How to access HIDDEN SCREENS on late D4?

[drivesafe]

Hi Folks, can someone describe the process for entering the HIDDEN SCREENS on late model D4s.

There seems to be quite a large portion of these late model D4s having charging problems.

For some reason ( software caused ) many late model D4s are not charging cranking batteries properly or are showing erroneous ?LOW BATTERY, START MOTOR? messages.

This message is continually being displayed, even after repeated charging of the cranking battery with a battery charger.

A Hard Reset will either have no effect or have a short term fix but the messages come back.

I have now had number of cases where customer's cranking batteries have continually gone flat for no apparent reason and they have taken their D4 to their dealership and the first thing the dealer states, is that the problem is being caused by my dual battery system.

In two of these cases, the owners phoned me when they left the dealers and in both cases, I had them disconnect their dual battery systems and for the next month they continued to have flat battery problems.

One of these two customers kept his hidden screen up while driving and watched the voltage while he was driving.

In that month, his voltage never got above 12.2v at any time and this is way too low to recharge the cranking battery and is the reason his battery kept going flat.

At the end of the month, he went back to the dealers and told them his battery was still going flat.

The first thing the service people stated was that they told him his dual battery system was the problem.

He then informed them that he had had the dual battery system disconnected from the day he last saw them.

They then did a software update and the the customer told me he had 14.7v on his screen on the return drive home from the dealers.

The other customer had the same results once the software was updated.

I have just had another customer phone with the same problem. He was getting the ?LOW BATTERY, START MOTOR? message while he was sitting in the driveway at the dealers, and yes they have blamed my DBS again.

It is this customer who would like to know how to access the hidden screen in his D4.

So checking your operating voltages while you are driving might be advantageous to other D4 owners.

[rufusking]

This from the 2013-14 workshop manual.

[gofish]

https://youtu.be/Shop3VzEmX0

[LRD414]

Another simple way is to get a cheap 12V cig plug voltmeter which can be monitored all the time, even just after cranking.

[randomprocess]

But this only gets to the entertainment system hidden menus. I think the OP is after the menu system on the dash board for fuel consumption, battery volts etc. Does anyone know how to get to that "Extended" mode?

[winaje]

...The first thing the service people stated was that they told him his dual battery system was the problem.

He then informed them that he had had the dual battery system disconnected from the day he last saw them.

They then did a software update and the the customer told me he had 14.7v on his screen on the return drive home from the dealers...

*mutter mutter* lazy #$^$% people who just want to fob the problem off to someone else, geez they $%^*$^& irritate me!!!

[eddy]

This may help.I see the latest firmware update for the Nanocom is able to reset the battery monitoring system. News - NANOCOM Evolution (http://www.nanocom-diagnostics.com/news.php?articleid=116)
The cigarette lighter voltmeter/Temperature/USB charger plugs work well and are cheap as chips.

[drivesafe]

Another simple way is to get a cheap 12V cig plug voltmeter which can be monitored all the time, even just after cranking.

Hi LRD and thanks.

But unfortunately, anything that uses a vehicle's power sockets as the reference voltage is susceptible to quite a potentially large voltage drop, depending on what else is connected to the same power circuit, like the air conditioner or sound system.

I have seen more than a volt difference between the cranking battery voltage and the voltage readings of a device plugged into a power socket.

[LandyAndy]

Tim.
I have been using a Jacar cig lighter plug voltage meter.
The vehicle doesnt seem to charge whilst under power,12.6 to 12.8v displayed,on the over-run it charges at 14.4 to 14.8V.
When you first start it doesnt charge either,however once running it must re-check voltage,seems to charge at 13.3V at idle if its required.If the engel has been running it then goes up to 14.8V,even saw 15V once.After 20mins or so it reverts to not charging under power.
Just spent 8 days in Albany with my 80lt engel(seperate fridge/freezer model) running all the time,switched to freeze during the day and turned down slightly at nite.Didnt have any messages,engel was stil live each morning when turned back to freeze.
Andrew

[winaje]

Is the readout of a Scanguage II reliable for voltage? Fed from OBDII socket.

[RoverLander]

I know the 2010 model diagnostic screen showed voltage. I have had a look at the MY15 hidden screens and im pretty sure there is no screen that shows voltage.

I monitor voltage through a TPMS (which also shows voltage) that is connected directly to the battery. Voltage while driving varies between 12.1 and 15. Howver it follows a pattern of high voltage for the first 30 min or so of driving and then varies after that depending on engine power needed.

Never had a low battery message. My dual battery is run by a dC/dc charger but i dont think that is relevant to the problem described here.

