P38 Engine Imobiliser EKA Code

I know from trawling the forum that this is a common problem but I cannot see anything that helps my cause and would be grateful of any useful suggestions.

I purchased a 1996 P38 2.5TD in May of this year. I knew it was a non-runner and required a gear box replacement but the car is immaculate, has 12mths MOT (gear box failed just after MOT ) and only 112k on the clock. Had the car delivered to my driveway and after speaking to the previous owner, tentatively started her up with the clutch pedal depressed (stuck in gear with a broken selector pin), the engine purrs sweet as a nut, just how a BMW should. Anyhow subsequently purchased a replacement gearbox and eventually found a mechanic to undertake the work and the new gearbox has been installed. However, due to the timescale of buying the gearbox and installing it the battery went flat on the P38 and so I fitted a new one. This is where the fun starts. As said above the gearbox is installed but the engine is in 'lock out' mode. I obtained the EKA code from our local Land Rover dealer (free of charge I would add which was very good of them). Sadly the code is not working and the car is still in lock out mode. My mechanic is pulling his hair out to know what to try next. Says he had tried all the usual things ie key in ignition and disconnect/reconnect battery. His auto electrician is also at his wits end.
Looking back I wish that I had gone out every day and started the car to keep the battery charged but felt that because the old gearbox had been disconnected I would be doing more harm than good (and before you say it I know, typical non-mechanically minded female).
I'm getting desperate now as the car has been off the road for nearly 4mths in total and I really need it back on the road before winter sets in as I have horses and will need to take hay, water to them every day. Currently I am walking everywhere and you don't realise how much you rely on your car until you are without it even down to the planning of a grocery shop

So I am really sorry if this is all a repeat of someone else's thread but I am seriously seriously stuck between a rock and hard place.

If you can get hold of nanacom you can disable the imobizer and EKA code and use the key
Is the eka code being entered properly by turning the key 4 times to lock before entering?

If you post where you are there might be a member on here near you with a nanacom that might be able to help for a few beer token and hob nobs

Landyzone International Rescue might be able to help: https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-ro...cue-map-everything-you-needed-to-know.191412/

I'm sure there was someone from Cornwall with a Nanocom for the P38 not long ago. Maybe in the St. Austell area? @PastyMuncher83 might know?

I've got a Nanocom unlocked for diesel. Might be in Cornwall in the next few weeks but not confirmed yet so cannot guarantee anything.

Main problem will be if the EKA has been incorrectly entered more than 3 times. In that case we could be looking at removing the BECM and sending it to Rick-the-pick or possibly MartyUK to unlock it.

Grrrrrr said:

Main problem will be if the EKA has been incorrectly entered more than 3 times. In that case we could be looking at removing the BECM and sending it to Rick-the-pick or possibly MartyUK to unlock it.

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Nop, if it has been entered wrong three times you will get "Key code lockout" on message centre and have to wait half an hour or so for it to go off before trying again. If you fail twice open and close the drivers door and you can try as many times as you want to providing you open and close the door after each two fails. You will never get lock out. If he has "Engine immobilised" it needs the EKA to be input. If it is just turning over and not starting without any dash message the security code has been lost from the BECM. It will need syncing with the code stored in the ECM before it will start. Losing the security code from the BECM is a common problem if the battery has been allowed to go flat whilst connected to the car.

I had a similar problem on mine. It was a jammed rear door lock. Check that all the doors lock and unlock. If any of them dont it would be a good place to start.hope this helps

Brilliant.
Thanks guys will pass all info to my mechanic.
Xx

Sue1962 said:

Brilliant.
Thanks guys will pass all info to my mechanic.
Xx

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Key thing is that he will need proper diagnostics to fix it. Nanocom or similar.

To be honest Grrrrrr I am surprised his auto electrician hasnt already thought of it unless he doesnt know

Sue1962 said:

To be honest Grrrrrr I am surprised his auto electrician hasnt already thought of it unless he doesnt know

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To be fair when I popped into the main stealers for something the guy in the parts department wasn't even born when my car was built. The electrickery is not ODB2 compliant and it is a bit of a specialised beastie so unless he has played with P38s before I doubt he would know. On the other hand, Google is available in most garages! I'm guessing most Land Rovers down there are Defenders. All you need to start them is a hammer.

Sue1962 said:

To be honest Grrrrrr I am surprised his auto electrician hasnt already thought of it unless he doesnt know

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Without proper diag on a P38 you are peeing against the wind. BBS Nanocom is best, nothing else comes close, no matter what the makers say..

You have checked the key fob battery's?

Also worth checking the microswitches in the drivers door latch... I've attached my instruction sheet, with expected results. Don't worry about the CDL and Superlock motor tests - they are just really to tell if they are open circuit or short circuit if they have failed.

The ones you need to be checking especially are the CDL and Key microswitches. If either of these 2 have failed, then you can try the EKA until the cows (or horses!) come home and it won't do anything as the BECM won't be able to coordinate which way the key has been turned/how many times it's been turned in the door, depending on which switch has failed.

If the latch is faulty, replace it and the EKA should be able to be entered. If you can get diagnostics on it, and the BECM software is V36 or later, then on a Nanocom (can't comment on Lynx/Hawkeye as I've never used one before) you can enter the EKA via the diagnostics and get it to unlock it that way. If you can read the settings in the BECM and it comes back as saying it's French, with a strange VIN number, and build date, then it could be in alarm lockout, which needs specialist diagnostics to reset the BECM.... lots of things to check and try before getting to that point though...

Hope this helps,
Marty

The rule of thumb here regarding the nanocom or any diagnostics trying to force the EKA code, if the EKA code will not enter through the door due to a faulty door lock mechanism then you should be able to introduce the EKA code through the diagnostics. If the door lock is good, & the car won't accept the EKA, then diagnostics won't help either.

can't help with the nanocom but have been thru this myself. It's important that the message key code lockout is cleared before trying to enter the EKA code. This will be displayed for approximately 30 minutes after the BECM has sensed an issue. Also make sure you have done the four turns to the left once the key ode lockout warning is off the dash to ensure the car is ready to accept the EKA code.
Where abouts are you located? Unfortunately I am no longer a Land Rover owner but will help if I can! Failing all that you can get the lockset barcode number from your local dealer, remove the BECM and send it to CallRova and they will service it and remove the immobilisation.
They can also mod it so if the key is in the ignition the car will start regardless of the dob working or not!

If you can't sort it, until you can, get someone with a Nanocom to disable immobiliser and EKA code and use the key. This is done with ignition off in BECM diagnostic mode.