MadModder

The Shop => Electronics & IC Programing => Topic started by: PekkaNF on March 13, 2017, 04:34:03 PM

Title: Ford remote fob acting up - micro switch detached
Post by: PekkaNF on March 13, 2017, 04:34:03 PM
My rusty ford developed an annoying fault: Would lock as normal, but would not lock up ocassionally. Sometimes need one touch, sometimes four, sometimes I had to resort key.

I measured the battery, changed the battery, tried contact spray and canned air. Not much help. Sometimes worked sometimes not.

There is a plastic bridge that holds circuitboard down. Used scalpel to cut off the mushroomed heads of board stand-offs.

Micro switch was loose...looked like very little solder on the pad...bit solder and sorted!

Now the question: if the plastic standoffs fails, how to fi it. I had to cut the heads of to gain access to innards. There was left very little plastic to heat/mushroom.

Pekka
Title: Re: Ford remote fob acting up - micro switch detached
Post by: AdeV on March 13, 2017, 05:17:57 PM
Some more sacrificial plastic, a (sacrificial.... or at least old and decrepit) soldering iron, place board, melt new plastic into old using the soldering iron?

I've never tried it before... but that's what I'd do, if I could find some suitable plastic...
Title: Re: Ford remote fob acting up - micro switch detached
Post by: PekkaNF on March 14, 2017, 12:23:42 AM
Why did't I think of that. I have plastic "welding" rods for hot air gun. I could shave off a little and try that.

Now it is fine, but since I cut the mushroom that kept circuit board and a plastic carrier in check, there was limited amount of material left and I'd like to have plan B if that fails. The standoffs were pretty small I think the esessive monkey forces must be diverted somewhere else than on those small mushrooms.

The roots of the standoffs were really thin and would not take any even smallest screw or such.

Here are the pictures. I blanked the areas that had codes in them.

Pekka
Title: Re: Ford remote fob acting up - micro switch detached
Post by: David Jupp on March 14, 2017, 04:19:16 AM
The switches are typically available on eBay (I've replaced a couple in remotes for my wife's car).

I also had problem recently which I thought was one of the switches - turned out that there was iffy contact to the chip on the PCB - a quick re-flow of all the legs of the chip fixed that.
Title: Re: Ford remote fob acting up - micro switch detached
Post by: edward on March 14, 2017, 05:18:53 AM
I've disassembled a wing mirror assembled by melting the plastic pegs over. I ued some shavings from a non-structural area of the same plastic and a soldering iron to do it. Its held for a fair few years.

hopefully you should be able to find a bit of plastic suitable for melting.

It ruined my cheapo soldering iron for anything other than plastic melting, but it was an excuse to buy a nice new Antex one for proper work.

I've since used the same technique to repair a cracked lid on our wheelie bin
Title: Re: Ford remote fob acting up - micro switch detached
Post by: Spurry on March 14, 2017, 05:42:06 AM
What about a little dab with a hot-glue gun. If you do not have one, it would be a good excuse to get one.  :D
Pete