Cat 304E2 issue

[Steve Frazier]

I've got a 2 year old Cat304E2 at work that gave me trouble for the first time yesterday. I was attempting to switch attachments and all the red warning lights on the display screen came on and the graphics on the screen went blank. Machine ran fine and I still had the hydraulics but none of the switches available through the display panel were accessible including the attachment release.

I cycled the machine ignition several times with no success, the panel remained blank and warning lights lit. I suspected an electronics malfunction and started looking for a breaker or reset switch, first in the cab and then under the engine covers but found nothing. I put a call into my dealer to see if they had any ideas but got voicemail. It was right about lunchtime so they may have been on break.

I remembered the battery compartment and looked in there and discovered a factory battery disconnect switch. I shut it off for about 30 seconds and tried again and everything had returned to normal. About two hours later I got a call from the dealer where they said they were working with the factory to come up with a solution for me. I told him what I had done to correct it and he thanked me, said they will make a note of that for future reference.

This may or may not be a problem with other Cat equipment, or any brand for that matter and wanted to post in case any of you have a similar problem. I essentially "rebooted" the machine computer to clear the error. I'm hoping this is a fluke occurrence.

 

[Nige]

I remembered the battery compartment and looked in there and discovered a factory battery disconnect switch.

Do I take it to mean that you don't routinely shut off power at the disconnect switch when the machine is going to be parked for a while, or while servicing it.?

The standard way of rebooting a Cat ECM on whatever model is to open the main disconnect switch for a minute or so.

 

[Steve Frazier]

I haven't been.

After this happened I got to thinking about things a little. I've never read an owner's manual in my life. First time in a machine of any type I got a 10 minute briefing at most by another operator and learned by the seat of my pants. Never mattered in the past. Now however with all the computer controls it seems I should be reading the manual to learn the quirks. When we received this machine new I jumped in it, cycled the controls a few times and started working.

We've got a 2016 New Holland 75hp tractor that's all computer controlled too and it does things that baffle me. Same thing, been running tractors since 7 years old and I just jumped in it and started working it.

I bought a new Ford truck last year and all the automation drives me nuts!! I'm starting to feel like a dinosaur!

Yesterday's incident got me thinking I better start reading.

 

[John C.]

I have to agree on issues with the new technology. The dealer I worked at never had a product demonstrator when I went to work for them. Hired a good man for the job around 2010. Things got out of hand for him and they had to add another man in 2017. Now it seems they only go see customers when the customer complains about something not working how they understand it should. These two guys are always on the road now.

 

[KSSS]

I have to agree on issues with the new technology. The dealer I worked at never had a product demonstrator when I went to work for them. Hired a good man for the job around 2010. Things got out of hand for him and they had to add another man in 2017. Now it seems they only go see customers when the customer complains about something not working how they understand it should. These two guys are always on the road now.

I would only add to this that SCR has made it even more of an issue. The dealer/salesmen need to be versed on how to and how not to treat these machines and need to pass that on to the end user. A lot of SCR issues could be negated if the customer is instructed and HE instructs his people.