Being one of only seven independent workshops  operating a Jaltest ECU diagnostic system is giving Allegiance Malaysia an edge.

As a business, they might be best known as a spare parts supplier to the commercial vehicle industry. However, Allegiance Malaysia Sdn Bhd’s, business focuses is on providing a one stop center for spare parts, repairs and maintenance of heavy commercial vehicles for fleet owners. To achieve this, they are constantly upgrading their equipment. Recently, they added a test bench for Electronic Control Units (ECU) from Spanish multinational manufacturer of components and electronics Cojali S.L., who are also the developers of one of Europe’s top advanced diagnostics solutions in Jaltest Diagnostics and connectivity  solutions for commercial vehicles. This makes them one of only seven third party service providers in the world to be able to offer testing and repair services for ECUs used in commercial vehicles, industrial off-highway vehicles and even material handling equipment. Handling the diagnostics and in particular this specific kit is Jason Soyza, Assistant GM-TE Division at Allegiance. He told Asian Trucker why investing in the Jaltest equipment from Cojali is a revolutionary step that will benefit the commercial vehicle industry even beyond the borders of Malaysia.

In modern trucks, many functions have evolved from being mechanical to electronically managed. ECUs play an important part in the vehicle as they monitor and control a truck’s systems and functions. There are several ECUs built into modern trucks, each managing specific functions of the vehicle. The three main functions of the ECUs are to ensure that the vehicle complies with emission regulations, operate efficiently and in a safe manner. As Diesel engines advanced, more and more functions have been added to reduce Nox and other harmful emissions. To comply with current regulations and laws, an engine must therefore be very precisely managed. For instance, timing and amount of fuel injection has to be tightly controlled to achieve maximum performance. Fuel efficiency is the second point where ECUs are vital. Electronics combined with software will manage the amounts and timing of the injection of fuels with a precision that mechanically would not be achievable. Without these circuits, the engine would not be able to perform at its optimum efficiency and performance whilst achieving emission output according to regulations.

Finally, ECUs are managing safety features of trucks, such as ABS, EBS and Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). Electronics are faster to react than a driver, being able to react in nanoseconds. Therefore, ECUs play a crucial role in vehicle safety. Whenever a component has an issue, the onboard software would create a warning for the driver. A warning may pop up on the dashboard of the truck. Depending on the nature of the issue, a truck’s system may slow the vehicle down to a safe speed or even disable the vehicle if it is unsafe to be driven at all. This is where the Jaltest equipment will come in: a system failure may originate from a malfunctioning sensor or component on the vehicle; however, it could also be the ECU that has a problem and is not interpreting or providing the right signals. Should an ECU be faulty, replacing any component would not resolve the issue as it would keep on popping up. In the case of such a failure message, any workshop would typically only be able to change the component that is indicated to have a problem.

For modern trucks the process would Diagnostic tool to the vehicle and check error codes and live stream data to find out if there is a mechanical problem, then for sensor issues and lastly, the wiring would be checked. This entire process in modern vehicle diagnostic is very dependent on the ECU at the center of the system working properly. If the ECU is faulty a lot of time, effort and money is wasted due to erroneous information fed back by the faulty ECU to the connected Diagnostic tool.

“We are now able to isolate the ECU from the truck and test it for any failure by connecting it to a simulated environment where all the input signals are controlled and perfect and where we know the outputs are supposed to be as specified by the manufacturer. If there is a deviation from that which is expected, then we know that the ECU is faulty and that the components on the vehicle should be in order,” Soyza explained “Sometimes, there is a situational error, which could be generated when tyres slip for instance. Such an error message could persist as a message until it is fixed.” After such an error has been fixed, the original ECU needs to be “reset” to ensure that the error does not crop up again.

Replacing an ECU would be a costly affair, typically one looks at four to five figures price range depending on the make and model of the vehicle. Changing one on the assumption that it could be damaged would not only result in downtime but also set back the owner for a large sum of money. With the ECU test bench Allegiance can now pinpoint ECU errors from typical vehicle component malfunctions quickly and efficiently. If an ECU is found to be faulty, they can now offer the customer the additional option of repairing the ecu in addition to replacing it with a new or second-hand unit.

Another aspect of having the test bench is that through this process of checking and repairing the ECUs, electronic waste is reduced. Instead of discarding ECUs once it is confirmed that it is faulty, it can be repaired, tested on the simulation bench for correctness and re-used. Only those that have been proven to be beyond repair will be committed to waste.

According to him, Allegiance has taken this bold step of investing in this testing equipment as trucks are  becoming more and more electronically managed while the emphasis is on the reduction of electronics waste and waste in general. “We are foreseeing that this kind of service will be something that will see a drastic uptake in demand in the near future.”

There are only seven independent workshops globally, including Allegiance being the only one in Asia, that are currently operating the Jaltest testing equipment. “Truck OEMs do not repair ECUs. They have exchange programs and would replace the units, not fix them. Hence, trucks OEMs do not operate equipment such as this.” The equipment is hard to come by as the supplier is not simply selling the units. Cojali has invested a significant amount of money in the development of this tool: in order to work, test protocols need to be defined, and the testing equipment has to be compatible with a range of brands and models. The unit standing in Allegiance is able to also diagnose ECUs used in agriculture equipment, material handling equipment such as forklifts and off-highway and construction machinery. To become qualified, Allegiance had to undergo a six-week training course at Cojali HQ in Spain. With this, Allegiance is now certified to carry out the testing, as per Cojali’s protocols. “This is similar to our other certifications by ZF, Wabco or Hengst for instance.” Being top of the range, the Jaltest unit is also a very costly unit.

Generally, the job scope of staff in the workshop has been transitioning for some time now. Nowadays, technicians will need to have computer skills and knowledge of electronics, programming, mechanics and hydraulics. In order to use the Jaltest equipment, one would need to be a trained electrical and electronics engineer, if possible. “Myself, I am trained in electronics. For example, you need to be able to read circuit layouts and have an understanding of electronics,” Soyza stressed that the test bench is a breakthrough as it allows Allegiance to repair, rather than just replace parts, which will see a prolonged lifespan for the vehicle. Having ECUs on standby, a truck may be able to be returned to active duty with a loan unit while
the ECU is being tested. Transporters will also be delighted to hear that the truck affected by an ECU problem may not need to be taken to the workshop. Using the diagnosis and simulation protocol afforded by the test bench, they can readily establish if it is a problem with the ECU without the vehicle being present at their workshop. When the braking system is affected, driving the truck may even be dangerous. In such a case, the ECU can be extracted from the vehicle and sent to Allegiance for analysis. This means that Allegiance could also test ECUs that are sent in from abroad. What needs to be pointed out is that the test would void warranties. “It is a balance. While the warranty may be void, the savings could be significant.” Again, he stressed that the ability to test and repair a faulty ECU will reduce the impact on the environment and provide the customer with significant reduction in downtime and costs, while reporting that the first customers have already have success stories to tell after the Jaltest unit was commissioned in December last year.