Early Ford Galaxy and VAG-Com anyone?

[rcx132]

I'm new to this can-bus auto electric stuff.

When I changed my steering rack the computer must have noticed the steering alignment has changed. I also knocked the bumper quite hard, so I've now got two errors coming up, a tracktion control error and an airbag error.

Early Ford Galaxies were apparently made by Volkswagon, so I connected my laptop to the car using freeware Vag-Com 409.1. Vag-com found the steering issue but not the airbag issue, saying it can't connect to the airbag controller and also saying that it won't decode one of the DTCs as it's a shareware version.

I don't really know where to go from here. I might just give the auto electrician a call on Monday and see what he can do.

Does anyone know if the Galaxies are 100% VAG underneath? If I manage to get my hands on a non-shareware version of VAG-Com I might have more luck, unless it's not 100% VAG underneath there causing issues with the VAG software?

Different sources say different things, some saying the cars are 100% VAG electrics, others saying it's not.

 

[zx9]

I've got a picker VCDS install, I would ask where in London you are except my A4 decided to dump all it's coolant last night so I have to investigate that today.

 

[Barlidge]

Depends on the engine, the TDIs are vag but ford did the 2.3 petrol engine. All the other modules should be VAG. I suspect you may be using a non genuine vag-com lead lead as its licenced through that. Whereabouts in London are you as I have a genuine lead?

http://www.ross-tech.com/vcds/download/

 

[KemppiFrog]

I thought this was about the old Ford Galaxy from the 60s
The Galaxies, Alhambras and VWs were all made in a co-owned factory in Portugal. Think it closed a while back.

 

[rcx132]

Wow that's a level of helpfulness I didn't expect, thanks!

It's the 2.8 VR6 engine which is a well known Volkswagon engine .

I'm in Surrey now, Worcester Park, which is near SW London. But I'm around London a lot because of work. Where abouts are you @Barlidge? My lead is non-original, cost £4, was surprised it connected at all ! It just plugged in and worked, just needed to set the COM port. But has limited functionality.

I might wait til Monday and call the auto electrician, he had the car diagnosed in minutes last time, so even at £75/hr he cost me only £40 when the car failed last time.

What would happen if I've knocked the bumper sensor? Does it need to be replaced? Does it then need to get coded in?

 

[Barlidge]

My lead is a genuine Ross-tech, its the Key-com one with a serial port connection. Im in Biggleswade, Beds but on Monday I will be travelling to Partridge Green near Brighton and then from there to Shepherds Bush which I think the route will pass right by you. Could meet/drop it off and you post it back when your done.

 

[rcx132]

My lead is a genuine Ross-tech, its the Key-com one with a serial port connection. Im in Biggleswade, Beds but on Monday I will be travelling to Partridge Green near Brighton and then from there to Shepherds Bush which I think the route will pass right by you. Could meet/drop it off and you post it back when your done.

That's really good of you! I'll PM you my address. Will be good! Apparently it can also figure out which of my parking sensors are going mad as well!

 

[Ashley Burton]

What would happen if I've knocked the bumper sensor? Does it need to be replaced? Does it then need to get coded in?

I would imagine you can reset it.

All depend on the fault code... If it its open circuit it means there is a break in the wiring. If it's short to ground, then the wiring is shorting on the body/wiring somewhere

More info would help

 

[Barlidge]

That's really good of you! I'll PM you my address. Will be good! Apparently it can also figure out which of my parking sensors are going mad as well!

Yes it can, used it to do mine a couple of times.

 

[Ruffian]

When you did the rack the steering wheel didn't spin Did it??

Sounds like the steering wheel spun 360 causing the airbag squib ring to brake and steering angle 360 degrees out.

 

[rcx132]

When you did the rack the steering wheel didn't spin Did it??

Sounds like the steering wheel spun 360 causing the airbag squib ring to brake and steering angle 360 degrees out.

Yup when the rack was out I spun the steering wheel to check all the bearings and mechanism was good. Can you elaborate on whats happened then?

 

[Ruffian]

The clock spring (squib ring behind the steering wheel) is a coiled up wire in a plastic casing.
This extend's and coils up with the rotations of the steering wheel. (Will allow 2 rotations in each direcion ish) any more than this can and probably will damage the fragile damage ribbon inside it.
This could be why your steering angle sensor thinks your turning right but wheel speed is reading straight, and your airbag light is on.

P.'s. Does your horn work?

 

[rcx132]

The clock spring (squib ring behind the steering wheel) is a coiled up wire in a plastic casing.
This extend's and coils up with the rotations of the steering wheel. (Will allow 2 rotations in each direcion ish) any more than this can and probably will damage the fragile damage ribbon inside it.
This could be why your steering angle sensor thinks your turning right but wheel speed is reading straight, and your airbag light is on.

P.'s. Does your horn work?

Thank you. That sounds like it could be the issue.

Do you know how I will configure the new sensor when I replace it? Is there a fixed postion that the steering wheel should be in? I aligned the steering wheel and rack as close to centre as possible, so everything was as close to centre as possible when the car is in the forward position.

 

[Ruffian]

The airbag light will need plugging in to be reset,
The abs light will read the steering angle correctly and reset itself.

The clock spring will come in a certain position if new or second hand hopefully will be removed with the wheels straight, (how we do it) for ease of refit.

Judging by the Google image below, the steering angle sensor is in the side of it and the airbag is in the bottom plugs.

 

[8ob]

I am not sure whether this applies here but not all Ford rebadged cars/trucks use the same diagnostic kit as the original vehicle manufacturer. A Ford Ranger which is a Mazda B2500 uses all Ford diagnostic kit and not the Mazda version. Just saying

Bob

 

[Ashley Burton]

I recalibrated a steering angle sensor on a BMW & it was fine from that point onwards

 

[rcx132]

So it was a broken steering angle sensor/squib ring. When I spun the wheel with the rack disconnected (to check it was all smooth), the squib busted. £30 to replace. @Barlidge lent me an original VAG-Com cable as the aftermarket one couldn't access some of the controllers. Thanks Barlidge! All fixed and lessons learnt.

 

[Ruffian]

So it was a broken steering angle sensor/squib ring. When I spun the wheel with the rack disconnected (to check it was all smooth), the squib busted. £30 to replace. @Barlidge lent me an original VAG-Com cable as the aftermarket one couldn't access some of the controllers. Thanks Barlidge! All fixed and lessons learnt.

Glad it was something simple in the end for ya!