Offering stand alone services?

Took a new BCM I bought elsewhere to a Chevy dealer to program into the car. Next day they call me saying the module locked up while trying to program it. $200 down the drain and and they wouldn't give me a break on the cost of a new one. Luckily the 2nd one took.

You'll never know the real reason....GM BCM's have to be set-up correctly per options the FIRST time. Of coarse if the battery ran low or power/connection was interrupted that can effectively brick the module.

Was this a genuine GM BCM? I can't warranty or give a discount on a part I didn't sell you & I'm sure that was the dealer's position as well.
On the other hand....If I feel something I did corrupted the module....I'll make it right.
 
I had an Astra lol - lots of Opel to USA issues. I have the Opel Astra Tech 2 card if you need to borrow it or use my Tech2Win. I am near DFW
 
I cannot thank you enough @clinebarger for the info you provided me in regards to re-programming the ATC module in my 2005 Suburban. That has taken care of that issue. Since then, I have been working with Tech2Win, GDS and TLC/SPS2.

Having these resources really encourages me to get another GMT800 for my own driving -- from the sole fact that I can diagnostically fix it or interpret what it is telling me.
 
Specifically Module Programming.....

Most of the time it's a good, quick, clean revenue stream, But there are time's it really tests my patience.

Vehicle....2008 Saturn Astra, 1.8L Ecotec/Aisin 4 speed auto with 42,xxx miles
Complaint....ECM was replaced for a no crank condition, ECM needs programming.

Got the call late yesterday afternoon (Saturday) from the owner of a small car lot I've never dealt with before, But has good references from other car lot owners I do business with. Said he would really like the car for sale first thing Monday mourning.

Turns out this is a weird Opel Import which I'm not really setup to deal with, The initial programming via GM SPS & J-2534 went fine....But setting up the module was a nightmare.

My hand held Tech 2 doesn't cover the Astra & I don't have a subscription to Tech2Win (PC based Tech 2 Software) because my 2013 updated hand held has worked every GM legacy vehicle I've ran across in the past.

My Autel Elite also didn't cover the Saturn Astra, Luckily I Googled the issue & inputting it as a Opel Astra worked for setting up Vehicle Options & reprogramming the Key Fob.

GM has a TSB about setting up the vehicle options on 2008 & 2009 Astra's, To bad it was incorrect, It stated to set the Oil Level Switch to "Not Present"....This vehicle has a Oil Level Switch! It was setting a P0610-Vehicle Options Incorrect DTC until I finally got the combination correct. Alldata doesn't have this DTC listed for a 2008, 2009 Astra does have it listed but made no mention of changing the options via a scan tool, But had you check powers & ground....Then replace & program the ECM.
If I had access to the original ECM.....I could've recorded the vehicle options, It was supposedly thrown away???

Test drove the vehicle, Reset the Oil Life, No dash lights, Everything seemed fine. Stopped to get some Coffee at the local QT, Went to start the vehicle....No Crank, Check Engine Light blinking rapidly, Relays under the hood clicking rapidly.
Called the Wife to bring my truck, Had her pull me back to the shop.

If you guessed bad/corrupted Ground....You'd be correct, The ECM has to be Case Grounded which would be very unusual on a Domestic GM product! The ECM ground termination point is under the Battery & this vehicle has had a leaky battery at one time or another. Removing the ground nut broke the stud as it was corroded half way through. Good news is the cable wasn't corroded inside & was able to crimp & seal a new eyelet on & move it to an adjacent ground stud.

All this over a bad ground.
I wish I was as good as you are.
 
I had an Astra lol - lots of Opel to USA issues. I have the Opel Astra Tech 2 card if you need to borrow it or use my Tech2Win. I am near DFW
I have them for Opel and Saab, PITA these things. The one setting common to both is the ROW (Rest Of World) setting to enable you to turn off the DRL, I never set the location as USA.
 
This might be a stupid question as I've never had to program a module with SPS or TIS, but I thought SPS loaded a calibration specific to the vehicles VIN and wouldn't need coding for options? Is there a difference in Global A vs the pre global A that you were working on or do all GM modules require options coding after loading a calibration?
 
