Challenger - Dodge UK / AEC / Unity Automotive taking the P?
Discussion
Looking for some feedback on the issues found with the Challenger Jailbreak in its first 5 months since hitting the road mid May....
Its had a few niggling issues since day 1, and there have been 2 campaigns to try and get them resolved. The first involving a day and a half at the Scotland Dodge dealer near Glasgow, the second involving a recently completed 5 week stint back at Unity Automotive in Kidlington, near Oxford.
Issue no 1 is a UConnect 8.4 dash infortainment system, that from time to time would decide that silence is most appropriate. Whilst I would agree that listening to the engine and supercharger is amazing, there seems little point having all those speakers and several Harman Kardon amps taking up space under the boot floor if they are never going to work.... The symptom is that on start up, the volume bar on the display is stuck at 0 and the speakers are silent. No amount of volume twiddling persuades the bar to move from 0, or the speakers to emit a squeak. Turning everything off and on again does nothing. At least not on demand. Then later (anything from some hours to some days), you can start it up and magically, the volume, and speakers are working again. Its a bit of a lottery then as to whether you will have tunes on any particular day, and if you don't, then you have to wait until the car decides you are getting them back again. On the trip to the dealer in Scotland, they allegedly updated firmware that appeared to not make any difference. Thereafter, Dodge UK / AEC / Unity said they would need to replace the head unit and would send for one from Mopar. So, I was fully expecting that to be now fitted on the 2nd, 5 week dealer visit, but on getting the car back on Friday, am seeing all the radio presets are still there, as are things like phone pairings. So not looking like that has been done, unless they have magically backed up all the settings before changing and uploaded to the new head unit....
Issue no 2 relates to the Active Exhaust system. With this, if the car was remote started (handy to let it warm out before leaving the house - Car on private land), every 5 starts or so, it would throw fault codes relating to the 2 valves, then shut itself down. No major hardship as it would still run and drive, albeit with the Check Engine light illuminated. This could either be cleared with an OBD tool, or if left for a few days, would clear itself. As I had some concerns this could be an indication of a bigger problem than just remote start, I asked for it to be looked at. The Scotland dealer eventually said they had guidance from the US as to the problems, and had "run in a new supply" to the Active Exhaust valves and that had solved it. Here is a picture of the apparant modification;
Which looks surprisingly similar to a Halford's "add-a-fuse"
Nonetheless, it was appreciated that in the day and a half, most of which they were waiting on the states to waken up for, this would do as a temporary fix, and this could get tidied properly at the next service.
However, whilst no more Active Exhaust fault codes would throw, we now had a new issue. A battery that would self discharge in a few days down to about 9 volts, and therefore unable to start the engine. So we were now resorting to carrying jump leads around and leaving the battery on a maintainer, even for a few days. A "few days" being about 3 or 4.
One Saturday, I had a right delve into it with some electrical test equipment and found that one of the biggest draws on the battery was both the original feed, and the new feed placing a continuous 195 mA draw on the battery, even with the car shutdown. This on top of all the other parasitic loads, some of which seemed to be quite hungry as well.
At this point, the car was collected on a trailer by Unity to go back to base for a detailed investigation. In various discussions to enquire how it was going, regards the Active Exhaust valve issue, they say it's resolved, but that the Halfords "add a fuse" is how they come from Dodge. Yeah right..... I can really see in the factory in Brampton, most of the circuits being run into the rear of the fuse box, then as the car progresses down the production line, someone who's job it is to add the extra fuse with the wire coming out under the lid of the fuse box..... Unity say they have "tidied it up a bit" but no evidence of this either.
The other tasks they were to do were a package of Mopar security updates - https://www.dodgegarage.com/news/article/showcase/...
The easiest one for me to check has been done is the Valet Mode update. Previously, in Valet Mode, the car would still develop about 175 HP according to the dash power gauge - Enough to still propel the car to 100 mph (private road of course), whereas the updated power mode was supposed to limit it to around 3 HP - Basically enough to allow the car to creep around a car park / parking lot / tyre fitters, etc, but be so gutless, no tyre fitter would even want to take it onto the road. Well, after 5 weeks at Unity, we are still developing 175 HP in Valet Mode.....
So I am starting to wonder if they have done anything at all wit the car in the last 5 weeks. I have asked for a detailed report of what has been done, and await this with interest. Not a report that says "We fixed all the issues", but one that details what has actually been done. If this is not forthcoming, the battery keeps flattening itself and the radio keeps deciding its time I listened to only the engine for a few days, then the conclusion will have to be drawn that little or nothing has happened in 5 weeks.
