2010 i-MiEV enters limp on right hand turns

[Seth Mos]

My 2010 car has developed an annoying quirk. When i enter a sustained right corner the car enters limp mode with the car showing the exclamation mark and turtle symbol.

If I then power the car off and on I can continue my journey until the next right hand corner. I have found a large radius right hand corner at 50km/h that triggers it reliable.

In carscanner I see that a temporary u1116 or u1111 is logged which is more or less loss of can bus. Both of these refer to SCP j1850 comms time outs or invalid missing data. One for the dash the other Electrical Energy Management KOS CAN.

I thought it was the dead compressor with possible moisture problems. But with the HV to the AC disconnected it still does this. Made a few 3d printed end caps for the plugs. Will post them to thingiverse.

I do have an aftermarket cruise control but could not easily disconnect it is. Does not go to ready disconnected.

What options are there for me to check or validate? This car got a replacement pack in 2015 and it has been 150k km since then. Now at 210k km.

Checked the plugs under the rear bench, looks clean and dry. Looks dry and slightly rusty under motor cover. 12v battery is 2 years old and looks OK according to OVMSv2 module.

The old isolation error was a fast charge on a somewhat rainy day.

 

[Seth Mos]

See attached STL files.



Does not look like I can upload STL files.
Here to hoping the link works. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1j4KlUoMAV5aKihgW6q95E2js5ZdTXWRK

 

[MickeyS70]

Hello and welcome

P1A44 is ground detection fault that sets limp mode and exclamation mark. Ignore the U errors they are irrelevant.

Water in the AC compressor is usually the culprit but unfortunately this can happen in any HV part, try disconnecting the heater or OBC next but make sure your 12V aux is fully charged beforehand.

 

[databeestje]

The P1A44 is showing as inactive, so this seems like a archived code to me. Will attempt to disconnect other hardware too.
Will clear codes and attempt again. It makes no sense to me that it is failing on right hand corners, but not left hand corners.

I have a car boost pack I can easily hook up to get going again if needed. Test corner is 500m out from house.

 

[MickeyS70]

The P1A44 is showing as inactive, so this seems like an archived code to me. Will attempt to disconnect other hardware too.

Depends at what stage you read the codes before or after you restarted the car?

It makes no sense to me that it is failing on right hand corners, but not left hand corners.

Mine appeared only going downhill (water pooled in the AC compressor and made contact with the housing), looks like centrifugal forces move a water bubble on right hand turns in your case..

 

[MickeyS70]

Just noticed (not clear from the pics) but could it be you disconnected the heater, not the AC compressor?

 

[databeestje]

No, it is definitely the AC compressor disconnected. Phone was a bit close, limited space.

Will clear codes, make another test run and try again. I just though the U codes were related as these immediately pop up in CarScanner the moment it triggers. I also have an airbag warning for the last 2 years because I didn't disconnect 12V when I disconnected one of the plugs in the kneeboard. Will look into this. Saw an app mentioned that works for this.

 

[MickeyS70]

I also have an airbag warning for the last 2 years because I didn't disconnect 12V when I disconnected one of the plugs in the kneeboard. Will look into this. Saw an app mentioned that works for this.

Yes, I managed to clear airbag light with HobDrive..

 

[databeestje]

I also tested the can bus resistance, and it seems a bit low at 38 Ohms

 

[databeestje]

Disconnected the after market cruise control and CAN bus resistance went back to 69 Ohms, which is to be expected. I suspect that the cruise control als has can wires or programming without extra resistors. This was how I got it years ago. Doesn't really seem to affect the car over the past 8 years. It's probably good enough.

Just did a test run with the OBC disconnected, and that resolved it for me. Made a few loops through the dependable corner and it didn't fault. I then replugged the OBC and it immediately faulted on the 1st right hand turn.

Will need to get the top lid off, but it's really stuck. I suspect plastering knives might work well for this. I also saw the youtube video that the 2014 OBC is compatible with the 2010/2011, so that is something to keep in mind if the thing is heavily impacted.

Charging still works though, so it probably just needs a drying.

