Pulling to the left

[Bludge]

Hopefully awesome update:
After some fiddling about trying to work out why my battery light stays on even though the battery and alternator have been changed and both the battery voltage and alternator charge are absolutely fine, i figured i would try the service connector again and out of the blue it flashes me a code 62!

So fingers crossed some cack-handed resoldering by moi will have my 4ws working again!!

strange that its taken this long to get a code though.

[Bludge]

Another Update:

I havent done anything to try and fix the 4ws yet as i havent had the time, but today completely out of the blue my 4ws worked!
I was driving along and took a corner and felt the back end swing out, which freaked me out a little until i realised the 4ws light on the dash was out! i pulled over down the road at my destination and opened the door and sure enough the back wheels were turning!
Unfortunately the 4ws light stayed on when i got back in the car, but when i got home i shut the engine off and restarted and the 4ws light went off again.
Next few starts it stayed on, but im hoping this intermittant working of the 4ws confirms the fact that the ecu just needs resoldering.

Didnt drive enough to work out if i like the 4ws or not though!

Next update will hopefully be that the 4ws is fixed!

[wurlycorner]

Sounds like re-soldering is the way matey.
I've had both my lude's fixed by that trick, even though I couldn't see anything wrong with them when they were apart, so keep the faith until you've tried it!

You've seen the pictorial guide on the internet to the re-soldering then I take it?

Best of luck with it - it is well worth it when fixed.
Whereabouts are you, in case there's any owners nearby that can help if you get stuck?

[Bludge]

Im in exeter.
Yeah i have had a look at the guide, and i know what im doing, im just not too confident in my soldering skills!
I hope i can get it sorted as im starting to really like the 4ws when its working.

[wurlycorner]

If you wanted to post it to me for resoldering and covered the posting back too, I'd be happy to do it for you.

[Bludge]

Thanks man, i will look into how much it would cost to ship it. is it just a case of reheating the solder on the joints? i should be able to manage that i think.

The 4ws was working well today, worked first time 3 out of 5 engine starts, but the last time the light came on whilst i was driving (which it hasnt done before) and now it doesnt work at all again, doesnt make the clicking sounds when you turn the key.
Does it still sound like a resolder would fix it?

[wurlycorner]

Sounds about right, yes.

You need to reheat the existing solder and also add new solder really (old solder doesn't flow very well when it's reheated)

[Bludge]

Ok cool, i think i will give it a try this weekend as the mot is looming so i need to get rid of the warning lights! the 4ws still isnt clicking into life now but its still flashing a code 62 which seems like good news.

If i dont have any luck with the fix on sunday i will pm you about posting it up to you. thanks again!

[FrontBackSide2Side]

going back to the pulling to the left (unless you've cured it) it could be a brake caliper sticking which is common on these. Take if for a drive and compare the heat at each wheel once you are stopped to see if one is hotter than the rest.

[Bludge]

Thanks for the input, when the 4ws was working the pull was still there but less so. i was wondering about a stuck caliper as there is a whining sound i have noticed that seems to be coming from the front left wheel. will whip it off and have a look at the caliper on sunday when i have some time to work on it.

Will check the heat from the discs next time i take it out too.