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1997 p38 - fuse 12, 13, 14, 15 failure

11K views 13 replies 3 participants last post by  fixes 
#1 ·
Looking for help on this topic.
Checked main fuse 4 14.4 volts on both sides.... main fusebox checks out.
fuse box under passenger seat fuses show no power.
I'm assuming it's the becm failure...

So, where in the states can I get it repaired reasonably or what can be done

Location Long Island NY
 
#2 ·
BECM failure should not cause lack of power on the fuses, you say you checked MF4, what about MF1 and MF5 ?, seems rather an interruption between the engine bay fusebox and cabin, see if you get voltage on wires C105(brown/green), C107(brown/pink) and C165(brown)

 
#3 ·
Engine bay fuse box shows good voltage accross both sides of all fuses.
I was going to unbolt and see if I had it on the back side.

Regarding the passenger seat fb the brown wire is zero while the others are showing good voltage. Im assuming brown runs 12, 13,'14 & 15.

Have been trying to find a color code wiring diagram to trace the origin of the brown wire.

Thoughts?
 
#4 ·
The brown wire(N) to C165 which feeds F12, 13, 14, 15 comes from C170 which is on the back of the engne bay fusebox and fed through MF4, it might be a bad contact there or within the fusebox, meauring voltage on both sides of fuses is not the best way to rule out things cos in some cases can be backfeed on the fuse's output, the only certain way to rule out a fuse is to remove it and check it's continuity, see if you get voltage on C170

for diagrams and connector views download this https://www.sugarsync.com/pf/D8700125_05791262_23123 , the colour codes are in the introduction page 11
 

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#5 ·
so I took it all apart today.
Checked all fuses with continuity no issues
disconnected the battery and flipped engine fuse box up to see the bottom.
checked continuity from the fb side of brown wire to the passenger fusebox and 100 percent continuity
took the blue M4 plug out of the bottom of the engine fb and noticed that the white purple wire on right side of plug was tinged light brown in plug area. emery cloth the prongs and put it all back together.

this is where it got sticky... repowered positive terminal and checked brown wire at the passenger fb. i had bright light on continuity tester and codes were gone on dash.
closed the engine box and hood and had no power again.

reopened everything and retraced all steps.

this time i chekced voltages on the bottom side of engine fb and noticed that on C 169, 170 and 171 i had three different voltages... 14.4 3.5 1.3 and the same at passenger fb on same wires.

i rechecked C165 and now there is a repetetive clicking noise in this fb. as well the contiuity light is dim and the blower is blowing when i take the key out of the ignition.

Hows that for gremlin.

917-709-3045
 
#6 ·
You should rule out that fusebox cos it might have corrosion within
 
#8 ·
Can't you find a guaranteed good one at a scrapyard? or see the video cos it seems that there can be cracked or dry joints in it
 
#10 ·
There are no relays involved between MF4 and the interior fuses, i dunno what to say more, for me the fusebox or the wiring between it and the BECM is suspect
 
#11 ·
Did you find the culprit? ... i'm curious
 
#12 ·
There is no wire -colour diagram for the p38 ...have you downloaded the Electronic Troubleshooting Manual for your year-model. ?
I have tried twice here tonight to post awrite-up of how to open, repair and upgrade the fuse box, but I got timed out both times..
 
#13 ·
ultimately i took the fuse box out, cut it open re-soldered the many failures, put it back in and it ran great.
I then ran into an alternator issue that lingered for a while as i could not get the voltage output to get above 14V and under load it was barely putting out 12V.

Ended up running a dedicated ground and feed to the back of the alternator to frame and battery.
Again ran good but then crashed and burned as follows:

Cranks but wont start - 1997 p38 gems motor

I sorted quite a bit out since owning this vehicle. Did the fuse box fix and everything was going great. Had an alternator issue and sorted that one out.... now I have an issue of a no crank no start.

Checked power at starter 12.5 volt, bypassed relay and motor spins but when placing relay 19 (SM)back in place no crank again. IF I take relay 21 out and place back in

I get key crank but no start.

Could use some help on this one.

No CEL on dashboard ever and not sure what it is but never saw it gefore.

Thanks in advance

My key fob is dead, has been dead since I've owned it, cant get battery open to change.
 
#14 ·
Hi Jazzzy...One year on...I am on a similar cascade of frustrations following a 'cranks but no spark' event after a starter rebuild. My car is half dismantled trying to access possible causes. I now have no crank, no CEL, fuel flap failure, fuel gauge fault report, fuse 12 and fuse 13 fault reports, can't connect diagnostics; each fault appeared sequentially between visits to it in storage.😠. How did you get on with your trials?
 
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