I also assume that no accessory or DBMS is directly connected to the negative terminal of the battery. That will definetly cause the symptons described.

Peter

[gghaggis]

On my 2010 RRS, the diagnostic screen voltage readout and the readout from the interior front 12V point are almost identical and track each other very well, so I wouldn't expect the screen voltage to be any more accurate than the 12V point on a MY2015.

Cheers,

Gordon

[drivesafe]

Well I spent an hour on the phone with the D4 owner this morning and we were able to carry out some testing.

The D4 is just a few months old but everything is pointing to a stuffed cranking battery.

While he does do a few short drives, he has done quite a few thousand kms since buying his D4, so there is either a charging problem or the battery is faulty.

While we were testing the battery, he was telling me he again rang the dealer this morning and told them about the possibility of a software upgrade that might fix his problem.

How is this for good customer relations!

They told him they knew nothing about any upgrade and while they would look at his D4, but because it had the dual battery system fitted, they would be charging him for any work done.

The battery has been on a battery charger, a couple of times, over the last few days, and after resting over night, the battery was showing a terminal voltage of 12.6v, which "should" indicate a charge state of 90+%

But as soon as the ignition is turned on, ( without stating the motor ), the battery voltage instantly drops to 12.2v.

This would account for the continual message "BATTERY LOW, START MOTOR"

Once the motor started, the voltage rose to 14.4v????

But even when this message appeared while the D4 was on the driveway at the dealership the other day, they told him it was the dual battery system causing the problem.

The dual battery system has been disconnected since his visit to the dealers the other day, and the problem is worse now than it was.

[josh.huber]

Hey drivesafe, big fan of your product and service over here. For sure battery is u\s 12.2 v to run ign is ridiculous. However once replaced the system will need to be monitored to see if it needs more attention. Probably will need the software upgrade. I would suggest replace battery and not ask them to diagnose but only upgrade the system software that should keep bill low

it's always five o clock somewhere

[LandyAndy]

Hey drivesafe, big fan of your product and service over here. For sure battery is u\s 12.2 v to run ign is ridiculous. However once replaced the system will need to be monitored to see if it needs more attention. Probably will need the software upgrade. I would suggest replace battery and not ask them to diagnose but only upgrade the system software that should keep bill low

it's always five o clock somewhere

Software update should be free.
Ive seen mine as low as 11.9V when unlocking the vehicle last week in Albany.No low battery warning,engel was still running(on Tims DBS+low battery cut out).
Andrew

[josh.huber]

Software update should be free.
Ive seen mine as low as 11.9V when unlocking the vehicle last week in Albany.No low battery warning,engel was still running(on Tims DBS+low battery cut out).
Andrew

Yeah but if it had 12.6 v then dropped just due to ign the battery is not in good condition

it's always five o clock somewhere

[drivesafe]

Hi Andrew, and as your battery was at 11.9v and didn't cause any message displays, indicates your battery is in good condition. Just shows how well my system looks after your battery.

SORRY Andrew, I just couldn't reset :p :p :p

With the fact this gent had charged his battery a couple of time and the battery still dropped so much, just by turning on the ignition, then this is a good indication the battery is just not holding a charge.

The battery is only a couple of months old so the dealer needs to get his head out where the sun don't shine and start showing some respect for his customer.

This is this gents first LR and the way the dealer is acting, after just a few months of owning his new D4, it's going to be the gents last LR.

[jonesy63]

Hi Tim - is the cranking battery in question the "new" Exide AGM battery?

[drivesafe]

Hi Jonesy and I have not asked him.

I am expecting a call from him so I will ask then.

[Barryp]

Hi Drivesafe,
The later models (around 2010 and newer I think) have the Battery Monitoring System (BMS) which I have reset on mine using a IID tool. If the car doesn't have BMS it doesn't come up as an option in the IID tool menu.
The BMS drives up the charge voltage on overrun (closed throttle) until the battery is fully charged from my observations and then reduces charge voltage to a lower level regardless of overrun condition.
I understand it can cause issues and get out of step with the battery condition. IID recommend in their instructions a BMS reset for example, if a new battery is fitted.
Just a thought guys.
Regards
Barry

[catch-22]

Mine might be a little different. Go in to Valet and it says 'Valet Off - Enter Pin'

[letherm]

Mine might be a little different. Go in to Valet and it says 'Valet Off - Enter Pin'

You need to hold it for about 30 seconds from memory for the hidden menu to appear.


Martin

[catch-22]

Yeah did that. My Valet appears on the bottom towards the right, not the top left. It's an HSE with all the fruit..