So interested to hear if any other Challenger / Charger / Mopar owners of cars which have Active Exhaust valves, also have a Halford's "add-a-fuse" hanging out the lid of the rear fuse box, and if you too are forced into the pleasure of listening to the engine, when you really hoped for some tunes?
Cheers
Windy
Its had a few niggling issues since day 1, and there have been 2 campaigns to try and get them resolved. The first involving a day and a half at the Scotland Dodge dealer near Glasgow, the second involving a recently completed 5 week stint back at Unity Automotive in Kidlington, near Oxford.
Issue no 1 is a UConnect 8.4 dash infortainment system, that from time to time would decide that silence is most appropriate. Whilst I would agree that listening to the engine and supercharger is amazing, there seems little point having all those speakers and several Harman Kardon amps taking up space under the boot floor if they are never going to work.... The symptom is that on start up, the volume bar on the display is stuck at 0 and the speakers are silent. No amount of volume twiddling persuades the bar to move from 0, or the speakers to emit a squeak. Turning everything off and on again does nothing. At least not on demand. Then later (anything from some hours to some days), you can start it up and magically, the volume, and speakers are working again. Its a bit of a lottery then as to whether you will have tunes on any particular day, and if you don't, then you have to wait until the car decides you are getting them back again. On the trip to the dealer in Scotland, they allegedly updated firmware that appeared to not make any difference. Thereafter, Dodge UK / AEC / Unity said they would need to replace the head unit and would send for one from Mopar. So, I was fully expecting that to be now fitted on the 2nd, 5 week dealer visit, but on getting the car back on Friday, am seeing all the radio presets are still there, as are things like phone pairings. So not looking like that has been done, unless they have magically backed up all the settings before changing and uploaded to the new head unit....
Issue no 2 relates to the Active Exhaust system. With this, if the car was remote started (handy to let it warm out before leaving the house - Car on private land), every 5 starts or so, it would throw fault codes relating to the 2 valves, then shut itself down. No major hardship as it would still run and drive, albeit with the Check Engine light illuminated. This could either be cleared with an OBD tool, or if left for a few days, would clear itself. As I had some concerns this could be an indication of a bigger problem than just remote start, I asked for it to be looked at. The Scotland dealer eventually said they had guidance from the US as to the problems, and had "run in a new supply" to the Active Exhaust valves and that had solved it. Here is a picture of the apparant modification;
Which looks surprisingly similar to a Halford's "add-a-fuse"
Nonetheless, it was appreciated that in the day and a half, most of which they were waiting on the states to waken up for, this would do as a temporary fix, and this could get tidied properly at the next service.
However, whilst no more Active Exhaust fault codes would throw, we now had a new issue. A battery that would self discharge in a few days down to about 9 volts, and therefore unable to start the engine. So we were now resorting to carrying jump leads around and leaving the battery on a maintainer, even for a few days. A "few days" being about 3 or 4.
One Saturday, I had a right delve into it with some electrical test equipment and found that one of the biggest draws on the battery was both the original feed, and the new feed placing a continuous 195 mA draw on the battery, even with the car shutdown. This on top of all the other parasitic loads, some of which seemed to be quite hungry as well.
At this point, the car was collected on a trailer by Unity to go back to base for a detailed investigation. In various discussions to enquire how it was going, regards the Active Exhaust valve issue, they say it's resolved, but that the Halfords "add a fuse" is how they come from Dodge. Yeah right..... I can really see in the factory in Brampton, most of the circuits being run into the rear of the fuse box, then as the car progresses down the production line, someone who's job it is to add the extra fuse with the wire coming out under the lid of the fuse box..... Unity say they have "tidied it up a bit" but no evidence of this either.
The other tasks they were to do were a package of Mopar security updates - https://www.dodgegarage.com/news/article/showcase/...
The easiest one for me to check has been done is the Valet Mode update. Previously, in Valet Mode, the car would still develop about 175 HP according to the dash power gauge - Enough to still propel the car to 100 mph (private road of course), whereas the updated power mode was supposed to limit it to around 3 HP - Basically enough to allow the car to creep around a car park / parking lot / tyre fitters, etc, but be so gutless, no tyre fitter would even want to take it onto the road. Well, after 5 weeks at Unity, we are still developing 175 HP in Valet Mode.....
