RESOLVED - Fault code 1314 - intermittent - No symptoms

[gsmdo]

Hi there,

I bought myself an OBDeleven the other day, to code a new battery into my Škoda (what an age to be alive - coding batteries 😆).

So naturally, I thought I'd plug it into the convertible this evening and see if there were any faults in the system. There were half a dozen, all but two of which were clearly quite old and cleared immediately (and didn't reappear).

The first is a radio code - this is expected as I have an after-market stereo fitted. The other is an ECU code 1314 - intermittent.

So, I have no symptoms and did a quick Google search and came across this chap's YouTube video, which basically says to pull and replace Relay No 614.

Relay 614 is in the glowplug and fuel pump circuit. I'm tempted to replace, rather than pull and immediately replace the current relay (which is 16yrs and 103k miles old), with a new one.

Any thoughts please?

Thanks,

Mike 🤔

 

[Stevey Y]

49 minutes ago, gsmdo said:

Hi there,

I bought myself an OBDeleven the other day, to code a new battery into my Škoda (what an age to be alive - coding batteries 😆).

So naturally, I thought I'd plug it into the convertible this evening and see if there were any faults in the system. There were half a dozen, all but two of which were clearly quite old and cleared immediately (and didn't reappear).

The first is a radio code - this is expected as I have an after-market stereo fitted. The other is an ECU code 1314 - intermittent.

So, I have no symptoms and did a quick Google search and came across this chap's YouTube video, which basically says to pull and replace Relay No 614.

Relay 614 is in the glowplug and fuel pump circuit. I'm tempted to replace, rather than pull and immediately replace the current relay (which is 16yrs and 013k miles old), with a new one.

Any thoughts please?

Thanks,

Mike 🤔

 

Hi Mike sounds like you have already thought of the ultimate solution, replacing it should give it another 16yrs by which time Greta Thunberg will rule the world and we will all be past caring. The ability to look into your cars innards can get very addictive but who cares as long as you spot the problems before you have to call for recovery, as for the battery most people leave the pairing bit to some acne riddled zoon at Halfords so I would consider it your first step to motoring self sufficiency, it is not as hard as they want you to believe it is.

Steve.

[gsmdo]

So - a fifteen minute job - or so I thought.

I popped the crash panel off the driver's side of the dash, and then expected to see this:

...with Relay 614 on the far left of the row.

What I actually saw, was this:

...a completely different layout of relays. Ignore the charger thing - it's a power supply for the GPS, put there because it was a convenient space.

There is another row above this one, obscured slightly by cabling:

...but the 614 relay doesn't appear there either 🤨

There must be another relay box somewhere - I'm going to start Googling to find it - any advice appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike 😎

 

[gsmdo]

Watching the first video more carefully, the chap accesses a relay and fusebox on the left side of the car by the washer cap...

Unfortunately, that space is occupied by the pollen filter on my car. I removed the scuttle cover and had a good hunt around, but can't find another location... 🤨

[gsmdo]

OK, I have found another video, which shows the location of the relay panel is under the ECU. Since my car has a pollen filter where the YouTuber's ECU and panel is - I wondered if it changes depending on which side the steering wheel is... 🤔

The area ringed has a plastic housing, secured by screws hidden under the scuttle cover - is this the location of the ECU?

Any help appreciated (couldn't get to the car to check today)...

Mike😎

 

[gsmdo]

So, I decided to have a look at the ringed black box above. Once you have removed the scuttle cover and the edge seal, it looks like this:

I have already removed the two screws on the front edge (T30) and the one on the right of the picture - all these are easily accessible.

Then we enter the dark side...

Buried way back on the right back (as I face it) is another T30 screw, access to which is blocked by the wiper trim. I managed to get a short T30 bit in a ratchet drive in there and get it finger tight  (after about 10 minutes), but it became clear there had to be another bolt somewhere, as the cover didn't want to budge...

Dammit - how the hell do you get to that?

Hey-ho - I remove the wiper arms (16mm) and undo the clips on the wiper trim panel - and reach a block. The trim panel seems to fit under the windscreen trim on both sides and all along the bottom of the screen...

I can't see how to get  the trim off and decide that I'll button everything back up and live to fight another day. 

After washing up, I go to my computer to find my mate Kev has sent me this pic as a guide:

 

...which confuses me further, as it shows a slightly different shape and a different screw pattern. I am aware, though, that sometimes these are generic drawings to cover a number of models, so maybe that's what's happening here.

So - can anyone tell,me how to get the wiper trim off please? 🤔😆

Mike🤦‍♂️

[Stevey Y]

6 hours ago, gsmdo said:

So, I decided to have a look at the ringed black box above. Once you have removed the scuttle cover and the edge seal, it looks like this:

I have already removed the two screws on the front edge (T30) and the one on the right of the picture - all these are easily accessible.

Then we enter the dark side...

Buried way back on the right back (as I face it) is another T30 screw, access to which is blocked by the wiper trim. I managed to get a short T30 bit in a ratchet drive in there and get it finger tight  (after about 10 minutes), but it became clear there had to be another bolt somewhere, as the cover didn't want to budge...

Dammit - how the hell do you get to that?

Hey-ho - I remove the wiper arms (16mm) and undo the clips on the wiper trim panel - and reach a block. The trim panel seems to fit under the windscreen trim on both sides and all along the bottom of the screen...

I can't see how to get  the trim off and decide that I'll button everything back up and live to fight another day. 

