Started to notice "service ABS, traction control, active handling" message.When I start the car 2 out of 4 times this message appears. Sometimes when I restart it it goes away.
Has anyone had that problem ? How do I service it? Do I have to take it to a dealer or can I fix it myself?
I really do not care much about traction control and active handling, however I am concerned that if I do not service it now it may grow into a bigger problem.
BTW I have had diablo predator tune for about 2 months, could it have caused the problem? I also keep the vette on my driveway, and here in Fl it is starting to get pretty hot.

 

u have just joined the club of just about every c5 owner its the ecbm module about a thousand dollars to buy and replace.... its dealership time..

 

Are you kidding me? i just had mine repaired with the same problem for $50.00. Go on EBAY and type in "EBCM corvette" or absfixer.com. Dont go to the dealer!!

Rob

 

absfixer.com will repair your old EBCM for about $150

Nick

 

Pull the codes first, could be many things.

 

People seem to think the absfixer is a miracle worker or something.

 

There is a sticky on cleaning ground conections I would try this before you start throwing parts at the problem.

 

Your profile does not say what year C5 you've got but if it's a '99 like mine ABFixer cannot help you as these ECBM's are not serviceable. I had this message once or twice while on a road trip and it turned out to be a defective/dirty harness going to the left front wheel for the antilock/active handling. Replaced it and all is now well.

 

It could also be a bad BPMV ground connection. Display any code(s) and look them up on a list such as this:

http://www.stengel.net/diccodes.htm

or

http://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_cod...d-ii-codes.php

 

I would highly recommend this. It's free and it fixed this problem for me. The one to check is drivers side, front close to the headlight.

 

I had this exact same problem ("Service ABS/Service Traction Cntrl") start showing up today on my 2003 A4... second time in the last 2 months or so. Hopefully the sticky (if I can find it) will provide some cheap help :-)

 

The Active Handling / TCS is one of those things that they had to design a large safety factor into. Since it has the ability to do individual wheel braking it has to work perfectly or it shuts itself off (wouldn't do to have it apply just the right front brake on the highway ). Hence the swervy rear end picture on the IC.

So . . .if you have a failing battery which causes the system to hiccup, or if one sensor hiccups (there is a wheel speed sensor at each wheel, as well as a steering wheel position sensor, and a lateral G sensor), or if you have a bad ground somewhere in the electrical system, the AH shuts itself down. When AH is shut off you also loose ABS (the car stops fine, you just loose the anti lock part of the brakes, they work like they did before anti lock).

The The grounds on the C5 are problematic, many components are routed into several ground packs that connect to the frame at several locations (a search on ground points should retrieve the diagram) and the manner in which they run into the connector allows corrosion to impede the connection to ground on some cars. Its not hard to clean them up.

So as stated above, there are a lot of things to check before you start throwing parts at the problem

Make sure the battery is not out of its service life (they don't last forever) and that its in good condition.
Check the codes being generated by the system (sticky at top has instructions, basically turn car on don't start, hold fuel and hit options four times on buttons on right of IC, read codes, look up on link above to see what codes point to).

The EBCM (Electronic Brake Control Module) is the square silver box that sits on the left side of the front of the engine attached to the brake control valve (where all the brake lines go into). The AH system sends signals to the EBCM which actuates each brake individually when the sensors tell it you are in a situation that needs correction (like a skid). The OEM unit has components in it that do go bad in a fair number of C5's. If it turns out to be the EBCM (which in your case I'm doubting, because when it goes, it usually goes for good, yours sounds like a sensor or battery or ground thing, the codes will tell) it can be removed from the car and sent to someone like ABS fixer to be fixed. I had mine done (2001) and it was about $150 and is warranted. Don't think ABSFixer can do the older EBCM's. You can use the car with the EBCM removed, you just don't have ABS but the brakes work fine (just cover the exposed part of the Brake valve while the EBCM is out for repair and wire tie the plug for the EBCM so it doesn't get into the fan).

So until DeeGee see's this and you get detailed schematics and the textbook answer or an actual mechanic steps in who knows what he's talking about, please accept my "shade tree mechanic, dis goes here and dis goes dere" explanation

Don't get nutz about it, just realize if AH is off you have to drive accordingly (you would be surprised how many times AH kicks in and you don't even know it if you drive very spiritedly). So just take it easy until you get it fixed

And as long as the brakes are good (no leaks or air in system, good pads/rotors, car stops fine) you wont hurt anything using it with the AH off.

Further reading:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...c-c1243-h.html

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...ould-have.html

 

Interesting. I had this come on during my drive to work this morning. So, just started a search.

Actually, what happened with me.. is:

Passenger side light flickered a few times and went out. (did not want to come on this morning, either) Then a few miles later, I saw a flicker and the radio even seemed to go in and out. Like there was an electrical issue, then service Active handling came on and the dash lit up like a Christmas tree. Stayed that way till I hit reset, then the DIC went back to normal, but the two lights were lit on dash.

I'll be checking the grounds this weekend - hopefully - and also looking at the lights, something is possible loose somewhere (lights are HIDs - so maybe a loose wire is causing the whole thing?)

Thanks for the good info above, as I'll need it to troubleshoot.

 

I have a 2000 with TC/AH. My EBCM and BPMV failed at 43K and the dealer and gm partshouse said the part is "discontinued" Brandon at ABS fixer said the 2000 cannot be refurbished. My dealer said it can be refurbished for $1125 and 3 weeks wait and $1960 for the BPMV. EBCM is GM part # 9376711. I sent it Auto & Truck Electronics www.autoecu.com for remanufacture. They rebuilt the EBCM in 2 days for $495. I bought the BPMV (#10417038) from gmpartshouse (called) for $1285 which is a couple hundreds less than their web site shows. Dealer installed both for $685. The entire process was 5 days and I tested the system on the track yesterday and it all worked great.

 

I have just started having this exact same problem.

Can someone tell me where the module is so that I can remove it and have it rebuilt / repaired ?

And lastly, can I still drive the car with the module removed ?

 

It's right between the radiator and the engine-it's the module with the large electical connector in it. Yes you can drive it, just put a plastic bag over where the missing module was.

 

All theses folks having problems but I do not see one DTC code posted.

 

If I knew how to pull the codes, I would.

 

Thanks for the info. Looks like I'll be pulling off this weekend and sending it to get fixed next week.

 

Go to www.absfixer.com he has detailed removal instructions.