Electronic circuit board / relay repairs

[GarageQueen]

I was wondering if anyone has had any success getting small electrical components repaired? Perhaps by sending them away?

I have a Headlight washer control unit / relay that isn't working and I'd like to get it repaired. I'm struggling to justify the new replacement cost.

It would probably need a few components replacing on the ECB.


Cheers

[nsa]

Try a computer repair shop. They are usually handy with testing electrical equipment and soldering. I had some bad relays repaired on a power steering computer for about £10 after sourcing the relays myself.

I found a guy in Bayswater computer market in central London.

[Mr2Mike]

Automotive electronics can be difficult to repair as most car manufacturers have the IC's re-marked with their own codes, or in some cases it's an ASIC made specially for the manufacturer, which will be be unobtainable if it needs replacement.

Have you opened up the relay and checked for any obvious faults such as water ingress or broken solder joints?

[GarageQueen]

Mr2Mike said:

Automotive electronics can be difficult to repair as most car manufacturers have the IC's re-marked with their own codes, or in some cases it's an ASIC made specially for the manufacturer, which will be be unobtainable if it needs replacement.

Have you opened up the relay and checked for any obvious faults such as water ingress or broken solder joints?

I've opened it up, what do you think? There's a few of the metals strips that have been covered over in a dark red substance but surely it would still pass a voltage? One solder joint with a hole but again I think that would still connect? Any ideas?

[S70JPS]

The problem is testing. If you don't know how an electronic board works it is difficult to diagnose unless you have the wiring diagrams and test specs. Nothing obvious in the pics apart from a bit of water damage on the tracks. This may or may not have caused component damage. Sorry that's not much help but I come across this every day. The red stuff is conformal coating which will need to be removed before any work is done.

[buzzer]

from the photo it looks like the bottom strip on the circuit board has been dissolved? may be worth just soldering some thin wire (telephone cable works well) on to bridge the poor connection?

I have recently repaired a Volvo instrument cluster where it had an intermittent fault. the dealer quoted £700 to change it, the car is only worth that!

Turned out to be just a dry solder joint. (always check for this with a Jewellers Loupe) A quick dab of the soldering iron and all was well.