Mysterious code 3 from EBikeKit console

[Wascally Wabbit]

I have a SunSeeker Fat Tad with an add-on kit from EBikeKit. Several times in the past, I have had fried motor/cable problems stemming from driving the engine too hard for too long up a hill, usually announcing itself as a code complaining about a Hall sensor or cabling issue, combined with a very hot cable and controller housing.

A week ago, I forgot myself and pushed the bike too hard again, and got the dreaded Code 3, complaining about a bent pin. Nothing I was doing at the time could have bent a pin. I have ridden dozens of miles with that cable. I assumed that either the engine or the cable had cooked, even though they were not all that hot when the bike went down. I got a replacement for the 9-pin cable connecting controller to hub. The old one looked OK. The new cable did not fix the problem. Detaching the cable and booting up the controller got me a different error code complaining about cabling (which I would expect), so a gross misconnection to the hub seems unlikely.

I happened to have a known working engine of the exact same type and model in reserve, so I hooked it up to the power cable just to see if I could get it to turn. It did not, reporting Code 3. All of my cables and connectors look good.

What's going on?

 

[HumanPerson]

So something might have gotten hot enough to melt some wire sheathing or a solder joint possibly came undone perhaps?

 

[Wascally Wabbit]

So something might have gotten hot enough to melt some wire sheathing or a solder joint possibly came undone perhaps?

No physical signs are visible this time. On prior failures, yes.

 

[HumanPerson]

No physical signs are visible this time. On prior failures, yes.

Welp...right there could be a problem.....