Motoring Discussion > Built in obscelense.	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Zero	Replies: 32

New Tue 6 Dec 22 10:42   Built in obscelense. - Zero

In my beemer. It's occasionally coming up with "Emergency call system unavailable" After some research it appears to be the battery in the telematics unit. Apparently the rechargeable battery has a life span of about 5 years. The unit lives up in the rear roof lining, so a load of trim needs to be removed, and the rear headlining needs to come down. About 250 quid part and labour. Wouldn't mind, but when it complains the message blanks out the mileage and mpg display, and won't be reset till a power off. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 6 Dec 22 11:02   Built in obscelense. - legacylad

I’ll bet you don’t have that problem with a Duster :-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 6 Dec 22 11:06   Built in obscelense. - VxFan

A few months ago, I saw something similar for a Mercedes on a You-Tube channel. The battery was something like £95 from Mercedes and hidden somewhere in the dashboard, but it turns out that the battery is the same type that's used for the back up battery in house burglar alarms and was available for around £15 from Toolstation. The bloke changed it himself, and not only saved £80, but also the labour cost too. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 6 Dec 22 11:15   Built in obscelense. - VxFan

>> About 250 quid part and labour. If you haven't already done some research. www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZYYMFgU9IU Battery part No. 84102447710 Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 6 Dec 22 11:48   Built in obscelense. - Zero

Yeah seen it. All that trim that needs to come off. AND go back turns me off doing it myself Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 6 Dec 22 16:23   Built in obscelense. - Boxsterboy

>> Yeah seen it. All that trim that needs to come off. AND go back turns >> me off doing it myself >> WITHOUT the airbag going off! Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 6 Dec 22 11:58   Built in obscelense. - maltrap

After watching the video, good luck if you do it yourself. Let us know how it goes. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 6 Dec 22 13:10   Built in obscelense. - Rudedog

I've got an SoS system in the GTi as well as the 'spanner' symbol which I guess you could press to call breakdown assistance, not heard of issues around batteries but I know on the Mk8 there has been a software issue with the SoS system that constantly tries to reset itself. I thought the SoS system became mandatory at some point on new cars but I'm sure that needs some kind of Sim connectivity? Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 6 Dec 22 13:54   Built in obscelense. - Lygonos

Saw a patient recently whose car (Ford) phoned the emergency services for him automatically while he was kicking his windscreen out to get out of his car after a smash - he couldn't open the driver door due to deformity of the bodywork. Airbags all deployed (red face from hitting it) and pretensioner-related bruising to collarbone and pelvis. Suspect the energy involved would have meant mince & chunks back in the 80s when I started driving. Last edited by: Lygonos on Tue 6 Dec 22 at 13:55 Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 6 Dec 22 14:14   Built in obscelense. - BiggerBadderDave

Whenever I was allowed to sit in the front I used to teeter on the edge, free of seat belts, gripping the edge of the dashboard. Good old 70s... Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 6 Dec 22 17:02   Built in obscelense. - bathtub tom

>> Whenever I was allowed to sit in the front I used to teeter on the >> edge, free of seat belts, gripping the edge of the dashboard. Good old 70s... I retro-fittted front belts into a couple of cars I had. MIL refused to wear them and claimed that if she saw an accident coming, she'd brace herself. Fortunately she was never in an accident. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 6 Dec 22 14:57   Built in obscelense. - CGNorwich

I remember that some people used to think that you would be better “thrown clear” in the event of a collision. Head first through the windscreen presumably. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 6 Dec 22 15:48   Built in obscelense. - Runfer D'Hills

My dad’s Zephyr had a bench seat in the front with a column gear change. There was a wide-ish pull down armrest in the middle of the bench seat which I used to sit on as a small child so I could see out of the front window. Then there was a Mini van owned by the lady down the road, which when it was her turn to do the cubs/brownies run we would all pile into the back of that. Up to eight kids at a time with nothing other than a sheet of foam rubber on the floor to soften the bumps. Safety/restraints took the form of bracing yourself against a fat kid on the corners. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 6 Dec 22 16:00   Built in obscelense. - Manatee

>> I remember that some people used to think that you would be better “thrown clear” >> in the event of a collision. Head first through the windscreen presumably. It was said quite seriously, I remember well. I can just about imagine the roots of that belief. It the early days of motoring, and for that matter in the highest levels of motorsport too, there had been no seat belts and the drivers who survived proper crashes were most likely the ones who parted company with the vehicle. Perhaps it's still true for motorcycles. Belts weren't obligatory even in grand prix racing until the early 70's. But I certainly can't see how the probabilities would favour that theory in anything but an open car, and with laminated windscreens although they were generally only tempered glass at the time. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 6 Dec 22 16:05   Built in obscelense. - Fullchat

I call prior to the introduction of set belts there was normally a bit of blood and snot on the inside of a cracked windscreen even at low speed impacts. When wearing of belts became compulsory this was rarely seen and generally the indicator of non seat belt wearing. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 6 Dec 22 17:05   Built in obscelense. - bathtub tom

>> I remember that some people used to think that you would be better “thrown clear” >> in the event of a collision. Head first through the windscreen presumably. I believe that may still be true in an open car in a roll-over accident, if no roll bar's fitted. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 6 Dec 22 16:18   Built in obscelense. - Boxsterboy

