Smart Junction Box - Page 2

BIGVANS · 06-01-2012, 07:59 PM

Cool! Did they do it right?

2horsegarage · 06-02-2012, 07:15 AM

Who knows.... The major delay was simply getting the part. But, once they received the smart junction box they could not get the computer to reset/upload the new program. Took days, but they finally figured out that because the 3rd brake light/rear interior light was disconnected the computer wouldn't reset. Dumb-asses.

86Scotty · 06-09-2012, 07:07 AM

2horse, glad you are up and running! It's really scary to hear that there are parts on a modern vehicle which are "unobtainable". I hope you can resurrect your summer travels.

Eric

MadScience · 06-09-2012, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2horsegarage

Who knows.... The major delay was simply getting the part. But, once they received the smart junction box they could not get the computer to reset/upload the new program. Took days, but they finally figured out that because the 3rd brake light/rear interior light was disconnected the computer wouldn't reset. Dumb-asses.

I'll point out that the folks that screwed this one up are really the ones that built the computer in a way that required the brake light to be present in order to allow an update or reset.

86Scotty · 06-09-2012, 12:14 PM

I agree completely. Must be designed by Microsoft.

yvrr · 06-11-2012, 09:25 AM

During a SMB Rally many years ago, they set up a number of "classes" ranging from winching to fixing a flat tire with a repair kit. (SMB came to the event with a number of their own 4WD SMBs so you didn't drive your own.) Several classes/tests involved getting a vehicle started or moving after a unknown problem had occurred. The instructor would give you a short background ("...everything was working fine yesterday although, while backing into your campsite, the rear of the van lightly hit a tree...now you can start the van but not get it out of Park"). You worked with a team of 4 other owners/spouses and the better your times in solving the problems, the better your changes of winning a set of 5 BFG tires for each SMB owner on the team.

The comment about the brake light issue reminded me of the above puzzle. The source of the problem was a broken brake light...supposedly broken when you backed into the tree. When you press the brake in order to take the van out of Park, the computer knows that you have your foot on the brake (a safety issue) only by checking that the brake lights are on. In our case, the instructor had replaced one of the brake light bulbs with one with a broken filament...without a continuous circuit, you can't get the vehicle out of Park. The solution....shift into Neutral and then start it!