P38 Range Rover advice.
Discussion
Hi all.
Search is down again, so just a few bits and pieces to ask advice on please. Accompanied dad to view a 1997 2.5 DSE auto earlier this morning. It generally looks lovely inside and out, decent amount of history, all old MOTs etc but there are a few faults.
Firstly, the window is clicking on the driver's side. It goes up and down as it should but then it sounds as though the motor is still working once the window reaches the top. A quick Google reveals it's probably the regulator, but how easy is this to replace yourself? Secondly, the oil was like treacle and almost jet black in colour. You'd suggest its probably just in need of a good service, but could it be anything else untoward?
Thirdly, the heated seats aren't working. Again, if anyone has any experience of this fault and has managed to get it repaired for reasonable cost, that would be good to know. The boot struts aren't holding the tailgate up either, presumably the struts are shot and need replacing?
Any other advice on what to look for and common problems would be much appreciated.
Thanks.
Search is down again, so just a few bits and pieces to ask advice on please. Accompanied dad to view a 1997 2.5 DSE auto earlier this morning. It generally looks lovely inside and out, decent amount of history, all old MOTs etc but there are a few faults.
Firstly, the window is clicking on the driver's side. It goes up and down as it should but then it sounds as though the motor is still working once the window reaches the top. A quick Google reveals it's probably the regulator, but how easy is this to replace yourself? Secondly, the oil was like treacle and almost jet black in colour. You'd suggest its probably just in need of a good service, but could it be anything else untoward?
Thirdly, the heated seats aren't working. Again, if anyone has any experience of this fault and has managed to get it repaired for reasonable cost, that would be good to know. The boot struts aren't holding the tailgate up either, presumably the struts are shot and need replacing?
Any other advice on what to look for and common problems would be much appreciated.
Thanks.
In a diesel engine the engine oil goes black very quickly IME so I would just change it and then perhaps change again after 3000 miles to give it a bit of a flush.
The seats have a control unit in the base for the heating - I have a spare one it you want to try it. However if neither seat is working I would be looking for a fuse first.
The seats have a control unit in the base for the heating - I have a spare one it you want to try it. However if neither seat is working I would be looking for a fuse first.
The P38 Mike bought on wheeler dealers had the same problem with the window and I believe it's a common fault and from memory it's the regulator.
Have a watch of this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTpmYkpV1m4
Have a watch of this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qTpmYkpV1m4
Maybe I've been unlucky, but the P38's I've driven have been the most unreliable vehicles I have experience with. The fact you've already picked up on 3 problems would make me wonder how many more will be uncovered. Sorry not to be of any help, but my 'advice' would be not to touch a P38 with a bargepole - might be attractive as they aren't a lot of money to buy, but it could easily cost you many hundreds of quid, if not into the thousands.
Particular highlights were one quietly emptying itself of brake fluid, which manifested itself when (attempting) braking due to an oncoming bus on a village road - that woke me up when I sailed on regardless and had to mount the verge. Another time when it occasionally overheated repeatedly but the LR dealer could find nothing wrong, it would then behave for a time and strand you when really inconvenient.
Particular highlights were one quietly emptying itself of brake fluid, which manifested itself when (attempting) braking due to an oncoming bus on a village road - that woke me up when I sailed on regardless and had to mount the verge. Another time when it occasionally overheated repeatedly but the LR dealer could find nothing wrong, it would then behave for a time and strand you when really inconvenient.
Rangerovers.net site will answer all your questions and more. Heated seat likely to be element and an expensive fix relative to price of car. I had the same year and model you are looking at. Overall it was fine but it was bought very cheap at bottom of the market so needed a couple of things sorting. From memory the only parts needed for a new MOT were a middle box and a track rod end.
www.lro.com/forum will answer all your tech questions, and here is a handy buying guide for you. However, as said P38 are fantastically unreliable beasts - Land rover was about 5 years ahead of its time with some of the systems and electronics. It may be worth getting a really good late RR classic or a very early L£22 shape RR instead
Some of the issues you have mentioned are relatively minor issues compared to what can affect P38s. If the oil is like treacle, it might indicate a less than ideal service regime, so check you're happy that the turbo is okay etc..
