Smartshield issues - Only engaging intermittently.

[MadnessEvolved]

Hey guys,

Been around here for a while and have been enjoying this great community. Lots of useful resources to help me learn how to fix, assemble and disassemble my car and understand it better on the whole. I feel like I've learnt more about cars and mechanics in general in the past year than I have prior.

First some background then on to my current problem with it.

Earlier this year I had the BEM replaced after the unit got flooded. Some $1,300 later and the car being absent for a few months I get the car back and it starts. Most of the time. After disconnecting a few frivolous things such as power windows, the car starts as it should. Overall the car has been going great for a few months, but recently it started to act up.

The problem is, Smartshield. Go to start the car and it's engaged. Can't start, nor getting any auxillery systems like door locks. Thing is, it doesn't happen all the time. My current situation is that I disconnect the battery, leave it for a while (usually a few days, I get distracted) and give it a go again when I've the next chance. When I started it last night, it worked for about an hour or so, starting twice (run down to the shops and back). Went to start it again this morning to reinstall the stereo and nothing. Smartshield has engaged again.

I've just had the interior stripped out (everything but the dash. Had to clean the crap out of the mould problem in there. That was a lovely 3 weekend process) and I spent some time cleaning out all the extra wires and cables left over from previous work. I was hoping to find something extra that was explaining this happening, but found nothing. Without taking the dash out, I've been unable to find any cords or cables that might be causing a short. At this stage, don't want to spend a few days or more running along the loom with the DMM trying to find faults. Wife *really* needs her car back during the week.

Do any of you guys have any ideas for things that I can look at to get it running again? I'm going to head back out after I'm done posting this and have a check of the fuse boxes, but it all looked fine the last time I checked. Really don't want to have to spend a heap more money on it as I really don't have money to spend right now.

Any help or suggestions is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[MadnessEvolved]

Well, I had at it a little bit last night.

Pulled back all the wires behind the stereo and started sorting. I came up with a handful of wires that lead to nothing, separated then labelled them. Turned up to be for the Mobile Phone kit and such. Snipped off the openly soldered ends of those, then wrapped it all neatly in tape to segregate them and stop them from being able to touch anything. After that was sorted I was left with the mess that was the wiring job that had been forced upon my car. Most wires had been joined and rejoined at least twice, a few of them were done 5 times. So I went through, snipped them down one at a time, writing down the pairings used, then crimped them all with insulated plugs and put them all back together. Not a perfect job, but a hell of a lot better than what I started with AND there's now no loose or open connections that can potentially touch ground.

I also took a look at the fuses, fuse boxes, and all of the sections of loom I could see in the driver's footwell. Couldn't find anything out of place except the stereo's wiring. Everything to/from the BEM is in order and none of the boxes show signs of damage that I could see.

Prior to starting all of this I gave the car a try on the whole start/no start thing. Gave it half an hour from d/c the battery to connecting it again, and it turned over. This particular time it took less than 15 minutes to click over and arm itself. At this stage, the trend seems to be that I can leave the car without power to reset the computers and it'll work. So for now I'd just use the car to and from work, disconnecting the battery at the end of my drive. Hoping the car doesn't shut off during my drive

Guess I'll keep you posted if anything changes.

[MadnessEvolved]

Gave up, took the car to the local sparky that maintains the work vehicles. I've seen him to do quality work, and hey, why not try and get cheaper rates?

Turns out it was a simple thing. When Lube Mobile replaced my BCM earlier, their sparky stuffed up and installed the unit from a High Series (Yellow box) instead of the Low Series (Gray box) that was installed. Which would explain why I've had so many constant issues with BCM related systems since I got the car back. I'm now mighty peeved off with them as I have already sent the car back to them once for these issues. They told me it was just a faulty power window actuator. No, it was their dodgy work.

So I'm calling up the Department of Commerce tomorrow to establish my line of attack and then will be following up with Lube Mobile once I know exactly what I need to do. Going to have these b******s fix this properly. Preferrably I want my damned money back (since they grossly overcharged me on the work. I'm not surprised, since they were trying to force the wrong computer to work in the car!) so I can take it to a professional who I trust to do the job right. At the very least, they can correct the mistake and refund me the difference in the work hours. I got quoted by this sparky for $600. I paid $1480 for LM to do it.

Guess that's the issue figured out, now I just need to get on their backs about fixing the job. From what I was told today, the hardest part will likely be sourcing the right BCM. I really want it back on the road (properly) before year's end, but I might be pushing it. He did give me a few tips he picked up on timing it to get the car going, so there's that, at least.

[MadnessEvolved]

Well, even though nobody has commented, I'll still put in a follow up.

Emailed LM, got a call back from the manager the next day and they agreed to do follow up warranty work. The sparky they used was local to my work, but shut down over the xmas break, so I'd have to wait until the 7th of Jan before we could do anything. They told me who they use and said I can go through them directly for the work if I want. They're closer, easier to get to and I don't have to deal with a middle-man, so I went for that.

