P38 2.5 DSE trying to fool the bonnet switch

WayneRR4x4 · Feb 13, 2017

I'm going to try to track down my battery drain parasite circuit, but to do so I need to have the vehicle think the bonnet is closed, so I can pull fuses out of the fuse box with a multi-meter attached to the battery. Anyone know how to fool it , or a way to clamp the bonnet switch down?

wammers · Feb 13, 2017

WayneRR4x4 said:
I'm going to try to track down my battery drain parasite circuit, but to do so I need to have the vehicle think the bonnet is closed, so I can pull fuses out of the fuse box with a multi-meter attached to the battery. Anyone know how to fool it , or a way to clamp the bonnet switch down?

Unplug it.

WayneRR4x4 · Feb 13, 2017

is it really that easy? Wont the system be looking for a closed cct?

wammers · Feb 13, 2017

WayneRR4x4 said:
is it really that easy? Wont the system be looking for a closed cct?

When the circuit is closed the bonnet is open if there is no circuit it is deemed to be shut. Yes it really is that easy.

WayneRR4x4 · Feb 13, 2017

Sorry, I didn't mean to question your expertise, I'm on a steep learning curve, just trying to get a handle on things... now off to figure out which cct to pull to kill the switch.

wammers · Feb 13, 2017

WayneRR4x4 said:
Sorry, I didn't mean to question your expertise, I'm on a steep learning curve, just trying to get a handle on things... now off to figure out which cct to pull to kill the switch.

No problem but getting at it to unplug it is a bit of a pain. It is part of the OS bonnet catch.

Don1 · Feb 13, 2017

WayneRR4x4 said:
Sorry, I didn't mean to question your expertise, I'm on a steep learning curve, just trying to get a handle on things... now off to figure out which cct to pull to kill the switch.

I'd be careful pulling fuses, these vehicles are easy to upset. Do you have the EKA code before you start?
Have you read all the posts regarding battery drain caused by the alarm system being woken constantly by spurious wireless signals.
My money would be on this, it's a very common problem.

wammers · Feb 13, 2017

Don1 said:
I'd be careful pulling fuses, these vehicles are easy to upset. Do you have the EKA code before you start?
Have you read all the posts regarding battery drain caused by the alarm system being woken constantly by spurious wireless signals.
My money would be on this, it's a very common problem.

This is true disconnecting the blue aerial wire from the RF receiver maybe a better first move. And see what effect that has.

WayneRR4x4 · Feb 13, 2017

Don1 said:
I'd be careful pulling fuses, these vehicles are easy to upset. Do you have the EKA code before you start?
Have you read all the posts regarding battery drain caused by the alarm system being woken constantly by spurious wireless signals.
My money would be on this, it's a very common problem.

I have the RF arial disconnected, its a brand new battery and its flat in two days, there must be a drain somewhere, I just need to find it and isolate it.

wammers · Feb 13, 2017

WayneRR4x4 said:
I have the RF arial disconnected, its a brand new battery and its flat in two days, there must be a drain somewhere, I just need to find it and isolate it.

Ok what year car do you have? On early models (1995/96 there was a resistor fitted to the OBDII port to cure battery drain over a two or three day period, due to BECM not entering proper sleep mode. Service bulletin NRR/86/14/95 EN. Look in RAVE.

WayneRR4x4 · Feb 13, 2017

wammers said:
Ok what year car do you have? On early models (1995/96 there was a resistor fitted to the OBDII port to cure battery drain over a two or three day period, due to BECM not entering proper sleep mode. Service bulletin NRR/86/14/95 EN. Look in RAVE.

Its a 97 plate

wammers · Feb 13, 2017

WayneRR4x4 said:
Its a 97 plate

Should have been sorted by then but you never know. The resistor kit is a ridiculous £7.72.

Grrrrrr · Feb 14, 2017

Aftermarket radio fitted? Try taking that out first.

WayneRR4x4 · Feb 14, 2017

I think its an original LR radio.

Grrrrrr · Feb 14, 2017

Worth checking the model of RF receiver then. If an old one then do BrianDSE's second fob trick with a 12V remote switch on it. It'll need doing even if it isn't the issue and it is cheap and fast.

WayneRR4x4 · Feb 14, 2017

I got a 10 quid remote switch, still haven't figured out how to wire it in lol.......... jobs are piling up quicker than I can figure out how to fix them... I'm drowning!

Saint.V8 · Feb 14, 2017

WayneRR4x4 said:
I got a 10 quid remote switch, still haven't figured out how to wire it in lol.......... jobs are piling up quicker than I can figure out how to fix them... I'm drowning!

And that is why, in our current situation, I sold my L322 and went to a 110....only electrical thing on it are the lights and heater motor!

Fergie46 · Feb 14, 2017

It was definitely my drivers door lock actuator that flattened my batteries and I found that out purely by chance because it failed mechanically and when I replaced it - no more power problems, in fact I'm even thinking of reconnecting my RF aerial!
I'm guessing it was those pesky microswitches.

WayneRR4x4 · Feb 14, 2017

Saint.V8 said:
And that is why, in our current situation, I sold my L322 and went to a 110....only electrical thing on it are the lights and heater motor!

Awesome... ok, do me a favour, find me a 110 that I can use daily for £800, that has an 11 month MOT, heated seats, does between 27-45 MPG depending on how its driven, leather seats, sets 5 in comfort and can cut through traffic at 90 mph lol

Saint.V8 · Feb 14, 2017

WayneRR4x4 said:
Awesome... ok, do me a favour, find me a 110 that I can use daily for £800, that has an 11 month MOT, heated seats, does between 27-45 MPG depending on how its driven, leather seats, sets 5 in comfort and can cut through traffic at 90 mph lol

Well that's simple.....

The girlfriends 110 has P38 leather interior, I tuned and tweaked the FIP and it will now happily do over the speed limit (on a private road/track only of course), heated seats just need a stat and an electrical soruce (element still in the seats), MOT due in June (so less than 11 months, but I have no doubts she'll pass) happily do 27mpg on a motorway run quite nicely, will seat 5 in comfort (even I fit in the back)......

The only draw back is it ain't for sale and if it was, not for £800 it wouldn't be....

P38 2.5 DSE trying to fool the bonnet switch

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