A lot of GM body control modules require further coding with a scan tool after programming, But generally....ECM's & TCM's don't require it.
 
This might be a stupid question as I've never had to program a module with SPS or TIS, but I thought SPS loaded a calibration specific to the vehicles VIN and wouldn't need coding for options? Is there a difference in Global A vs the pre global A that you were working on or do all GM modules require options coding after loading a calibration?
ANy setup required or option configuration will be listed in service information under programming and setup for that module. Pre-global A vehicles require a Tech 2 or other capable scan tool to do setup. Global A vehicles have the options for setup listed in SPS so that you dont have to change tools, like doing a crank variation learn after a PCM replacement or update. I have not done a Global B vehicle yet but I know that programming is done key off on some of those. Dont know what has to be done post programming yet
 
I remember Ivan at PHAD pulling his hair out over an Astra, and the Emulator version of a Tech 2 isn't quite the same as a real one

Grey & captive imports always pose a struggle for the scan tools (OEM or otherwise)
I can imagine the profanity that was created when something like my Villager rolled into a Ford store back in the day, trying to get the SBDS/NGS/WDS to give you the info you want, when in reality that ECU was designed to communicate with Consult II
...Nissan Consult isn't really any better tho 😒
 
I remember Ivan at PHAD pulling his hair out over an Astra, and the Emulator version of a Tech 2 isn't quite the same as a real one

Grey & captive imports always pose a struggle for the scan tools (OEM or otherwise)
I can imagine the profanity that was created when something like my Villager rolled into a Ford store back in the day, trying to get the SBDS/NGS/WDS to give you the info you want, when in reality that ECU was designed to communicate with Consult II
...Nissan Consult isn't really any better tho 😒

NGS and now IDS actually work fine on the villagers. The villager PCMs just dont support some things that Ford did, has nothing to do with the tool. Ive used my COnsult 2 on them and and the information is the same. Astra is one of the vehicles that GM clearly states is not supported by tech2win. Astra was always its own card for the tech 2. At one time Astra was supported with tech2win but the software has dropped off in recent years. Currently SPS2 does not support Astra, have to call techline and get access to original SPS at the moment. Did one for a local dealer recently because GM wouldnt give them access to SPS1
 
Is this a recent development?, As I reprogrammed the ECM on this Astra in January using the "new" Techline Connect portal.
Last Astra I did for our BUick dealer was last month. SPS2 didnt recognize the vehicle. As soon as I said I was working on an 08 Astra techline immediately siad I needed SPS1 and gave me 24hrs of access, no argument
 
Now I will say there was a major update last night so who knows what has changed today.

You weren't kidding about the major update, Took like what seemed forever to update SPS2!

Have you ran TLC on a Windows 11 rig yet? My Windows 10 laptop decided to die on me & I had to cart my all-in-one desktop out to a car to program a ECM which was a PITA. I usually program using my desktop anyway (With a OBD2 extension)....But I had both my bays full.

Guess I might need to try it & see what happens as GM says to use Windows 10 Pro & Internet Explorer......I use Windows 10 Home & Chrome and it works just fine :rolleyes:

jhjel0Y.jpg
 
You weren't kidding about the major update, Took like what seemed forever to update SPS2!

Have you ran TLC on a Windows 11 rig yet? My Windows 10 laptop decided to die on me & I had to cart my all-in-one desktop out to a car to program a ECM which was a PITA. I usually program using my desktop anyway (With a OBD2 extension)....But I had both my bays full.

Guess I might need to try it & see what happens as GM says to use Windows 10 Pro & Internet Explorer......I use Windows 10 Home & Chrome and it works just fine :rolleyes:

jhjel0Y.jpg
I'll go to windows 11 kicking and screaming. Only got my first windows 10 machine 2 years ago. I wont put windows 11 on a machine until OEMs start approving it. I know some OEMs are having major issues with it and I cant chance that as much programming as I do.
 
Vag is still using windows 10 for odis and i don’t think that will change any time soon. They have a big odis update planned for December that will be on windows 10.
 
Back
Top