Bsi Replacement

[dgeezer]

Wanted to post to see if anyone has had a similar problem, and whether it was/has been fixed successfully ...

 

I purchased a 1.8i petrol '00 Bling (~34k on the clock) from a relative last Sept. He was the second owner of the vehicle and ran it as a second car (~8k miles a year) for 2 years without any reported problems. Two months after getting it (and flogging tp & from work every day, completing 50 mile round trip) I noticed that the dash instruments (speedo, gauges, rev counter) were slow to energise on starting, taking upto 10 minutes to become operational. This despite the fact that the lights, indicators, etc worked normally.

 

Having inibtially thought it was something to do with the cold weather, and the fact that the instrument cluster worked when the car interior warmed up (not sure there's any real scientific basis for this concept !!), the problem spread to the indicators and/or heater blower not working, while the dash problem persisted. I kept saying to myself I must get it looked at .....

 

Issues came to a head first day back to work this year. Filled up with fuel on the way to work and couldn't get the car started to clear the station forecourt !!!! Managed to get the car to the local dealer (who at this point shall remain nameless) who diagnosed BSI failure, which I believe to be the main electrical interface unit controlling the four electrical systems on the car. Was also advised to supply a new battery & (re-con alternator). Having waited 10 days to get the BSI from France (!) they replaced it and then diagnosed a dash unit failure. Another 10 days later and they finally said all was well.

 

Picked the car up and immediately noted the battery light stayed illuminated with the engine running. Was told the battery would charge while running so set off only to discover the indicators & heater blower non-functioning (sound familiar). Turned straight round and had the battery diagnosed as providing enough volts (~13.8V static & ~14.3V at idle, suggesting the alternator was OK) but insufficient amps (304A cf. rating of 570A). The technician at the dealer demonstrated that a new battery delivering the correct power was able to stop the battery light illuminating as well as get all the systems working. Set off again and noticed that the fuel temperature gauge wasn't working. Rang the dealer to advise a problem remained, but agreed to drop the car back after changing the battery. The following day the battery light stayed on again after starting. Changed the battery (with an old one I had lying around) and the battery light went out. Used the car very little over the weekend and got to work the following Monday without incident. Come Monday night return home, and Lo, the battery light stayed on again after starting.

 

Am completlely baffled as to why the problems with the battery light & temp gauge persist. Will be returning to the dealer a.s.a.p. to get them to explain/fix the problem. However, any advice/guidance/sympathy would be appreciated. I am not familiar with mulitplex electrical systems and their associated faults & fixes and seek the voice of experience/wisdom to educate me. Apologies for wittering on so much, but the 3+ weeks to get this far is really stating to piss me off !!!!

[Guest ck1970]

Wanted to post to see if anyone has had a similar problem, and whether it was/has been fixed successfully ...

 

I purchased a 1.8i petrol '00 Bling (~34k on the clock) from a relative last Sept. He was the second owner of the vehicle and ran it as a second car (~8k miles a year) for 2 years without any reported problems. Two months after getting it (and flogging tp & from work every day, completing 50 mile round trip) I noticed that the dash instruments (speedo, gauges, rev counter) were slow to energise on starting, taking upto 10 minutes to become operational. This despite the fact that the lights, indicators, etc worked normally.

 

Having inibtially thought it was something to do with the cold weather, and the fact that the instrument cluster worked when the car interior warmed up (not sure there's any real scientific basis for this concept !!), the problem spread to the indicators and/or heater blower not working, while the dash problem persisted. I kept saying to myself I must get it looked at .....

 

Issues came to a head first day back to work this year. Filled up with fuel on the way to work and couldn't get the car started to clear the station forecourt !!!! Managed to get the car to the local dealer (who at this point shall remain nameless) who diagnosed BSI failure, which I believe to be the main electrical interface unit controlling the four electrical systems on the car. Was also advised to supply a new battery & (re-con alternator). Having waited 10 days to get the BSI from France (!) they replaced it and then diagnosed a dash unit failure. Another 10 days later and they finally said all was well.