 

[MickeyS70]

Disconnected the after market cruise control and CAN bus resistance went back to 69 Ohms, which is to be expected. I suspect that the cruise control als has can wires or programming without extra resistors. This was how I got it years ago. Doesn't really seem to affect the car over the past 8 years. It's probably good enough.

Looks like the CC has it’s own 120 ohm termination?

Charging still works though, so it probably just needs a drying.

Spot on…

 

[kiev]

Just did a test run with the OBC disconnected, and that resolved it for me.

Did you disconnect the control harness, or the HV connector, or both? What about the 12V output connector from the DCDC converter in the bottom plenum?

Do you see any loosely-hanging, broken or rodent-damaged wiring, or dirty or corroded connectors?

There is a jack screw for the lid of the OBC, look for a flange with threaded hole near the middle of the long edge, near the security screw[socket head Torx] on the later models. Just use one of the bolts to jack it off.

 

[databeestje]

I disconnected the HV plug only. The rest was still wired.

No rodent or damaged wiring, this more or less started after a washing program in the carwash a few months ago. The upward blast must have gotten in somewhere. Did require drilling out one of the deck bolts, it's rusted solid, I live near the coast.

I'll have a look for the jack point. My lid has 1 Torx 20 on the right edge of the lid, but that is not security torx. I think it is mostly the sealant keeping it stuck.

 

[MickeyS70]

I disconnected the HV plug only. The rest was still wired.

No rodent or damaged wiring, this more or less started after a washing program in the carwash a few months ago. The upward blast must have gotten in somewhere. Did require drilling out one of the deck bolts, it's rusted solid, I live near the coast.

I'll have a look for the jack point. My lid has 1 Torx 20 on the right edge of the lid, but that is not security torx. I think it is mostly the sealant keeping it stuck.

Must be condensation or some debris inside as I doubt that water was able to get in judging by effort required just to take the lid off?

 

[kiev]

this more or less started after a washing program in the carwash a few months ago.

That would have been good to reveal in the first post,

Was any water in the HV plug connector?

Being near the coast, the air is filled with warm moist salt fog that can condense on any cold surface and leave a salty residue trace. Good idea to wash it all out--may need some hair dryers or blowers to dry it out.

There is a vent hole in the front left side corner of the OBC that water likely got sprayed all up in there during the carwash. That is right near where the HV leads connect on the OBC circuit board, route down to the DCDC, etc.

 

[databeestje]

Apologies.

No water in the HV plug. The front left side vent plug has corrosion around it, or something that looks like calcium. I don't see any actual standing water in the top part of the OBC, guessing it might have drained into the bottom perhaps.

I tried drying it out with a hair dryer, also charged the car for 2 hours with the OBC top plate off. Didn't help.

Now attempting to wrestle the OBC from the car, bolts are proper stuck.

Could not find hose dimensions anywhere on the site, the coolant hose inner diameter is 17.00 mm and the outer is roughly 23mm. Going to 3d print some caps to plug the holes whilst wood clamping the relevant hoses to reduce the spill.

 

[kiev]

Good work on finding some possible culprits.

That's a good photo to show the oxidation and corrosion thru the vent hole. Immediately below is the DCDC converter board in the bottom plenum, and the Blue and Pink wires running down thru that opening carry the HV from the Pack. There is likely the same corrosion down there, or water/moisture.

Not sure if the bottom lid can be removed while the OBC is in the car, but it might be possible to take out some screws and pry it open a bit to let the water run out?

 

[piev]

Interesting, What caused the scorching on the cover?

 

[kiev]

From the Troubleshooting and Repair thread for the OBC, as linked from the supplemental cooling thread:
Cooling thread p#43

The clear plastic sleeves on the wires to the transformers outgas when hot and the residue condenses on the colder cover.

 

[MickeyS70]

Not sure if the bottom lid can be removed while the OBC is in the car, but it might be possible to take out some screws and pry it open a bit to let the water run out?

I remember someone managed to get at it from underneath although he admitted in hind sight that it would have been easier to remove it altogether, but if you’re just hoping to drain off water it might be worth trying..