>> I thought the SoS system became mandatory at some point on new cars but I'm >> sure that needs some kind of Sim connectivity? >> Yes, mandatory in new cars and yes, needs an embedded SIM to work. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 6 Dec 22 18:35   Built in obscelense. - Terry

For several years after the introduction of seat belt laws I was convinced that wearing one would tempt fate. I would have an accident. No seat belt = no accident. Even today I start the car before adorning chest with seat belt - a behaviour originating in the days where start engine was usually followed by check the battery terminals, hammer the fuel pump or starter motor, clean oil off spark plugs, get out and push start. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 6 Dec 22 18:43   Built in obscelense. - Bromptonaut

>> Even today I start the car before adorning chest with seat belt - a behaviour >> originating in the days where start engine was usually followed by.... Start engine, lights on as required, adjust heating and ventilation for conditions, radio on and tuned as appropriate, seat belt on and move off. From 1989 until 2013 I had a hydropneumaticaly suspended Citroen so the stuff from start engine to move off also incorporated waiting for the car's ride height to settle. Seriously though, giving the engine time to settle and oil pressure to stabilise is still good today. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 6 Dec 22 19:13   Built in obscelense. - BiggerBadderDave

Start engine, brush off the snow, go back indoors and finish coffee. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 6 Dec 22 19:42   Built in obscelense. - Zero

>> Start engine, brush off the snow, check for missile debris go back indoors and finish coffee. >> Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 6 Dec 22 20:43   Built in obscelense. - BiggerBadderDave

Start engine, brush off the snow, check for missile debris, go back in the bunker and finish coffee. Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 6 Dec 22 22:06   Built in obscelense. - tyrednemotional

>> Start engine, brush off the snow, go back indoors and finish coffee. >> ..in much of the UK in winter; Start engine, brush off the snow, go back indoors and finish coffee, go back outside and wonder where car is... Reply to this message | Report message

New Tue 6 Dec 22 22:36   Built in obscelense. - legacylad

>> Even today I start the car before adorning chest with seat belt I don’t think i could start the Macan before fitting the seat belt. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 7 Dec 22 08:13   Built in obscelense. - carmalade

Friend of mine has just had the exact same problem on her 2018 X1 . Dealer wanted 4 hours labour plus the battery. She refused to pay , stating that the battery should have a service life of longer than 4 years and it’s a known common problem. In fairness to the dealer , they agreed to repair at no cost . Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 7 Dec 22 14:21   Built in obscelense. - zippy

Would it really be too difficult to have a small container in the glove box with a pop out battery on a sprung arrangement - push to lock in place, push against spring to release (like SD cards)? Laptops have gone the same way with sealed batteries. It used to be so easy to replace a dead battery on a laptop, now the bottom needs to be removed, on some models, the top as well etc. Mine has screws with a really odd head (almost tamper proof). Stuff like this should be illegal given it adds to waste. Last edited by: zippy on Wed 7 Dec 22 at 14:24 Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 7 Dec 22 14:30   Built in obscelense. - Zero

>> Would it really be too difficult to have a small container in the glove box >> with a pop out battery on a sprung arrangement - push to lock in place, >> push against spring to release (like SD cards)? The problem is the Telematics unit needs to be able to work in extreme crash scenarios. So it needs to be placed where it will work when required. Which in this case is figured to be in the rear rook near the aerial. The real question is, why was this feature mandated by legislators. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 7 Dec 22 17:47   Built in obscelense. - Terry

In a decade vehicles so equipped will be in the majority. Road charging becomes simple. Tracking movements becomes trivial - implications for crime detection and privacy. Monitoring road use to drive repairs, upgrades, traffic management becomes feasible. I have no doubt a way round privacy and data will be found. In 15 years the only cars without the technology would be ICE which may even get banned or be required to retrofit the technology. IMHO there is no doubt why the feature was made mandatory. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 7 Dec 22 18:39   Built in obscelense. - Zero

>> Road charging becomes simple. Tracking movements becomes trivial - implications for crime detection and privacy. I wont get mine fixed then. Well done BMW Last edited by: Zero on Wed 7 Dec 22 at 18:39 Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 7 Dec 22 18:57   Built in obscelense. - smokie

">> Road charging becomes simple. Tracking movements becomes trivial - implications for crime detection and privacy. "I wont get mine fixed then. Well done BMW" ANPR keeps an eye on where your car goes. Google keeps an eye on where your phone goes. One more device hardly matters does it? Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 7 Dec 22 19:05   Built in obscelense. - Zero

>> ANPR keeps an eye on where your car goes. Google keeps an eye on where >> your phone goes. One more device hardly matters does it? As far as I know, google does not share my location with HM gov. Unless my name is the same as a Rainbow character. Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 7 Dec 22 18:36   Built in obscelense. - Kevin

>So it needs to be placed where it will work when required... Where do they put them on the ragtops? Reply to this message | Report message

New Wed 7 Dec 22 18:38   Built in obscelense. - Zero

you have to strap it round your testicles lest you get ejected through the roof Reply to this message | Report message