Hi All,
Battery low in by Doblo last two mornings. Battery is less that 1 year old. Seems to be holding charge out of the Van ok and Alternator is giving 14A when started.

Today i found that the Battery is constantly draining at a rate of 250mA even with Ignitian off.

I began pulling fuses and traced the problem to F01 in the Engine Bay fuseboard "70 A Dashboard Control unit power Standard Functions"
When I disconnect the Power lead plug to the Dashboard Fuse Board I get rid of the problem. I have pulled all fuses on the Dashboard Fuse board individually and still have the problem , likewise the 4 or 5 relays on this fuseboard. I cant find the issue.

I also tried disconnect electrical connection plugs to Heater Blower Fan, and Wiper Motor. Still no good.

Anyone any ideas or had similar issues and managed to find the solution??

Regards Ted

radio / CD..??

250mA shouldn't drain your battery overnight, and with alarm and radio doesn't seem too excessive to me.

Not experienced it myelf, but the common answer seems to be the battery negative lead at the engine/body broken and making poor connection.

Mike

AlwynMike said:

250mA shouldn't drain your battery overnight, and with alarm and radio doesn't seem too excessive to me.

Not experienced it myelf, but the common answer seems to be the battery negative lead at the engine/body broken and making poor connection.

Mike

Click to expand...

Yup, check that first - not just visually, but really yank it about and give the "cup" of the connector a squeeze with a crimper if you can just for luck.

Quick and dirty answer is, pull the offending fuse every night and see what happens... if it stays charged... dig further

Radio / CD maybe, but I thought I had rules these out by pulling all fused one at at time and not fixing the battery drain. Thanks , Ted

Thanks Mike and Sinny,
I realise the 250mA is small enough but I have had the starting issues over the last 4 /5 days and the battery may have been lowish anyway. I'm loosing 3 A/h over 12 hours.

Should I be drawing any power ignition off? I don't have an alarm that I know of ?

Anyway I ended up last night with a fully charges charged battery and no starting ! Engine turns over ok but no ignition. So I managed to make the problem worse by pulling all fuses and cable connection and replacing them.

I'm going back this morning to retrace steps. Check all fuses and connections.

A friend mentioned starter motor issues on another diesel. Says that he had the same issues ,ie battery drain because of a problem with the starting motor. Any ideas?

Does anyone know if there is a Diesel Lift pump at the tank in the 1.9 Diesel Doblo? Could this be the issue?

How about the Glo Plug system and relay? Could these leak power if damaged?

Any ideas welcome.

Ill try the Connections as suggested first thing.

Ill let you all know how I get on

Thanks again , Ted

It's a PITA to do but if you have a tester that can read current, turn everything off and first isolate the circuit thats drawing current, then follow it along till you get to the source.
It's the only way, except trial and error.

Yep its painful OK.
I recharged the battery overnight and at least i'm starting again so I haven't introduced new problems.

I wend tracing the current drain again. It took me back to the Fuse board on RHS of Dash . This time I removed the board completely and found three connectors on the rear that i was not aware of. When I pull off the Central connector at the rear this fixes the issue. This Connector is actually made up of three Dil connectors clamped into a housing. So I was able to trace the issue to the green connectors which has 8 or 9 wires. I tried disconnecting the Green connector completely but found that the Dash lights are missing and no start. I tried pulling pins individually from the connector and found that I could reduce the current draw from 25 to 16 mA by pulling a Red wire . but couldnt eliminate it.
I had enough at this point and but it all back together again and retired to the pub!.

So Im running but need to disconnect the negative terminal if im leaving the van over night.

Q. Whats the best way to identify the offending connector and find out what it is supplying , powering? Is there any way of getting access to a wiring diagram Would my local dealer have it?

Q A local diesel head tells me the issue is in the Ignitian Switch! From what I have found he may be right. Any one any experience of changing the switch? Does the key have to be coded to the ECU?

Thanks for you help and ideas. Ted

Farran Fiat said:

Yep its painful OK.
I recharged the battery overnight and at least i'm starting again so I haven't introduced new problems.

I wend tracing the current drain again. It took me back to the Fuse board on RHS of Dash . This time I removed the board completely and found three connectors on the rear that i was not aware of. When I pull off the Central connector at the rear this fixes the issue. This Connector is actually made up of three Dil connectors clamped into a housing. So I was able to trace the issue to the green connectors which has 8 or 9 wires. I tried disconnecting the Green connector completely but found that the Dash lights are missing and no start. I tried pulling pins individually from the connector and found that I could reduce the current draw from 25 to 16 mA by pulling a Red wire . but couldnt eliminate it.
I had enough at this point and but it all back together again and retired to the pub!.

So Im running but need to disconnect the negative terminal if im leaving the van over night.

Q. Whats the best way to identify the offending connector and find out what it is supplying , powering? Is there any way of getting access to a wiring diagram Would my local dealer have it?

Q A local diesel head tells me the issue is in the Ignitian Switch! From what I have found he may be right. Any one any experience of changing the switch? Does the key have to be coded to the ECU?

