EBCM Questions
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Yuma CO
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EBCM Questions
It has been a few years since I had my last 'Vette which was a '99 that I loved very much. This is why when I saw the one I have now (also a '99) come on the market, I jumped on it! 
This one has all of the options I used and enjoyed on the other one and not the ones I either didn't use (F55 susp. kept it in stiffest setting 24/7), or have given others frustrating problems (memory package, I was lucky as mine worked great).
Now though, I am reading many posts about things that are problematic with '99s and are either no longer available or soon will be! This worries me as this is my only car and is my DD.
What happens when the EBCM has problems? Do you just lose anti-lock functionality with the brakes, or does it make the car un-driveable?!?
Even if I can send such a unit out to be repaired or rebuilt, it would be a serious problem for me transportation-wise while I waited for it to come back.
Just how serious a problem is this and what are some other things I might ought to watch for??
Thanks,
DSTURBD
This one has all of the options I used and enjoyed on the other one and not the ones I either didn't use (F55 susp. kept it in stiffest setting 24/7), or have given others frustrating problems (memory package, I was lucky as mine worked great).
Now though, I am reading many posts about things that are problematic with '99s and are either no longer available or soon will be! This worries me as this is my only car and is my DD.
What happens when the EBCM has problems? Do you just lose anti-lock functionality with the brakes, or does it make the car un-driveable?!?
Even if I can send such a unit out to be repaired or rebuilt, it would be a serious problem for me transportation-wise while I waited for it to come back.
Just how serious a problem is this and what are some other things I might ought to watch for??
Thanks,
DSTURBD
Instructor
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From: Tustin CA
Tech Contributor
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From: Should this thoughtful, valuable contribution meet with no acknowledgement or 'thanks' this post----
There is a looooooooooong list of unavailable/unrepairable parts now for the C5. This is what is so sad, and what has caused me to begin thinking about a C6, or C7, if I can make it just a little longer....what a forking shame....thanks GM.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2008
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From: oregon
this just makes me rage about gm. they simply do not support their cars in the long term.
and people wonder why kids are driving hondas and toyotas ....which the dealers actually HAVE parts for
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
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From: Yuma CO
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From: Somewhere in Mo
St. Jude Donor '09-'10, '14
Mine has been out for 6 months. it comes and goes though. Maybe a grounding issue on mine. But to answer your question, it is perfectly fine to drive. I just completed a 3K mile trip on the HRPT. It's great for burnouts if it isn't working
you don't have anti lock brakes or traction control, that's all. Or active handling if you have that option, which I don't. Many things can cause it to mal function. steering position sensor, wheel speed sensors etc. If it goes out it may be another part that's actually causing it. Or it may be the unit itself.
you don't have anti lock brakes or traction control, that's all. Or active handling if you have that option, which I don't. Many things can cause it to mal function. steering position sensor, wheel speed sensors etc. If it goes out it may be another part that's actually causing it. Or it may be the unit itself.
Team Owner
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From: Somewhere in Mo
St. Jude Donor '09-'10, '14
That's true. But in the case of a vette I have experinced almost every known common issue on my C4 and now my C5. My butt just recently started leaking to add to the list. The cars were designed great, but the build quality of them is just a tad north of a yugo.
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Drifting
Joined: Apr 2011
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From: Pittsburgh PA
A friend of mine put it best comparing Japanese cars.
Americans (including GM) have brilliant engineers. They design some awesome cars. But the bean counters in management take the design and specify the cheapest sources for the components regaurdless of quality. The Japanese don't do that.
Last edited by fendermender; Jun 12, 2012 at 05:15 PM.
Race Director
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From: oregon
I don't think you can blame the quality of build if you mean assembly. From working on mine I'd say the guys in Bowling Green do a fair job with what they have to work with. The common failures are not because of assembly. It's more to do with inferior components. And the same inferior components are put on every single car down the line. Hence the common failures.
A friend of mine put it best comparing Japanese cars.
Americans (including GM) have brilliant engineers. They design some awesome cars. But the bean counters in management take the design and specify the cheapest sources for the components regaurdless of quality. The Japanese don't do that.
A friend of mine put it best comparing Japanese cars.
Americans (including GM) have brilliant engineers. They design some awesome cars. But the bean counters in management take the design and specify the cheapest sources for the components regaurdless of quality. The Japanese don't do that.
just no perfect answer here
Racer
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I'm only aware of the EBCM being unavailable/unrepairable. What else?
Tech Contributor
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From: Should this thoughtful, valuable contribution meet with no acknowledgement or 'thanks' this post----
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2007
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From: . New York
Theres a lot of truth to that.And to answer your question, when the EBCM goes you can drive the car exactly like any car before Anti=Lock brakes. You loose Active Handeling and Anti=Lock, and you would have to clear the DIC message every time you started it.
BTW there are many components to the AH/TC system, the EBCM is only one and while they do go (and on a 99 you will have trouble finding one) they dont go that often. The rest of the components (SWPS, WPS) are still available.
Drive it and enjoy it.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Yuma CO
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Thanks for all of the answers and input guys!! 
I really appreciate it!
As some have said, these are such awesome cars and are sooo reasonably priced compared to most other cars of equal or even lesser performance. Luckily for people like me, this translates down into the used ranks as well as I could probably never afford a brand new one. So, if I have to put up with a few issues to enjoy owning and driving a world class sports car, bring it on!!!!!
I agree that it would be nice if Chevy would make more of an effort to support their flagship model though. It's not as if they don't know whether these cars are going to have a large and active following throughout their entire lifetime!!!!!!!!!! Cradle to grave, someone is going to love each and every one of them!!!!!
