Error Code 50-56...
- Thread starter timm9
- Start date
Rara Avis
Veteran Member
Did you ever get this resolved?
MetroX
Member
Tim,
Any word yet on the source of the problems with the CAN communications on your TC?
Any word yet on the source of the problems with the CAN communications on your TC?
MteroX,
Not yet.... That unit has been at the dealers for going on 7 weeks. They just last week got it to "throw" the code again. They have been very good about not running the bill through the roof. I told them a was not worried about getting it back quickly as I have another TC and a W11B if I need it, and it's not snowing...
Interestingly enough, When the code locked up the TC the only way I got it on the trailer was to disconnect both CPU's which reset the code and allowed me to move it. It would not lock up again until everything was tightly reconnected and put back together again. I will post the minute we have a cure!
Not yet.... That unit has been at the dealers for going on 7 weeks. They just last week got it to "throw" the code again. They have been very good about not running the bill through the roof. I told them a was not worried about getting it back quickly as I have another TC and a W11B if I need it, and it's not snowing...
Interestingly enough, When the code locked up the TC the only way I got it on the trailer was to disconnect both CPU's which reset the code and allowed me to move it. It would not lock up again until everything was tightly reconnected and put back together again. I will post the minute we have a cure!
MetroX
Member
Timm9,
I am so confident that you have a wiring problem affecting one of the CAN bus wires, I just want to tear into that harness!
The nature of CAN bus communications allow a certain number of erroneous messages to exist on the CAN bus. When you reset the controllers, you effectively reset the error counters.
With an intermittent connection on the CAN bus, or an intermittent grounding of one of the CAN bus wires, some messages will get through, others will be considered error frames and discarded, then the module will resend that message. So it is not uncommon that the unit will seem to work normally for a short time. Once the limit of error frames on the CAN bus is reached, the master device controller (I think this is the dash module) will ignore all messages from the module whose messages were being jumbled. If the issue affects all communications on the bus, the module that gets ignored (called going error passive, and then bus off) is usually the one trying to send the most messages. The end result to the Toolcat is that when one of the modules goes off line, it stops moving.
When you shut the Toolcat off and restart, the error counters are reset. If the intermittent problem with the CAN bus communications are not present, it will then work fine again. If the CAN bus cannot send messages (due to being grounded out, or a poor connection) then it will go into the error mode again and not move. I think that when the service guys remove the modules and plug them back in, they are moving the part of the harness that has a problem, sometimes making it work again (temporarily). This is exactly like the problem I had with my 2004 B series, which was due to an unseated pin in the connector to the drive controller. Your symptoms indicate that the modules are able to communicate (not a problem with the controllers) so I would not waste any time swapping out the dash or drive controllers.
A frustrating problem, but I hope that your service guys can concentrate on that wiring harness and solve your problem for good!
I am so confident that you have a wiring problem affecting one of the CAN bus wires, I just want to tear into that harness!
The nature of CAN bus communications allow a certain number of erroneous messages to exist on the CAN bus. When you reset the controllers, you effectively reset the error counters.
With an intermittent connection on the CAN bus, or an intermittent grounding of one of the CAN bus wires, some messages will get through, others will be considered error frames and discarded, then the module will resend that message. So it is not uncommon that the unit will seem to work normally for a short time. Once the limit of error frames on the CAN bus is reached, the master device controller (I think this is the dash module) will ignore all messages from the module whose messages were being jumbled. If the issue affects all communications on the bus, the module that gets ignored (called going error passive, and then bus off) is usually the one trying to send the most messages. The end result to the Toolcat is that when one of the modules goes off line, it stops moving.
When you shut the Toolcat off and restart, the error counters are reset. If the intermittent problem with the CAN bus communications are not present, it will then work fine again. If the CAN bus cannot send messages (due to being grounded out, or a poor connection) then it will go into the error mode again and not move. I think that when the service guys remove the modules and plug them back in, they are moving the part of the harness that has a problem, sometimes making it work again (temporarily). This is exactly like the problem I had with my 2004 B series, which was due to an unseated pin in the connector to the drive controller. Your symptoms indicate that the modules are able to communicate (not a problem with the controllers) so I would not waste any time swapping out the dash or drive controllers.
A frustrating problem, but I hope that your service guys can concentrate on that wiring harness and solve your problem for good!
MetroX,
Thank you very much for your input! I have shared your post with the service manager and he found it very interesting! I suspect that we will see a resolution very shortly!
This "issue" has been going on for a very long time with lots of time, money, and frustration for everyone. I will post a detailed explaination of the problem and the fix as soon as things are resolved.
Thanks again!
Tim
Thank you very much for your input! I have shared your post with the service manager and he found it very interesting! I suspect that we will see a resolution very shortly!
This "issue" has been going on for a very long time with lots of time, money, and frustration for everyone. I will post a detailed explaination of the problem and the fix as soon as things are resolved.
Thanks again!
