Hi there - this is my first post on here. Ive got a 2013 Titanium X-Sport - mileage on it is low (only about 40k or so) but theres a couple of issues that need attending to on it. The first one is the above. When driving along (obvioulsy at night i can see it) the front lights seem to have a mind of their own...the motor which controls the angle of the lights is erratically moving up and down causing people coming toward me to flash their lights as they think the full beam is on...i am getting a lighting error on the dash - i forget what it actually says but along the lines of the lights have failed. Ive unplugged the connectors to the lights and given them a clean with a bit of WD40 (shot in the dark) but that didnt do anything. Ive found that theres apparently a sensor somewhere on the car....when i was at the Toyota parts counter the other day (sorting out issues with our IQ) the bloke behind the counter said "oh yeah the sensor is attached to the back axle (probably around the centre somewhere)" - and from what i can find theres some sort of control box as well but i cant find the location of that....im pretty handy, have a good jack and axle stands so im more than happy getting under the car - can anyone point me to where these parts are located so i can inspect and maybe replace?

Oh i have got a laptop with the forscan software installed....i did connect to the car and get an error reading but couldnt make anything from it...! i dont have access to them right now but i can get them if it helps anyone....

 

 

 

Cheers

Andy

Automatic Headlamp Leveling System for Ford S-MAX/Galaxy 2006- (CA1) S-MAX/Galaxy

https://7zap.com/en/catalog/cars/Ford/S-MAX%2FGalaxy/S-MAX%2FGalaxy 2006- (CA1)/VVg0TjY4QjVhVVUyRmhtK3pHcXNzQT09--/10101->11565->11568/47609|---Automatic+Headlamp+Levelling+System/

Sensors located in the wheel arch. Common failure is a broken plastic arm that is attached to the suspension.

Wow Brilliant (many thanks) - been looking for that for ages!! im guessing rear arches - is there one on both sides? - and where is the location of that box...(i guess the brains that controls it?)

Just to add im seeing 2 parts for the sensors so one each side on the rear wheels? edit - wow there looks to be 4 of them on all wheels? - so im guessing its a case of going round the wheels and checking each one.!

Also - to keep adding to this! 🙂 - assuming there is a broken arm im guessing from that parts listing that i have to buy the whole sensor? and assuming i do - (and im not sure you'll be able to answer...) - would it take only one of these 4 units to be faulty to see what im seeing?

Deleted

The Ford system is not the same as Toyota.

ok-  the part numbers show a FL FR RL RR indicating that theres 4?

I realize that...i was only asking the bloke in the Toyota garage as a generalization....(y'know - where are these things usually located).....

yes there are 4 sensors one for each wheel. FORScan should be able to show which one is not working correctly. There are two junction boxes (one each side) the lights are controlled by the Body Control Module (BCM)

ok- let me see if i can find a pic of what it dumped out...

Mind you this might not be right...it was at the top...so i may have snapshotted the wrong screen...! 

 

I just also like to say...thanks...thanks for the very quick and knowledgeable replies! - my plan was to attack it this weekend!

Ah !!!!!

Firstly DTC's that begin "Uxxxx-xx" are saying that communication has been lost with a particular module or device. Normally they get resolved when the fault is repaired. However, in your case with a 2013 vehicle and the faults showing up in the Instrument Cluster I very much suspect you have the common problem of the solder joints failing on the IC. The problem can usually be fixed by sending the instrument cluster away to a repair service who will refurbish and resolder all the connections.

I can also see there is a fault with the heating/ air con.

Unfortunately there is no screen shot of the BCM which I would expect to have some DTC's.

Perhaps @Tizer could take a look and give his thoughts on the matter, he is very good on live data files acquired with FORScan.

***** - this could be getting expensive!! (when you say "the instrument cluster") - you mean the dashboard ie - in front of the steering wheel!?

Air con works but has alwas been *****! (it gets cold but takes ages!!)

How do i get a shot of the "BCM" whatever that is....im here to learn! as i plan to look after it more and more as time goes on!

Instrument Cluster = Rev Counter, Speedo, Temp, Fuel etc. etc.

many companies advertising repair for around £80 to £90  @rd457 might be able to help.

The BCM should have been on the same page but nearer the top of the same page.

