I have a 2006 Bobcat A300 skid/all-wheel steer loader. She is currently showing around 5k hours. Recently she has picked up a pretty nasty habit of just randomly stopping in the middle of a task. One could simply be driving across the site and the machine abruptly turns itself off. It can be pretty violent as the parking brake engages, etc. as if someone hit the "off" button while driving it. Often times after it does this the screen goes blank when trying to re-start it. What I mean is that when you are trying to start the machine one must push the yellow button (right side dash/screen), and type in your password. Once the machine recognizes your password you can engage the starter button to start the engine. The occasional issue is that the screen goes blank before you can input your password. The machine will not offer any "active" codes but if look into the machines history it has (8) 34-04 codes in the last 11 machine hours. I'd love to check the wealth of the HEF knowledge base. Has anyone had s similar experience, or maybe even made a/some repairs of this issue. someone please tell me what I may need to do in order to repaid this
Giving this a bump! I really would like to have some help on this one. I don't have much faith, and/or trust in my local dealer so I don't let them work on my equipment. I would like to see if I can remedy it myself before driving the 4 hours (each way -over mountain passes) to take it to a dealer that I do trust. Any help would be appreciated!
I believe that’s deluxe panel communication error. There is a 5 amp fuse for that in the box. Make sure good connection there. Fold the panel down or take out the head lite and test power and connection while moving harness. You can pull fuse panel out and check the wires on the back of it also.
Thanks Mbar. I'll see if I can do that later today. We've already pulled the light out and checked the connection at back of panel. Since I didn't get any replies, at the suggestion of a dealer, and based on Google search results, I have already ordered a new panel. It's definitely pricey but I need to get it fixed and don't trust the local dealer to come work on my machines anymore. Do you know which wire is the power wire for the deluxe controller?
Without looking at the schematic. It seems like orange is switch power red is constant purple is feedback to controller and black is ground. If you have many electrical problems invest in a power probe. They are worth there weight in gold
I'm in the same boat! Mine is an S130 and I've Been fighting with this same problem for 3. YEARS. Can I just buy a panel online from bobcat and put it in? While I'm at it, can I buy a keyed panel and ditch the fail-prone electronic keypad? Getting it to a dealer is kinda not an option for me, as it currently won't start or drive to get on a trailer
I bought a NEW deluxe panel from Bobcat. I had my son install it today but have not yet heard back if it has resolved the issue yet or not. There is a rebuilt option also available from Bobcat. It will save you about $200 compared to new (not worth it to me). If I had more time and didn't need the machine in action I might try sending my unit to Carolina Electronic Service to see if they could repair it. According to my dealer one can also install an old style keyed panel instead of the deluxe panel. This will save you a lot of money BUT.... You have to have a Bobcat computer interface in order to tell the ECM that you are no longer using the deluxe panel. That means you have to have the dealer (or someone else who has the software) do that for you. Installing a new deluxe panel is simply plug and play (according to my dealer anyway). No outside computer interface, or software, required. If you have been down for (3) years, or even just dealing with it for that long, why not call the dealer to have a service truck come to you? It will certainly be a bit more expensive but at least it would get fixed.
Well... Short story long, while this machine does very important jobs, it generates $0.00 per year of cold hard cash and spending large amounts of money on it was hard to justify. It was also a seasonal problem, only appearing when the weather was warm. This, conveniently, is not snow plowing season. The Bobcat dealer here has a keyed switch panel on order. After three years of every important job in temperatures above 40 degrees taking twice as long as it should or not happening at all, we are kinda done with the idea of a deluxe panel. The dealer quoted us a reasonable price to install it if necessary. That said, I've been poking around in the service manual and I don't see any step where a computer is necessary. In fact, the only mention of it is for calibrating the ACS, where it is recommended but not required. As I understand it so far, the procedure to change from a deluxe panel to a keyed panel is 1) Remove the delux panel (I can do this job in my sleep after three years) 2) Install the keyed panel 3) Callibrate the ACS. If I am mistaken anywhere, please educate me!