So I am starting to wonder if they have done anything at all wit the car in the last 5 weeks. I have asked for a detailed report of what has been done, and await this with interest. Not a report that says "We fixed all the issues", but one that details what has actually been done. If this is not forthcoming, the battery keeps flattening itself and the radio keeps deciding its time I listened to only the engine for a few days, then the conclusion will have to be drawn that little or nothing has happened in 5 weeks.
So interested to hear if any other Challenger / Charger / Mopar owners of cars which have Active Exhaust valves, also have a Halford's "add-a-fuse" hanging out the lid of the rear fuse box, and if you too are forced into the pleasure of listening to the engine, when you really hoped for some tunes?
Cheers
Windy
Sorry to read your tail of woe Windy. I hope you get it sorted eventually. My car is a 2015 and so far the active exhaust valves have not been a problem. The Harmon Kardon stereo is pretty awful. No real volume. I seem to remember that back in the day that I read that these were wired incorrectly. But as I never listen to the system or very rarely I never bothered looking to rectify it. I believe yours has apple car play which mine does not which is a far better system.
I would suggest you take a look at https://www.hellcatforum.org/ I don't go on there that often but generally they are a very helpful bunch and I am sure someone will know the answer. Keep us posted as to how you get on
I would suggest you take a look at https://www.hellcatforum.org/ I don't go on there that often but generally they are a very helpful bunch and I am sure someone will know the answer. Keep us posted as to how you get on
Cheers for that. Not sure if it will get sorted, eventually, or otherwise. In discussion with Unity, it appears they have not changed the head unit, as they said they would. And on the battery front, after 4 days of not being started, it is down to 11.8 V, according to the dash display. I have previously compared this to a calibrated Fluke 289 multimeter and its pretty close. Car has only stood since Sunday without starting, and at 11.8V, a lead acid battery is down to about 30% SOC. Prior to Monday, it was driven about 90 miles on Friday, 20 miles on Saturday and 20 miles on Sunday. So over the next few days, I will trend the battery voltage without starting the engine, but already it looks to be on track to not be able to start the engine within 5 - 7 days, without the use of a charger or jump leads.
Unity say they replaced the battery, but that seems to be a fat lot of use when there is a parasitic load dragging it down all the time.
So either this becomes an "eventually" right enough, or a not at all, as rejection remains a strong possibility.
Unity say they replaced the battery, but that seems to be a fat lot of use when there is a parasitic load dragging it down all the time.
So either this becomes an "eventually" right enough, or a not at all, as rejection remains a strong possibility.
I get the silence issue on the radio of my Challenger occasionally, usually switching on and off does the trick. However, I have seen that if you unplug the white and black connectors on the amp module under the passenger seat and plug them back in, it might do the trick. Same with the fuse in the boot. Probably a loose connection or they should replace the module?
So there has been a bit of trending of battery voltage done, without starting the car, from a fully charged battery. Last week, the voltage got down to 11.2 volts after 7 days of not running. Still just enough to start it, but at 11.2 volts, well into battery damaging levels of discharge.
The same test being repeated this week, but with the active exhaust wiring, in particular the extra circuit through the front of the fuse box, disconnected. From a post float charge level of 12.6 volts, we have settled out at a steady resting voltage of 12.2 volts, without the daily several points of a volt decline we had last week.
Unity keep insisting there is nothing wrong, with the extra fuse through the front of the rear fuse box being "normal" and "how they come". But yet, disconnecting it makes the battery hold up.
Its beyond me why the active exhaust valves need to be permanently powered by 2 different circuits when the car is "Off" and to be drawing a reasonable amount of current 24/7/365
The same test being repeated this week, but with the active exhaust wiring, in particular the extra circuit through the front of the fuse box, disconnected. From a post float charge level of 12.6 volts, we have settled out at a steady resting voltage of 12.2 volts, without the daily several points of a volt decline we had last week.
Unity keep insisting there is nothing wrong, with the extra fuse through the front of the rear fuse box being "normal" and "how they come". But yet, disconnecting it makes the battery hold up.
Its beyond me why the active exhaust valves need to be permanently powered by 2 different circuits when the car is "Off" and to be drawing a reasonable amount of current 24/7/365
So, after a bit more voltage trending, its been 100% conclusive that the active exhaust valves are the culprit for the battery draining issue. Meanwhile, some further investigating done in the rear fuse box which seems to have uncovered even more issues. A non standard fuse that is dimensionally smaller than it should be, forced into one of the sockets. This, when the car was just 5 weeks old and back at a dealer for remedials! 
