Are ECU logged faults 'timestamped'? - LHM
Hi,

An 'Alarm System Service Required' message now appears on start-up following a trip to the bodyshop to have very minor damage to the front driver's side wing repaired. I'm pretty sure the fault is their doing (I didn't even know such a message existed!), but it would be nice to have some 'hard evidence'.

Does anyone know if faults detected by ECUs are 'timestamped' in any way? Obviously time/date would require a battery-backed system, so maybe that's out - but recording mileage (electronic odometer) would be pretty easy.

The car is a 2000MY Volvo S80.

Cheers.
Are ECU logged faults 'timestamped'? - Collos25
normally they are not,are you sure its not genuine and it needs a service.Maybe they have had the battery disconected for a long period.
Are ECU logged faults 'timestamped'? - LHM
Thanks for the reply Andy. Yes, it's a genuine fault - the central locking doesn't work properly either! Neither fault was present either before the 'repair' was effected - or even after the accident (someone reversed into the wing at about 2mph).

The work was carried out through the 3rd party's insurance company's 'approved repairer', and I did inform both the insurer and bodyshop the day after I'd got the car back of these faults. I'm just concerned that they'll think I'm trying to 'pull a fast one' by getting them to fix a pre-existing fault.

I'm booked in at a Volvo garage for some diagnostics tomorrow - so this might shed some more light on the problem........
Are ECU logged faults 'timestamped'? - Collos25
Keep us posted.
Are ECU logged faults 'timestamped'? - Ian D
Not sure about your Volvo specifically, but some cars are timestamped. A friend of mine took his Subaru Impreza to the dealer having had a check engine light on and clear, the dealer knew the date/time it had come on, other cars EG Fiats i belive don't have a fault history log, just a current fault log.
Are ECU logged faults 'timestamped'? - shadow.saw
get it checked at a garage all the work that was meant to have been done, what they have done is probably damaged a wire or disturbed a sensor as the central locking is tied into the alarm expect some probloms with that aswell if you want to check it yourself undo the earths clen them up and refit the and run you fingers around the wiring to feel if its been damaged other than that your a bit stuck cos ecus arnt timestmped apart from when they were last read or when codes were cleared
Are ECU logged faults 'timestamped'? - Andrew Moorey (Tune-Up)
I think you may be in luck with the volvo being 'time stamped'. As a requirement of later EOBD11 systems was a tell tale of showing how many kms have been travelled with the EM light on to aid the environmental agencies to prosecute owners whose cars management systems are faulty ergo pushing out excessive emissions. (phew!)This has been a requirement in the US for some time.
--
Simplicate and add lightness!!
Are ECU logged faults 'timestamped'? - SjB {P}
The S60/V70/XC70/S80/XC90 Volvos are sensitive to how the various control modules around the car are unplugged or disconnected from power source. For example, none of them should be unplugged within (I think ten) minutes of ignition key switch-off. This is because they continue to talk to each other over the network and to store data. Some cannot be unplugged at all without triggering error messages. The most common of the latter is "SRS Service Required", caused - of all apparently unrelated reasons - by unplugging the CCM (climate control module) prior to removing it to allow standard fit stereo head unit replacement.

I feel it highly likely therefore that to change the door mirror the repair shop has unplugged the door control module within a timeframe or in a manner that has triggered an apparently unrelated message.

Any VADIS or VIDA (the new version of VADIS) eqipped Volvo agent will be able to reset the message.
This may be free or cost up to £25 to do.
Are ECU logged faults 'timestamped'? - Boltar
I can't help thinking that car manufacturers are going a bit overboard with all the computers they put in cars nowadays.
They're just cars for gods sake, not the space shuttle. They don't need all that technology just to turn 4 wheels and keep the passengers warm. And I speak as an S80 owner who's had endless engine problems that the so called fault diagnostics systems at the dealers refuse to believe are occuring. If the computer can't even spot an obvious engine misfire what the hell is the point of it?