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Potential Bluetooth Fix!

ericuk

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http://tl.acurazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=792642

I found this thread while looking for some info on the HFT module part number. Some readers claim that a faulty capacitor may be at fault, while others suggest that random dry solder joints may be the cause.

It's a huge thread with a lot of information, complaints and reference to units different to my own, but since I have a module that will not pair with my phone, I have nothing to lose.

So far I have removed the unit and cleaned the contacts. This appeared to work and the phone paired with the car, but dropped out. I then took the module apart again and used contact cleaner, which once again worked for a moment and then stopped pairing.

I know nothing about electronics but I have a HFT module that will sometimes work, and that is incentive enough to not want to pay hundreds for a new module just yet!

There are suggestions to put the circuits in the oven to reheat the solder joints. It sounds crazy enough that it might just work! some have had excellent results, some only temporary.

I should have some spare time this weekend to try this madness. What do you guys think?
 
I had read some of that thread before (but as I don't have a 7th Gen I couldn't really do much with the info). The Main Relay is another (£400?) item that seems to suffer with cracked/dry solder joints.

Last time I was in Maplin I picked up a soldering station and some solder incase my main relay starts acting up. Might be worth trying to identify the actual joints and hitting them directly with the soldering iron. You can pick soldering irons up relatively cheaper in comparison to a new module/relay.

I picked up this when it was on offer for £40.
http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/60w-professional-lcd-solder-station-with-esd-protection-a55kj

Main relay ( check the solder joints and compare to HFT)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viIZ8k60awY
 
Eric thats a nice find as is the main relay Andy. Love these types of threads which can save our members £££££
 
Yeah its good to know these things, and that electronic components or modules (excuse the terminology) can be fixed. They aren't necessarily a sealed unit just fit for the bin when they go wrong.

Infact just yesterday I put my soldering iron to its first use and my first attempt at soldering was terrible lol. The neighbours cheapo solar garden light had failed and with my trusty multimeter and new soldering iron determined it wasn't the AA battery but a dodgy solder/connection. Got it fixed and thankfully the cheapo solar light which was going in the bin otherwise was fixed. I wouldn't like to be let loose on an expensive circuit board yet but it was good for getting a feel for it.
 
Soldering is not too difficult, You need flux pens too or flux liquid (with a dispenser). If you are anyway serious about Electronics its a must. A decent Iron goes along way, I use Metcal (MX500S-II) ones at work which are great. I have done soldering work with TSSOP footprints which are quite small but just needs a good soldering iron, flux, and solder wick, that and a steady hand.
 
And put solder on the connections first. Don't hold the things in place and try and blob solder on. That's only going to end in big gloopy lumps all over the place. Dab a little on the pins/terminals of whatever you're soldering. Make sure there are no blobs on the iron. Hold the components so they're touching and then heat them up with the iron for a moment. The solder will melt, fuse, remove iron, hold components in place while the solder cools and sets and hey presto. You've done some clean soldering.
 
I got a mate to solder on the new capacitor and it didn't work. However, him playing with the connection between the two boards did make the Bluetooth work and not work. He said he will try reflowing the connections across the board. Either way, I'm sure it can be fixed somehow!
 
I contacted the hands free Honda people who gave me the generic response of how to connect my phone. I explained clearly that there is a fault with the boards as movement of the boards corrected and lost the connection, yet all they could say was to clear the memory and reset my phone. Chocolate tea pot springs to mind.

Local Honda dealership said they can diagnose for £70 +vat and then "have a word with HQ but make no promises about the response. Yeah I think I'll pass!

I might have a nose on the internet about who to direct complaints to. In the mean time I must sweet talk my mate into reflowing the connections on the board.
 
hondahandsfree are no help. Responding like robots and offering no solution, discount or replacement.

We have narrowed it down to the 60 pin surface mount (board to board?) connector which with movement can kill and connect the bluetooth connection. If anyone knows where I can buy one of those I would be really grateful!

After explaining to hondahandsfree about the intermittent fault and the hardware issue, their response was to take the phone battery out and turn off the wifi! lol
 
Letter sent to honda: corporate.communications@honda-eu.com

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to you today with an issue that I hope you may be able to help me with.

I recently purchased an 07 Honda Accord Tourer (privately) which has the Handsfree Kit installed. Unfortunately this module has not been able to connect with my Phone and extensive research has lead me to find that there are many Honda owners with the same issue (although undoubtedly for multiple possible reasons).

An email has been sent to the part manufacturer although they have a disclaimer stating they do not work with/for the consumer, so I hold no hope for their support. I have contacted www.hondahandsfree.com who despite following their advice, have not been able to offer me a working solution. I contacted Brayleys Honda (Hemel Hempstead) who have offered to diagnose my fault at around £70+VAT and informed me that a replacement module will cost nearly £2000 pounds! This is my first Honda Car and I am shocked that this part costs so much and is so unreliable.

I with help, have been able to locate the fault with the hardware itself and more specifically, the connection between the internal circuit boards. This is a sealed module that is seated behind the drivers dash board. It is in no way a part that should be subject to wear and tear and at that price, should not become faulty within 7 years. I am most disappointed with my local dealerships response (I had hoped for a free replacement module) and ask how you may be able to resolve this issue for me.

I look forward to your response.

Yours faithfully

If you have a similar issue I would urge more people to complain. I've got pants older than that car and £2000 to replace a shoddy HFT module is a rip off!
 
It would be easier to attempt solder reflowing in a household oven than prodding around with a soldering iron! There was a thread on doing exactly this about 6 months ago.
 
ericuk said:
Letter sent to honda: corporate.communications@honda-eu.com

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to you today with an issue that I hope you may be able to help me with.

I recently purchased an 07 Honda Accord Tourer (privately) which has the Handsfree Kit installed. Unfortunately this module has not been able to connect with my Phone and extensive research has lead me to find that there are many Honda owners with the same issue (although undoubtedly for multiple possible reasons).

An email has been sent to the part manufacturer although they have a disclaimer stating they do not work with/for the consumer, so I hold no hope for their support. I have contacted www.hondahandsfree.com who despite following their advice, have not been able to offer me a working solution. I contacted Brayleys Honda (Hemel Hempstead) who have offered to diagnose my fault at around £70+VAT and informed me that a replacement module will cost nearly £2000 pounds! This is my first Honda Car and I am shocked that this part costs so much and is so unreliable.

I with help, have been able to locate the fault with the hardware itself and more specifically, the connection between the internal circuit boards. This is a sealed module that is seated behind the drivers dash board. It is in no way a part that should be subject to wear and tear and at that price, should not become faulty within 7 years. I am most disappointed with my local dealerships response (I had hoped for a free replacement module) and ask how you may be able to resolve this issue for me.

I look forward to your response.

Yours faithfully

If you have a similar issue I would urge more people to complain. I've got pants older than that car and £2000 to replace a shoddy HFT module is a rip off!
Do you have the A-pillar HFT or Sat Nav HFT?
 
I will certainly consider an oven reflow as a last resort, but I would much rather correctly locate the fault and mend that before becoming the Aunt Bessie of the electronics world.

With experimentation I am now able to enable and disable the bluetooth connection with a small movement of the sister board and tapping the surface mount board to board connector. If anyone knows where I can buy one of these I would appreciate the info!
 
Yes they are the modules but they aren't cheap and I'd have no faith they would last! Thanks for the links though buddy.
 
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