Pug 406 HDi 2001 Exec - Electrical Gremlins are breeding

Our 2001 406 exec has started to display some worrying symptoms. Posted
last week about indicator problems. Now the thing beeps at you, the engine
management light came on and things went from bad to worse:

1 Rev counter drops to zero revs whilst maintaining constanst speed

2 Speedo arm 'waggles' up and down

3 Odometer trips out and sets total milage back to zero (shouldn't
complain, but it does reset itself!)

4 Indicators cease to function at all

5 When turning off headlights dash, remains illuminated

It did this on Friday night, stopped car repeatedly, switched off left
for a few seconds and it seemed to reset itself. Drive on slightly further
and it started again. Mechanically the car drives as well as ever no effect
on engine or progress at all.

Took it to a mechanic on Saturday morning and he looked at the wiring
behind the dash and under the steering wheel. He couldn't however
interogate the diagnostics as he said the thing didn't have a live feed to
it. Also the steering column stereo controls haven't functioned since we've
owned the car. But since friday night (touch wood) it hasn't reoccurred
since. Maybe a loose connection, blown fuse, ecu shot to bits?

Have any of you guys had this or similar problems? Is it something I can
leave for now or would you recommend a full check over by an Auto
Electrician as I guess not having the diagnsotics working is quite a
handicap.

Bloody car, christmas less than a week away and we're trying to buy a
house in the new year, guess what we really didn't bank on?!

Thanks in advance for advice and merry chrimbo.

 

sounds like an earth problem.

Andy

 

Wierd things like this can happen when the battery is failing.

 

Or even when the battery terminal connections are not all they should be.
Worth checking them. Kinder than hitting them with a large hammer which has
also been known to work sometimes - the other times it just knocks the post
off the battery.

Ron Robinson