Dash Lights

[Impulse24]

I would appreciate any plausible thoughts as I vent out of frustration..

On picking up MH (2001 Damon Ultra Sport 7040 with Cummins 5.9) and Toad (Hummer H3) after installation of Air Force one braking system, I was told " Oh there's a lighting problem on the coach, they showed me the Dash and all lights were lit up like a Christmas Tree, after starting the engine the lights would not go out !!.
I know and said it wasn't like it when I dropped it off, and you have been driving it in and out of the shop from where I left it to where it is now. And this is the first time you tell me ??
You could have said something when you told me to come and get the vehicles !!(Silence was deafening)
However, They did say if they created the problem they would fix it free.
We left the MH with them and they called to say they would have a guy look at it, Monday they called to say, the guy couldn't solve the problem and they would with our permission take it to Freightliner.
2 hours diagnostics, FL called, and said no joy as yet could they have 3 more hours diagnostic time, ($145 per hour) Well, it needs to be repaired, so Ok we agreed.

So apart from venting, has anyone else ever come across the same dash problem and if so how was it fixed.
The coach connection for the AF System has no electrical connections.
Hazarding a Guess I would say it has a short, but where, can two computers go at the same time to create this problem

Thanks for lending me your ears...

[fcooper]

Impulse24 wrote:
Ok problem solved, it was the Message Center Computer that had shorted out !! FL couldn't say if it was caused by the AF1 being fitted or not.
A costly repair (Don't ask) However, FL wouldn't speculate, but my next question is will the new computer give a weakness to the two remaining computers? Causing them to also short or give up in the near future..
Perhaps I should just sell it and go back to a 5th wheel !!!

I would drive it and enjoy it. I worked with computers for years, and can not see how the situation you are worried about could be caused.

I had a similar system in my 2000 Holiday Rambler Endeavor that I owned from 2004 to 2016 with no major problem with any of the computers. I did have a tranny problem caused by a rain soaked relay, and the freightliner help desk helped me to troubleshoot it myself.

Enjoy your travels.

Fred

[Impulse24]

Ok problem solved, it was the Message Center Computer that had shorted out !! FL couldn't say if it was caused by the AF1 being fitted or not.
A costly repair (Don't ask) However, FL wouldn't speculate, but my next question is will the new computer give a weakness to the two remaining computers? Causing them to also short or give up in the near future..
Perhaps I should just sell it and go back to a 5th wheel !!!

[Impulse24]

Thank You, MR fcooper,
I have down loaded the Service Bulitin and will spend a while digesting the contents, The Coach is at Freightliner as I write and am awaiting their response, of which I have been told they are talking to their Technical Center for advise.
Once again thank you I will post the results in due course..

[fcooper]

If you want to understand how your dash lights (message center) work, go to this link and download the Freightliner Service Bulletin 54-12.

Service Bulletin 54-12

To describe it in simple terms, the transmission computer and engine computer feed the vehicle data computer. The vehicle data computer sends information down the data bus to the message center (light bar on dash). From the message center, a spider harness sends all data to all instruments and each instrument picks off the data it needs.

A low voltage condition will cause the lights on the message center to illuminate in sequence (chasing around the message center).

You can get assistance in diagnosing the problem from the Freightliner Help Desk (free service). 1 800 FTL HELP have the last 6 digits of your vin number available when you call.