54 C3 1.4HDI non-start FIXED

[MikeT]

I take it fuse 4 in the BSI is ok & there is a live supply at it ??

That's my next port of call - the fuses. Not least because I don't have a long thin T15 driver to remove the steering cowl.

I did take a quick glance in the fusebox but I can't even get my hand in there, let alone grab a fuse - or the supplied fuse puller for that matter.

[MikeT]

So the hunt is on for the black insurance box then if we're sure it now has one fitted??

I couldn't see or feel anything else in the radio recess or around the corners.
Nothing's plugged into the diagnostic port and I didn't see anything obvious around the battery....

[GiveMeABreak]

Couldn't that Nokia box be used then? Essentially it's a telematics box sending data back to big brother....
This guy had a Nokia unit in his merc causing havoc:
https://www.benzworld.org/forums/v-clas ... -loom.html
Some of these insurance black boxes I've been looking at really are hard wired into the dash!! Some videos of young drivers ripping them out after they done their probation - and some had to take half the dash out. BT for a game of soldiers.

[MikeT]

Found the drivers side pocket trim just pulled out so had a looksee for any non-OE wiring and found a red/black pair with an inline fuse. I followed the wires up over the side vent duct toward the back of the dash but couldn't explore any further.

Meanwhile, I managed to figure out the dropping of the BSI to access the fuses and pulled F4 to test - sure enough, it was blown. You can imagine the rest...

[GiveMeABreak]

That’s the one on the BSI diagram I posted I guess -amazing!

[MikeT]

I had drawn up a list of fuses to check including under the bonnet, though F4 was a prime candidate.

[MikeT]

Thanks Marc and wheeler.
That's that issue out the way so I'll revist Lexia next and get an idea what's going on with the door locking.

[MikeT]

Door locking fault continued in it's own thread viewtopic.php?p=583072#p583062

[MikeT]

Found the drivers side pocket trim just pulled out so had a looksee for any non-OE wiring and found a red/black pair with an inline fuse. I followed the wires up over the side vent duct toward the back of the dash but couldn't explore any further.

I think I've found the tracker at last - and possibly the cause of the battery going completely flat.

Does the instrument panel or any upper part of the trim around the top and left of the steering column come off easily? There's definitely a live connection to a rectangular box sticky-taped and tie-wrapped to the top of the side air ducting and I can even see a reflection of a blinking red LED, but I can't reach any further to remove it.

[GiveMeABreak]

Mike, have a look at 'D' below. With the door open, this panel just unclips and should allow access behind the area - you may be able to get in that way.

[MikeT]

I did glance around that side knowing the C5 has a glaringly obvious pop-out panel but saw nothing similar on the C3.
Cheers Marc, will have another look when I bring the C5 charger in after lunch.

[MikeT]

That side panel did come out and I had to disconnect the airbag lock connected to it but no access to top of vent duct unfortunately. Then I got impatient and took a screwdriver to the binnacle surround and off it popped, revealing three torx screws. Popped out the cluster and there it was, sitting all smug and flashing it's LED at me.

Apologies for the wrong orientations

There appears to be a populated sim slot but no obvious removal access and I can't break it open as that'll void the warranty

I'm glad I got it out, though I was going to pull the fuse anyway.

But I've overdone it today and need some extended rest. I'll dissect the box another time.

[GiveMeABreak]

A TrackM8 - telematics insurance amongst other things! Well done and good riddance to it.

[MikeT]

Good riddance for sure! The manual says it draws 10ma while sleeping so is at least part to blame for flattening the battery.
It also says take care when inserting the sim as it's designed to be extremely difficult to remove. Well perhaps if they'd glued the case it might be but a thin blade between the two halves and it popped open revealing some hardware I'm familiar with. It's worth hacking for hexacopter use.

Again, sorry for misorientation, there's no means of changing it.

[MikeT]

I'm really pleased to report that despite being left unused for over a month the C3's battery remains strong and the car started effortlessly this evening, unlike the C5 that's used more frequently yet cranked quite lazily yesterday morning.

I can only surmise the tracker I removed was responsible for draining far more than the specified 10mA, somehow.