Intermittent Colombus RNS 510 issues

[JayKay86]

Hi All, has anybody any dealings with their colombus unit not powering up at no time in particular under no certain conditions? I have the audio from reverse sensors and have checked battery voltage before starting car and while engine is running. I scanned with Delphi software and got intermittent faults relating to undervoltage.

 

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

 

[Rustynuts]

I have one on the shelf in the workshop which does this. It's a failed main board. Your issue could be low voltage related though, but not possible to tell from here.

[Rustynuts]

Oh, and it's a Columbus, not Colombus (which doesn't show up when I search for Columbus)...

[JayKay86]

Rustynuts thanks very much for the reply. I did not notice until after I posted. Is there any way of replacing the faulty main board or does the unit need to be scrapped?

[Rustynuts]

It's possible to replace the main board, but I wouldn't recommend it. I've done it before and had limited success. You'll need software and cable to recode the unit to accept the new main board, a main board itself will be overly expensive and it might fail anyway. Essentially it's spares or scrap. You're looking at a replacement unit realistically.

[JayKay86]

So you dont think it would be worth sending somewhere to a place here in Ireland that repairs 90% of them at a cost of €200. Dont want to pay for a new one, might try source a used one as I know somebody who may have the kit to code it. Would a unit from a VW code and work ok?

 

[Rustynuts]

I wouldn't buy new. I wouldn't send it anywhere for repair either, as (not that I'm saying everywhere does this) they could quite simply take your top panel with the serial number on it, recode a replacement unit to carry the same serial number on the internal memory, and send you a stolen one back saying they've repaired yours. Then again they might actually genuinely repair yours, I don't know.

A VW unit will fit and might work, but some units in some cars of different groups have issues with steering wheel buttons not working. Plus you'll have the issue of red back lighting, VW boot screen and system menu colours being different.

I have a replacement unit here for sale, a genuine Skoda Columbus, updated and ready for sale.

However, having said all that, have ypou investigated the battery low voltage issue that the numerous faults are showing on your pictures? It might just be that you have a flat battery and a new battery will solve the problem. Given that you have a load of low voltage faults, maybe address those first with a new battery and see what occurs?

[JayKay86]

How much are you looking for to purchase the unit?

I have checked the battery a day after not using the car and the voltage was 12 or just under, the car never has trouble starting either.

When the unit does decide to be useful again I am going to plug in with vcds I have borrowed from a friend to see if I can obtain any further info.

[Rustynuts]

I hope your friend has a genuine VCDS...

 

Price for Columbus would be £315, or £300 for Freedom members.

 

[JayKay86]

I will certainly think about your offer thanks very much. I bought the car from a second hand dealer who did not have the radio code either so if I did try replacing the battery I would alao have to pay a main dealer for tje unlock code, is this correct?

[Rustynuts]

No, if the unit's already installed then you won't (shouldn't) need the code. The car remembers the unit.

[JayKay86]

Hi Rustynuts, I have sent the unit away to today to a company in Ireland who seem to have a good reputation for repairing combo units such as the columbus. At a cost of €100 to repair and a small fee if not possible so worth the gamble.

[Rustynuts]

👍

[JayKay86]

Hi Rustynuts, Just to fill you in. So I have finally heard back from the company who have replaced a few components but tge issue is still present. They have advised that the hard drive is at fault and they do not carry out these repairs.

[Rustynuts]

It's not the hard drive. It's the main board.

 

But if you like I can fit a hard drive for you to prove the point? 😇

[JayKay86]

Pretty sure he had replaced that and he had it tested over night and he could still see voltage drops and rebooting issues. At this stage I may look at a replacement as the big gaping hole in the console and lack of ability to make/take calls and have some music is starting to get to me. I might try my hand and see if the second hand dealer I bought it from will cover some costs.

[Rustynuts]

To be honest, if he's replaced the main board (which I highly doubt) then he'd need to do so much recoding and software reinstallation etc. to even make it functional enough to test that replacing a hard drive would be a walk in the park. After all, to replace the main board you have to remove the hard drive anyway, so why wouldn't you put a new one in?

 

Shall I tell you how many hard drives I've ever replaced? None. Main boards fail regularly and boot failures is not uncommon with main board failure.

 

But you can believe what you choose I guess....

[JayKay86]

I'm not saying I don't believe you all i'm telling you is what I have been told. The company do not replace hard drives themselves they send them to a company in Germany apparently which is a bit odd to think about it now. What is the usual cost and turnaround to replace a mainboard?

[Rustynuts]

It's not financially viable. Cost would be up to or more than the cost of a replacement unit.

 

I did one once, it took so much time & coding to get it to actually work as the original unit did that it's not something I would do again.

[JayKay86]

Ok thanks. And the unit you have on the shelf, what is the story behind that? Where did you get hold of it? When was it manufactured? Also if I did want to change the hard drive out of boredom seeing I cannot do much in these times. 

[Rustynuts]

I buy and sell Columbus units, repair them, update them, etc. I have two in the workshop, one was a trade in for a DAB unit I sold (it's a non DAB unit) and the other is a DAB unit which was traded in as non functional and has been repaired.

I can't recall off the top of my head what year of manufacture they are but I can find out later. They come with updated software and maps as required (latest maps are V17 and just out recently) and the non DAB one has had a brand new screen fitted. The DAB one is excellent screen condition. There's a price premium for the DAB one obviously.

If you're buying a unit and want a hard drive then I have plenty, and I'll give you one FOC. You can play about with it, but it won't be plug & play, you'll need to reinstall software etc. i think (unless by chance the data on both drives is relevant to exactly the same unit and software configuration etc.)

 

[JayKay86]

Ok well I don't think I would not be into listening to the fm radio that much that I would notice the difference in quality so I would stick with the non-DAB one. I suppose the only outstanding thing is the year of manufacture really.

 

I'm aware of the pending headache I will give myself swapping the hard drive but it is more curiosity than anything.

[Rustynuts]

The non DAB unit is  2011 manufacture so will have been from a 2012 car most likely.

[JayKay86]

Yes it would be likely as that is the date on my own one. Would I have to try get somebody to code the unit once in the car or could it be done with vagcom if I can borrow the odb plug again as I have the software on my own laptop. How would you accept payment?

[Rustynuts]

I'll message you.