Dropped by after work on the 7th and booked it in for the week after. Left the car with them on the agreed day and was told I'd get a call later in the day to let me know how it went. So I stopped by on my way to a job the day after and checked up on how it was going. (Seriously. Do people who work on cars actually call customers? Wow.) They told me that after some testing they narrowed it down to the ECU being at fault. They'd sent it off to another place over east for fixing and should be there by Monday. Woah, alright then, nice to be informed prior.

ECU got fixed, came back Thursday and was back in the car that arvo. They held on to it and tested that the car would start up until mid Friday when I got the call saying it's good to go. Sweet. I stop in after work and get the good news.

They want to charge me another $700. The BCM cost me $1480, ECU $700. Diagnosis from other sparky $88. So I'd be out of pocket $2,268. Just to get my damn car to start. Wonderful. And none of the costs for either computer replacement was I actually informed of prior to the work being done. I really feel like I've been had on this one.

I didn't pay for the work yet, told them to hold on to the keys for now while I sort this out with LM. I want them to cover the costs (or even a good chunk of it) for this latest repair, since the work was still technically being done under their warranty order. If anyone's reading this at all, do I have a leg to stand on to demand this?

Despite not being able to afford it (this repair will be yet another large, unexpected bill to go on the credit card) I'm very likely going to have to sell the car in the coming months (Because I can't afford a second car right now with the wife out of work) and I'm not entirely certain I'll get much more than what these repairs alone have cost me. Never mind the other costs I'll be facing to make the car sellable for a decent price.

Well, going to start compiling the email now. If you've been reading this thread, thanks. If not, well ...

[MadnessEvolved]

Since I can't edit, I'll add this, too. Something I wish I'd found a few months ago.

A post on FordMods in their Tech Docs regarding the SmartShield setup in the AU details this:

With the AU Model Falcons, there are two distinct models of BEM fitted to various vehicles (Low and High Series), with a third model BEM being very similar to the High Series model, with the exception of the removal of certain features.
Body Electronic Modules for the AU (Smartshield models)
As mentioned above, there are two distinct types of BEMs made available on the AU series Falcon, with a third Mid Series Model using the same board as the High series, with removed features.
These are classified by Ford as being
Low Series - Fitted to Forte, Models
Mid Series - Fitted to Taxi Pack, Police Pack, XR6, XR8 and Futura (AU) Models
High Series - Fitted to Fairmont, Fairmont Ghia, Fairlane, LTD, and Tickford T Series.

Which would explain how my car has an apparent High Series BEM while all other documentation I've found regarding this list the car as a Low Series. The XR6 instead comes witted with a restricted High Series module. That makes sense.

Well, still going to power on with this email, just wanted to add that find

[gonads]

Pardon the thread dig everyone, but I’m dealing with issues with the Smartshield setup on my AU V8 manual Ute. I feel bloody sorry for you with the dramas you had to deal with and it was absolutely unacceptable for LM to have continued charging you for their mis-diagnosis and unnecessary repairs.

I’ve got an intermittent issue (likely to be Smartshield) where the old Ute work perfectly when started, but every now and then, it absolutely refuses to start. No click of solenoids or relays, no whirring of fuel pumps, just nothing. I’ve left it 10 mins before starting successfully and at other times it’s refused to start for 48 hours. It’s almost unusable as I never know where I’ll get stuck and for how long. I considered unloading it as I’ve got other, newer (and older) cars that are reliable. However, the ute’s been in my family after dad bought it back in 2000 so I’m pretty much committed to sorting out the drama. Besides, an original V8 manual AU Ute in otherwise good condition seems to be worth something these days. Who knew?

How did you fare with the old Ford?

[aussiblue]

Have you checked the wires opposite the base of the ignition barrel to ensure the crimped on little round printed circuit board where all the ignition wires are not partially coming away from it's crimps?

Also read through the four pages of this recent thread https://fordforums.com.au/showthread.php?t=11489024 Som eof the ideas and links in there should be of relevance.

Does it start if you give the dash above handbrake handle is where the BCM sits a firm but gentle thud with the side of your closed fist? If so, it indicates a dry joint issue in the BCM.

[MadnessEvolved]

Well, I suppose I should give a final update on this thread. haha.


After having the BEM and CPU replaced, I stopped having the issues. The computers were simply too corroded from moisture and required replacing. All in all it cost me a few grand and I ended up spending nearly the cost of the car to fix it.


A little while after I got all of it sorted I started having serious engine issues. After taking a quick look at it, my heart broke and I gave up on the car. A few years later I ended up just selling it to a towing company that takes old cars. There was just so much to fix and I couldn't face it anymore. Nor afford it.



On top of that, I can't drive manuals cars anymore due to my left shoulder being ruined from work. The injury happened in 2016 and it'll never be the same again. Had to give up driving professionally and I struggle to drive my auto Corolla these days.



Here's to hoping your issue is a lot easier to fix than mine. And that you can continue to enjoy your manual V8 AU.

[aussiblue]

Well, I suppose I should give a final update on this thread.

Thanks for the update; it's always nice to know the outcome albeit it's not always a fairy tale ending.