body control module misbehaving

[Pluto5]

The "service vehicle soon" light on 03 Impala flashes continuously but the codes from the body control module are spurious. What's the downside of ignoring this since replacing the module and programming is about $500 at the dealer?

 

[The_Eric]

Why don't you just buy and replace it yourself, then take it to the dealer for a reflash? Gotta be cheaper.

 

[Pluto5]

Thanks, Eric, good idea, do you know where its hideout is?

 

[Pluto5]

On second thought the car probably won't start with the new module until it's programmed.

 

[The_Eric]

I don't know exactly where it's at, but I'd guess that it's behind and/or above the driver's side kick panel. Should be a black box with a couple of harness connectors going into it. If you've got a key with chip in it, I believe you can do a "force learn" - where you insert your key in the ignition, turn it to "on" and leave it for 10 minutes. You may need to repeat this a couple of times. We've done something similar until we could the customer car out to be reflashed.

 

[bradepb]

Dont know if this would help but our 04 Malibu had all sorts of electrical gremlins with the dome lights ,brake lights etc.
There is a tsb for some gms that has you disconnect the battery and unplug the bcm , then check and clean any corrosion on the pins&plug then apply a modest amount of dilithium(sp) grease to the terminals. This took care of most of my gremlins.

I would think it wouldnt hurt to try it. Our bcm was located behind the pass. side kick panel on the center console.
I was suprised when it solved our problem because there was no visible corrosion.I just scrubbed the terminals with an old toothbrush,.