Odometer fault symbol - central locking - not going anywhere fast!

Have trawled previous posts and would basically like some direction to get going again.

Monday got in car to be met with 6 chimes and a number 8 with a diagonal bar across it. Found out this was well documented on here so removed BCU and checked connections for moisture etc - re-connected battery and put ignition key to position II for 5 minutes - and nothing!

I played around with the key fob locking and unlocking the doors (or trying to) and tried again in desperation - and she started. Great.

Drove the car a day later no problem until the wife pointed out that I had left the headlights on when we left the car locked???? Did't think this could happen.

Anyway - yesterday got in to go somewhere and was met with 6 chimes and the odometer symbol again. Repeated what I had done before - but about 6 times this time and have succeeded in getting the odometer fault warning to disappear but the engine won't start. When I press the key fob to lock the car all I get is a single plip. To unlock I get the correct indicator light sequence but nothing actually happens. It seems like the central locking is stopping the car from completing it's starting sequence.

I have removed the fuse box under the steering wheel, checked the engine compartment fuse box and am now at a loss what to do next?

Question:
1. Could it be RF interference affecting me (again)
2. Could it be the starter solenoid contacts (again)
3. Could the BCU be goosed
4. Does anyone have Testbook, Nonocom or Hawkeye in East Cheshire who fancies an allexpenses paid (within reason) day out to save me from hanging myself.

Your thoughts, input and general ridicule are awaited in anticipation.

That crossed B (not 8) is the worst news u can get for a D2... it means comunication failure between the BCU and IDM(part of interior fusebox)...this could have 3 reasons:
1. BCU failure(90% of cases)
2. IDM failure (9% of cases but usually due to water ingress)
3. comunication datalink wiring issue(1% possible and very rare)

Easyest to rule out is IDM/fusebox cos you can borrow a known good one and swap for test cos it doesnt need tester for settings...Good luck

Many thanks for the leads Sierrafery. Apart from exchanging the fusebox/IDM with a known good one for test am I correct in thinking that a diagnostic would pinpoint the other potential problems or is that too much to expect? If so - I need to find someone with a tester in Cheshire?

if the fault is within the BCU it might appear on diagnostics...unless the BCU has a memory fault or one which affects the diagnostic link aswell.... the problem is that IF the car is immobilised(red LED on when you turn ignition) the tester will not comunicate with the BCU... the BCU controlls the starter relay too so even if it's not immobilised it could stop it crank....as i said this kind of fault is a nightmare

Again thanks for your valued help however in frustration I arranged for the car to be towed off on Monday for investigation.

Out of curiosity (as I had nothing to lose) I disconnected the battery one last time and did the reset procedure but for less than 5 minutes this time - more like the three minutes you recommended last year.

Things didn't look good as the odometer fault appeared again however I left the key on position II and although the red security light was beaming constant red at me there seemed to be some test sequence going on so I sat watching a bit longer. After a few more minutes and getting quite excited I tried to start the car again but nothing.

Not really knowing why - I locked myself in and this time all the locks responded unlike before. I then unlocked and was then able to start the car! All done using the key fob.

Not everything was working ie, windows, hazards, indicators etc but after a while these all kicked in.

I have been out for a drive, stopped and locked the car - walked the dogs for an hour and on attempting to start again - nothing - so I locked myself in again and unlocked then all was fine.

I think further investigation is needed but just wondered if you had anything to add especially as we seem to be rolling again.

Many thanks. Great to have your assistance and the rest of the forum members

these kind of faults are often intermittent and strange... you can also try to open the BCU and treat it with this NANOPROTECH PROFESSIONAL ELECTRIC ANTICOR 210ml WATER MOISTURE REPELLANT | eBay cos the BCU is very sensitive to moister too not necessarily to water ingress.

Thanks for the advice. Will invest in some shortly.
FYI, I have had the BCU opened and on this occasion it all appears dry however in the past I know there has been some moisture evident in this area.
Fingers crossed, we're rolling along nicely again - until the next time!

Further to my last post Sierrafery, "Next time" has arrived sooner than expected and I am back to square one.

Whereas before I was able to coax the old girl back in to life by disconnecting the battery etc the situation now is somewhat different.