 

Picked the car up and immediately noted the battery light stayed illuminated with the engine running. Was told the battery would charge while running so set off only to discover the indicators & heater blower non-functioning (sound familiar). Turned straight round and had the battery diagnosed as providing enough volts (~13.8V static & ~14.3V at idle, suggesting the alternator was OK) but insufficient amps (304A cf. rating of 570A). The technician at the dealer demonstrated that a new battery delivering the correct power was able to stop the battery light illuminating as well as get all the systems working. Set off again and noticed that the fuel temperature gauge wasn't working. Rang the dealer to advise a problem remained, but agreed to drop the car back after changing the battery. The following day the battery light stayed on again after starting. Changed the battery (with an old one I had lying around) and the battery light went out. Used the car very little over the weekend and got to work the following Monday without incident. Come Monday night return home, and Lo, the battery light stayed on again after starting.

 

Am completlely baffled as to why the problems with the battery light & temp gauge persist. Will be returning to the dealer a.s.a.p. to get them to explain/fix the problem. However, any advice/guidance/sympathy would be appreciated. I am not familiar with mulitplex electrical systems and their associated faults & fixes and seek the voice of experience/wisdom to educate me. Apologies for wittering on so much, but the 3+ weeks to get this far is really stating to piss me off !!!!

[Guest ck1970]

Hi, av had similar problems on my berlingo 1.9 d (2000,x reg),it started about 7 months ago first time in morning all instrument panel going bananas,called AA he disconnected battery with that release thing and all was well for a couple of days,but now since that time everything goes nuts and freezes,and does every concievable combination of things,but lights and indicators still work,am having to "reset" battery upto 3 times a trip,this is purely because i know i will be ripped off by garages who also dont really know what it is and change anything and fault will still be there,if it is this B.S.I thing would be chuffed,van starts and goes A1 but dashboard POSSESSED!!! HELP!!

[iannez]

the light should come on if the battery drops below 10v. it does not come on if the alternator goes down. had these alternators test ok 0ne minute and get nothing the next.

[kfk]

first off.......has the berlingo ever had a Windscreen replaced?

 

It isnt unussual for the screen to leak afterwards and run down the harness into the BSI.....it maybe that the harness connector has corrosion in it and changing the BSI alone hasnt resolved it.

 

From memory i have a feeling theres an earth connector for the BSI on the passenger side footwell just forward of the door hinge pillar under the carpet screwed into the 'side' of the car (not floor)....worth a look to see if it has come loose (instrument panel earth). There is one also on the drivers side in same position, the blower motor appears to earth through this. and under the bonnet you have a fuse boxbetween it and the indicator you will find various earths bolted to the inner wing......have a look for corrosion as the BSI earths here.

[dgeezer]

Haven't looked at the forum since my original posting on the subject ... thanks for the replies.

 

To update the story (memory a bit hazy in places) it took 3 months for the dealer to sort out the problem. Having had the BSI, instrument cluster, battery and alternator replaced, the car kept reverting to a 'safety' mode when left standing. The dealer was baffled and I am not sure the bods back at Citroen in France were much help, but it turned out the car would 'trip out' into this mode (in which the indicators, wipers and blower failed to function) because the BSI was sensing remote locking signals despite not having central locking. Everytime a person sent a remote unlock signal to a car in the vicinity of mine, the BSI (which had been set up to reflect no remote central locking fitted) apparently viewed the signal as rogue and 'tripped out'. Finally, the dealer reconfigured the BSI to reflect remote central locking as fitted, and the BSI was able to determine that all signals were to be ignored, thereby avoiding the reversionary mode.

 

As might be expected, I was not impressed with the dealer/Citroen in the slow progress in solving the problem ... and am still baffled why a 'safe' mode results in the car losing indicators and wipers, which I consider fairly essential in ensuring safe driving. I did feel somewhat appeased when the dealer loaned me a courtesy car to try and make up for the inconvenience due to the extended delays - but was thoroughly dejected when I had to have a week off work with a bad back as a result !!! I recommend avoiding Nissan Micras with 'bucket' seats at all costs. Incidentally, the rear wiper motor blew during all this, but having shelled out heaps to get the prime issue resolved I decided to ignore this .... still not sorted even today.

 

I thought I would close out the saga as some members may benefit from the knowledge ... and because, in my next posting (to be submitted very shortly after this one), the problem appears to have returned after 2 years and another ~30k miles .... aaarrggghhhh !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!