The findings have been photographed and written up and sent to the dealer, who is now mysteriously gone quiet. Bearing iin mind this is a rather expensive car, just over 5 months old....
Now, in further investigating, it seems that there are other issues with the active exhaust system. Now my attention, and technical mind, has been drawn to it, I see we also seem to have 1 tailpipe that gets quieter and louder as the active valve works. And one that doesn't, apparently stuck on 'loud'. As well as an audible perception that one tailpipe is louder than the other, a sound pressure level meter (deciBel-o-meter) confirms this. At a non-specific ditance from the tailpipe, the meter records a 5 dB change in SPL between quiet and loud, whilst no change of worth on the other.
Now, it appears that the exhaust on these UK imports gets replaced by AEC with one from Grail in Germany;
https://grailautomotive.de/Grail-Dodge-Challenger-...
But can find little technical info on this to see how it should behave. Being a V8, with 2 mirrored tailpipes, I would expect for the engines sake that both valves do the same thing at the same time to keep things balanced. I have emailed Grail in Germany to see if they can shed any more light. The exhaust system seems to be quite different from the standard one and as well as the pipework being quite different, there seems to be an extra CANBUS gateway strapped to the side of the rear fuse box as well. And it seems to have been from here that the dealer took the red wire seen in the below "modification"
So a number of issues, and struggling to get the dealer to take this seriously. In relation to the flattening battery, their MD's suggestion was "to keep the car on a battery charger at all times when its not being driven". When pointed out that that would not work well if the car was parked at, say, an airport car park for 7 days, their suggestion was "Buy a £1000 banger and use that for leaving at the airport"
This is not really the level of service that is expected on a new 6 figure car purchase.
So, anyone else here got a Charger or Challenger with the Grail system that can help shed any light?
Cheers
The findings have been photographed and written up and sent to the dealer, who is now mysteriously gone quiet. Bearing iin mind this is a rather expensive car, just over 5 months old....
Now, in further investigating, it seems that there are other issues with the active exhaust system. Now my attention, and technical mind, has been drawn to it, I see we also seem to have 1 tailpipe that gets quieter and louder as the active valve works. And one that doesn't, apparently stuck on 'loud'. As well as an audible perception that one tailpipe is louder than the other, a sound pressure level meter (deciBel-o-meter) confirms this. At a non-specific ditance from the tailpipe, the meter records a 5 dB change in SPL between quiet and loud, whilst no change of worth on the other.
Now, it appears that the exhaust on these UK imports gets replaced by AEC with one from Grail in Germany;
https://grailautomotive.de/Grail-Dodge-Challenger-...
But can find little technical info on this to see how it should behave. Being a V8, with 2 mirrored tailpipes, I would expect for the engines sake that both valves do the same thing at the same time to keep things balanced. I have emailed Grail in Germany to see if they can shed any more light. The exhaust system seems to be quite different from the standard one and as well as the pipework being quite different, there seems to be an extra CANBUS gateway strapped to the side of the rear fuse box as well. And it seems to have been from here that the dealer took the red wire seen in the below "modification"
So a number of issues, and struggling to get the dealer to take this seriously. In relation to the flattening battery, their MD's suggestion was "to keep the car on a battery charger at all times when its not being driven". When pointed out that that would not work well if the car was parked at, say, an airport car park for 7 days, their suggestion was "Buy a £1000 banger and use that for leaving at the airport"
This is not really the level of service that is expected on a new 6 figure car purchase.
So, anyone else here got a Charger or Challenger with the Grail system that can help shed any light?
Cheers
Sorry to hear your awful experience with your new Jailbreak. You expect support from these companies who pass themselves off as Dealerships. After all your not asking for any favours. I'm in Australia and had to have a Right Hand Drive conversion done, so you can imagine the issues we have after getting a brand new car butchered. We do however retain the original exhaust at conversion time. Hope you get the issues sorted soon.
Checked my 22 Hellcat and don't have the "Halfords" bodge either. I agree that the Active Exhaust Valve Actuators shouldn't be drawing anything once the car is switched off. I do know they will cycle on and off at switch on to ensure they have the correct range of travel. They will also be fully open on start up, so exhaust volume should be greatest at this time, and in my opinion db levels should be even from both sides. If the exhaust noise is indeed different from both sides it might suggest that one of the Valves' opening (or closing) travel is different from the other. However, if one gets stuck it should throw a code.
