Not Charging. Main Inverter Fuse blown

[kiev]

Can you find out the trouble code(s) and post it up here--there will likely be both an EV-ECU code and a Charger code, if that was where the problem occurred.

When you said 72 units, did you mean cars or MCUs or Charger dc-dc units?

Have you found info on any business that is repairing components, we would all be interested to know

 

[JoeS]

My I is in the shop and they say they have another with the same error code. A fuse is on the way and should be installed Monday. The sales guy at the dealership says that since 2012 they have sold 72 units....

Antaris, thank you for posting. Clarification - is that 72 replacement fuses or 72 inverters? Either way, an average of 12/year in one dealership is a frightening number!

kiev, nice cottage business for you if you can suss out the problem.

Purely speculating, inadequate IGBT protection in the design? Google "IGBT Protection Methods" for tons of hits. Would that blow the fuse?

Edit: Been thinking about this, and the numbers simply don't add up. 72 fuse/inverter replacements in six years nationwide would be an unacceptable failure rate, IMO, out of 2108 i-MiEVs sold in the US. (number sold came from InsideEVs.com).

 

[Antaris]

Sorry I should have been more clear.
The dealership where I took my I-miev, claim they have sold 72 units.
That is over a number of years and maybe it is only the 2012 models
that might develop the problem.

 

[Antaris]

The active fault code is P0A09

 

[kiev]

The P0A09 code points to the 360V -to- 12VDC Converter error. The diagnostics include checking the wiring, relays and connectors, and testing the operation of the cooling system actuator components (pump, radiator fan, etc)


PROBABLE CAUSES
Damaged wiring harness or connector(s)
Malfunction of system cooling
Malfunction of the DC-DC converter
Malfunction of the EV-ECU

 

[Antaris]

I just talked with the service manager and he says the on board charging unit has failed.
I said from what I have read they are quite expensive.
He said yes, about $4000.00 cdn.
Waiting now to see if Mitsu Canada will give any help, as that part is off warranty.

 

[Phximiev]

I just talked with the service manager and he says the on board charging unit has failed.
I said from what I have read they are quite expensive.
He said yes, about $4000.00 cdn.
Waiting now to see if Mitsu Canada will give any help, as that part is off warranty.

Perhaps I'm repeating myself, but can the unit be repaired/remanufactured? Replaced with an open source unit?

Or made the subject of an open source project to create something a lot less expensive?

 

[Antaris]

I just posted in "Driving the I-Miev" . The onboard charger has been replaced and Mitsubishi will be able to do post mortem on the failed part. The other I-Miev with the exact same problem was on warranty so that tells me the sickness is not just with 2012 versions. I hope I don't jinx myself, as they are charging the car over night at the dealership and I pick up tomorrow.

 

[Antaris]

Drove home this afternoon after over a month.

 

[Phximiev]

Drove home this afternoon after over a month.

Good to know, and the 'post mortem"?

 

[Antaris]

The service manager showed me the failed onboard charger.
When I got home I opened the back hatch and there was the brand new one on the
left side looking forward. Part number is ZHTP1529R by nichicon.
I googled "wrecked I-miev" a couple of days ago and their is a complete 2012 motor package
sitting on the shelf at B & R Auto Wrecking in Graham WA for $750.97.
Funny, the picture they show of the top looking down has a brand new looking onboard charger.
I have considered purchasing the package but the logistics of getting it home are more than I can deal with right now.

 

[Lic]

Hello
It is look like may be I have similar problem. I didn't use car long time and I got died 12v battery. I charged battery, check it and found it in good condition. It is new battery, which I installed 3 months ago. So I putted battery back and I decided to connect only one wire (positive) and leave other one (negative) disconnected to prevent to discharge 12v battery again. I was not planning to use car for long time again. But little bit letter I decided to check if car will start, so I connected negative wire but didn't tight it well. I started car - it showed me ready and the :!: over the car lights lit up on the dash. Next was probably my mistake - I decided to check if car runs well. I ride around neighborhood and I did couple good stops. I came back to parking, turned off car, turned it on again and I didn't get ready. I got the 12volt alert and the :!: over the car lights lit up on the dash. I checked 12v battery again - it is fine, checked charging - no charging. I checked some fuses under hood - nothing. So may be it is main fuse in inverter? Where are located this fuse? Where to buy it?

 

[kiev]

Even a brand new lead acid 12V battery will get drained just by sitting for 3 months without charging. It may still read 12.6V open circuit, but won't hold up under load.

If the negative cable came loose while driving, then depending upon the load, that could do some major damage throughout the car. The negative side is the ground reference for the chassis. Current does not like to be interrupted, and if is, then it will find or make a way home thru whatever path it can.

Hopefully you just have a weak 12V and the loose cable just shutdown the ECUs without doing damage.

 

[Lic]

I checked 12v battery under load - it is fine. So my opinion is the same - something died in car. Could it be main fuse in inverter? Where is it located?
I tried to use canion - it shows cells voltages and temperatures.

 

[PV1]

My first thought is that the loose negative cable caused some problems for the DC-DC converter, which is responsible for charging the 12 volt battery. I would disconnect the negative cable for a few hours, then reconnect and tighten it and then start the car. Let us know if it achieves READY.

 

[Lic]

I will try. Also I bought launcher tester and I will able to read errors, may be it will help find what is problem.

 

[kiev]

The fuse is located beneath the little access cover on the inverter--no need to remove the main cover, plus it requires a jack-screw to break the main lip sealant.

 

[Lic]

Thanks!

 

[Lic]

So i connected tester and got errors p1a15 active and p1ae6 saved.

 

[kiev]

P1A15 is High-Voltage System Error #1

Description of how the system operates:
The high-voltage circuit activation and shutdown are controlled by the EV-ECU. The EV-ECU also monitors the voltage of the smoothing condenser [the big ass capacitor] in the EMCU via the CAN communication.

How does this code get set?
If the charging time of the smoothing condenser in the EMCU exceeds a specified time, the diagnosis code No. P1A15 will be set. That is to say, it is taking too long for the capacitor to charge up to the full level, which is equal to the voltage of the pack.

Probable Causes in the service manual include:
Damaged wiring harness or connector(s)
Malfunction of the high-voltage fuse No.1 (Main, 280A) (inside the main battery assembly, accessible)
Malfunction of the main battery assembly (possibly damaged contacts of main relays, aka contactors)
Malfunction of the EMCU

In your case another reason could be that the Aux battery was disconnected/loose at the negative terminal, and the 12V signals to the coils of the Main Contactors was interrupted, which caused the contactors to open or chatter. This caused the slow charging of the big Capacitor in the MCU. This could have caused arcing and sparking and debris buildup on the contact points such that now the car can't get to READY.


Code P1AE6 is for an EEPROM Error in the Battery Monitoring Unit, if the BMU detects an error P1A51 then it sends a message to the EV-ECU over the CAN bus. The P1A51 code is thrown if the Aux Battery negative terminal is disconnected before the BMU has time to write data to the EEPROM after the key is turned to OFF.

"When the electric motor switch is turned in the LOCK (OFF) position, the BMU should execute the finishing process for several seconds. When the battery cable is disconnected from the auxiliary battery (-) terminal during the BMU finishing process, the BMU learning value could be deleted."

The lesson here is that the 12V Aux battery is very important for operation of the car, and much care must be taken to ensure no loose connections, especially the negative terminal. i always remove the negative terminal first, then the positive terminal, and always with the key out of the ignition switch.