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ragsyrandell

New Member
After quite a few months of my p38 jumping to wade height at random I used the easy unlock suite to identify a constant message saying front offside out of reach. Today I changed the sensor for a second hand "tested" sensor and one my slow 35mph comes on. I've read it again and it's the same sensor reading a fault. When I click the get heights tab the front left says 6 while the others are 109!!!!
Can I re set it or is this one duff as well. More importantly can I drive it. It appears to be level and at a standard height.
 
Don't hold back with these height sensors .... slight faults in the tracks are to some extent allowed for by the software but these faults can also cause the car to settle overnight leading to false diagnosis of other eas faults.
 
Problem with the sensor, corroded sensor connector or as as happened recently the EAS ECU.
Disconnect the sensor arm so you can move it manually and see if you can see different readings on the diagnostics.
 
Sorry for the delay. It's a 2000 year, I'll try moving it as suggested. I note that some suppliers sell these as suitable for either side ( left or right). Surely that will give different readings as your using it 180* away from where it should be.
 
ragsyrandell said:
Sorry for the delay. It's a 2000 year, I'll try moving it as suggested. I note that some suppliers sell these as suitable for either side ( left or right). Surely that will give different readings as your using it 180* away from where it should be.
Click to expand...
No, the operate roughy in the centre of the rotational range whichever side they are fitted. The swappable ones are only on the later cars, early ones cannot be swapped, at least I think that's correct.
 
Datatek said:
No, the operate roughy in the centre of the rotational range whichever side they are fitted. The swappable ones are only on the later cars, early ones cannot be swapped, at least I think that's correct.
Click to expand...
correct Datatek, i was able to swap them over on my MY2000.
 
So in theory i can place the purchased sensor (assuming its a pre 97) and place it on the offside. And then place my current offside sensor (year 2000) on the nearside.
 
ragsyrandell said:
So in theory i can place the purchased sensor (assuming its a pre 97) and place it on the offside. And then place my current offside sensor (year 2000) on the nearside.
Click to expand...
Pre and post 97 sensors are different, at least the connections are.
 
I've just swapped nears side and offside sensors and the eas unlock suite is still reading front left fault and only 6 when I click the get height tab. I take it that leads me to the ecu.
 
ragsyrandell said:
I've just swapped nears side and offside sensors and the eas unlock suite is still reading front left fault and only 6 when I click the get height tab. I take it that leads me to the ecu.
Click to expand...
Or the wiring. Need to meter the wires from the sensor to the ECU connector.
The ECU's are pretty reliable, but just recently there has been one with a similar fault. A reading of 6 is well out of range so the ECU is a distinct possibility.
 
ragsyrandell said:
I've just swapped nears side and offside sensors and the eas unlock suite is still reading front left fault and only 6 when I click the get height tab. I take it that leads me to the ecu.
Click to expand...

Have you had a look at the white block connectors behind the kick panel in the passenger side footwell?. you need to part the larger of the two and look for damp and furred up connections, mine is a MY2000 and the connections were in a bad way so chopped out block altogether and rejoined wires. I also had the same problem as you and it baffled me and many others, I changed every thing a long the way, new height sensors, bags, rebuilt valve block, rebuilt pump, forgot how many times I tried to recalibrate the front left, all others would move on command but front left would not, had this problem for over 6 months, as Datatek has mentioned the ECU is very robust but as a last resort I changed mine and it fixed the problem, for the price of them, I paid £20, it may be worth a go?
best of luck, Paul
 
PPP38vouge said:
Have you had a look at the white block connectors behind the kick panel in the passenger side footwell?. you need to part the larger of the two and look for damp and furred up connections, mine is a MY2000 and the connections were in a bad way so chopped out block altogether and rejoined wires. I also had the same problem as you and it baffled me and many others, I changed every thing a long the way, new height sensors, bags, rebuilt valve block, rebuilt pump, forgot how many times I tried to recalibrate the front left, all others would move on command but front left would not, had this problem for over 6 months, as Datatek has mentioned the ECU is very robust but as a last resort I changed mine and it fixed the problem, for the price of them, I paid £20, it may be worth a go?
best of luck, Paul
Click to expand...

White plug has nothing to do with height sensors. It interfaces the selector switch on the dash with the ECU. Sensors go direct to the ECU.
 
Thanks very much for all the advice. Due to time restraints and a journey from South Wales to Newcastle on Sunday I've bitten the bullet and taken it to a very good independent specialist near bye. Hopefully they can find the fault but I'm already watching a few auctions on ebay.
 
oh well..wont bother then..

hope they sort it..kick them up arse if dont cos i suspect real easy..
 
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