Tow Truck Ahoy! Complete System Crash..

[r3tu]

First post here and weeping already...

 

I finally found the car I was looking for and bought a 2.8l V6 Galaxy '01 Ghia automatic yesterday evening, my first Galaxy. I love the car and I had a really good time, while it lasted.

 

Today, after already completing a very satisfying 100km of driving, whenever I start the car the following faults happen:

 

- Airbag failure

- ABS and traction control lights (I think?) light up

- STOP, Oil pressure, after running the engine for a few seconds

- gear shift starts playing a weird knocking sound, hard to move the stick

- limp mode, like driving only with the first gear but worse

- central locking doesn't lock all the doors

- possibly other electric malfunctions, not sure

 

I had the poor thing carted away on a flatbed to the local Ford shop, let's see what they come up with.

Previous owner was "completely unaware of anything similar ever happening".

 

While waiting for the phone to ring (fingers crossed), any ideas?

Thanks in advance...

[frogeye]

It sounds like some kind of faulty earth connection - were there none of these faults when you last started the car up or was is running when you bought it?

 

It may just be a flat battery (duff alternator!) as weird things can start happening when the battery voltage starts dropping off. I'd be pretty cautious about leaving your car a Fords for long as they will probably start changing components and billing you for it until they hit a winner. You should get on ebay and order up a vag com cable (

Edited April 28, 2010 by frogeye

[r3tu]

I had no trouble with the car whatsoever until today afternoon. I went for a test drive a week before buying it and I started it up during these two days about 8 to 10 times, engine both cold and warm, before the problems begun.

 

I know some people at the repair shop so there should be no nasty surprises, but I know what you mean. I do have a VAG COM cable already I got for the Skoda Octavias, if the people at the shop are too busy I'll have to take a look if the cable is compatible with the Galaxy.

 

Thanks for the advice... doesn't sound too bad, maybe I'll be able to sleep tonight after all!

[gregers]

just wondered if its something as simple as the brake switch?

[Mirez]

Maybe part of the problem but to do all that can only be a power/ground issue.

 

It should be easy to fault find as well since so much is mullered, start by checking the voltages on the battery with and without the engine running, then pick circuits in the cabin and do the same.

I'd also be testing resistance between chassis points and the battery to start with as I too suspect thats an earth fault over anthing else. Good luck!

[r3tu]

Thanks guys for good tips, but the bad news is the Galaxy is still flashing the warning lights (think I'll soon name her Roxanne for that). A friendly Ford mechanic is looking for the problem for free but doesn't have much spare time for doing it.

 

All the ground points have been checked OK so far.

 

Because the tachometer doesn't work either, I wonder if the vehicle speed sensor or something could be the problem, or if a faulty instrument block could make all this happen... faulty RPM data could trigger the oil pressure light, automatic gearbox problems and limp mode, perhaps? As this seems to be VW VR6 engine specific, think I'll have to start bugging the guys at various VW forums next :)

 

Anyway, I'll let you know if/when the problems get solved...

[gregers]

did you get this from a dealer????

[r3tu]

Nope, I bought it from a private seller.

 

The car breaking down after two days sounds like a scam but after confronting the bloke it seems there were no malicious intentions...

[r3tu]

Update:

Transmission control module (TMC) was fried.

[r3tu]

Update2:

 

Hoping this might help someone who's having similar problems;

 

LH rear door wiring was broken, short circuited and finally burst into smoke and flames while the door was open during the second session at the repair shop. In addition to the transmission control and instrument modules, it had also fried some parts of the engine loom.

 

Cheap wiring, expensive repairs.