School Bus Fleet Magazine Forums
Home | Profile | Register | Active Topics | Members | Search | FAQ
 All Forums
 Professional Garage
 Enter Forum: Professional Garage
 04 Freightliner c-2 electrical panel question
 New Topic  Reply to Topic
 Printer Friendly
Author Previous Topic Topic Next Topic  

Mark23290
Senior Member

United States
96 Posts

Posted - 08/20/2014 :  4:08:54 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
In the side panel the led for number 5 is lit yellow but it says not used for the diagram, the light is always on. Anyone familiar with this bus that could explain to me how to shut it off so the battery wouldn't be dead. Also the door closed led in the panel is lit up as well..
Other funny flukes when I turn the key to the on position the wipers cycle once then go back off. When the red/yellows switch is in the middle on position and you open the door it activates the stop arm.. Have to keep the switch in the complete off position for this not to happen.

So is the bus possessed with a wiring problem or is this common and not to worry.

Any other advise will be appreciated as well.

buster133
Top Member

USA
512 Posts

Posted - 08/21/2014 :  4:42:18 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I've had many buses like this with the side panel PCB's with leds, and I've honestly never paid much attention to them unless I was tracking down a problem. I've had a few that would cycle the wipers on startup, no big deal. It's when you fiddle with the delay switch(if you have it)and the wipers won't stop then its a problem. The bus was probably spec'd with the warning light switch to be like that (that's how mine were spec'd in MA.) So I'd say that this is nothing out of the ordinary for this bus.

One thing to check if this bus is "New" to you make sure the side panel recall was done and the silver auto resetting fuses were replaced with regular fuses.

[URL=http://s7.photobucket.com/user/buster133/media/6f2e0703-1970-4ac9-bb1f-b6b9d7c12297_zps1741e113.jpg.html][/URL]
Go to Top of Page

Mark23290
Senior Member

United States
96 Posts

Posted - 08/22/2014 :  12:12:50 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Now to add to it, the right defrost fan quit working, and tail lights work one minute and not the next.... Can anyone tell me where I should start looking?
Go to Top of Page

Fastback
Top Member

1500 Posts

Posted - 08/22/2014 :  12:44:51 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
You might try checking to see if tail lights function properly with the pretrip lamp check system. Whats interesting is I think our right front defroster fan sometimes runs during that lamp check on our early C2...

Why yes, the ORIGinal CHARGER is a Fastback
Go to Top of Page

Mark23290
Senior Member

United States
96 Posts

Posted - 08/22/2014 :  3:31:11 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I don't think it has a Pretrip lamp check. No button for that and it doesn't do anything special.. Unless I'm missing something.. It's a 2004 Freightliner Thomas
I don't see anywhere in the owners manual for that either. But thanks for letting me know.
Go to Top of Page

tigger2
Advanced Member

USA
469 Posts

Posted - 08/25/2014 :  04:20:29 AM  Show Profile  Click to see tigger2's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
Your bus is not a C-2 if it has a side electrical panel. open the panel door and unscrew the top screws on each corner of the board plate and pull the boards down and check that all of the connectors on the back of both board are pluged in all the way. Thomas is very stingy with the amount of wire used and the connectors come unpluged easily. The brake lights are in board one and I think the defrosters are in board two, there should be a printout of what fuses and relays operate what and which board they are in on the inside of the panel door. make sure that the switch to activate the warning lights is turned all the way off when you are done for the day as it will pull enough amps in the middle position to kill the batteries over a weekend.
Go to Top of Page

Fastback
Top Member

1500 Posts

Posted - 08/25/2014 :  04:44:35 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Mark23290

I don't think it has a Pretrip lamp check. No button for that and it doesn't do anything special.. Unless I'm missing something.. It's a 2004 Freightliner Thomas
I don't see anywhere in the owners manual for that either. But thanks for letting me know.



I think its standard equipment on a C2, for the early vintage there is no button and you wont find it in the owners manual.

Try; Turn on hazard flashers, hold high beam, turn key counter clock three time, leave key in counter clock, and let go of high beam.

Why yes, the ORIGinal CHARGER is a Fastback

Edited by - Fastback on 08/25/2014 05:34:33 AM
Go to Top of Page

Fastback
Top Member

1500 Posts

Posted - 08/25/2014 :  05:31:55 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by Mark23290

.. It's a 2004 Freightliner Thomas



Does it look like the bus in buster133s picture? If it does it is not a C2

Why yes, the ORIGinal CHARGER is a Fastback
Go to Top of Page

buster133
Top Member

USA
512 Posts

Posted - 08/25/2014 :  4:16:03 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
If the bus has an exterior light monitor, follow the gray ribbon cable back to the base unit. Unscrew the board from the switch cabinet and check the back for broken solder, sometimes these go bad. Also check plug J3, this is the input and output wires for the tail lamps. If you have a bad connection in either spot mentioned it will cause the tail light flicker.

Or if you still have the auto reset fuses, you might just have a wire hitting here and there.

[URL=http://s7.photobucket.com/user/buster133/media/6f2e0703-1970-4ac9-bb1f-b6b9d7c12297_zps1741e113.jpg.html][/URL]
Go to Top of Page

Mark23290
Senior Member

United States
96 Posts

Posted - 08/26/2014 :  08:49:54 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Yes it looks like the picture. I ran into a mechanic who worked for a Thomas dealer. And he told me about the recall. Then I seen the posts. My bus has all those old silver looking fuses which I thought where circuit breakers.. I replaced the tail light one with a regular fuse and so far so good. Same with the fan.
So I take it my electrical ghosts are from these original fuses?
I will work on replacing each of them.
BTW You guys all rock when it comes to this stuff. To bad I'm not a mechanic so I tend to ask more questions.. Just a owner/operator.

Go to Top of Page

exmod110
Senior Member

150 Posts

Posted - 08/26/2014 :  09:42:31 AM  Show Profile  Visit exmod110's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Check those panels for internal corrosion. If the door is not tight water gets in and turns everything inside green then starts to do strange things.
Go to Top of Page

exmod110
Senior Member

150 Posts

Posted - 08/26/2014 :  11:50:39 AM  Show Profile  Visit exmod110's Homepage  Reply with Quote
Check those panels for internal corrosion. If the door is not tight water gets in and turns everything inside green then starts to do strange things.
Go to Top of Page
  Previous Topic Topic Next Topic  
 New Topic  Reply to Topic
 Printer Friendly
Jump To:
 


School Bus Fleet Magazine Forums © 2022 School Bus Fleet Magazine Go To Top Of Page
This page was generated in 0.09 seconds. Snitz Forums 2000