Air bag ECU blown - wish I knew then what I know now! (1 Viewer)

[Conal]

Picked up motorhome from storage, battery low so boosted it and started the engine. Air bag warning light came on. Now sitting in Brownhills waiting to have a new ECU fitted tomorrow. They sold the last in stock yesterday. I spoke to the mechanic and he suggested I isolate the battery before charging it rather than boosting and blowing the ECU again. As I have no power at storage I intend to spend £190 on a second vehicle battery and simply swap them over every few weeks during the winter when I am not using the motorhome. Is this the best option?

 

[TCG]

why not solar panel and vanbitz battery master

 

[Aireworth]

Or just a little removeable solar panel in the windscreen just connected to the starter battery?

 

[Conal]

TCG got a 1/2 price deal on two leisure batteries last year. Already have one solar panel so will take your advice and check if I can add another solar panel and a battery master. Aireworth I was thinking about that. I have Remis Blinds at the front and don’t know if a panel would slot inside them. Also would need advice as to how to connect to Vehicle battery without messing up complicated electronics.
Maybe a(nother) trip to RoadPro…

 

[Aireworth]

I have on that fits to the windscreen via suckers - it fits behind my remis blinds. Amazon is your friend.

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[Conal]

Aireworth How do you wire it to the battery?

 

[Aireworth]

Via the OBD port. Got a blank OBD plug, there's positive and negative OBD pins, wired these to the panel.

 

[GeoffnDee]

If the solar panel you already have is wired into a Sargent PSU/fuse box the smart charge settings it already has should (depending on model) enable it to be set for the solar panel to charge both the leisure and starter batteries.
Or ,If the solar panel wiring is connected from a controller to the leisure battery a, simple to fit , Vanbitz battery master (or similar) would enable a trickle charge to be sent to the starter battery from the leisure battery when it is being charged from the solar

 

[Aireworth]

Amazon product ASIN B016IB8PI8This is the one I got. Looks like you can use the cigarette lighter as charge point. (Can't remember why I didn't use that). I also got a little controller, although I think the amount these panels put out is so small you maybe don't really need one.

 

[GeoffnDee]

The cigarette lighter sockets in the cab area are not always able to be used for these items , as they are often are only live with the ignition on. (Which includes most Ducato/Boxer based vans with standard wiring)

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[pappajohn]

Amazon product ASIN B016IB8PI8This is the one I got. Looks like you can use the cigarette lighter as charge point. (Can't remember why I didn't use that). I also got a little controller, although I think the amount these panels put out is so small you maybe don't really need one.

That's about 400milliwatts in full overhead sun at the equator.

Chances are nearer to 100ma in a UK winter and that's being generous but it would charge your mobile phone over about 20hrs.
25watts to 50watt panel would just about do the job.

 

[Landy Andy]

£190 for a starter battery is very expensive. Over double what I paid for my starter battery.

 

[Aireworth]

The cigarette lighter sockets in the cab area are not always able to be used for these items , as they are often are only live with the ignition on. (Which includes most Ducato/Boxer based vans with standard wiring)

That may have been why I used the OBD ....

 

[autorouter]

That's about 400milliwatts in full overhead sun at the equator.

Chances are nearer to 100ma in a UK winter and that's being generous but it would charge your mobile phone over about 20hrs.
25watts to 50watt panel would just about do the job.

No, it's about 5 watts in full overhead sun at the equator.

That translates to about 400 milliamps of charging current. Since it is stuck behind the windscreen, it is at a much better angle than a panel flat on the roof. If your starter battery is losing more than 400 milliamps while everything is switched off, then it needs some serious attention. You would not expect a standard car to use more than 50mA, even with its alarms.

Motorhome 'aftermarket' alarms and trackers are often not as well integrated and tested as a car manufacturer's original equipment, so they can be more power-wasting, but anything over 200mA is a problem.

Having said that, many motorhomes do take more than this, so you may need something bigger, maybe 10W or 20W.

 

[Conal]

Landy Andy My present one is a direct replacement for the original. It has a 5 year guarantee and is a warranty replacement. Unfortunately I will have to pay for the second one and I want it to be identical.

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[Conal]

Update. Still at Brownhills. The ECU arrived at 3pm today. They would have rushed it but my storage closes at 8pm and I wasn’t sure we would make it so they gave me another night of Club parking and will fit it tomorrow morning. I just watched Kissi’s adventures YouTube vlog about this and whilst he had his unit replaced he estimated £800 for a garage to do the job (including the unit). Mine is £263 incl VAT, plus labour; hopefully one hour at £90 (plus VAT?) So considerably cheaper… we will see.

