Dash lights gone haywire

[Rollendolan]

I own a  2008 Monaco Signature with 23,000 miles; Cummins 525 engine.   On my last outing, I experienced the following problem: the check transmission light came on; then the check engine, ABS and ATC lights came on.  Also, there were wild swings of the needles on the gauges and the window in the center of the dash read:  "ENGINE COMM FAILURE".  While all this took place, the engine ran normal, although the transmission locked out in 5th gear.    The same problem exists now when you start the motor and let it idle.   I have checked and all batteries are in good condition.  

Has anyone else experienced this problem or have any idea what it might be?

Mike D - 2008 Signature

 

[Hypoxia]

You probably have an Actia Dashboard.    Under the dash top cover you should find a control module like this.  It has those white, orange and violet wires daisy chained from that module to each instrument.  It doesn't matter what order they are in as long as the wires come in to each gauge then out of the other side of the same gauge to the next instrument etc..  In my case I ha a bad board on the module but it is worth re-seating those daisy chained wire harnesses.

Module has 2 air pressure lines connected, front & rear air. It changes the pressure to digital. Wire harnesses go to the pressure gauges and to the instrument panel warning lights.  After engine start all is normal for a bit, sometimes a minute or two or up to an hour, then the front and rear air pressure gauges start windshield wiping and all of the instrument panel warning lights start flashing on & off continuously until the engine is turned off. Restarting the engine starts the cycle over again. It will sometimes do it by turning the key on (no engine start) and waiting for the above described time.
The module had a sticker on the back: Actia 106278 REVA-W-17279-06 and inside on a part attached to the circuit board 105580-B W-17875-06
The instrument cluster is Actia.The black plastic piece with 3 black plugs and the pneumatic lines is the part that caused my problem. It screws on to the green circuit board. Actia sold me the entire module, jumpers and this little black plastic piece which I used to make a good spare module.

 

Edited April 10, 2020 by Hypoxia

[birdshill123]

You may have a bad connection in theCAN communication from theECM.  This is the j1g939 protocol. Monaco had some problems withthe way they ran the wiring. The  2 wires are bundked with other wiring. They use Deutsch connectors. These are small supposed to be weatherproof connectors. Grey triangular shape

 They run from the right rear all the way to the front. Sometimes moisture rusts the small pins . You eill find them amongst the wire bundles  on the right frame rail. But I would start with  cleaning all your battery terminals

 They should be shiney!! Then find all the ground connections . Most are onthe frame rail. Tajethem apart and brush them clean. On my Dynasty there is an ecm fuse in the rear run bay

 One owner found a rusty fuse holder. Be aware that if you have ashop do the work you could easily spend $5000 and the problem would still exist. On the Dynasty there are also connectirs in one of bays behind the  bay ceiling. On my unit  the dash wires go to the driver armrest.  When your dash goes crazy the ECM  may put you in limp mode.Hope this helps. 

 

[Bobbyboy]

Bruce:  I have an 08 dynasty also.  I am curious as to the what is meant by the j1g939 protocol.  On a few occasions when I would start my coach I would get the "No Data" alert on the Medallion screen and no gauges would register although the engine ran fine.  I would shut it down, wait a few seconds start it again and all would be fine.  I have checked the grounds to the starter and the frame and they seem fine although I did not take a wire brush to them.  I would like to find those two connectors you speak about from the ECM.  Can you give me more specifics as to where they are located.

 

Thanks,  Bob L,  08 dynasty

[birdshill123]

I was using my phone when I posted and I have big clumsy fingers. It is a J1939  protocol/ The wiring from the ECM  is on the right hand frame rail near the top. Sort of above the DPF. There are a  bunch of wire bundles covered with plastic loom. The grey connectors are usually covered with electrical tape. When Jason was still at Monaco he told me to look there first as they had reports of that connector being a problem. But there are others as well. In the basement ceiling the computers for the ABS and The Allison are part of that harness. I think everything is daisy chained. I think there is another connector close to the turbo. The whole system is ill designed. OTR trucks also use that protocol but the harness is very short. When truck shops have a problem sometimes they just change the harness. Cheaper that spending 2 days looking for the problem. Did you clean all the battery terminals. You want them to shine like a copper kitchen item!! There are other  battery cable connectors on the walls of the battery compartment. Look inside that armrest for blue crimp connectors. They can be bad. If you go to IRV2 do a search for j1939 or no data. Others have had that problem. Have fun

Hypoxia. I think the dash unit is by Medalion.  A little different. Hard to find but a good electronic tech can fix them.

[Rollendolan]

Thank you very much for your responses.  I will be looking into all of your suggestions and will let you know the outcome.  Hopefully I will know something by monday afternoon. 

 

Mike D.

2008 signature 

[birdshill123]

Mike. Didyou fix the problem?

