P38A Unrepairable EAS fault after side steps fitted?

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.
JamesBB said:
It was lifted with air in the bags as it was all working then.
The compressor will not come on, that is why I used a petrol station tyre inflator. Air must be leaking from all (certainly 1) so my question is if the life expectancy is 8 years max, then why have they all failed at exactly the same time immediately after they worked on it?
Surely that is suspicious?
Click to expand...
You do not know that they have all failed.
 
cornishboater said:
If it is any thing like mine a few years back they lifted the car on a low setting which can cause the rubber to separate from the end cap which would do what you are saying. This is fixable, PIA but you can put the bags back together again. Tearing the bags by lifting is probably not the cause, I'll lay odds that the bag/bags have separated
Click to expand...
Good point. Plus the hand book states the tail gate upper should be left open to disable the EAS when lifting.
 
JamesBB said:
It was lifted with air in the bags as it was all working then.
The compressor will not come on, that is why I used a petrol station tyre inflator. Air must be leaking from all (certainly 1) so my question is if the life expectancy is 8 years max, then why have they all failed at exactly the same time immediately after they worked on it?
Surely that is suspicious?
Click to expand...
If you were able to raise the pressure to 40psi via emergency valves, apart from the one that is hissing, the others were obviously holding pressure.
 
I will not know for another 2 weeks, but it only lifted maybe half an inch. I will hard wire and bypass the 2 footwell connectors first as they are so corroded. Then lift with a jack and look at the one that was hissing, then work my way around all 4.
The front driver side made a loud pop as it started to inflate, the front passenger would not move, and it was badly distorted and folded in on itself. The rears I have not seen or heard yet, too low.
 
Update, but not much of one.

Emergency inflate valves removed. What air was in there was still in there as it shot out when pulling the valves.
I jumpered the EAS relay and the compressor comes on. Nothing odd there as it is brand new.
I cleaned the contacts in the multiplugs behind each kick panel with a very small file and sprayed them with contact cleaner.
Going back today to check the system can talk to the laptop ok. If not I guess I have to get busy with the soldering iron, but as I am short of time that will not be until next week.
Fingers crossed for a good connection to the system from the laptop.
One thing I noted was under each front carpet the sound deadening was soaking wet. Lifted it and propped it all up.
Need to fix the leak, suspect rain through the pollen filters as usual.
Update later or tomorrow.
 
JamesBB said:
Update, but not much of one.

Emergency inflate valves removed. What air was in there was still in there as it shot out when pulling the valves.
I jumpered the EAS relay and the compressor comes on. Nothing odd there as it is brand new.
I cleaned the contacts in the multiplugs behind each kick panel with a very small file and sprayed them with contact cleaner.
Going back today to check the system can talk to the laptop ok. If not I guess I have to get busy with the soldering iron, but as I am short of time that will not be until next week.
Fingers crossed for a good connection to the system from the laptop.
One thing I noted was under each front carpet the sound deadening was soaking wet. Lifted it and propped it all up.
Need to fix the leak, suspect rain through the pollen filters as usual.
Update later or tomorrow.
Click to expand...
Corrosion between the pins is one problem. Not sure I like the idea of filing the pins as that will make them smaller and reduce contact pressure.
 
+1 on don't file the pins. Clean them instead.

apart from the PCB dry joints, I found two main issues with P38 connectors:

1. The socket contacts lose their springyness so become intermittent.
2. Corrosion on the copper wire itself inside the contact crimp. Soldering green copper wire does not work !!
 
Datatek said:
Corrosion between the pins is one problem. Not sure I like the idea of filing the pins as that will make them smaller and reduce contact pressure.
Click to expand...
OK maybe filing is too strong a term. I used a very small pointy needle file to drag over the pins and scrape the corrosion off. then sprayed clean with contact cleaner.

This resulted in me getting a good idle on the link to EAS Unlock.

Engine running.

These seem to be the faults logged:
RL signal incorrect
RR signal incorrect
Vehicle has moved.

However, it only lasted that one session, after that, it was back to not idling well at all and back to the following:
Idle-error.jpg


I suspect this is all down to the quality of the mechanical connection around those corroded white connectors behind the passenger side kick panel as it did work, the decided not to again. No adjustments were made on the blue sliders in the picure.

while the engine was running, the compressor came on for a short time, there were also no beeps, but the 35MPH max was still there. The height indicators were initially all flashing, then settled as shown here:
leds.jpg


From memory this is trying to give me a code but I cannot find the document or info that tells me what this combination of lights is trying to tell me. Please can somebody point me to this? What does it mean? Periodically in this state the compressor runs for a short period (maybe a minute), but nothing else happens, it keeps repeating, so every few minutes the compressor comes back on.

At this point the comms idle was still not working and I noticed unplugging/replugging the connection from the laptop to the OBDII connector stopped/started the continuous beeping, so clearly some level of connection was going on despite a bad idle.

Regarding the connectors, are there replacements available? or am I best just hardwiring and soldering the wires together and heat-shrinking?
I have been soldering for 40 years, so fully understand you cannot solder green corroded copper. It needs to be stripped back and/or bad sections replaced.

If anybody can offer more advice based on the info above it would be wonderful.
Thanks All
James
 
JamesBB said:
OK maybe filing is too strong a term. I used a very small pointy needle file to drag over the pins and scrape the corrosion off. then sprayed clean with contact cleaner.