 

[Delboyarapaho]

Hi conal. I wouldn’t waste your money buying solar to charge battery at this time of year they provide little if any value particularly on dull days.
The only way I found I could keep the battery charged was to drive the van for about half an hour at no longer than 2 week intervals. The other way I would manage the problem was to disconnect the negative terminal from the battery but then your central locking doesn’t allow you to lock the van and your alarm and tracker probably aren’t working so an insurance risk.
I would go for the second battery

 

[GeoffnDee]

Conal Good morning ,I have just seen a post put on the Outandabout forum (in motorhome matters, yesterday) showing , what is said , to be a Peugeot service bulletin about adding an external earth cable to the air bag ECU as a modification when they are replaced and I wonder if you know if this is being done when your ECU is being replaced or maybe it does not apply in your case ?

 

[Conal]

GeoffnDee Thanks for the information. They are fitting it this morning so I will ask them.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Looks very easy

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[headlight]

Conal I think you mentioned that you already have a solar panel ?
Do you mean you have a panel on the roof that charges your leisure battery ?

 

[Scout]

what level of battey voltage will trigger this?, because of an major operation, I could not a drive my van for about 3 months, When I did drive it, I got the problem with the airbag light, however I do have solar on the roof, I did regularly check battery voltage levels and never saw the cab battery below 12.5V is this too low for the sensor ecu? I did put the charger on for a few days when needed, but perhaps should have done it more

Im going to wait to get it fixed as the van is now mothballed for winter, on my drive with electric power when needed

 

[pete'n'julie]

Hi conal. I wouldn’t waste your money buying solar to charge battery at this time of year they provide little if any value particularly on dull days.
The only way I found I could keep the battery charged was to drive the van for about half an hour at no longer than 2 week intervals. The other way I would manage the problem was to disconnect the negative terminal from the battery but then your central locking doesn’t allow you to lock the van and your alarm and tracker probably aren’t working so an insurance risk.
I would go for the second battery

I had the ecu light on for ages but after finding a " new " blank 2018 ecu i found a bloke who re programmed my original one and it's been ok ever since. i still have the other ecu but i've now got a 40 w solar panel and think it's doing a good job.i just connected to positive and negative and plugged it it. The red light on the panel lit up and i just unplug it when we take it out.

 

[Reallyretired]

At the risk of offending those who hate them. I ran my starter battery down accidentally and recharged it with a battery charger plugged into an ecoflow.

 

[RTDA]

Or just a little removeable solar panel in the windscreen just connected to the starter battery?

That's what I use - an AA-branded one that can connect through the OBD port (as well as directly) & cost only £20-something.

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[RTDA]

what level of battey voltage will trigger this?, because of an major operation, I could not a drive my van for about 3 months, When I did drive it, I got the problem with the airbag light, however I do have solar on the roof, I did regularly check battery voltage levels and never saw the cab battery below 12.5V is this too low for the sensor ecu? I did put the charger on for a few days when needed, but perhaps should have done it more

Im going to wait to get it fixed as the van is now mothballed for winter, on my drive with electric power when needed

My airbag light sometimes comes on after I've swivelled the cab seats - there's obviously a weak connection underneath which try as I might I can't make more secure but just 'squeezing' the connector puts things right again.

 

[Phill D]

My airbag light sometimes comes on after I've swivelled the cab seats - there's obviously a weak connection underneath which try as I might I can't make more secure but just 'squeezing' the connector puts things right again.

Would suggest you replace the offending connector before it kills the ecu.

 

[Stealaway]

Looks very easy

It looks a bit different on my Fiat and you'll need to take up the floor matting.

It already has three welded studs to the floor I wouldn't have thought it would need any more.

Check out the part number - This one is from 2011

 

[Stealaway]

My airbag light sometimes comes on after I've swivelled the cab seats - there's obviously a weak connection underneath which try as I might I can't make more secure but just 'squeezing' the connector puts things right again.

Which connector?

 

[Scout]

My airbag light sometimes comes on after I've swivelled the cab seats - there's obviously a weak connection underneath which try as I might I can't make more secure but just 'squeezing' the connector puts things right again.

I did read that sometimes that is the case, I did try it, but to no avail. There is a place near me at Rotherham that apparently can reprogram / unlock them, but I did read mixed reviews.

Airbag Module Reset | Airbag Team

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