[Rollendolan]

I have not been able to fix the problem.   I talked to Medallion and they believe it is a J1939 issue.  I have been checking the connectors, front, center bay and rear.  I just discovered the J1939 connector going to the transmission shift pad has a broken ground.  I hope to repair that and see if that fixes it.

Do you have any other thoughts?

Thanks. 

Mike

[birdshill123]

Mike. I was going through some old information and found a post where one owner found a corroded connector close to the compressor.  It goes to the ecm. You need to find all the connectors  and check them.  It is alot of work but beats spending $5000 at some shop.  There  probably is a way of checking those connections with an ohmeter but you might have to disconnect the ecm

 Did you look for a wiring problem in the armrest area? 

[Rollendolan]

I have checked in the arm rest area and don't see any wiring problems.  I repaired the broken wire and it did not fix the problem. 

Do you have more info on this corroded connector next to the compressor?  Is it a J1939 connector?  

Thank you for your help.

Mike 

 

[birdshill123]

Yes it is one of those  Deutsch connectors. Did you find any of them. They will all be the same triangular shape. The wires are only 18 or 20 gauge and are fragile.  I think the heat bothers them. I know there is another connector on a bad spot

 Of you open the rear hatch it is on the left side wayback between the turbo pipe and the compressor. I think you would have to remove the pipe for access

 Did you find the connector on the right side upper frame rail?

 

[Rollendolan]

I found the connector on the right side.  Also found the one going to the engine.  I will keep searching.   Do you have any other thoughts while I am searching?  Thanks.

Mike

[birdshill123]

Was the connector onthe roght side covered with electrical tape? Did you unplug the connector? Were the pins loose? I have read where the pins were not well connected to the wires. Can you follow either end of the wires to the next connection? You could spray the make and female ends withcontact cleaner and resest them tightly.  I mnot a big fan of piercing the wires to check continuity.  Maybe domeone else has an idea. 

 

[Rollendolan]

All the connectors that I have found have what appears to be a shrink wrap on each end from the connector to the wire.  None of them have electrical tape.  I have unplugged the connector and everything appears to be okay -- nothing loose.  Looks like the next connector from the rear ECM is going to the engine. 

I'll keep looking.

Thanks,

Mike

[birdshill123]

Mike

 I think there is only one ECM. it is on the side of the engine 

 Post a picture of those connectors

 They are a 2 pin. Triangular. Did you find the one by the compressor? Did you see the grounds on the frame. There are 2 or 3. They hsve to be super clean.  Do a Google for J1939  problems . Also search for the wording you posted about losing communications try goohle and then search the Irv2 Cummins forum and the Monaco forum. Where are you located?

 

 

 

 

[Rollendolan]

The ECM in the rear is on the passenger side.  The motor home is in storage and I'll send you a picture of the connector when I go to the motor home.  The triangular connector is a 3 pin connector -- yellow, green and bare wires.  I have not found the one by the compressor.

I am located in Northern California.  Where are you located?

Mike

[birdshill123]

I amin Canada. There is a Cumminsdealer in Coburg that works on a lot of motorhomes. The guys at Source Engineering  gave me the name of a tech at that Cummins facility that is an expert at fixing  J1939  problems.  Could be an option for you.

[Rollendolan]

I have resolved my problem.  Thanks for everyone's input.

The problem was a corroded  J1939 wire and connector inside the female half of the ECM connector on the motor.  Not an easy find.

Attached is a picture of the pin and tools to remove the corroded pin.

Thanks again.

Mike

[birdshill123]

I am so glad you flund the problem and saved a ton of money

[Bobbyboy]

Mike:  Good job.  Where did you purchase those tools to rmove the pins, etc.

 

Bob L, 08 dynasty

[birdshill123]

This is the 3rd time  I have heard of corrosion in those connectors.  Another owner found one of the wires not attached . One owner found a corroded  fuse in the rear run bay.  There are far too many connrctors and they  live in a horrible environment.

[Rollendolan]

I purchased the parts at Righetti Enterprises,  a Cummins dealer in Stockton,  CA.   The people in  their parts department are the most knowledgeable I have ever talked to.   

The company that works on multiplex, CCM, and J1939  is M & M Electronics in Ohio.  

I was told that the majority of the time that corrosion is either at the engine ECM or the rear diagnostic connector.  

Mike

[Bradley]

MODERATOR's EDIT.

There is a topic that Bradley started and he did the research and found this one.  Here is the current topic.  In order to NOT have two topic combined...It is requested that any comments that would be made here be made on the current thread.  Thanks for understanding and to help dual posting and avoid confusion.

Mike, I know this is a few years back, but I’m having they very same issue on my 06 Dynasty. Not exactly sure what system the 08 Signature has but did your Aladdin/ silver leaf still show engine parameters when this happened? My gauges are doing the EXACT same thing, engine runs fine, but Aladdin still shows all parameters from engine and trans. I would think if there was en ecm connection issue Aladdin would not show?  Just wondering if ECM connection should be my next avenue to check. Thanks!