289D TAW03183. Looks like another safety switch. I changed the seat switch out and that fixed the problem. Cked it today and it looks good. Worked it Saturday. Turned it off and restarted several times. Took it back and parked it. Went to use it today and after putting in the code and letting the fuel pump run turned the key and nothing. The driver alert flashed as soon as I put the code in. Are there any other safety switches to ck. Thanks in advance. Tom
Has the battery gone dead. Have you tested the battery in case it suddenly died. Is alternator charging. Does starter solenoid click. What was the driver alert light that came on. Any active codes? Are the battery cables tested with load along with all the ground cables and master disconnect if it has one. Some good things to test before firing parts cannon at it. Simon C
Checked all those things. Just trying to find the safety switches
What about the safety switch behind the armrest, doorswitch, have they been checked. Just thinking about simple stuff. Simon C
Was looking at the schematic and yes has a door switch, armrest switch and a Key switch that has to send power to the computer to tell what is going on. Maybe Nige will correct me, but that is what I seen. Have you checked the armrest switch and door switch. Simon C
Not sure how to check the arm switch. Looks like it might be magnetically activated. No door so no door switch.
Didn't I send you an electrical schematic long ago for this machine.? Everything necessary to test the lap bar switch appears on that schematic.
I guess what I’m asking is are there any other safety switches besides the seat and lap bar?
If you had checked on the schematic you would have discovered that none of the safety switches will prevent the engine from starting. The lap bar and seat switch are the safety devices for the drive system. If they are malfunctioning the machine won’t drive. The door switch is the safety device for the hydraulic implement system. If it is malfunctioning the bucket won’t go up and down.
Ok thank you. When the seat switch was bad it was doing the same thing. As soon as I replaced the switch it started and ran fine.
Was this the machine where someone bypassed the seat switch by twisting wires together and using wire nuts.? If it is I think I mentioned at the time that "fix" might come back to bite someone at a later date.
No the metal parts had rusted out and I replaced everything. No jumping any switches.
In that case I was thinking about a different machine. My apologies. Have you looked at any of the ground cables (there are a bunch of them) yet.? Top of the list for me would be the one from the engine block to the machine frame and between the cab and the machine frame.
My 289D with the same prefix as the Op requires the lap bar down and weight on the seat to start. If I want to start without getting in I lean an arm on the seat, it doesn't take much.
Hummm. I never thought about that. It still won’t do anything.
Yep, there is a problem. Clean the grounds like Nige said and then follow whatever other advice he has. If you have a rusty machine grounds can be a real problem, along with other corrosion in the electrical system.
I’m going to get back to it tomorrow and try some of the things mentioned. I want to thank everyone one for your help. I’ll keep y’all updated if I find something.
I sent you an electrical schematic. Looking at it there are a total of seven (yes 7) grounds to check.
Ok. Update. Tried all suggestions and still nothing. Talked to Cat tech. No help. Said starter might be bad? Would that make the driver alert light flash? He did explain how to jump the starter and possibly get it to move so I can load it on a trailer. Tried to take a video of the screen. The only thing showing is the hydraulic light and parking light. And the flashing alert light. I can’t attach the video. When sitting in the seat and arm rest down the operator presence light is out. Comes on when armrest raised or I take weight off seat.
What exactly are the symptoms? It appears that this is a no crank situation? As to the starter possibility, you can check for power at the signal wire on the starter solenoid when start is commanded. If there is power and the starter is not responding then your starter may have failed. This of course assumes a sound battery and good cable connections.
Acosls, when I sit in the seat and lower the armrest, go through the steps to start the machine all indicater lights are right when I turn the key to start nothing happens. No sound no nothing. I forgot to say the driver alert has been flashing too. My question is would a bad starter make the alert light flash? Battery is hot and cables are good. What all would make the driver alert flash and not let the machine turn over. 289D TAW03183
Don't wonder about the starter, check it.
Ok. I’ll let you know.
starter is good
Anyone have any idea what might make the light flash and motor starter won’t do anything?
