Advanced fault-finding with Eclipse
Brett Edkins, technical manager at Eclipse Diagnostics, explains how to identify and correct an immobiliser issue on a DAF CF MX11 Euro
Multi-brand CV diagnostics Eclipse helps many businesses to improve their vehicles’ and machinery’s performance, with its Testpad Extreme Pro running Jaltest software.
There are more than 3,000 Eclipse Jaltest packages in use, covering a wide range of commercial vehicles at customer locations both in the UK and internationally.
Identifying faults on many modern commercial vehicles is increasingly difficult, given the rising levels of technology employed by manufacturers across all aspects of the vehicles, including trailer units.
This means users are having to adopt increasingly sophisticated equipment to enable their engineers to maintain performance and effectiveness in the workshops and when out on remote call-outs.
The Eclipse Jaltest package has all the requirements to address the technological advances. As an example, the analysis of the immobiliser fault on a DAF CF MX11 Euro 6 model shows how the Eclipse Jaltest package is becoming the go-to diagnostic solution for the commercial vehicle industry.
A DAF CF MX11 has an immobiliser warning on the instrument panel and has failed to start. It has been recovered to the workshop so that the engineers can use the diagnostic equipment to investigate and rectify the problem.
The engineer makes an initial diagnosis of the immobiliser control system to check whether there are any logged faults, present or historic, in the diagnosis memory, which will assist in identifying the possible cause of the immobiliser problem.
One active code is listed showing that the ECU has detected a transponder time-out error, which indicates that there is either a fault with the vehicle immobiliser or the vehicle key.
The Jaltest software can take the vehicle analysis down to component level, as well as displaying the associated wiring diagrams. So in this case, the engineer can easily access the relevant wiring diagram for the immobiliser and is able to check that the ECU is getting the correct power and earths that are required for effective operation.
Additionally, the engineer can use the live measurements within the software to ensure these are all within the set parameters.
Having established that the key itself is the source of the problem, a new set of keys are ordered for the vehicle. However, when these arrive they will need to be reprogrammed to make them specific to the vehicle, and this can be easily carried out using the Eclipse Jaltest package.
If this is the first time the engineer has carried out the procedure, then the industry leading Eclipse Vehicle Technical Support service is available. This unique service is offered by Eclipse to all customers, and can either assist the engineer in the problem-solving process, or utilise the remote assistance service.
Every Eclipse Testpad Extreme Pro PC is installed with Eclipse Assist software, which allows the Eclipse Technical Support team to remotely access the customers Eclipse Testpad Extreme Pro PC via the internet.
With the customer’s agreement, the team can access the customer’s Testpad and assist with vehicle-related support. This service allows the Eclipse specialist to see what the customer can see on-screen, whilst taking control.
Having followed the diagnostic process, with or without the help of the Eclipse Vehicle Technical Support Team, the fault has been cleared and with the newly recoded keys, the vehicle started successfully.
Eclipse has developed its business around the core philosophy of customer support from when the system is first purchased and throughout its life.
That support begins with the software, which is updated three times a year to reflect new models and more information as it becomes available and continues with the Eclipse support services.
A range of features and services are available, including a comprehensive training package, which also includes full training programmes held at the Eclipse Training Centre, and cover from the Technical Support Service.