I can certainly understand the frustration. The duration of time (putting up with the issue) is why I thought it might be worth asking the question. Regardless of hobbyist, or professional use, it is a large enough investment that I would think it worth repairing (and you had said that currently it would not even run enough to put on a trailer). If you already knew that the dealer could install the keyed panel, and got quote from them to do so if necessary, I'm not sure why you asked if it was possible here. What I relayed to your query was what my dealer told me. If your manual says otherwise I've got no experiences that would refute that. That being said an inexpensive repair is usually better (all other things being equal) and, in my humble opinion, eliminating the complexity of the issue prone deluxe panel, and replacing it with the much less expensive to replace/repair keyed panel seems like the way to go. WIN-WIN!! I hope it works, for you without requiring the dealer to come and calibrate it. IIRC the cost for the keyed panel was $250 vs the $942 (including freight) that I paid for the deluxe panel. The price difference makes definitely makes it, at least, worth considering. Please report back to us so that HEF can gain the additional knowledge and possibly help others in the future. Even if you do get yours replaced w/o dealer calibration, I wonder if the reason mine may require such is the same as you've stated (recommended but may not be required) or if it is because mine is an A300 (an all-wheel steer unit, not ACS controls) and requires additional computer input to work the steering correctly, and thus might require the calibration. Maybe someone with more Bobcat specific knowledge, and/or training can comment on this. For me the deluxe panel is worth it because my machines are usually on jobs where every "Tom, Dick, and Harry", has a Bobcat key and they also often feel it is there God given right to operate any Bobcat that is parked nearby (regardless of who's sticker may be on it, let alone who may own it) to do their bidding. I hope that you get your fixed as I can empathize with how frustrating it is when the machine abruptly shuts off (and violently engages the parking brake) when it does. Again, please report back with your findings.
Thanks! Not trying to argue with anyone, just sharing what I've learned and trying to learn myself. I will definitely report back on what happens. The only keyed panel in my state is currently being brought to my local dealer, so shouldn't be long. I didn't know the A-series didn't use the ACS. Makes sense now that you mention it. I see your use-case for the deluxe panel as well. I wish Bobcat had made them about twice as durable because otherwise they are fine machines.
If you go from delux to key panel. You have to do a down grade with laptop. These machines are very easy to work on with a wiring schematic. Bobcat doesn’t seem to have the best electronics though. Joys of owing a bobcat. Replace failed part and go on is all you can do. Just diagnosed a 1300 controller for a guy this morning. Not happy but what do you do
Yeah, the Bobcat brand has left a pretty bad taste in my mouth over this. It's a great machine, but they just had to go and spoil it all with unreliable electronics. I've seen machines with electronic components that were way better than this. Better is possible. But Bobcat chose not to do better and that makes me sad. If all goes well, the machine will be going to the dealer tomorrow.
It should be noted that, as much as were bagging on the quality of the Bobcat electronics components, my deluxe panel didn't start giving me trouble until it reached about 5,000 hours. In my opinion that's not too bad. Of course, the handles (machine originally came with the round bottom ones) got replaced at about 1,800 hours and almost cost me a pretty penny. They ended up being replaced under warranty but I heard later on that the employee (who replaced them under warranty) was scolded by the dealership owner. She told me that herself but I don't recall why the owner had a problem with it.
In my book, a failure at 5k hours is hard to get over if it could easily have been at 10k hours instead if the MFG would have just simplified their product a tiny bit. My pet hypothesis is that the life of these panels is more measured in heating/cooling cycles than in hours.
I'm happy to report that the machine has not exhibited any of the poor behavior since we've installed the new deluxe panel. So far, so good!
The dealer has been going to get the new part "tomorrow" for a while now. Hopefully it gets there soon.
Here we are at a bit more than 2 weeks with new panel installed. Still no issues so I think we got'er licked! What about you Iron Beaver? Has your issue been resolved?