Community Forums

joezagor · 12-18-2005, 08:44 AM

I have read quie a few times about instrumentation failure on the Workhorse 8.1 . All my gauges go out, including gas, oil pressure, odometer, speedometer, etc. Some time later they come back on. Now it went out wihile parked in the garage. Is there a solution or is his an intermittent thing that I just have to deal with?

joezagor · 12-18-2005, 08:44 AM

I have read quie a few times about instrumentation failure on the Workhorse 8.1 . All my gauges go out, including gas, oil pressure, odometer, speedometer, etc. Some time later they come back on. Now it went out wihile parked in the garage. Is there a solution or is his an intermittent thing that I just have to deal with?

Thudman · 12-18-2005, 10:02 AM

Could you be more specific & give us the year & make/model of your rig? If you can, try to wiggle the wire bundles going to the gages. Could be a loose ground. If applicable, have you had the IP Recall complied with?

Thudman

joezagor · 12-18-2005, 10:55 AM

I have a 2003 Southwind 32VS, workhorse 8,1 with Allison 5-speed tranny. Yes, I had the instrument cluster recal done. I will try wiggling the wires behind the dash. Thanks.

Oklahoma MR C · 12-19-2005, 09:11 AM

I had a case where the gauges were quiting one at a time, really catches your eye. after I finally lost all readings,including the fuel level I pulled off road,layed down under dash and started checking wires and connections. finally found a multiplug(cannon) loose. Pushed in hard and heard a click, wife checked and all worked again. since I heard this click I think it was loose and this problem has never happen again. Good Luck
2002 Damon Intruder(W-22)
2002 Chevy Tracker 4WD with Clyde Driving
Our Motorhomes name is "Happy Days" from my Signage..

rogueii · 12-19-2005, 10:59 AM

I have had all my guages go to zero, than back to normal, while driving. Cannot reproduce it. It just happens and I don't really feel any power loss. I have 20k on the unit. Recalls up to date.

Char N4FAP · 12-19-2005, 03:28 PM

I received a recall for my dash at W/H. Its been a problem for aling time.

N4FAP

"007" · 12-20-2005, 10:27 AM

Myself and DriVer I believe have not had some of the many problems that everyone has experienced with the IP display. When I first got my coach I checked all battery and gnd locations for loose and dirty connections in the front power panels and fuse blocks, gnd posts on frame of chassis, GND's from Gen,converter, refer,furnace,transfer switch locations.
I found many loose connections for gnd's and remade with star washers so they wouldn't become loose again.
The IP had a loose connector plug and plug wasn't locked. The IP was checked out on the recall after I also ran the tests, the only thing that at times malfuntions is the fuel gage going to empty, their still working on it.
Some people had the IP changed two or three times back in 03-04 thats when I call Actia and said that I thought it was a wiring problem with coach MFG's connecting IP's. Than others said it was a chip problem, all I know is I still have the same IP on a coach built OCT- 02 and just have my chimes rung once in a while.

"007"

E Z Livin · 12-22-2005, 05:37 AM

Rogueii, a Workhouse Technican was installing new shocks and I told him on the way my instrument panel went dead and then came back on. He checked for loose ground and everything was fine. He called Workhouse and said they told him that every 5,000 miles, the computer would do this to reset itself. I bought it as I turned 5,000 miles on way to his shop.
Joezagor, I do not think this is our case and agree with others that it sounds like a ground problem or maybe needs a recall.

rogueii · 12-22-2005, 11:54 AM

It may well be a Computer Reset at 5,000 mile intervals. I put 11,000 miles on it in 4 months this summer, but did not pay attention to milage when it happened. I check most of the ground connections when I lube the RV.(just roll around on the creeper to get the ones underneath.

jonny33v · 12-23-2005, 02:27 PM

I had the same thing happen to me at about the 5000 mile interval. It hasn't happend since and now there are 12000 miles on the coach.

Joe Gilbert · 12-28-2005, 04:10 PM

Perhaps DiVer can confirm but I believe that the instruments are on a two-wire bus (all the instruments plus a fair number of other inputs to the computer, all report to the computer over a two-wire bus.) Any upset on the bus will result in a computer reset. I've seen this with my W22. All of the gauges will drop to zero, quickly followed by all comming back on line.

DriVer, am I correct????

I doubt the issue is as simple as bad grounds however, noise on the two-wire bus could in fact result in a system fault and likely a computer reset. In my case it hasn't been a big deal but it does get your attention. I'm on the road now and I've seen this two times in about 3000 miles.

Thats my take on this issue.

JoeG

lwmuddy · 12-29-2005, 04:07 AM

I experienced this too. Have 12K on OD.
I have heard a BEEP maybe 3 or 4 times in 12K mile, but it wasn't until reciently that I was able to see why there was a beep. Generic beeps mean nothing. I had no idea what was beeping.
The last 2 times I did see the fuel gauge go to zero for about 15seconds, then back to normal.
Stuid me, I did not note the mileage each time we heard it.
Is there and on-board computer event log that I can access that recorded the gauge event?
I had the cluster replaced about 4 months ago and everthing is readable again.

DriVer · 12-29-2005, 06:14 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Joe Gilbert:
DriVer, am I correct???? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>JoeG, I appreciate the opportunity to respond to this question. First and foremost Workhorse "is" aware of the problem however it is one heck of a hum dinger to put your finger on it because the fault is totally random and inconsistent.

If the fault could be repeated via scientific method, it could be analyzed and a resolution applied that would get the problem once and for all out of focus.

The Actia bus uses a J-1850 and a J-1939 bus. Exactly how many data pathways this bus topology offers is not yet clear to me however the issue is "not" bus related.

What causes the fault or IP reset condition is the following. The event is triggered by an electrical surge or spike. The 12V system on a motorcoach is prone to these types of events for numerous reasons.

A bad ground condition could cause a spike however so could a number of other relays that could either be based in the chassis topology or added by the OEM. One notorious device is the "Emergency Start" switch. That switch throws such a surge to the 12 volt system it's a wonder that it's a usable solution to start the engine in a loss of power condition in the automotive battery.

When the IP receives the spike it goes into a "voltage protection mode". Once the safety circuit is activated it disengages the 12 volt power source from the inputs on the IP.

Once the protection mode circuitry is satisfied that a threat no longer exists, it restores the power to the bus and the cluster is reset. Once the cluster is reset it returns to normal operation. This entire process as we've seen may only take 3 to 5 seconds to cycle from fault to normal.

So that's what I have on this, I hope it's understandable and makes it easier to conceptualize.