DSTURBD
I really appreciate it! As some have said, these are such awesome cars and are sooo reasonably priced compared to most other cars of equal or even lesser performance. Luckily for people like me, this translates down into the used ranks as well as I could probably never afford a brand new one. So, if I have to put up with a few issues to enjoy owning and driving a world class sports car, bring it on!!!!!
I agree that it would be nice if Chevy would make more of an effort to support their flagship model though. It's not as if they don't know whether these cars are going to have a large and active following throughout their entire lifetime!!!!!!!!!! Cradle to grave, someone is going to love each and every one of them!!!!!
DSTURBD
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: Somewhere in Mo
St. Jude Donor '09-'10, '14
I don't think you can blame the quality of build if you mean assembly. From working on mine I'd say the guys in Bowling Green do a fair job with what they have to work with. The common failures are not because of assembly. It's more to do with inferior components. And the same inferior components are put on every single car down the line. Hence the common failures.
A friend of mine put it best comparing Japanese cars.
Americans (including GM) have brilliant engineers. They design some awesome cars. But the bean counters in management take the design and specify the cheapest sources for the components regaurdless of quality. The Japanese don't do that.
A friend of mine put it best comparing Japanese cars.
Americans (including GM) have brilliant engineers. They design some awesome cars. But the bean counters in management take the design and specify the cheapest sources for the components regaurdless of quality. The Japanese don't do that.
But the assembly is suspect as well. I don't know that I have seen many C5's that the pieces all fit like they should. Mine doesn't.
Last edited by RetiredSFC 97; Jun 13, 2012 at 02:56 PM.
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You can still drive the car, just no ABS on the car. And the way it is going, if your's goes out, your choice is to do without or find a used one.
Heel & Toe
Joined: Mar 2012
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From: Arvada Colorado
This won't help the guy with a '99, but here is a website of someone that rebuilds the EBCM for '01 - '04's. http://www.absfixer.com/
I'm a new owner of a 2002 coupe. Last Saturday I got the dreaded message telling me that I have a failed EBCM, or open circuit. There's only 28k on the car. Anyway, Sunday morning the message went away and then returned in the afternoon. Well, I pulled the plug from the unit and cleaned it with Deoxit, an electronics parts cleaner. I've had no problems since then. Yes, I know that it's only a couple of days, but it seems to have made a difference. I've put a couple of hundred miles on the car since Sunday afternoon and must have started it at least a dozen times.
If I do need to replace mine, it's an easy job. Only 6 screws hold it in place.
In my internet searches, it does appear that this is a very common failure.
Rich
I'm a new owner of a 2002 coupe. Last Saturday I got the dreaded message telling me that I have a failed EBCM, or open circuit. There's only 28k on the car. Anyway, Sunday morning the message went away and then returned in the afternoon. Well, I pulled the plug from the unit and cleaned it with Deoxit, an electronics parts cleaner. I've had no problems since then. Yes, I know that it's only a couple of days, but it seems to have made a difference. I've put a couple of hundred miles on the car since Sunday afternoon and must have started it at least a dozen times.
If I do need to replace mine, it's an easy job. Only 6 screws hold it in place.
In my internet searches, it does appear that this is a very common failure.
Rich
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: Sebastian Sunshine
I Agree
most of us here bought these cars used for those who were able to get warrenty's our big loss was time and disappointment but for those without them lots of cash as well...i bought mine with just 14000 miles on the clock from carmax they lied to me and gave me a check list saying everything was great! but the car was leaking everything, and pistonslap to boot!! at the time i did not even know what pistonslap was. I won't be buying another vette ever again..i have everything fixed for now so ill keep it as long as it stays problem free but if that leaky butt starts again its gone lickie split!!
Heel & Toe
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Arvada Colorado
This won't help the guy with a '99, but here is a website of someone that rebuilds the EBCM for '01 - '04's. http://www.absfixer.com/
I'm a new owner of a 2002 coupe. Last Saturday I got the dreaded message telling me that I have a failed EBCM, or open circuit. There's only 28k on the car. Anyway, Sunday morning the message went away and then returned in the afternoon. Well, I pulled the plug from the unit and cleaned it with Deoxit, an electronics parts cleaner. I've had no problems since then. Yes, I know that it's only a couple of days, but it seems to have made a difference. I've put a couple of hundred miles on the car since Sunday afternoon and must have started it at least a dozen times.
If I do need to replace mine, it's an easy job. Only 6 screws hold it in place.
In my internet searches, it does appear that this is a very common failure.
Rich
I'm a new owner of a 2002 coupe. Last Saturday I got the dreaded message telling me that I have a failed EBCM, or open circuit. There's only 28k on the car. Anyway, Sunday morning the message went away and then returned in the afternoon. Well, I pulled the plug from the unit and cleaned it with Deoxit, an electronics parts cleaner. I've had no problems since then. Yes, I know that it's only a couple of days, but it seems to have made a difference. I've put a couple of hundred miles on the car since Sunday afternoon and must have started it at least a dozen times.
If I do need to replace mine, it's an easy job. Only 6 screws hold it in place.
In my internet searches, it does appear that this is a very common failure.
Rich
Rich
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From: San Diego CA
The C1242 code (bad ground) can mean that the EBCM connectors contain a ground pin/socket that is not connected to ground. When I saw that code, I cleaned all the chassis grounds to no avail. Then I unplugged and plugged the EBCM connectors 4 times and never had that code again. It is similar to the other EBCM failure that causes the "service ABS, traction control, and active hndling" displays to pop up, but the C1242 code is not the same as the others that point to the EBCM.