This resulted in me getting a good idle on the link to EAS Unlock.

Engine running.

These seem to be the faults logged:
RL signal incorrect
RR signal incorrect
Vehicle has moved.

However, it only lasted that one session, after that, it was back to not idling well at all and back to the following:View attachment 310708

I suspect this is all down to the quality of the mechanical connection around those corroded white connectors behind the passenger side kick panel as it did work, the decided not to again. No adjustments were made on the blue sliders in the picure.

while the engine was running, the compressor came on for a short time, there were also no beeps, but the 35MPH max was still there. The height indicators were initially all flashing, then settled as shown here:
View attachment 310709

From memory this is trying to give me a code but I cannot find the document or info that tells me what this combination of lights is trying to tell me. Please can somebody point me to this? What does it mean? Periodically in this state the compressor runs for a short period (maybe a minute), but nothing else happens, it keeps repeating, so every few minutes the compressor comes back on.

At this point the comms idle was still not working and I noticed unplugging/replugging the connection from the laptop to the OBDII connector stopped/started the continuous beeping, so clearly some level of connection was going on despite a bad idle.

Regarding the connectors, are there replacements available? or am I best just hardwiring and soldering the wires together and heat-shrinking?
I have been soldering for 40 years, so fully understand you cannot solder green corroded copper. It needs to be stripped back and/or bad sections replaced.

If anybody can offer more advice based on the info above it would be wonderful.
Thanks All
James
Click to expand...
Ref soldering. If you pull the sill step covers off you can get a bit more slack on the cables. One or two? Cables have 2 cables going into 1 on the plugs, watch out for that, I did one at a time so no cock ups. Use glue lined heatshrink. I didn't know until I started the job that quality shrink tubing can come in different shrinkages ie- can shrink 2,3 maybe 4? Times it's initial diameter, makes the job much easier. The cheapy multi selection box I've had for years had to just squeeze past the soldered joint or it barely shrunk enough.
 
Thanks guys. I am going to be busy again Saturday then. I think the EAS cables only go via the passenger side, so I will start there first.
The OBDII socket is a little corroded too. Exactly the same issue. I have a new one, plain socket and one with fly leads. I may well replace that too, it has caused me headaches before, so on this car (as many P38s) a known trouble point.

Does anybody know what the codes are for the lights? I cannot find the doc that explains it. I know it means something specific, not sure what.
Cheers
 
JamesBB said:
These springs are all genuine Dunlops and only 8 years old. No problems at all, then all 4 fail at the same time????????
it has been as good as gold and now this........ It passed its MOT, then went on a ramp to have the steps fitted, and now suddenly (within an hour or 2 of the work) all 4 springs are dead, I presume all folded in on themselves (like the front one I found) and split halfway through their life expectancy.

Next time I go down there I am thinking of arranging to take it back to the guys who had it and tell them to put it on a 4-post lift while I show them the damage. They must have damaged them on a 2 post lift letting the suspension hang down and over-extend. Is that correct?
Click to expand...

I've not read this entire thread, but I think your being a little unfair to your garage.
I usually do all my own work, but when I've asked for simple things from auto-electricians, like crimping on new battery terminals they refuse to do the work because they don't want a response similar to yours just because the P38 is in a bad mood that day. Lot's of places refuse basic work on these cars.

We choose to live with these grumpy cars, we need to put up with it and take responsibility when they misbehave. Which they will.

Short of cutting/drilling through an air hose, I can't think of anything that the garage could have done that they are responsible for.

If lifting it on a high lift over-extended the bags due to the wrong dampers being fitted, or moved the sensors into a dodgy region, then that's a fault with the car.

The fact that somehting packed in on the day they had it really could be just dumb luck. The fact it's been faultless for years just means you're overdue something breaking.

If it really is a failure of all four bags, then there's somehting else with with the suspension set-up that made them vulnerable to being extended.

Sorry if this sounds like I'm having a go, and maybe you've already come to this conclusion, but the quicker we accept that these things just happen, the sooner we'll be happy with our somewhat terrible life choices, and if we all follow this, garages may be more supportive with us.
 
The height switch lights are simple:

One light means the car is sitting at the correct height.
Two lights mean the car is above or below the target. One is the current height, and the other the target.
Four lights either solid or flashing mean you have a fault somewhere. (Also solid if you just switched the ignition on and not started yet, so the EAS isn't talking to the switch yet)
 
Last edited:
pwood999 said:
The height switch lights are simple:

One light means the car is sitting at the correct height.
Two lights mean the car is above or below the target. One is the current height, and the other the target.
Four lights either solid or flashing mean you have a fault somewhere. (Also solid if you just switched the ignition on and not started yet, so the EAS isn't talking to the switch yet)
Click to expand...
And it's even in the owner's handbook !!

1708340819560.png
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

B
P38A P38 EAS SOS
2
Replies
29
Views
1K
Mark Piercy
Mark Piercy
O
03 L322 EAS ECU Can bus fault / ABS temp system deactivation
Replies
1
Views
563
oldradiotech
O
feyniriel
P38 EAS problems
Replies
18
Views
1K
pwood999
pwood999
Montyjohn
P38A Adding a valve to manually fill EAS tank and why did my pump fail again?
Replies
14
Views
873
Datatek
Datatek
K
Is my RR Classic in EAS shutdown?
Replies
12
Views
818
kevleaper
K
Back
Top