Possible unshielded electronics receiving RF interference from cell phone.....

[mountainbronco]

so, I am not an electrician and have little knowledge about RF interference, but I have the following story to tell. This just may explain some of the unusual electrical experiences that some of our inmates have gone through.

I have a 2.7 Black Diamond, of course with AT, but without advanced, just regular 4WD.

I was waiting for my wife outside a building, the engine was off but I did have AUX power going. Then, I thought a short Youtube would help pass the time, so I put my phone up on the ledge in front of my 8" display and was watching that for a few minutes, with the data feed coming in from cell service, but I did have my phone's Wifi still on, so that was connected to the Bronco.

Then, my wife returns, I shut off the video and start the engine - and BAM, Christmas tree style error messages, including one that said I needed to service my 4WD Advanced, the ABS system and something with the brakes.............like crazy. (remember, I do NOT have advanced!!)

I shut off the entire system and restarted the Bronco, all messages went away and never came back.

After long thought, I conclude that putting your cell phone close to the center stack may just cause significant RF interference and screw up the Bronco's control modules....................

I realize there are many variables, which model, which options, which cell provider I use etc. etc., but, is there anybody in our community that could comment with knowledge if my theory could be correct?

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[projectbadlands]

I have a different theory. I think with the engine off and AUX power on, the battery discharged just enough to cause low voltage codes in the modules but still had enough juice to power on the ignition. Once the engine is warmed up, it does not take as much power to restart so it did not cause any trouble but the modules did stop communicating long enough to trigger fault messages. Once you restarted it, it gave the battery just enough juice to bring the modules back to good standing.

 

[Coldsmoke]

I have a different theory. I think with the engine off and AUX power on, the battery discharged just enough to cause low voltage codes in the modules but still had enough juice to power on the ignition. Once the engine is warmed up, it does not take as much power to restart so it did not cause any trouble but the modules did stop communicating long enough to trigger fault messages. Once you restarted it, it gave the battery just enough juice to bring the modules back to good standing.

I’d drink to that being closer to what happened.

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