Just installed a UG and it finds 49 gauges on my car. Things have gone smooth until the battery on my MCS ran down over night. I have tried the fixes suggested by UG to change the power on and power off settings as well as the restart time of 300 secs but still runs the battery down over night.

It has not been left in the menu mode which can cause the battery problems.

UG thinks it's a mini issue and may either drop support for UG on the Mini or try to re engineer fix beyond the stop gap measure shown on their support website.

Any body got suggestions on how to make this work short of returning the unit?

 

Make sure that the Main power line to the UG is not connected to a always on line. then it can not drain the battery.

 

Thanks. The UG is only connected to the OBDII port where it draws its power. Apparently, when it goes into a very low pwer mode when the engine is shut down it starts listening to the CAN bus after 300 seconds to come on stream when the MCS engine starts. If other MCS systems are still active then the UG starts scanning and draws power. Supposedly all the MCS systems become inactive after 80 seconds but that might not be the case. Its beginning to look like I need to somehow tap in and monitor the MCS electrical system draw after ignition off and without the UG connected......

 

Take a look at this thread: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...e-install.html

There talking about that issue there as well. I hope it's a simple fix. I want a UG myself but I don't want the dead battery that comes along with it.

 

I have one and just unplug it before leaving the car for any longer than 2 hours. It seems to me the easiest way to fix the problem would be a relay that cuts the "always on" power to the OBDII port when the ignition is off. Are there any issues with cutting the OBDII power supply?

If you did this it would just have to scan whenever you start the car. No biggy, takes about 15 seconds.
I would return it, but I noticed a slight scratch on the screen, so at this point it's mine until the Iphone 5 comes out and I ditch my blackberry, at which point I will get the bluetooth OBDII adapter and run either Torque app or Rev app.

 

I've been talkign with UG support and they have requested I send back my UG for an upgrade. I did some testing for them on my 08MCS and we determined there is a bug in the UG. They understand the problem and say they will produce a fix but you have to send the UG back to them.

I will update status when I here about the UG fix and retest the UG on my 08MCS. BTW it seemd to turn on my start/stop enfine button light and most likely other systems as well. Mine drains over night.

I did use the UG for a while and really like the functionality and price so I am going work the problem with the UG support and engineering team.

More later......

 

I have a scanguage not a ultraguage but it should just turn off a few seconds after ignition is off. So yeah u got a dud, maybe the new one they give you will have a few more features.

 

BTW the UG does not drain the battery itself. It quietly (1/4 watt) sits on the CAN bus via the OBDII port and listens for the engine to start. The 300 second delay in the UG manual tries to give all the mini systems time to power down then it goes back on line listening for engine start. My 08MCs powers down in approx. 90 seconds but when the UG comes back on line listening the mini systems start up again. Wish I had a wiring diagram to better understand which system come back to life when the UG starts listening. These other mini systems detects UG listening and remain on with a much higher battery drain. The guys at UG think they have a way to trick the other Mini systems and stop the drain. Mini systems have a history of remaining on once and a while a causing a battery drain.

I think our friends at UG will fix this for all us Mini guys.

 

This wouldn't be limited to just MINI either, BMW's E60, E89 and E90 series will respond the same way. It is terminal 30g that the UG keeps waking back up that powers up many systems.


Energy diagnosis: Terminal control
For more information; see general functional description of the power supply:
Function selection -> Complete vehicle -> Body -> Power supply

Brief description
The power supply for the consumer units is delivered via various terminals. The terminal control is distributed across various control units:

•Terminal 30: Continuous +
Terminal 30 is routed from the battery terminal via the safety battery terminal to the front distribution box. As soon as the battery is connected to the terminals, terminal 30 is live.
Control units supplied by terminal 30:


CAS
Car Access System


DME/DDE
Digital Engine Electronics /Digital Diesel Electronics


DWA
Anti-theft alarm system (in the FZD)


EPS
electromechanical power steering


FRM
Footwell module


JBE
Junction Box Electronics


•Terminal 30g: Switched continuous +
Terminal 30g is controlled by the CAS. When the vehicle is wakened by an operation of the user, terminal 30g is switched on. Terminal 30g is switched off automatically after a codable after-run time (e.g. 30 minutes).
As in the case of terminal 15, the CAS activates a relay in the distribution box across a semiconductor switch.
Control units supplied by terminal 30g:


AMP
Amplifiers


CDC
CD changer


CID
Central Information Display


CON
Controller


CVM
Convertible top module


DAB/IBOC
Digital tuner / digital tuner US


DSC
Dynamic Stability Control


EGS
Electronic gearbox control


IHKA
Integrated automatic heating and air conditioning system


IHKS
Integrated heating-air conditioner control


IHR
Integrated heater control


RAD
Radio


RAD2
Radio 2


TPM
Tyre Pressure Monitor


RLS
Rain / driving light sensor


SDARS
Satellite tuner


SHD
Slide/tilt sunroof


SZL
steering column switch cluster


ULF-SBX
ULF-SBX-H
Interface box
Interface box High


VM
Video module


•Terminal 30g-f: Cutoff in the event of faults
Terminal 30g-f is a terminal 30 that is only switched off if faults are detected. The JBE controls terminal 30g-f via a bistable relay in the distribution box. The bistable relay can be switched off and on. As a rule, the bi-stable relay is always switched on.
The relay terminal 30g-f is only fitted with High equipment, e.g. when the Car Communication Computer (CCC) was ordered.
Control units supplied by terminal 30g-f:


AHM
Trailer Module


CA
Comfort Access


CCC
Car Communication Computer


KOMBI
Instrument cluster


•Terminal 15:
The CAS controls terminal 15 depending on actuation of the start-stop button (with remote control inserted or identification sensor in the slot).
Terminal 15 is activated in the CAS via semiconductor switches. A relay in the distribution box is activated via the output of a semiconductor switch.
Control units supplied by terminal 15:
PDC Park Distance Control
DSC sensor

•Terminal R:
The CAS controls terminal R.



Here is the wiring diagram, however it is not entirely complete.

http://www.bmw-planet.com/diagrams/r.../r56/index.htm

 

Fes-Auto sells a switched OBDII plug. Wouldn't be as convenient as having it turn on/off with the car but it might be one solution.

http://www.fes-auto.com/products_det...p?productid=26

 

I have a late build 09 S and I just installed the Ultra Gauge EM, it has the metric & other extra gauges. It now has a boost gauge and can display 8 parameters on screen.

I've known about the batt drain issue but for the price of just a code reader, i took a chance. was planning on just unplugging it at the end of the day, just to be safe. i didn't remove it after 3 hours and the car starts (no deat batt, whew!).

However, if it is left plugged in and i start the car, i get a symbol on the tach. MINI on a lift, nothing else on the dash lights or the OBC. no codes on the Ultra Gauge either. The car drives fine, no problems otherwise. tried it a few times and same thing.

For now, i have to make sure to plug it in only after ignition on or starting the car. I'll somehow have to fashion a switch to power it on/off at pin 16 (12V of OBD), the OBD port on the car is too low to hook up a switched OBD port and the Gauge.

 

Is anyone running an UltraGuage on a 2012? Is battery drain still an issue?

 

Don't know about 2012 but UG still has a problem with Mini's. On their website they now say not compatible with Mini's. I've been waiting for 9 months for the fix. Just about ready to move over to Scan Gauge which supposedly does not have any problems.

 

Thanks for the update, thats a shame.

 

SG does not (so far, several weeks) have any problems with draining the battery.

 

I've been using the ultra gauge EM for about 3 months now. It stays plugged in to the obd port but it's not powered constantly. I disabled the gauge's pin 16(12v), and spliced it to the cigarette lighter. It now comes on & off with ignition on.

Only thing is, trip & fuel counters are wrong since it can't shut down properly. Every ignition off is like unplugging it without waiting for it to shut down, since the cigarette lighter is off as soon as you press the start/stop button.

Mainly use it as a boost gauge and coolant temp, cheap and easy

 

release 1.2 solved the dead battery issues

 

SUPER news!!!! I'm on my way to their website!!!

 

Bought one myself too, I just can't deal without a coolant temp gauge