Well, at this point you have eliminated the obvious stuff; grounds, starter and obviously damaged connectors at the interlocks. What you need now is a good mechanic to sort through the problem. Anything else is going to be throwing parts at it and hoping for luck.
I understand about getting a mechanic. I’m trying to save about twelve hundred dollars. 500$ just to come out to the farm. I might try jumping the starter and see if I can get it to move so I can haul it to the cat dealer.
When you say the starter is good do you mean that it will work if jumped at the Starter S- Terminal with power from the Starter Solenoid large red cable. Been looking at schematic and wondering if you have checked the Starter Relay on the left side wall looking forward with rear engine door open. It is fed by a large red wire into Relay pin 30 and when coil is excited the power comes out of Relay pin 87 which is a large White wire ( 304-RL10 WH12 ) that goes to starter solenoid S-terminal after going through a few plugs. You have power to solenoid large red cable as you were able to jump start. Need to know if power is at 304-RL10 WH12 when someone turns the key switch for you. Simon C
I’ll try to find those wires tomorrow. Why would the alert light be flashing before the key is turned to try and start the machine. Is there a sensor that would know the relay is bad? I don’t have any schematic to look at. Nige sent me one but I can’t read it on my phone. I appreciate all the help y’all have been sending me. I don’t replace parts until I know what’s wrong.
Yes don't throw parts at it. It is a very extensive schematic and needs a large screen to look at it if not familiar with short cuts. Nige knows this stuff off by heart, but he is an exception. That start relay is fed by wire 306-RL37GN18 on the relay pin 86. If the power is not there, will get you to work backwards to the power source of that wire. Check that for now. Simon C
Thank you. I’ll keep you updated
Take it to a print shop and have a paper copy made of the schematics pages in something like 36" x 24".? Then maybe have it laminated so that it won't get damaged. That makes no sense. Until the key is moved to the ON position there is no power on the machine at all. Or do you mean that when you turn the key from OFF to ON the alert light keeps flashing after the panel has done its initial self-test.? And please confirm you are talking about #3 on the illustration below.?
Here is the relevant section of the schematic. Two things to check. 1. Wire 109-RL9-RD to #Pin 30 of the relay (Pin 1 of the relay connector in the diagram) should be hot at all times. Is it.? 2. As @Simon C stated, when you turn the key from the ON to the START position wire 306-RL37 GN should become hot. Does it.? If it does can you hear the relay click.? If you want to double-check the start relay you can swap it with the glow plug relay. They are both the same Part Number.
Nige, these are the steps I go through starting the skid loader. I sit in the seat and put the armrests down. Turn the key from off to on. The machine does the panel self check and beeps. I put in the code and push enter. The driver alert light (3) begins flashing immediately before I turn the key to start. I hope this clarifies things. Haven’t had my grandson here to help check things. Also when I do turn the key to start nothing at all happens. No relay clicks or anything. I am going to switch the relay’s you suggested and see what happens.
I would have been measuring voltages on the wiring first (see Post #33 above) but whatever floats your boat.......
Ok. I’ll ck the voltage when I have help. Just thought swapping the relay would eliminate bad relay. Did the startup sequence sound right?
Now that you have explained it more clearly, yes. I need to dig into the security system a bit more. Never had experience with one but heard a few times of the system causing issues by not playing correctly. Have you ever had problems with the security system before.?
I have had the machine for about 5 years. No problems with the system. I have had to replace 4 hydraulic hoses to the drive motors that burst one at a time. Other than that just some alarms from dirty filters and low water. Those were from several years ago. The only other time it did this is when the seat switch was bad.
I found the schematic you posted on Post 33 Nige. I had one from a 242D that you posted a long time ago. I checked it and it said it was good for Paplote's serial number. Not quite sure how you posted it on the forum from the schematic. I am learning some of your tricks slowly. Maybe one day I will learn how to post from the schematic to forum as clear as you. Thanks for sharing the info. Maybe we can help out one day too. Simon C
Ok. Update talked to service manager at Holt Cat. He had a mechanic already close to me so mileage was taken care of. He hooked up to the machine with his computer. Found the ECM power relay is bad. Nice guy showed me where it is and how to install a new one. Hopefully that’s the problem.