Roadster 1.5 buttons randomly turning off

[xytor]

Has anybody else experienced the buttons on the console randomly turning off while driving?
For me, the heat, ac, recirculation and traction control buttons randomly turn off (about once or twice an hour). This is mostly an annoyance except the traction control, which can be dangerous.

 

[wiztecy]

Never experienced anything like that. First thing I'd do to try and resolve the issue is to do a cold reboot of the VMS since one of its many jobs is to manage that functionality.

 

[asgard]

How do you cold boot the VMS?

 

[wiztecy]

You need to pull both plugs on the VMS and complete power is pulled. The opening/closing the charge-port door is a warm boot. You can try doing the warm boot first to see if that fixes things before you have to contort yourself in odd positions to access the VMS.

 

[xytor]

I tried doing that but it's so tight down there that I couldn't really get a grip. I also couldn't figure out how to undo the blue connector. The black connector, however, was already kind of loose, and I couldn't figure out how to snap it in all the way. Maybe the loose black connector is part of the problem?

 

[wiztecy]

There's a thread if you searched for "VMS connector" that talks about this and a pic of the VMS and that side of the connector/lock. As Mark indicated in that thread, you have to be careful (as with any connector) to not break them (meaning the locking mechanism) and also in the thread it instructs to first release the locking mechanism before you pull.

If you're saying that the black connector was already loose, there could be two things happening. 1) The connector male end has a rubber waterproof / dustproof seal like an oring. If the connector was not fully seated, which you need to compress this gasket/oring by pushing in on the connector the connector will not reach the locking mechanism and will be loose. 2) The locking mechanism could have accidentally been broken off by someone before you. Its most likely #1 I feel. You should feel a distinctive click when the lock engages, at minimum you should not be able to back it out pushed in properly.

If you can't find the link to the VMS thread I'm talking about, let me know and I'll try to find it for you.

And yes its tight down there. If you think that's bad try changing out the steering rack and accessing the steering universal joints from under the steering column!

Lastly, if you feel uncomfortable with accessing the connectors as is, it might be easier to unbolt the VMS from the Roadster and gently allow it to lay on something where you can get a better vantage point on the connectors.

 

[dhrivnak]

I have a 1.5 and have not experienced this problem fortunately. They do shut off when I turn the car off so maybe they see a power drop and think the car is off. But I do not have a clue as to what connector may be lose.

 

[Strib]

Pecular Heater Controls in Cold Weather

[QUOTE

Roadster 1.5 buttons randomly turning off[/QUOTE]

YES ! I have the same problem. At first it seemed random and baffling. Now I see what's happening, just not why.

NOTE: It only happens in cold weather when the FROST icon , below the speedo, is on, glowing orange !

WHAT HAPPENS IS THIS: When it's cool, I usually have the A/C on as well as the heater. That avoids interior condensation, just like 'Climate Control' in most cars. When the temp gets down to about 35 degrees F and the Frost icon turns on (or if it's already on when I start driving), two things happen:
1) the Heater button turns off, leaving the A/C still on.
2) the Recirculate button TOGGLES (reverses whichever state it was in).

I can reset things, and a minute or two later it happens again.


Again... note that this does NOT happen if the A/C button is not on, and it does NOT happen unless the Frost icon is on.

Wierd. I try to imagin the PEM trying to be doing something to protect itself, but it still doesn't compute.

 

[slcasner]

I wonder if some of this is intentional but misguided or badly implemented. I have seen warnings in owners manuals about not using recirculation in situations where that would retain too much moisture in the interior.