What codes were the Valves throwing up at the start ?
I looked at the Challenger photo on the Grail website and cannot see the Active Exhaust Valve Actuators at all. Maybe its just the photo's angle. Does your Grail exhaust even have them fitted. Maybe the Actuators aren't in use and have been tied up underneath.
I have a Sport exhaust fitted to mine. The Active Exhaust Valve Actuators aren't in use, they are still connected and have been tied up.
Have you tried the "Forced Reset" with regard to fixing the issue with your radio ?
Checked my 22 Hellcat and don't have the "Halfords" bodge either. I agree that the Active Exhaust Valve Actuators shouldn't be drawing anything once the car is switched off. I do know they will cycle on and off at switch on to ensure they have the correct range of travel. They will also be fully open on start up, so exhaust volume should be greatest at this time, and in my opinion db levels should be even from both sides. If the exhaust noise is indeed different from both sides it might suggest that one of the Valves' opening (or closing) travel is different from the other. However, if one gets stuck it should throw a code.
What codes were the Valves throwing up at the start ?
I looked at the Challenger photo on the Grail website and cannot see the Active Exhaust Valve Actuators at all. Maybe its just the photo's angle. Does your Grail exhaust even have them fitted. Maybe the Actuators aren't in use and have been tied up underneath.
I have a Sport exhaust fitted to mine. The Active Exhaust Valve Actuators aren't in use, they are still connected and have been tied up.
Have you tried the "Forced Reset" with regard to fixing the issue with your radio ?
Edited by Stv on Saturday 11th November 01:39
Might be worth having a chat with someone like David Boatwright. They probably see a lot more cars than an official UK Dodge dealer.
Bit wary of these UK dealers these days. Used to be ok back in the day, I worked at one, but now there is seemingly no or little commonality between the Dodge stuff and other things the dealer sells so they don’t have the experience.
I’ve had a new official U.K. Dodge dealer open up just down the road from me which was exciting as was hoping they could do my Ram if needed but despite them being able to flog me any new / used truck, they didn’t have anybody in house qualified to actually work on them. They are all just Subaru trained mechanics
Bit wary of these UK dealers these days. Used to be ok back in the day, I worked at one, but now there is seemingly no or little commonality between the Dodge stuff and other things the dealer sells so they don’t have the experience.
I’ve had a new official U.K. Dodge dealer open up just down the road from me which was exciting as was hoping they could do my Ram if needed but despite them being able to flog me any new / used truck, they didn’t have anybody in house qualified to actually work on them. They are all just Subaru trained mechanics
Thanks to both for the feedback. I spoke again with the Unity aftersales manager yesterday, and have a faint glimmer of hope that they might be starting to pay some attention. But yes, it does seem that they are primarily car salespeople with little knowledge of the technicalities. He did confirm that on EU/UK import, they get fitted with the Grail system for noise compliance. I am assuming that even the standard Active Exhaust system doesn't comply. Not sure. And yes, the Grail system does have actuators, but like you, I cannot see them on the pic on the Grail website, so assuming they are tucked up above the exhaust, guessing just in front of the diff - I need to get this car on a ramp / over a pit to see what we really have....
And thanks to all who have confirmed they do not have the "Halfords Add-a-fuse" bodge. What utter BS being told "this is how they come..."
Cheers
Windy
And thanks to all who have confirmed they do not have the "Halfords Add-a-fuse" bodge. What utter BS being told "this is how they come..."
Cheers
Windy
I'm not thinking the US forums will be hugely helpful here on the exhaust issue, unless it is frequented by EU/UK owners. It seems that when AEC act as importers for these cars, potentially for both EU and UK, that they replace the standard exhaust with the Grail system;
https://grailautomotive.de/Grail-Dodge-Challenger-...
And in this case, its the Grail system that seems to be the issue. But can give it a go, as for sure there will be some UK/EU owners on the US forums.
In the case of the radio, it was supposed to have a head unit replacement when it went to Unity for 5 weeks. But was not done. Last heard from them on that issue is that "it is growing arms and legs..."
https://grailautomotive.de/Grail-Dodge-Challenger-...
And in this case, its the Grail system that seems to be the issue. But can give it a go, as for sure there will be some UK/EU owners on the US forums.
