schedule That Is The Result
 
sounds like your gearbox has gone into limp mode,Did you top the coolant up or run hot prior to the fault occuring?
Some numpty at Land Rover decided to put 2 electrical connectors under the header tank,They get wet and corrode usually the first thing to show up is the gearbox banging into gear and the loss of the gear in the display.The smaller of the 2 plugs carries the speed signal to the gearbox ECU,unplug it and plug it back in a few times to clean the connection and try it.If ok it will happen again,Ive cut off the plugs and soldered the wires together,covered in heat shrink tubing
 
HI Shiftech,

Thanks for that, yes a couple of days before the problem occurred we had a radiator leak! Consequently we were topping up the header tank frequently.

We'll definately give that one a go.

Cheers
Angela
 
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