flashing lights

Eekie

Active member
May 10, 2007
44
0
Central Pennsylvania, USA
I just started getting the sportshift light and the light beside it that is the same symbol but with an M instead of the S flashing. The D for drive flashes and the red gear shfit indicater light also flashes. It did it for me twice already but did not do it for last time I drove it. What is going on and I hope it's a cheap fix....:rofl:

2004 Disco with 80K

Thanks all!!
 

pdogg

Well-known member
Jul 18, 2005
1,216
29
Phoenix, AZ
my wife just went thru this in the disco... from what I can tell it's the famous Limp Home mode... for her, the transmission went into 3rd gear, and she described the car as having no power... she shut it off and back on again, and it dissapeared.. I got home that night and tried to recreate it... no such luck.. fine since..

if you search on Limp home mode, you'll find many causes... the most common one is the transmission position switch on the driver side... called the XYZ..
 

Eekie

Active member
May 10, 2007
44
0
Central Pennsylvania, USA
I did notice that at one time pulling out it did seem to lose a little power for just a second. Other than that, it seemed to drive and pull out with regular power. Go figure.... I'll have to keep an eye out for ir next time and stop in to Autozone and get the code. BTW, what is the switchgear position Xyz part mentioned in one of the replies?
 

pdogg

Well-known member
Jul 18, 2005
1,216
29
Phoenix, AZ
you won't have any codes in the OBD2 port..

the XYZ selector sits on the side of the transimission and is where the cable from the shifter goes.. it selects P..N..D..3..2..1..etc.. apparently the contant AC drain water dripping on it can cause moisture to get inside and foul it up..
 

Eekie

Active member
May 10, 2007
44
0
Central Pennsylvania, USA
Guys, I have to apologize for this thread and for not doing a search first. I did so a half assed search but I guess I didn't type in the right stuff to get a hit or either I looked over the thread I needed. I'll keep an eye out to see if it happens again.
 

Eekie

Active member
May 10, 2007
44
0
Central Pennsylvania, USA
Well, I stopped at AutoZone and had the battery tested. It came out as a bad battery. I did notice that my connections were pretty crusty also. So, it's off get a new battery.:applause:
 

Eekie

Active member
May 10, 2007
44
0
Central Pennsylvania, USA
Damn...new battery did not work. The M and S lights came on this am again while the wife pulled out of the driveway on her way to work. Any other suggestions for a solution before I dive into an XYZ switch?

BTW - alternator is strong
 

jhk07

Well-known member
Jul 26, 2006
619
0
Seymour Indiana
Well man..... I dunno the symptoms of XYZ failure, but you might want to search and read up on CKPS (crankcase position sensor). that puppy will also make your "limp home mode" M & S lights come on.
 

Eekie

Active member
May 10, 2007
44
0
Central Pennsylvania, USA
OK...I finally got the check engine light to come on and it threw the code P0705 transaxle range switch fault. I am assuming it is the XYZ swtich that is failing. I just want to verify with you guru's that my assumption is the XYZ switch. How much of a bitch is it to replace myself? If I do not move anything when removing the old switch can I just bolt in the new switch? I read here that there is a special tool for this, but is it something that I really need? anyone have any experience with the used parts from Roverland? They have the switch used for 125.00 or should I just get new from AB for 239.00. I guess I asking if something like this should be trusted to a used part? I'm sure they would be OK coming from RL but I would hate to do this again in 6 months.:banghead:
 

Eekie

Active member
May 10, 2007
44
0
Central Pennsylvania, USA
UPDATE...I decided to let the local trans shop do my XYZ switch swap. They said that the swap will take about an hour and estimated the labor cost at about $65. :applause: I'll pay that instead of doing it myself and screwing up the switch positioning on the trans. For some reason, I'm scared shitless to touch transmissions. Oh, yea, I'm still on the fence about the used or new switch...any thoughts?

Oh, BTW...I hope my own gear shift senor never goes out (pobably an error code I-0069) and puts me in "Limp dick mode"....:smilelol:
 
Last edited:

JUKE179r

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2016
761
95
Suffolkshire, UK
I know this is an old post for the P0705 fault code (TRANSMISSION RANGE SENSOR CIRCUIT MALFUNCTION (PRNDL INPUT) when I searched whole forum. I'll post my problem here to help others with the same issues in the future...

This morning I got the flashing S&M lights and somehow I lost gears when I was driving up levels in a garage. Even though I was in "Drive", I pressed the accelerator pedal and my Disco started rolling backwards like it was in "Neutral". I rolled backwards to safe spot in the garage, cleared the P0705 code with my Nanocom and kept on driving like nothing happened.

My battery connections are good and I never had that fault code before. Weird...



I'm thinking my troubles are related to my xyz switch. I've been meaning to disassemble my switch and give it a good internal cleaning and reseal. I might have to make that a priority if I get more of the P0705 fault codes.