alslk

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Hi Dan,
need some help finding a fuse.
I was fitting the variodach roof module and suspect that I shorted out the power cable I was trying to splice onto. - the cable touched the body -( small spark and now no power to the cable )

Have tried most functions which all seem to work - not quite sure waht to check.

2 questions

1) where on earth are the fuses - I can find the box on the left side of the dash - where else ?

2) is it possible to work out what the cable supplies power to so that I can check the fuse and restore power to the cable.
My car is right hand drive, so it is the red cable in the bundle accesed through the side panel of the dashboard. I traced it and the bundle runs to the light switch.

Hope you can help

DansSlk

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Hi,

The other two fuse boxes are located one in the trunk of the car behind the liner it can be removed real easy by unclipping it should you need to but from the wiring diagrams of that box i doubt any of its fuses are blown because it controls the fueling and communications gear.

The other box is in the equipment box under the hood of the car your being a right hand drive same as mine it should be on the left side of the car looking towards the rear it is marked with info about the AC system and simply unclips with 2 clips and a slide lock.

If you open your internal fuse box and remove the sheet of paper you will get a diagram of the boxes and the info below will make more sense to you then.

The most likely place a fuse is blown is in the engine fuse box so check fuses 50, 62 and 63.

I cant tell you for sure what the cable powers simply because MB don't make those sort of diagrams that trace a wire all the way along the car i can only work out what wires arrive at one box and leave at another but since it attaches to the lighting switch there is a good chance thats what it powers so the fuses i have posted all supply power to that box.

Only other thing it could be is that you have shorted a wire out on the downstream leg from the box and in that case it becomes much harder to work out since there are loads of different options to choose from but i would think that this is less likely than the above option since the roof module should be attached to Constant 12V and the downstream wires would be Switched 12V depending on the light controller.

Hope this helps

Dan

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alslk

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Hi Dan,

spot on , thank you -
it was fuse 63 - I even found the fuse box !
very much appreciated,

DansSlk

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Well done mate.

And glad to help

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alslk

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Hi Dan,
hope you can offer some further advice- I am still havign issue with the piecha roof module - I re installed the module - replaced fuse - all ok -- initially.

I am still having intermittent vario roof malfunctions with both the module active and inactive -
usually not related to activity of the roof -
Tried many things but seems that I can get rid of the malfunction warning by simply pulling out the fuse and replacing it - ( must be reseting something by removing power to the module )
- module then works flawlessly in both active and inactive mode - only to fault out again.
- I have rechecked the earth as I thought this may be at fault.
Piecha do not believe the module is faulty as it works.

Any thoughts?

DansSlk

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OK what error message are you getting mate?

If this is also happening with the module disabled then try using the car for a while with it physically disconnected if you are still getting errors this could actually be a fault with the car and not the module but if all goes back to as it should be send the module back.

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alslk

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Dan,
the error is a malfunction error - visit workshop error

I am trying to avoid removing the module completely to see if everything reverts to normal - but looks like this may be the only option.

DansSlk

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Yeah OK

I know its a pain in the ass but it does look like this is the only real choice here it could be an issue with the car itself and in operating the roof could only make things worse you know its better to remove the module now and see what happens than assume it is at fault when the car could be experiencing problems you know.

And if everything goes back to normal then simply send the module back to piecha i have not dealt with them myself but they sound like a fair company and i am sure that if they where to hook the unit up to one of there cars the same thing would happen and you would get another module.

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noregret4life

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Quote:

Originally Posted by alslk Dan,

Hey alslk, perhaps i can help out.

Where are you pulling the (+) for the module, and where are you grounding it. You may have picked a + that has very little tolerance to resistance. And that could cause you some issues with the module and the fuse itself.

Also, which version of the Piecha Module do you have? It should say so on it.

Another thing to check is that the CAN wires are plugged in well. Sometimes they may have a tendency to feel like they are attached, yet not be fully connected.

alslk

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Hi ,
the module is the new version -
+power is taken as suggested by the inwstructions from the harness that is found by removing the side dash panel - ( RHD car) - opposite side to the fuse box. - the wire loom seams to lead to the light switch.

I have rechecked the earth, power and Can connections.
It is a stange fault which I thought would imply something like an intermittent earth -but I have checked this.

I get the roof error - malfunction ( which then makes the roof inactive ) after a variable time driving in both active and inactive module mode - when it works all functions are working ok.
-- the error ocurs whilst driving and is not associated with roof action. - warning sound and malfiucntion error comes up on display.
Once the malfunction occurs - the only remedy I can find is by interupting the power to the module by unplugging power or removing and replacing the apporpriate fuse. Something is being 'reset' by this action ????

The module then functions ok.
Any further thoughts ?

I suppose the most logical step is to remove the module and retrun it for checking.

DansSlk

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I think it would be wise now to remove the module i don't think i have heard of a dud one yet but i know that if Lenny is happy to deal with Piecha then they must be a decent group so i am sure they would be more than happy to give it a once over.

Like i said before this could be a fault with the car itself in that case its better if you sort it now and not mess about with it the last thing you want is the roof starting up whenever the hell it wants to and it will do that mine has.

Another suggestion would be if they give the module the OK to take power from the fuse box and not from a tap might be more reliable and you wont need to worry so much about resistance.

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noregret4life

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I agree with Dan.

It seems that the module is powering up/down whenever it pleases at the moment. Which is why you are getting that error even while just driving around.

Perhaps before you go through the whole return process, give it a go directly from the fuse box where power is Constant.

Also check your module cables to see if they may have been kincked somewhere. Sometimes a bent cable may cause such results.

I have not heard to date of a bad Piecha Roof module. So if this is the case, it will be a first

alslk

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Thank you both very much, I have removed the module and will send it back for testing.
So far no problems - -roof is functioning as before with no error so far -
Really a bummer as I love the functionality of the module -

bazzle

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May I suggest that any work like fhis should be done with NEG batt term removed or at least relevant fuses.

Bazzle

DansSlk

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The thing is with the roof module mate is that it just says what wire to tap not what that wire does so its next to impossible to remove a fuse because you don't know what one it could be and with the neg removed you would not know if you got a good connection or not.

I mean this is the first time i have heard of any problems when installing a piecha module from what i understand they are very reliable things but i guess the odd fault is bound to happen.

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etyu

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Australia is RHD. I believe alslk has to draw power from the right side of the vehicle near the rotary headlamp switch.Someone in another forum suggested using the "pin" method to check the solid red wire that you are about to crimp unto.

Ignition key should be removed and the car ignition is at the 0 position.

Use a small diameter steel pin (like those used to pin men's dress shirt, or a small diameter sewing needle about 4 cm long). Make sure you have latex/vinyl gloves on both hands. Stick the pin through the insulation of the red wires such that the tip contacts the copper wire inside. Use a voltmeter to check. The red wire is + and touch the neg end of the voltmeter to the chassis and see if you get 12 or 12.5 v DC. This way you know you have the correct red wire/cable as the power source.

When crimping, make sure everything is insulated, i.e., cover any open wire ends with masking tape or the like and remove the tape only when it's time to use that specific wire. This will reduce the chance of shorting a circuit and blowing a fuse.

I hope the above helps. Keep us posted alslk when you got the module replaced.

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Eddy

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