In the case of the radio, it was supposed to have a head unit replacement when it went to Unity for 5 weeks. But was not done. Last heard from them on that issue is that "it is growing arms and legs..."
Stv said:
Checked my 22 Hellcat and don't have the "Halfords" bodge either
I think mine is unique!Stv said:
They will also be fully open on start up, so exhaust volume should be greatest at this time, and in my opinion db levels should be even from both sides. If the exhaust noise is indeed different from both sides it might suggest that one of the Valves' opening (or closing) travel is different from the other. However, if one gets stuck it should throw a code.
What codes were the Valves throwing up at the start ?
It would throw U113F and U1140 both together and both as a result of a Remote Start, but only about every 1 in 5. At the time I asked for it to be fixed, not so much as Remote Start was a necessity, but more as it could have been an indication that something more significant was amiss. U113F seems to be the left valve actuator and U1140 is the right. It would throw both together, but not every time.What codes were the Valves throwing up at the start ?
Stv said:
Have you tried the "Forced Reset" with regard to fixing the issue with your radio ?
Yes, been there, done that, and if the dealer is to be believed, its also had 2 firmware updates. Its better than it was, for sure, but still annoying that it sometimes does it without rhyme nor reason, and its restoration is as random as its occurrence. I find the Grail system being fitted for compliance a bit odd. I brought my scat pack over which has the standard active exhaust system fitted, albeit the car was used. I'd be asking AEC to have the original system back on, I seriously doubt the noise level is much different.
A friend has a Charger Hellcat bought brand new through a dealer here, so presumably has the grail too. I'll see if he has any battery issues...
A friend has a Charger Hellcat bought brand new through a dealer here, so presumably has the grail too. I'll see if he has any battery issues...
Some good progress today after speaking with Grail and them sending the installation manual for the system. So the left valve is definitely not moving when it should be (and when the right does) and the source of the power feed to the Grail system is not coming from the fuse they specify in their installation manual. So tomorrow, its a right look under the car at these valves, as Grail say that if the actuators are fitted incorrectly, the valve can bind and not move.
The chap from Grail also says that this is fitted for UK/EU noise compliance, so guessing there must be something in it. I have nothing to go on other than a hunch, but that is making me wonder if the Grail system is actually louder than standard when it "can be" and quieter than standard when it "needs to be". I have nothing to compare it with.
Anyway, the guy I spoke to at Grail seems very helpful, and understandably knowledgeable, which is a breath of fresh air after the last 6 months. We'll see what tomorrow brings with a right look. Just not the sort of thing you expect to be having to do on brand new car that has spent almost 6 weeks in the hands of a dealer to supposedly remedy.....
The chap from Grail also says that this is fitted for UK/EU noise compliance, so guessing there must be something in it. I have nothing to go on other than a hunch, but that is making me wonder if the Grail system is actually louder than standard when it "can be" and quieter than standard when it "needs to be". I have nothing to compare it with.
Anyway, the guy I spoke to at Grail seems very helpful, and understandably knowledgeable, which is a breath of fresh air after the last 6 months. We'll see what tomorrow brings with a right look. Just not the sort of thing you expect to be having to do on brand new car that has spent almost 6 weeks in the hands of a dealer to supposedly remedy.....
BTW, the "Halfords Add-a-fuse" is the actual Grail solution - Just not in the slot they specify, and that would explain the battery draining issue, especially if a valve is stuck, its getting a permanently live feed and possibly trying to motor to the end of its stroke 24/7
Its a wee bit of a scrappy solution. Once I get to the bottom of the issue with Grail, I may see if I can populate a spare way in the fuse box and run the supply that way, rather than have that wire sticking out the front. So I am guessing that all Grail systems have the "Add-a-fuse" and all standard systems don't. That wold explain why most if not all on here who have reported findings, do not have it.
Its a wee bit of a scrappy solution. Once I get to the bottom of the issue with Grail, I may see if I can populate a spare way in the fuse box and run the supply that way, rather than have that wire sticking out the front. So I am guessing that all Grail systems have the "Add-a-fuse" and all standard systems don't. That wold explain why most if not all on here who have reported findings, do not have it.
If of interest, here is the operating philosophy from the installation manual sent to me by Grail today;
I have not yet tried toggling the mode using the "RES" button as described above, but on mine, the mode appears to change depending on the status of "Paddle Shifters". If paddle shifters are enabled, its loud, if disabled, its quiet (on one side....)