Heater O-rings can go, indicated by wet footwells, particularly driver's side. Can be a pain to change but there are various tips on different forums about alternative methods, ie cutting hole in edge of centre console.
Air suspension, as already mentioned, can be problematic. Problems generally revolve around the compressor or leaking bags.Some are converted to coils, but you should notify insurance company as it would count as a modification and, technically, P38s, were never 'approved' with coils as all were airsprung, so some insurance companies might need some persuading.
Heater O-rings can go, indicated by wet footwells, particularly driver's side. Can be a pain to change but there are various tips on different forums about alternative methods, ie cutting hole in edge of centre console.
Air suspension, as already mentioned, can be problematic. Problems generally revolve around the compressor or leaking bags.Some are converted to coils, but you should notify insurance company as it would count as a modification and, technically, P38s, were never 'approved' with coils as all were airsprung, so some insurance companies might need some persuading.
Clicking window - yes, almost certainly the regulator. Is a reasonable easy DIY replacement.
Thick oil - probably nothing more than requiring a good clean out. Just change the oil and filter and again after 3k miles or so.
Heated seats - common problem, I've replaced both of mine. The seat heater pad's elements break but the replacement pads are a better more robust design. I incorporated additional thermal switches when I replaced mine as the OEM units do not get very 'toasty' before switching off. This is a fiddly job requiring real tenacity and patience ........... you will learn to hate 'hog' rings with a vengeance.
Other common problems include heater matrix 'O' rings - again another 'swine' of a job ...... replacement parts cost pence, time is measured in many, many hours plus skinned knuckles and frustration; Electronic Air Suspension has a myriad of things to go wrong - compressor seals, leaking air bags and 'valve block' 'O' rings being the most common - all relatively easy DIY fixes once you've diagnosed the problem; air conditioning pressure switches 'give up the ghost' quite often resulting in non-functioning air conditioning and the air con condensers are a bit fragile and spring leaks quite often; battery drain due to a weak design of the early RF receiver module (the module that recieves the RF signal from the key fob) is particularly annoying - it keeps the main computer awake due to extraneous RF signals (home WiFi and the like) which then continually consumes >0.5 amps instead of 'going to sleep' and after a couple of days of being parked up the battery is akin to the proverbial pancake ......... new later design RF Rx module required at >£150!
I've 'been there, seen it, done it and got the tee shirt' with my P38 - you need deep pockets to run one or be handy with spanners and a soldering iron. However, when the snow arrives you realise just why you put up with these 'old girls'.
Thick oil - probably nothing more than requiring a good clean out. Just change the oil and filter and again after 3k miles or so.
Heated seats - common problem, I've replaced both of mine. The seat heater pad's elements break but the replacement pads are a better more robust design. I incorporated additional thermal switches when I replaced mine as the OEM units do not get very 'toasty' before switching off. This is a fiddly job requiring real tenacity and patience ........... you will learn to hate 'hog' rings with a vengeance.
Other common problems include heater matrix 'O' rings - again another 'swine' of a job ...... replacement parts cost pence, time is measured in many, many hours plus skinned knuckles and frustration; Electronic Air Suspension has a myriad of things to go wrong - compressor seals, leaking air bags and 'valve block' 'O' rings being the most common - all relatively easy DIY fixes once you've diagnosed the problem; air conditioning pressure switches 'give up the ghost' quite often resulting in non-functioning air conditioning and the air con condensers are a bit fragile and spring leaks quite often; battery drain due to a weak design of the early RF receiver module (the module that recieves the RF signal from the key fob) is particularly annoying - it keeps the main computer awake due to extraneous RF signals (home WiFi and the like) which then continually consumes >0.5 amps instead of 'going to sleep' and after a couple of days of being parked up the battery is akin to the proverbial pancake ......... new later design RF Rx module required at >£150!
I've 'been there, seen it, done it and got the tee shirt' with my P38 - you need deep pockets to run one or be handy with spanners and a soldering iron. However, when the snow arrives you realise just why you put up with these 'old girls'.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff