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Kia Soul – SK Innovative degradation fail

Kia SOUL EV – Our favorite EV is stuck in the throes of extreme degradation and just when you think you need a new battery, our EVC lab becomes your salvation because we repair it on component level by changing cells. The vehicle that was previously driven in hot Spain left a mark on the battery cells, which apparently damaged almost half of the battery system due to poor cooling and high operating temperatures. The story here is deeper than the degradation of the battery itself, because there is also the “degradation” of the KMAG user experience, which has become extremely unfriendly in terms of conditions and fulfillment of warranty requirements. Here, the warranty on the battery, which is still active, was completely unjustified declined, because the service book (wtf is service book for EV) is missing. The already familiar story with KMAG, where we witnessed several times the rejection of the warranty for completely unfounded reasons, for example by asking for the invoice of some first service and similar “strange” stories where they tied the general warranty to the warranty of the drive system which is extremely stupid and invented just to be the reason to reject warranty. But where KMAG “bendovers you”, EV Clinic try to save you. With a short run-in test, we isolated the worst cells of the “first layer refurbish”, replaced them with LGX cells from the Hyundai Ioniq, given to us by our colleague Peter from Slovenia and a colleague from France with almost new SK Innovative cells. We had enough to repair half a battery pack. We changed all the upper “overheated” cells and made the first test, which under the new “second layer refurbish” showed an additional 8 groups in bad condition. The third layer and the test showed that the complete group 1-14 under the passenger side is extremely bad and we decided to change the complete block by changing all cells. Through the tests, we had from the initial 50 km of range, to the 85, 105 and then at the last 118 km of range, which brought the condition of the battery to a usable state for use in the next 1-2 years, where we can only hope that some aftermarket solution for cells with approximately the same dimensions will come out. Because dimension of cells about 10.5 mm is the decisive factor.
In the second layer, we had only 19 kWh of the declared 28 kWh on measurement, which is about 65% SOH or 35% Degradation. In the last “layered refurbish”, we measured a usable 22kWh, which is about 75% SOH or 25% degradation, which is a big change in any usable case. We will remove the vehicle from the list of recommendations and suggest Kia NIRO EV, which has Active thermal control with antifreeze and coolant plate with same cells.

Kia SOUL EV – Naš omiljeni EV zaglavio u mukama ekstremne degradacije i taman kad pomisliš da ti treba nova baterija, naš lab ti postane spas. Vozilo koje je predhodno voženo u vrućoj Španjolskoj ostavilo je trag na baterijskim ćelijama koje su izgleda zbog lošeg hladnjenja i visoke radne temperature oštetile skoro pola baterijskog sustava. Ovdje je priča i dublja od same degradacije baterije, jer postoji i degradacija KMAG korisničkog iskustva koji su postali izrazito extremni po pitanju uslova i ispunjavanja garancijskih zahtjeva. Ovdje je potpuno neosnovano odbijena garancija na bateriju, koja je jos aktivna, jer nedostaje servisna knjiga (wtf servisna za EV). Već poznata priča sa KMAG gdje smo nekoliko puta svjedočili odbijanju garancije iz potpuno neosnovanih razloga, trazenjem računa nekog prvog servisa i slične nebuloze gdje su opću garanciju vezali za garanciju pogonskog sustava. Ali tamo gdje KMAG “otudji”, EV Clinic vrati. Kratkim uhodanim testom izolirali smo najgore ćelije “prvog sloja zahvata”, promjenuli LGX celijama iz Hyundai Ioniq koje nam ustupio kolega Peter iz Slovenije i kolega iz Francuske sa skoro novim SK Innovative celijama. Imali smo dovoljno za reparaciju pola battery pack. Izmjenuli smo sve gornje “overheated” celije i napravili prvi test koji je pod novim “drugim slojem zahvata” pokazao dodatnih 8 grupa u losem stanju. Treci sloj i test je pokazao da je kompletna grupa 1-14 ispod suvozaceve strane izrazito loša i odlučili smo mjenjati kompletan blok. Kroz testove smo imali od pocetnih 50km dometa, 85, 105 i zatim na zadnjem 118km dometa sto je dovelo stanje baterije u upotrebljivo stanje za koristenje narednih 1-2 godine gdje se mozemo samo nadati da ce izaci neko aftermarket rijesenje za celije priblizno istih dimenzija, jer debljija celije od 10.5mm je odlučujući faktor.
U drugom sloju smo imali od deklarirani 28kWh na mjerenju samo 19 kWh sto je od prilike 65% SOH ili 35% Degradacija. U zadnjem “slojnom zahvatu” smo na mjerenju dobili usable 22kWh sto je oko 75% SOH ili 25% degradacija što je u svakom slučaju veliki pomak. Vozilo ćemo maknuti sa liste preporuka i predložiti Kia NIRO EV koji ima Active thermal control sa antifrizom i coolant plate.


OEM KMAG Kia – 28400 EURO
EV CLINIC – 2000-6000 EURO
Part numbers: 37513-E4000, 37501-E4000, Mobis, SK Innovative,
Errors – Low range, Low SOH,

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Tesla Model 3 LR – DEFECTIVE BATTERY RARELY NEEDS REPLACEING AS WHOLE

I thought I’d retire in a cottage of sponsored hybrids before some Model 3 with a defective out-of-warranty powertrain came into my LAB. A failure caused by mechanical damage to the battery case at high speed on the highway. On the road, the driver picked up a piece of metal (not an n47 chain) with the right front wheel, which hit and broke the battery case in an area where it can’t even be seen behinde wheel liner. After a month of driving, due to the penetration of moisture, water, rain and other leaking oils (Punto, Passat, Golf…) the Alert that 400v is touching chasis came on, in practice called “Iso fault”. After starting the warranty process at the authorized service center because the hole was not visible, after additional checks and almost replacing the battery in the warranty, a problem was noticed and the warranty was rejected. Mechanical damage of any kind is not part of the warranty!!! There is a tolerance of case bending to the inside up to 8mm, but case penetration and water ingress are not part of it. The preliminary estimate for the battery change is €11,800, which is cheaper than the 651, n47, n57, b47, 654 diesel engines, but certainly too much for anyone to give up on that much money at once. Our task was to solve the battery without dismantling, patch the hole and dry the closed battery without taking it off the car… that means absolute improvisation and tool making with solving the problem 100%. First, we opened the umbrela valve vents on the battery, which has 2, then we made an artificial heated “greenhouse” around the battery and an irradiation system to extract moisture. We let the system run for 14 days for 10 hours to heat the case to 48 degrees while the rest of the “cooker system” does its job to extract moisture. After 2 weeks of labor Isolation returned to 4.8Mohm before and after the contactor… that means the battery is finally saved. However, repeated isolation breaches have left the security system in a locked state with error BMS_a027, an error that, with its number 027, oozes trouble as it is a FATAL FLAG (latching alert) to protect the system from further or larger problems. It limits the system permanently and the service ToolBox does not have a function like for Model S and X, which is called “ISO Counter Reset”, this time for Model Y and 3 this function has been moved to the Tilburg refurbish battery center where the battery repair team resets on the bench via CAN BUS. We solved the problem and the consequences, but now the most difficult part remains, how to clean the firmware safety system. We work for the first time, we read the processor for the first time, which fortunately does not have a locked JTAG, and we look for the HEX FLAG in the sea of data. After a few hours of work, we cleared the FLAG, redeployed the system again and BMS removed the error. VOILA, the battery was solved and the owner was saved by a 3rd party solution for the first time in the world. It means another example, that it is not necessary to change the entire battery, but to solve the problem in segments.

HRVATSKI:

Tesla Model 3 LR – NEISPRAVNA BATERIJA NIKAD SE NE MIJENJA CIJELA – Mislio sam da ću otići u mirovinu u vikendici sponzoriranih hybrida prije nego mi dodje neki Model 3 sa defektnim pogonom izvan garancije. Kvar koji je uzrokovan mehaničkim oštećenjem baterijskog kućišta pri većoj brzini na autocesti. Vozač je na cesti pokupio desnim kotačem komad metala (nije n47 lanac) koji je lupio i razvalio kućište baterije u zoni gdje se ne vidi ni na dizalici jer bas tu pokriva PVC wheel liner. Kroz mjesec dana vožnje zbog penetracije vlage, vode, kiše i ostalog ulja (punto, passat…) upalila je se greška da 400v probija na šasiju, u praksi zvan “Proboj izolacije”. Nakon započete garancije u ovlaštenom servisu jer rupa nije bila vidljiva, nakon dodatnih provjera i skoro pa zamjene baterije u garanciji uočen je problem i garancija je odbijena. Mehanička oštećenja bilo kojeg oblika nisu dio garancije!!! Postoji tolerancija udubljenja kućišta do 8mm ali proboj kućišta i voda nisu dio toga. Predračun za izmjenu je 11800€ što je jeftinije od 651, n47, n57, b47, 654 i ostalih nikad ništa motora, ali svakako prevelika svota za bilo koga i čega. Zadatak nam je bio da riješimo bateriju bez demontaže, zakrpamo rupu i osušimo zatvorenu bateriju… znači apsolutna improvizacija i izrada alata a da se problem riješi 100%. Prvo smo otvorili oduške na bateriji koji ima 2, zatim smo napravili umjetni plastenik oko baterije i sustav ozračivanja za izvačenje vlage. Sustav smo pustili da radi 14 dana po 10 sati da zgrije kućište na 48 stupnjeva dok ostata “pastenika” radi svoj posao. Nakon 2 tjedna izolacije se vratila na 4.8Mohm prije i poslje kontaktora… to je to baterija spašena. Medjutim uzastopni proboj izolacije je ostavio sigurnosni sustav u zaključanom stanju sa greško BMS_a027, greška koja svojim brojem 027 odiše problemom jer je to FATAL FLAG da zaštiti sustav od daljnjih ili većih problema. Limitira sustav trajno i servisni ToolBox nema funkciju kao za Model S i X koja se zove “ISO Counter Reset” ovaj put za Model Y i 3 ta funkcija je preseljena u Tilburg refurbish battery centar gdje ekipa koja reparira baterije resetira na stolu preko CAN BUS. Mi smo riješili problem i posljedice ali sad je ostao najteži dio, kako očistiti firmware safety sustav. Prvi put radimo, prvi put čitamo procesor koji sva sreća pa nema zaključan JTAG i tražimo HEX FLAG u moru podataka. Nakon par sati posla očistili smo FLAG, napravili redeploy sustava opet i BMS je maknuo grešku. VOJLA, baterija je riješena i vlasnik spašen 3rd party riješenjem po prvi put u svijetu. Znači još jedan primjer, da nije potrebno mjenjati cijeli bateriju već riješiti problem u segmentima.

Errors: BMS_a027 , BMS_f027, BMS_w027, BMS_a170
Part number: 1104423-00-N, 1106394-01-H,
Processor: TMS320LS , SPC5746CSMKU6 1N84S
Tesla OEM: 11800€ (inc VAT)
EV Clinic pricelist:
*diesel is cheaper – 69000€
*hybrid is better – 96000€
*ev is better – 1200€

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EVC Sky is the limit – International delivery

EVC eMoblity without borders is organized now with flatrate vehicle delivery from anywhere to Zagreb with acceptable prices together with Auto Centar Horvat big towing agency. Horvat delivered Taxi Model S P85 from Amsterdam to Zagreb for battery pack repair for just 600€ (ex Tax). Car had 420000km with failed BMB and locked BMS with error BMS_u029. This is one of the worst errors you could get on Model S, lot of workshops tried to solve it but failed. We reversed engineered it for 3 months and found all causes and possible defects which pop’s up that error. Customer who showed respect and trust to send his Tesla to Zagreb received 2000€ discount. We do not only repair those defects, we prevent them from happening again.

If you are located north side of EU (Germany, Austria, Poland, Denmark, Netherland …)
Your agent for tow service is : FILIP 00385913111130 https://ac-horvat.hr/

Italy and Slovenia, your agent is : JOSEF +38651221000
Italy, Slovenia, Austria, your agent is : ILIJA +385981613684
Slovenia, your agent is: Potočnik +38641621657
Austria, your agent is: Kristijan +4369916413788
Italy, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, your agent is: Kosmin +393276775357

If you are from any other Countries and other agencies are unable to help you URGENTLY, you can call our local Croatia Batman
Kelava : +385914455414

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And finally… Renault Zoe 2014 Q210


Previously, who missed the fact that certain renowned manufacturers from 2020 have electric motors already at 30,000 km and they are not under warranty, here we have a completely different example where a Renault Zoe with a 22kwh battery, 10 years old, outside of all warranties with a defect in the electric motor, believe it or not, comes to us from Mercedes this STILL drives 200,000 km. The owner showed his trust, brought Zoe on wheels so that we could at least try for the first time in the workshop to solve the starting Continental electric motor that buzzes under braking and at most speeds. The removal procedure is a bit longer, everything has to be disassembled from the electronic modules and half-shafts in order to lower the engine through the lower opening on the bridge (subframe). We disassembled the engine and the condition was quite bad. The engine would soon squeal all the way through the bearings and smash itself through the housing with torque. Here, the differential oil is full of foam, burnt and all the bearings are damaged. As on the Mercedes EQV, here the “transmission parking lock” made up stupidity transferred from the fossils caused the same problem. The hammering of the engine brake lever from the rotor broke the bearing in the housing and the bearing housing itself in the differential cover. The dosjed was so broken that the bearing completely rotated in the housing and burned the dosjed and warped part of the surface. Bearings are readily available, commercial and almost all but two on the output differential. The manufacturer used for the bearings was Koyo. Now let’s moisten the diesel fans and their bearings a little, here it is evident that the oil in the differential needs to be changed (so not in the electric motor) in order to possibly prevent the bearings from wearing out due to oil splatter and contamination, it takes about 0.9l 75W. But the parking lock EV killer is still there to make your life miserable. The recommendation for changing the oil is about 100,000 km. And even without that, this Zoe is indestructible and recommended by EVC as a second vehicle for the city.

HRVATSKI:

I finalno … Renault Zoe 2014 Q210

Prethodno tko je preskocio kako odredjenim renomiranim proizvodjacima iz 2020 godine odlaze elektromotori vec na 30000km i nisu u garanciji, ovdje imamo totalno drugi primjer gdje nam dolazi Renault Zoe sa 22kwh baterijom star 10 godina izvan svih garancija sa defektom elektromotora koji vjerovali ili ne vi iz Mercedesa ovaj JOŠ vozi na 200000km. Vlasnik je ukazao povjerenje, dovezao Zoe na kotačima da bar probamo po prvi put u radioni rijesiti i taj start Continental elektromotor koji zuji pod otprecenjem i na vecin brzinama. Procedura skidanja je malo duža, sve se mora naprijed rastaviti od elektronskih modula i poluosovina da bi se motor spustio kroz donji otvor na mostu (subframe). Motor smo rastavili i stanje je bilo poprilično loše. Motor bi ubrzo zacvikao skroz na lezajevima i razvalio sam sebe obrtnim momentom kroz kućište. Ovdje je ulje diferencijala puno špene, spaljeno i svi lezajevi oštećeni. Kao i na mercedesu EQV ovdje je “transmission parking lock” izmisljena glupost prenešena sa fosilaca napravila isti problem. Zakucavanje poluge kočenja motora od rotor je razbila lezaj u kućištu i samo kućište ležaja u poklopcu diferencijala. Dosjed toliko razvaljen da je ležaj kompletno vrtio u kućištu i spalio dosjed i potokario dio površine. Ležajevi su lako dobavljivi, komercijalni i skoro svi osim dva na izlaznom diferencijalu. Proizvodjača za lezajeve su koristili Koyo. Sad da malo navlažimo dizel fanove i njihove desanke, ovdje je evidentno da je potrebna izmjena ulja u diferencijalu (znaci ne u elek motoru) kako bi mozda sprijecili trosenje lezajeva zbog špene i kontaminacije ulja, ide ga oko 0.9l 75W. Ali parking lock EV killer je i dalje tu da vam zagorča život. Preporuka za izmjenu ulja je oko 100000km. A čak i bez toga ovaj Zoe je neunistiv i preporuka EVC kao drugo vozilo za grada.

Electric Motor Q210: Continental

Fault: buzzing sound under full load

Part number: 5AMB450, 290127953R,

OEM Renault workshop: 6000€

EV Clinic: 1000-3000€