Tim
Update:
After 2 months at the dealer (who has been excellent in keeping the diagnostic costs down) the drive CPU has been swaped out and the unit was run without failure/error code. If you have been following the posts, you will remember that I have had 3 console CPU's. At the begining of the week I had intended to pick the TC (3 1/2 to 4 hours round trip) up and finish getting ready for winter.
The service manager called and told me that even after the drive CPU replacement, the TC is still coding 50-56. My thought (along with Metro's) is that this is a wiring harness issue. The dealer is now going to bypass the two primary CAN wires in the harness and see if it will still code 50-56. I have heard reports that other harnesses have been bad out of the factory but I have not been able to provide the dealer, nor has the dealer been able to find (to convience corprate) any hard evidence supporting the need to replace the harness which is over 20 hours in labor alone. I'm being told that the dealer is trying to get the area rep to visit the dealer to review the situation.
If anyone has evidence (invoice, TC serial numbers, etc) that might help in my situation I would be very greateful!
After 2 months at the dealer (who has been excellent in keeping the diagnostic costs down) the drive CPU has been swaped out and the unit was run without failure/error code. If you have been following the posts, you will remember that I have had 3 console CPU's. At the begining of the week I had intended to pick the TC (3 1/2 to 4 hours round trip) up and finish getting ready for winter.
The service manager called and told me that even after the drive CPU replacement, the TC is still coding 50-56. My thought (along with Metro's) is that this is a wiring harness issue. The dealer is now going to bypass the two primary CAN wires in the harness and see if it will still code 50-56. I have heard reports that other harnesses have been bad out of the factory but I have not been able to provide the dealer, nor has the dealer been able to find (to convience corprate) any hard evidence supporting the need to replace the harness which is over 20 hours in labor alone. I'm being told that the dealer is trying to get the area rep to visit the dealer to review the situation.
If anyone has evidence (invoice, TC serial numbers, etc) that might help in my situation I would be very greateful!
The saga continues...Yet another update on the Error Code 50-56.
After leaving one of my TC's with the dealer for over 2 months this summer they felt they had found a solution for the error code. The dealer isolated the wires (2 wires referenced by the code) and ran new wires from the Drive Controller to the Dash Controller. It ran just fine for 7 hours and then the Error Code 50-56 came back. Unfortunately, this time I'm not able to reset the code after disconnecting the wiring harness from the two controllers, and reassembling which I was able to do previously which would allow me to get the TC on a trailer. No amount of starting and shutting off will reset the code which will not allow the TC to be moved. The TC is dead in the water so to speak. As a side note, the dealer also changed out both CPU's and no luck.
I'm posting this update for the benefit of all, but also to let everyone know that there is a way to tow the TC (B series, not sure about the others) which I was not aware of until this most recent reoccurrence. There are a set of special bolts you can purchase that will allow you to tow the TC. It's not as simple as that. There is a procedure that is outlined in the service manual under Towing in the first few pages on the manual. The bolts are being shipped UPS and will arrive tomorrow. Hopefully I can get it on the trailer and to the dealer. I'll report back and let everyone know how big of a PIA it turns out to be...
After leaving one of my TC's with the dealer for over 2 months this summer they felt they had found a solution for the error code. The dealer isolated the wires (2 wires referenced by the code) and ran new wires from the Drive Controller to the Dash Controller. It ran just fine for 7 hours and then the Error Code 50-56 came back. Unfortunately, this time I'm not able to reset the code after disconnecting the wiring harness from the two controllers, and reassembling which I was able to do previously which would allow me to get the TC on a trailer. No amount of starting and shutting off will reset the code which will not allow the TC to be moved. The TC is dead in the water so to speak. As a side note, the dealer also changed out both CPU's and no luck.
I'm posting this update for the benefit of all, but also to let everyone know that there is a way to tow the TC (B series, not sure about the others) which I was not aware of until this most recent reoccurrence. There are a set of special bolts you can purchase that will allow you to tow the TC. It's not as simple as that. There is a procedure that is outlined in the service manual under Towing in the first few pages on the manual. The bolts are being shipped UPS and will arrive tomorrow. Hopefully I can get it on the trailer and to the dealer. I'll report back and let everyone know how big of a PIA it turns out to be...
Tim,
I posted the tow procedure for the 'A' model which probably is the same for the 'B' series in another thread. Per the manual once you have the tow bolts installed you are not supposed to exceed 2mph for a max distance of 25ft. Not really a tow, rather just enough to winch it on a trailer.
I agree with the thoughts on the wiring harness. How many times do you replace CPUs before you rule those out? I hope they find the root cause.
Are you deep in snow there now? Good luck with the TC problem.
dsb
I posted the tow procedure for the 'A' model which probably is the same for the 'B' series in another thread. Per the manual once you have the tow bolts installed you are not supposed to exceed 2mph for a max distance of 25ft. Not really a tow, rather just enough to winch it on a trailer.
I agree with the thoughts on the wiring harness. How many times do you replace CPUs before you rule those out? I hope they find the root cause.
Are you deep in snow there now? Good luck with the TC problem.
dsb