GM encouragement for C5 aftermarket parts
#81
Burning Brakes
I have a 99 and love the car, however if I had read some more about them I never would have bought it. I just can't figure out why the electronics in the Corvette has so much trouble. I've owned GM vehicles most of my life and haven't really had too much trouble with the electronics in them till I bought my Vette. I found out real quick why the PO sold the car. Wouldn't let me drive it on wet roads, after I bought it I knew why. I have it pretty much under control now, but have thought about selling it because of the parts availability. I keep thinking somebody will come up with a way to retrofit a later EBCM and steering wheel sensor, but maybe not.
#84
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#86
C5 replacement parts
You would think that GM would want to continue to support the C5 parts market. If they look around they will see that other auto makers such as Porsche and Mercedes offer restoration services and repair parts for older models way beyond any 10 year requirement that may exist. There are 200,000+ C5's on the road - - sounds like an opportunity to build brand loyalty.
#88
Burning Brakes
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This particular problem is going to be happening more and more. Older cars had very little in the way of complex electronics and most could be reengineered pretty easily. The C5 is just the first generation of cars having this issue. What happens in 20 or 30 years when C5 and C6 computers start failing due to age and 'new' replacements are no longer available from GM? The big problem isn't creating new hardware, but getting the software that they run. GM needs to start figuring out how to put the hardware and software for all the computers on our cars into the public domain or some type of royalty free license before the situation becomes critical. That or they need to document how all these interrelated systems communicate with each other so that aftermarket products can be built to replace them.
#89
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#90
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I have one too, and GM's responsibility
It is my understanding that the early model EBCM's are imbedded in some type of epoxy that prevents even a knowledgable tech to fix these units. The late model EBCMs (2001 and up) can be fixed (in most cases) if they fail. Since the early EBCM's are no longer available, the only way a vehicle with a bad EBCM can be fixed is to find a unit off another early C-5 that has been salvaged.
The bottom line is, many early C-5 owners are driving their cars with no traction control ABS, because their EBCM has failed. This could be an area where the feds get involved should someone have an accident that can be traced back to failures of a unit that GM no longer builds or repairs.
The bottom line is, many early C-5 owners are driving their cars with no traction control ABS, because their EBCM has failed. This could be an area where the feds get involved should someone have an accident that can be traced back to failures of a unit that GM no longer builds or repairs.