Aux switches

[Rlandon87]

Hello! I’ve researched these forums and others to death! So much great information.

Question - On a 2016 PIU that has aux 1-4 on the steering wheel and shows on the IPC, does anyone know why the switches are “dead” everything on the right side is essentially a dead switch. The arrows and the OK button, as well as the aux buttons do nothing. I have tested the ends of the wires in the center console related to the aux switches and there is nothing.
Most importantly when I press the buttons on the steering wheel the status does not change at all on the IPC- they all seem to be greyed out no matter if I click the switches or not.
I do have the controller connected behind the glovebox.
This car did receive the upgraded sync 3 package from the factory and one option says “voice controls audio activated or something. Would that possibly deactivate the aux buttons?

Thoughts? TIA!!!

 

[Lightnig]

Sorry, misread your question, I have no idea what is going on there

 

[peterk9]

Welcome to the Forum.
I'm guessing the vehicle is a decommissioned police vehicle. If so, it's possible that some of the original features were either removed or deactivated.

Peter

 

[jwolfe]

Do you have Forscan? It's possible it needs reprogrammed. You can also take the dash apart and check the wiring.

 

[Rlandon87]

Thanks for the responses!

I used forscan and found the GFM shows DTCS for no signal from Aux 1 and aux 3.
The SCCM shows issues with the right switch pack high voltage, controller fail, and no signal to battery or open circuit.

When I first started connecting things in this car I used the switched Aux wires in the center console as the ground for a lighting system… it did spark.

I think I may have fried the right side switch pack…

I tested the left switches on the oscilloscope and everything responded great- I got zero responses when trying the right side.

I bought a new switch - will swap it out and see!

 

[Rlandon87]

does anyone happen to have a full forscan as built chart for the 16-19 PIU?

 

[Steve8316]

Without knowing exactly how you're testing (voltage, resistance, logic, PIDs...???), it's hard to follow what you're checking or what you mean by "nothing". But if the SCCM says it can't detect the switches or their states, that implies damage to the column, the module, or the column wiring. Have you pulled the shrouds off to look? Have you tested the clock spring (don't detonate the airbag)? The switch itself isn't very likely to fail or need replacement, unless it has visible damage. Did you test it directly before ordering one?

This shows another test, but it's my '16 PIU.

 

[Rlandon87]

The oscilloscope is a tool in Forscan that shows if a part is functioning. When I test all the buttons on the left switch pack I get proper readings from them all. When I test the buttons on the right switch pack I get nothing showing at all.
The SCCM itself shows proper voltage and to be in working order.
I pulled the shroud off and visible inspected all connections. The clock spring tested good as well:

I think I fried the right switch pack when I was connecting the aux switches under the center console- I did see a very visible spark like you’d see when something is shorted

 

[jwolfe]

That’s why I let qualified people do electrical work. Especially when we are talking about a retired car that has wiring all over.

 

[Steve8316]

The oscilloscope is a tool in Forscan that shows if a part is functioning.

No, it shows what the module being tested says is happening. There's a big difference.

When I test the buttons on the right switch pack I get nothing showing at all.

Then you can't know what's really happening. But it should at least show that you've entered a test for those buttons. If it's showing "nothing at all", then you probably haven't entered that test.

I think I fried the right switch pack when I was connecting the aux switches under the center console- I did see a very visible spark like you’d see when something is shorted

No, those buttons are not connected to those wires, and vice versa. The buttons are connected (via the clock spring) to the SCCM and then to the GFM, which converts logical inputs from the button bus into power/ground outputs on the 4 wires. So if you burned anything up, it was the GFM. But I don't think that's likely, unless someone hacked the wiring pretty badly. The way Ford designs & builds circuits & modules, it shouldn't be able to damage itself just from a short to power or ground.

 

[Rlandon87]

Problem solved… the oscilloscope was definitely showing nothing at all.

Solution- removed airbag this morning and discovered that the right switch pack connector was unplugged. Plugged it back in and everything is back to perfect working order.

 

[Steve8316]

...the right switch pack connector was unplugged. Plugged it back in and everything is back to perfect working order.

So the sparking wires are functioning? Could you see what caused the button connector to come out? Was something removed from the steering wheel that might have resulted in the uninstaller dislodging that connector?

 

[Rlandon87]

So the sparking wires are functioning? Could you see what caused the button connector to come out? Was something removed from the steering wheel that might have resulted in the uninstaller dislodging that connector?

I couldn’t tell, for the record this vehicle was more of an admin vehicle - it has very little installed on it and only has 48k miles being a 2016.
The only things I’ve found that were installed/removed were visor lights a rear light and a radio. Those wires were all cut clean and capped.

It’s very odd why this would have came unplugged. The only things I could fathom was possibly the previous agency disconnected it intentionally as they left a set of blue lights connected that those switches turned on?

 

[Steve8316]

...possibly the previous agency disconnected it intentionally as they left a set of blue lights connected that those switches turned on?

So you think they removed the airbag, and unplugged that tiny connector, rather than simply cut the lights' wires? I'm betting you'll find other clues later...