After washing up, I go to my computer to find my mate Kev has sent me this pic as a guide:

 

...which confuses me further, as it shows a slightly different shape and a different screw pattern. I am aware, though, that sometimes these are generic drawings to cover a number of models, so maybe that's what's happening here.

So - can anyone tell,me how to get the wiper trim off please? 🤔😆

Mike🤦‍♂️

Hi Mike I think if you remove the wipers again try pulling the trim towards the engine, I have come across this system before on a Passat and if its the same there are location tabs that hook in under the windscreen edge, as for the picture nearly all the illustrations in ETKA are generic its the part number that matters.

Steve.

[gsmdo]

6 minutes ago, Stevey Y said:

Hi Mike I think if you remove the wipers again try pulling the trim towards the engine, I have come across this system before on a Passat and if its the same there are location tabs that hook in under the windscreen edge, as for the picture nearly all the illustrations in ETKA are generic its the part number that matters.

Steve.

Thanks Stevey, I was expecting it to come away easily (I could only find a single clip at the far left (as I was looking at it), but the trim disappears under both sides of the windscreen edge trim and I was reluctant to pull it too hard as it's quite thin plastic and I felt sure I must have missed a step, as it felt like it was glued in place along the bottom seal trim of the screen.

If I can get it off, then undoing the screws will be easy.

I can't believe how much effort I am going to without experiencing any symptoms 🤣😂🤣 I suppose it's because I feel the car (after the flywheel and clutch work) is now in tip top condition and this is the only fault stored... 🤦‍♂️

I'll report back, thanks again - and thanks for confirming what I though about the parts diagram. 👍

Mike 😎

 

[Stevey Y]

3 minutes ago, gsmdo said:

Thanks Stevey, I was expecting it to come away easily (I could only find a single clip at the far left (as I was looking at it), but the trim disappears under both sides of the windscreen edge trim and I was reluctant to pull it too hard as it's quite thin plastic and I felt sure I must have missed a step, as it felt like it was glued in place along the bottom seal trim of the screen.

If I can get it off, then undoing the screws will be easy.

I can't believe how much effort I am going to without experiencing any symptoms 🤣😂🤣 I suppose it's because I feel the car (after the flywheel and clutch work) is now in tip top condition and this is the only fault stored... 🤦‍♂️

I'll report back, thanks again - and thanks for confirming what I though about the parts diagram. 👍

Mike 😎

 

Hi what you have to remember is the trim has been there a long time, try running a bit of WD 40 along where the trim meets the screen and leave it to soak for 30min and then try as the WD has a lower surface tension and will creep into the edge of the seal.

Steve.

[gsmdo]

14 minutes ago, Stevey Y said:

Hi what you have to remember is the trim has been there a long time, try running a bit of WD 40 along where the trim meets the screen and leave it to soak for 30min and then try as the WD has a lower surface tension and will creep into the edge of the seal.

Steve.

Good call - will do 👍

I've just found this (really low quality) YouTube of removing the ECU from a LHD S4. The ECU housing is on the opposite side from mine, but it shows the chap pulling the wiper trim up just enough to gain access to the screws - so this seems to be the way to go.

Thanks,

Mike 👍

[gsmdo]

It's a beautiful day, with hardly a cloud in the sky, and already warm when I take the convertible out of the garage...

Let's get all sweaty working under the bonnet, eh? 😆

Half an hour before commencing work, I'd given the wiper trim joint a fair spray of penetrating oil. I remove the battery cover, scuttle cover and pull the scuttle seal off. I then remove the two front screws on the ECU cover.

Crouching down at the side of the car, I remove the trim clip and then try to see if the wiper trim has any 'give' in it. No joy.

No matter. I remove the wipers and then gently l manually  prise the wiper trim up to try to gain access to the rear driver's side screw. I have a wide selection of tools to try to do this, and it would have been easier if it had been a hex head bolt, as I could get good access at a slight angle. No good for a torx, alas.

Eventually I pull the trim up as much as I dare and jam a small block of wood between it and the ECU cover...

This gives me just enough room to get a tiny ratchet driver with a T30 bit square onto the screw. I can turn about 10 degrees at a time, but it's a fine tooth ratchet and makes short work of it.

I then undo the other side and the slightly difficult back screws. So far this has taken me about an hour - but I'm taking my time trying not to damage anything.

I juggle the cover about and get it off...

...to reveal the ECU, held in place not by bolts, but by a large spring clip. I'm pleased to see everything looks watertight and like new in this area.

I undo the clip, carefully lift the ECU out of the way and there it is...

...relay 614.

I pull it out (even access to do this is a challenge 🤦‍♂️) and have a look...

 

As expected, it's the original fit in the car, and the contact blades are showing various degrees of corrosion. I spray a little contact cleaner into the sockets in the car.

So, out with the old and in with the new. I wet the contacts on the new Herth relay with contact cleaner and wiggle it gently into place...

Right - time to start reassembly. I replace the ECU and secure its spring clip, then clear all tools etc from under the bonnet, plug in my OBDeleven, open the App and start the engine. I do a full scan and find three faults:

All three are Code 01304 - saying there's some problem communicating with the radio. I am expecting this, as I have an afterrmarket stereo fitted in the car.

More importantly, it does NOT have a fault code 1314. The fix has worked. 😎👍

So - time to put it back together. Weirdly, it took very little time - the driver's side rear screw (which I'd put some rubber grease on, as it was a bit dry and rusty) went in finger tight until about a turn from set, the other screws also behaved themselves. I refitted the scuttle cover, seal and battery cover, then put a dab of copperslip on the wiper splines before refiittlng them.

Time to take it out for a spin, I  think... 😎