I have a 2004 S185 Bobcat. I bought it used and have used it for about 2 years, all light duty. It has about 1700 hours on it and lots of rust. I now have an electrical problem that started about a month ago with a warning that the glow plugs were not working, a warning light and an error code (21-03). The plugs were not working because the engine was difficult to start. The temperature was about 50º. I started checking the fuses and relays located under the front of the seat. The fuses were OK and those contacts looked good then cleaned the relay contacts. Now there is no power to the starter switch, no beep or hour meter, nothing. Removing the fuses and relays probably caused the loss of power to the switch. I checked for power at the relay sockets (where pin 30 goes in) and that was OK, power at all six relays. Battery is good. I cleaned the ground connection behind the cab located about head high on the left side. There were two ground wires bolted to the frame. The ignition switch wiring harness plugs into the back of the right instrument panel. So the power to the ignition switch goes through the right instrument panel from that wire loom. The ignition switch connector plug is difficult to remove. I will remove that switch plug and check to see if there is power there, which I doubt there is. I will provide a link to photo bucket of the wiring schematic. This schematic does not show the ignition switch with seem rather odd to me. It shows the left and right panels, controller and the fuse/relay center. http://s12.photobucket.com/user/lanceh5/library/Bobcat This is a slow process for me.
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As you are getting an error code number, i assume you have a G series machine, LCD panel on the left side.
The computer powers the glow plugs, not the switch its self. You have multiple connectors at the computer and then you have the fuses and relays.
I'd pull the connector at the computer and make sure the connectors are not corroded. The connectors to the fuses and relays may look good, but internally it could be bad, try swapping the glow relay witht he starter relay, see if it changes anything.
The computer powers the glow plugs, not the switch its self. You have multiple connectors at the computer and then you have the fuses and relays.
I'd pull the connector at the computer and make sure the connectors are not corroded. The connectors to the fuses and relays may look good, but internally it could be bad, try swapping the glow relay witht he starter relay, see if it changes anything.
Tazza, thanks for the reply. Yes there is an LCD display on the left side. This Bobcat has standard controls, foot pedals for tilt and raising the bucket. I did swap a couple of the relays around but no help, Switch Power, Glow Plugs, and Starter. The term the Bobcat Service Manual uses is a Controller rather than a computer. I assume the Controller is a computer. The controller is located in the lower left front of the cap behind a plate near your left foot. It has two wire looms with lots of wires. I removed one of the wire loom plugs and the pins on the Controller looked good. (The wire schematic shows 50 pins per plug.) There is a light coating of grease around the pins and at the end of the plug. Every thing looked good clean. The plugs are held in with a bolt. I also removed the plug coming from the ignition switch (3 wires, red, white and I think yellow) that goes into the instrument panel. There was no power at the instrument panel, the red wire should be hot to energize the system from the ignition key. My next investigation will checking the wires from the right control panel.
Yeah, the controller is a computer.
Glad the connectors look good, hopefully you can find where the +12v stops before getting to the switch. I'd suspect the fuse box, but you said you checked the connectors there. Can you check that the wire is good from the fuse to the ignition switch?
Tazza, Thanks again for the reply. Your intuition was correct, the problem was in the fuse/relay box. I found the problems. There was a fuse issue, I had replugged the "Computer" fuse into an empty slot!! So now have power to the ignition switch. The "Glow Plug" relay is faulty, which was verified by swapping the relays. So I need to order a couple of relays, G8-JN-1C7T-R-DC12. Thanks again for the support. I have been telling my wife that I had a new hobby "Working on the Bobcat".
Glad you worked it out.
Sadly, i have done the same thing, putting a fuse back in the wrong place so don't feel too bad
I got the relays, three, from Mouser on line yesterday. I was anxious to install it so after church, I did that and also the rear view mirror. The glow plug count down goes from 10 to 1 and that occured twice and it fired right up. What a sweet sound that was for me. This small Bobcat is so handily with the various attachments. When it is not running, it is a big loss. Tazza , thanks again for your counsel in my time of need.Glad you worked it out.
Sadly, i have done the same thing, putting a fuse back in the wrong place so don't feel too bad
Mouser has everything!
It's nice when it runs as it should, i'm sure you will find loads of jobs to do with it. I use mine for the usual digging and moving dirt. I also have used to to lift engines out, unload and load my dads truck with all sorts of things. Essentually anything that can save your back, i try and use it