I have removed all the fuse panels and thoroughly cleaned and inspected them for water ingress and all are dry. Connections are fine. The BCU has been out more times than I can remember and it looks very much as though someone has been here before! The seal is broken but up until now it has worked.

All I seem to be able to do now is reconnect the battery and let the electrics do their learning process.

Putting the key in the ignition to position II causes the odometer alert to show (B with diagonal line) There are no chimes at all other than the 6 associated with this communication fault.

After three minutes the fuel pump stops and about the same time I get a red flashing light and one or two "successful" momentarily illuminated symbols on the dash board. This is usually followed by a constant red light (where the alarm normally flashes). I know you have covered this before but if I press the remote to unlock - this clears the red light and 9 times out of ten I can start the engine.

The current problem is the only things seeming to work are the rear windows, wipers (front) and headlights. From the moment I put the key in the ignition both brake lights illuminate constantly and no other lights, hazards, indicators function. The fuel filler cap even refuses to open now when I take the key out!

I can (theoretically) drive the car but can't make any hand signals as the front windows won't go down so can't even drive it to a garage for test.

I feel I am not proficient enough to delve any further with the electrics and am really at my wits end now what to do? I have located various tasty bits in Rave but when it comes to actually finding the earth connectors etc I am a little baffled at where I am meant to be looking.

If I have exhausted all basic checks is there anyone in the Northwich/Altrincham area with a Hawkeye or Nanocom who likes a challenge, natter and free beer????? unless you can throw one more magic spell my way?

Thanks again - in anticipation.

even if visually is OK IMO you have to put a known good BCU in it to rule it out...but then you'll need a tester aswell ...PM sent

Did you actually take the back off the passenger compartment fuse box? Mine looked fine from the outside but the PCB inside was a mess....

Thanks Sierrafery - PM reply sent. Hope you got it?

Iansoady, thanks also.

Yes I did get in to the back of the passenger fuse box and the PCB appeared to be fine - no mess - nothing. It's as dry as witches watsit in there.

Update to thank all those who provided assistance - replacement BCU now installed and set up and we are back on the road again. Seem to have covered 34,000 miles in the last week and a half!!!!!!.................but she goes!!

Thanks until the next time.

i'm glad it's sorted... it seems the BCU you've got was off from a higher mileage car then... maybe i missed to tell you to get a lower mileage one sorry

Not your fault Sierrafery - far from it. I'm 100% certain you or some other kind person did point this out to me. It was completely my oversight however I have catalogued all the changes made so far so if I do sell the car in the future there will be some documented reason why I managed to drive so far between 2012 - 2013 MOT's!!
We live and learn - some quicker than others.

By the way, I am told the old BCU is now totally useless - no-one can communicate with it. Is it possible to get any info from it or am I flogging a dead horse here?

If not, is it possible to get the keys synced with the replacement BCU even though I don't have any 6 digit bar codes in the key fobs? The EKA aspect of my replacement BCU has been disabled and I don't have any immobiliser now. I can live with this but in your opinion is it possible to retrieve/replace these options from the new BCU bearing in mind nothing could be saved or accessed from the old one?

as long as the old BCU was removed without being unlocked it can't be acessed again... the old keys can be sync'd with nanocom based on the long bar-code beside the new ones cos afaik there are up to 4 spaces to input key-codes, there must be a sticker affixed to the circuit board inside the fob, remove it and ins[pect both sides)...also you can activate the EKA with tester and insert what code you want if that's your option(i changed mine to my card's pin-code as to remember it well and be easyer to insert)... but be aware that if you are unlucky enough to end up immobilised and the driver's door lock fails at the same time(the switch in it) you are in trouble again cos you'll not be able to insert EKA, maybe you consider this http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f8/recommendation-d2-owners-184078.html good luck

EDIT: by the way... if the EKA is disabled it doesnt mean that the immobiliser doesnt work...it just doesnt need EKA..the only immobiliser which can be disabled/enabled with tester is the passive immobiliser, or the whole alarm ...if the main immobiliser was disabled it was done with an intrusion in the ncircuit not in a "clean' way