I have not yet tried toggling the mode using the "RES" button as described above, but on mine, the mode appears to change depending on the status of "Paddle Shifters". If paddle shifters are enabled, its loud, if disabled, its quiet (on one side....)
A productive and successful day today!
So the issue was that the torsional drive spring that sits between the actuator and the valve shaft on the left hand pipe had dislodged. The actuator would turn, but the valve wouldn't. As the actuator needs to see the valve end stopping so that it can calibrate itself based on its position encoder, then this was naturally not working - Hence the fault codes from day one of this (just to remind ourselves) new car.
On refitting the spring, it would just pop out again the first time the actuator operated. Further inspection showed that there was probably too much clearance between the actuator and the valve shaft, and the torsional spring would twist out as soon as any tension came on it. So, to see if it would work, I have tapped a stainless washer in between the spring coils to keep some axial compression on it and hold it in place. Exhaust back on the car and valve tested - It now works, and strokes in synchronisation with the right one!
On starting the car, what a difference. Quiet is now properly quiet, and loud is, well, loud. But the difference between the 2 is so much more than before, both aurally and as confirmed by the sound meter. Both tail pipes now change by ~5 dB on toggling the mode from quiet to loud
The car has not done this from before it was delivered back in May, so I had nothing to compare it with. Turns out its been running with 1 flap open (partly or fully) and one closed all this time. And an actuator that kept failing to find its end stops, so would huff, throw fault codes and bring up the MIL.
Now, why couldn't this be found and dealt with on 2 separate dealer visits? One for 2 days in June and one for 5 weeks (yes, that's right, 5 weeks.....) in September / October? And should I really have had to be doing this myself to get it sorted?
Anyway, progress is being made. Tomorrow, its a case of trying to get the fuse box / wiring back to where it should be following the bodges that were done at the dealers to try and overcome a fundamental mechanical issue with a spring.....
Oh, and it now also toggles between loud and quiet modes with a 3 second press on the RES button on the wheel!
Happiness is returning!
So the issue was that the torsional drive spring that sits between the actuator and the valve shaft on the left hand pipe had dislodged. The actuator would turn, but the valve wouldn't. As the actuator needs to see the valve end stopping so that it can calibrate itself based on its position encoder, then this was naturally not working - Hence the fault codes from day one of this (just to remind ourselves) new car.
On refitting the spring, it would just pop out again the first time the actuator operated. Further inspection showed that there was probably too much clearance between the actuator and the valve shaft, and the torsional spring would twist out as soon as any tension came on it. So, to see if it would work, I have tapped a stainless washer in between the spring coils to keep some axial compression on it and hold it in place. Exhaust back on the car and valve tested - It now works, and strokes in synchronisation with the right one!
On starting the car, what a difference. Quiet is now properly quiet, and loud is, well, loud. But the difference between the 2 is so much more than before, both aurally and as confirmed by the sound meter. Both tail pipes now change by ~5 dB on toggling the mode from quiet to loud
The car has not done this from before it was delivered back in May, so I had nothing to compare it with. Turns out its been running with 1 flap open (partly or fully) and one closed all this time. And an actuator that kept failing to find its end stops, so would huff, throw fault codes and bring up the MIL.
Now, why couldn't this be found and dealt with on 2 separate dealer visits? One for 2 days in June and one for 5 weeks (yes, that's right, 5 weeks.....) in September / October? And should I really have had to be doing this myself to get it sorted?
Anyway, progress is being made. Tomorrow, its a case of trying to get the fuse box / wiring back to where it should be following the bodges that were done at the dealers to try and overcome a fundamental mechanical issue with a spring.....
Oh, and it now also toggles between loud and quiet modes with a 3 second press on the RES button on the wheel!
Happiness is returning!
That is very good news Windy. I have little faith in main dealers. Most seem to be fitters and not practical mechanics. I have one guy that looks after my stuff and what he is not sure about he reads up on. He is both excellent in mechanical and electrical work and a little OCD in the sense it always has to be 100% right. Few and far between nowadays.
Indeed. Of many things that are galling, its not just being given the non tech description, in case the silly customer doesn't understand, its getting the complete and utter BS that doesn't even bear resemblance to the truth. And being expected to swallow it, when in reality its just a case of hoping you will go away and stop complaining.
Oh well, lets see what tomorrows electrical exploits bring!
Oh well, lets see what tomorrows electrical exploits bring!
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