Just to say im pretty handy at soldering (work in IT) - ive done a fair bit of fine surface mount work or is it heat gun type work? unless theres a specific place (which id need to find) - along time ago i tried to fix a dodgy volvo set of clocks for a mate and for the life of me no matter what i re-tinned....couldnt find it!!

2 minutes ago, ComfySofa said:

Just to say im pretty handy at soldering (work in IT) - ive done a fair bit of fine surface mount work or is it heat gun type work?

Its the getting the pointers off the dials to dismantle the IC and then getting them back on the shafts in exactly the correct position that is the real challenge.

If you were to try and solder it yourself then you will need an extremely fine temperature controlled soldering iron tip and some good quality LEAD TIN solder not the rubbish that was originally used.

Right - sounds like a job for someone who knows better than me then...! i dont mind paying if i need to!

2 hours ago, unofix said:

yes there are 4 sensors one for each wheel. FORScan should be able to show which one is not working correctly. There are two junction boxes (one each side) the lights are controlled by the Body Control Module (BCM)

Where  abouts are those junction boxes located?

I would delete all the codes then open the Table or Dashboard in FORScan and if there is no Headlamp Control Module, look in the BCM and IPC for any PID's relating to the Headlamps, take the car for a run with the Headlamps on and have a look at what the PID's say as well as checking for what Fault Codes come back.

I agree with @unofix that it could well be faulty Solder in the IPC or corrosion in the BCM.

I don't know how many Can Busses these car have but it is worth looking at what other Modules are on the same Bus to see if there are faults in these also. 

When you open FORScan it should tell you what Bus each Module is on.

Ok - getting to be a bit of an information overload....ill get the laptop plugged in and get some fresh codes....other half is out in it at the moment and its caning it down here as well....its a long weekend so ill have a look then. Thanks so much for all of the help and information (even if i dont understand a lot of it...yet!)

4 hours ago, unofix said:

Instrument Cluster = Rev Counter, Speedo, Temp, Fuel etc. etc.

many companies advertising repair for around £80 to £90  @rd457 might be able to help.

Thanks again for the recommendation, I'll be having to put you on commission. 😛

2 hours ago, ComfySofa said:

Right - sounds like a job for someone who knows better than me then...! i dont mind paying if i need to!

If you'd like me to do it I'm happy to, links below in my signature. My 'standard' service is a high quality repair but at a very cheap price due to there being lot's of competition (not that I expect most of them are doing it properly like me - replacing the cracked solder with standard leaded ("60/40") solder rather than just reflowing it). I'm typically managing to achieve a same-day repair.

Cool - sounds like a plan...first and foremost - how difficult is it to get the clocks out??!! i notice your in Shropshire...im in Bristol...as this car is used daily if possible i could drop them to you?

5 hours ago, ComfySofa said:

Cool - sounds like a plan...first and foremost - how difficult is it to get the clocks out??!! i notice your in Shropshire...im in Bristol...as this car is used daily if possible i could drop them to you?

It's easy:

1. Unlock the lock that holds the steering wheel in position so that you can pull it towards you for maximum room to work. (You should find it on the bottom side of the steering wheel column).
2. There should be a piece of plastic at the base of the instrument cluster, attached to a flexible bit of rubber on top of the steering wheel, which should just lift out of the way.
3. Two screws should now be exposed at the bottom of the instrument cluster that secure it in place, you'll just need a torx screwdriver to undo them. I believe they require a T27 or similar size.
4. The top has a simple clip helping hold it in place. As I recall you can get it loose by carefully slipping something like a credit card or screwdriver in the slight gap at the top and gently prising.
5. With it loose the last thing then to do is detatch the wiring connector. There's a locking mechanism securing it in place. You'll find a lever on the connector which you have to move 90 degrees to unlock it, then you can pull the connector off.

Yeah I guess if you want to drive up here and drop it off in person that's okay.

Brilliant - thats great...ill see if i can get it removed this weekend (with regards to dropping it off ill see how im set but might have to send it)....how much do you need for sorting it out..?

My apologies...clicked on the link....sorted. Edit: Just looking at your link/ebay page its says the mk4 is not affected...is my smax a mk4 or 3? or, even if mine is a mk4 it can still suffer from this?