So I gets to thinking. Typically, one hopes to find a single fault causing all these strange multiple symptoms.

But what if you’ve got two active faults? One older one that went unnoticed, perhaps causing the issue with the key fob, rear windows, and sunroof. If not using those functions, you would not have been aware of problem A.

Then a second fault (problem B) gets thrown into the mix, disabling the starter, which certainly gets your attention.

You might drive yourself crazy looking for a nonexistent single fault responsible for everything. Maybe what you’ve really got is two (or more) faults. Might need to start with a fault that is relatively easy to diagnose and chip away bit by bit.

 

hey mate. Thanks for your reply. There is almost a full tank. There is no crank and the steering is locked. The fuel pump isnt activating. I think thete is a sequence of front ecu unlocking the driver door. Then the rear ecu unlocks the others before the steering and fuel pump activate. Its only unlocking the driver door and going no further. I can open the boot with the dash button but not the fob. The fob does lock the driver door and set the alarm. Which sounds as normal if i connect the battery.

 

Hey thanks. Both keys and fobs are original

 

Ive a feeling only the front ecu which unlocks the driver door is communicating. The rear ecu I nelieve takes over unlocking after that then unlocks steering and fuel pump and allows crank. I think the front ecu isnt talking to the rear one. Ive checked all the fuses. Im going to check the rear wiring in the boot. Its ebtirely possible that removing the spare tyre has knocked something but my initial checls where ive eyed it all up, i cant see any broken wires or anything. Im going to find out how to use a multimeter and check continuity of the rear wiring I think.

 

Have checked wiring. Norhing stands out. I unplugged the rear ecu and the peoblem was exactly the same. I have a feeling I need to replace the rear ecu. No idea how to go about that with the programming etc eek!

 

I think the rear ecu may be shot. I unplugged it and the problems were exactly the same. Couldnt find any broken wires etc. Anyone know how to reprogram an ecu if I find one is it something I could do?

 

More random thoughts:

Can you please elaborate on the recent history of the car? Is this a reliable daily driver with this new problem out of the blue? Was this a derelict dragged out of a marsh and rehabilitated by a vocational school for troubled youth, and this was the first start attempt in years?

You mentioned the "starter fell to bits" in your first post. Perhaps this was after an extending period of cranking the starter when the engine wouldn't start? Just thinking of a scenario with something like the fuel pump failing, so the starter would engage as normal but the engine would not run. Let's call that Problem A. Meanwhile, the poor starter self-destructs after extended cranking, and also burns up the starter relay in the process. Those are Problems B and C. The new starter takes care of B, but you've still got A and C active.

 

Hey. No ive used the car every day and its been fine. The starter pinion fell out with some bearings when I unbolted it. It had been off kolter and stopped connecting with the flywheel.

Never had a problem with the car. And the new starter turns if I bridge the relay.

 

Had been a reliable daily driver up til now. I did have the abs light come on for 2 days before the breakdown tho. But no other issues

 

Is there some kind of moderator's approval required to unlock posts by the OP? The main forum page shows he had the most recent post (until mine just now) but I'm not seeing them here in the actual thread.

Mods, feel free to delete this post once the issue is resolved.

Anticipating some good news, and of course a gushing tribute to my troubleshooting prowess.

 

Hey, yes my replies are being moderated and not showing up. Real helpful. Was fine at first but now somehow I am shadow banned or something. just what I need.

 

Yes my replies are being moderated

 

I still can't seem to answer anything on my thread

 

Jon,

I am seeing posts from you from today - are you still experiencing long delays between when you Submit Reply and it shows up in the thread?

It is possible that your posts were under moderation, but I can't see any indication that you are still under any limitation.

If you continue to have problems, I'll forward your issues to IB technical support.

Cheers,

Don

 

Yep they're taking days!

 

I'm a new member too.... I don't appear to be under moderation.... Posts, do post immediately. strange. I'm a moderator on a different car forum. You don't put members on modertation/approval lists as its just to much work on an active forum such as this one

 

Jon,

I have just learned that you fell into the automated anti-spam criteria because you are a new member and posted multiple posts in a short period of time. All should be good now.

Cheers,

Don

 

Thank you so much. Im at my wits end

 

The good news:

OP's recent posts (with pertinent details) have now shown up.


The bad news:

I have no idea what to suggest next. I was hoping to see a pattern of cascading faults but nothing jumps out at me.

 

Hello again everybody. Thank you for for all your help so far. i am not moderated now so I am sorry it took a while to answer your questions. I think I answered a few in a row and it thought I was spamming.

So I have been looking into stuff, with the mindset of, I can communicate with the Main ECU and nothing else so what physically and electronically happens next in the chain. Now I did have an abs fault light on my dash for 2 days before the starter packed up. But the starter was physically damaged so that was a separate thing. I think maybe there was a fault with another system and once the battery was disconnected it drained its caps and never came back to life or some such thing. What I am thinking is, from what I have read :

Next link in the chain from main ecu seems to be the Powertrain Control Module, which talks to the ABS module. Maybe the PCM was having issues talking to the ABS which is fine, or maybe the ABS isnt fine.

However, I can not communicate with the PCM in the IDS Software either, or anything after it. I am going to swap the 2 PCM relays with the wiper relay and another one that's not important in starting such as the windshield heater relay. I will 50thripple check the ABS and PCM fuses and swap them anyway. I can also see there is a PCM Diode, looks like a fuse type thing, in the fuse box. Unsure how to check that but if it looks obviously burnt or something maybe there is the problem.


Is anyone able to offer any guidance? i can swap the fuses and relays over and if things start acting different, I am onto something, but if not, I have a mustimeter etc, never really used one tho. What would you recommend doing after that to follow this thought process, if it seems like a valid one to you?

I just think, with everything happening when I changed the starter, it would be too much of a coincidence for a wire to suddenly corrode or break at exactly the same time I change my starter. Although I can see logically how a break like that would make sense, it would be very very weird for it to happen right then. I know coincidences do happen, but my mind takes me to a the thoughts of a system having some intermittent communication stopping all else in the chain from communicating, and powering down completely maybe took any residual power from that system and it shut off and wont come on again.