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Originally Posted by Richard Wooldridge
Hi Yosshimura,
I think a lot of problems we have seen on the German cars are due to their use of lead free solder and it's greater susceptibility to "cold" solder joints and vibration related problems. The bad news is that it's use has now been mandated by the Feds, and we will most likely see a lot more problems in all the newer vehicles. I read that they still allow lead solder in critical applications, like airplanes. The Japanese cars have always used generous amounts of good 60/40 solder on their circuit boards and soldered connections, and have had much better reliability because of it. It will be interesting to see how the use of lead free solder in the computer industry works out!
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The lead solder was 63/37 "eutectic". No-lead solder has been a problem because one company had a patent on the "good" formula, 99.4% tin, .6% copper. So everyone was using other alloys of silver and other things that didn't work as well. But now someone found a hole in their patent so everyone can use it. The new allow works very well. But if Mercedes keeps using cheap boards then the problems will stay, IMHO.
Mike
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1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra
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