Thanks for you help and ideas. Ted

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OK - this may or may not be connected / solve your problem - but it's worth a gander.
Down in the footwell under the plastic moulding - right at the lower corner of the door opening - there is block of connections. Check those over as well. Be careful though cos it's a bit fragile in the way it's attached

(This MAY be on the passenger side in your wagon - mine is on my drivers side, and I'm in Germany)

Vis checking things, it really is the long grind way only. Check everything. You can shorten the process by checking the usual suspects first - see the block I mention - and stuff like door connections, things that move about and can chaff etc.
But in the end it will be time and patience

WRT the ignition switch - to be honest it doesnt sound likely. Ignition switch probs are usually the "doesn't make the starter start" variety - sh**ed up contacts internally and so on. Mines like it - half the time it's fine, the other half I have to hit the starter 2 or 3 times then it starts. I live with it because I can't be arsed to sort it. They are a piece of cake to change, drop off the cover under the steering wheel, stich the key in and push in the lock pin and the barrel comes out - but you'll need a new key with the barrel, and you'll need to tape the old key to the security code ring (or whatever) - but then you've got two keys which is a pain.
You can strip the barrel and clean up / remake the contacts, but thats a pain in itself, so a starter button is an option...

But - I'd be surprised if your drain problem is that.

Hi Sinny,
I tried disconnecting the Starter , the Airbag (I think !) and any connectors I could access at the Sterring column. No Joy. Your idea on the wiring going to the doors makes sense , I will try these this afternoon. I've seen this problem on other cars ok and the the door lock system does get powered when the ignitian in off.

I managed to take some photos of the offending socket on the back of the Fuse Board. This central socket is made up of a White , Green and black Dil connectors clamped into a housing . The problms is on the Green socket that has approx 10 wires coming out. I cant trace where they go though. Any ideas on how to get hold of a wiring diagram that would tell me ?

Thanks for your assistance , Ted

Farran Fiat said:

Hi Sinny,
Your idea on the wiring going to the doors makes sense , I will try these this afternoon. I've seen this problem on other cars ok and the the door lock system does get powered when the ignition in off.

Thanks for your assistance , Ted

Click to expand...

personally - I'd fit one of the battery isolator switches from ebay, and wait for warmer weather..

the door wiring does sound likely though - frustrating that a simple fuse-pull hasn't found it:bang:

Charlie

varesecrazy said:

personally - I'd fit one of the battery isolator switches from ebay, and wait for warmer weather..



Charlie

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A man after me own heart

Farran Fiat said:

Hi Sinny,
I tried disconnecting the Starter , the Airbag (I think !) and any connectors I could access at the Sterring column. No Joy. Your idea on the wiring going to the doors makes sense , I will try these this afternoon. I've seen this problem on other cars ok and the the door lock system does get powered when the ignitian in off.

I managed to take some photos of the offending socket on the back of the Fuse Board. This central socket is made up of a White , Green and black Dil connectors clamped into a housing . The problms is on the Green socket that has approx 10 wires coming out. I cant trace where they go though. Any ideas on how to get hold of a wiring diagram that would tell me ?

Thanks for your assistance , Ted

Click to expand...

I have got a vague recollection that the green block you show is connected to that block I was blathering on about...

It's the pink wire that reminded me....

I may be mistaken - memory is a strange thing - but I can usually find my way home without sat nav if I'm shopping locally. After a couple of tries...

Hi Sinny,
I checked the connectors at the bottom of the door on both sides. Can't find that Pink/Brown wire and when i disconnect the connectors no Joy.

So I'm fed up with this problem and will take Charlie's advise and fit and Isolation switch tomorrow. I suspect that the [problem is in the Dash itself . I need to talk to someone with a proper wiring diagram to tell me where the connector goes.

Anyway , thanks to everyone for assistance and helpful ideas, Ted

There should be some drain any way, the clock, the radio memory, some conections to the dash are always live, the central locking is always on.
250mA is normal.
Alternator...may be diode pack?
Hmmm.

piratepaul said:

There should be some drain any way, the clock, the radio memory, some conections to the dash are always live, the central locking is always on.

250mA is normal.

Alternator...may be diode pack?

Hmmm.

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Unfortunate 250 mA parasitic battery drain is way to high.

It is normally a maximum of 30mA and is usually around 10-15mA.

If you think about it a 250mA drain would mean that in one day you have drained 6 amps from your battery, and so if you park up for a week, you will need to get a jump start!

So, if you cannot locate the parasitic leak, a cut off switch would be a good idea, however remember what your radio code is!

Ken

I know this post is years old but did you ever trace and resolve this ? I have the same fuse causing the problem on a 2002 doblo.

It is decribed as doblo 'dashboard power: standard function' as opposed to fuse F02 whish is optional function. So it cant be radio etc. Must be essential.
plus it is also 70amp so a hell of fuse load.

Any ideas welcome.

kezzy said:

I know this post is years old but did you ever trace and resolve this ? I have the same fuse causing the problem on a 2002 doblo.

It is decribed as doblo 'dashboard power: standard function' as opposed to fuse F02 whish is optional function. So it cant be radio etc. Must be essential.
plus it is also 70amp so a hell of fuse load.

Any ideas welcome.

Click to expand...

Hi

So what issues ate you seeing..?

Had the vehicle long.. any work done recently..??

Petrol ..or one of the diesels..?

Charlie
.,