ebcm failure rates
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 16,028
Likes: 170
From: oregon
That's where you'd be wrong. I know at least 6 past and present C5 owners (2000 and newer) and every last one has had the EBCM fail. The same is true of the column lock feature. What are the odds, then that the majority of C5 owners who have 2000 and newer C5s have NOT had their EBCM fail? I'm not talking about C5s with 5000 miles on them. Let's say 30,000 miles or more. Pretending that it's not a problem won't make it go away.
If you do have a 2000 C5 that has not had this issue, prepare! Your options are limited.
If you do have a 2000 C5 that has not had this issue, prepare! Your options are limited.
i still have a hard drive from 1996 in an old pc that works. i've also had drives fail within a month of buying. such is the nature of things
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
From: Naperville IL
It's my belief this system is more prone to fail if you are attempting to spin the back tires with the traction control activated. Mine failed 3 years ago, and it was a $4800 repair bill. The EBCM and BPMV had to be replaced. There was a steering column sensor that was also somehow affected and had to be replaced.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 16,028
Likes: 170
From: oregon
It's my belief this system is more prone to fail if you are attempting to spin the back tires with the traction control activated. Mine failed 3 years ago, and it was a $4800 repair bill. The EBCM and BPMV had to be replaced. There was a steering column sensor that was also somehow affected and had to be replaced.
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 54
Likes: 0
From: Naperville IL
I ran into a Chevy field service manager at a dealership open house and discussed with him. The car was 2 years out of warranty. He called 2 days later and said he'd fix it and cover all the costs, less $300 from me. I couldn't believe it. Neither could the local chevy dealer. At any rate, I had it repaired and its work fine since then. That was 2009.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 19,304
Likes: 85
From: San Diego CA
mileage isn't really a factor for the ebcm, age, moisture levels and the pick of the circuit is what matters. it's like any other electronic gadget, some live forever, some fail. there are 200k c5's on the oe ebcm and some that have failed on garage queens.
i still have a hard drive from 1996 in an old pc that works. i've also had drives fail within a month of buying. such is the nature of things
i still have a hard drive from 1996 in an old pc that works. i've also had drives fail within a month of buying. such is the nature of things
Why is it that my wife's 8 year old Lexus has never had its stabilty control, antilock, or any other circuit fail? GOOD DESIGN!
Now, the C5 has many good features that continue to work, but the ones that fail should be fixed with an improved componant/component assembly. My smog pump check valve (you know, the one waaay in the back of the intake manifold) just failed again for the 4th time. Most likely, GM will have the same valve to sell me.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 19,304
Likes: 85
From: San Diego CA
Regarding statistics: Quality inspectors will inspect a certain percentage of parts, especially parts that have been changed or produced by a new vendor. Often, if one or more failure is found, an additional amount or the whole lot is then inspected. Why? because the statistical odds of finding more failures increases with every failure.
If I told you that everyone in my neighborhood had a pipe-bursting problem, would you claim that there is little reason to believe that either the pipe material or its assembly is suspect in every house built by that contractor?
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 16,028
Likes: 170
From: oregon
The solder on some of the electronic components on the HAVAC PCA cracks and fails after so many years. Is this something that has to happen to 150,000 boards? Of course not; the person who selected the solder, selected the wrong solder. It has nothing to do with luck and everything to do with a bad design (just like the column lock system).
Why is it that my wife's 8 year old Lexus has never had its stabilty control, antilock, or any other circuit fail? GOOD DESIGN!
Now, the C5 has many good features that continue to work, but the ones that fail should be fixed with an improved componant/component assembly. My smog pump check valve (you know, the one waaay in the back of the intake manifold) just failed again for the 4th time. Most likely, GM will have the same valve to sell me.
Why is it that my wife's 8 year old Lexus has never had its stabilty control, antilock, or any other circuit fail? GOOD DESIGN!
Now, the C5 has many good features that continue to work, but the ones that fail should be fixed with an improved componant/component assembly. My smog pump check valve (you know, the one waaay in the back of the intake manifold) just failed again for the 4th time. Most likely, GM will have the same valve to sell me.
cars all have pros and cons. honda has some of the most reliable electronics of any car made.....but their engines are easy to blow up since the sporty ones like the s2000 have a 9000rpm redline
pros and cons
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Drifting
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,341
Likes: 8
From: Hopatcong New Jersey
When it comes to a circuit board assembly, it is often the expansion and contraction of the PC board and its components due to heating and cooling cycles. A garage queen car that sits for most of its life is less likely to see a failure as early as a car that is driven daily. Each travel-to-work day represents at least 2 hot and cold cycles.
Regarding statistics: Quality inspectors will inspect a certain percentage of parts, especially parts that have been changed or produced by a new vendor. Often, if one or more failure is found, an additional amount or the whole lot is then inspected. Why? because the statistical odds of finding more failures increases with every failure.
Why is it that my wife's 8 year old Lexus has never had its stabilty control, antilock, or any other circuit fail? GOOD DESIGN!
If I told you that everyone in my neighborhood had a pipe-bursting problem, would you claim that there is little reason to believe that either the pipe material or its assembly is suspect in every house built by that contractor?
A) Expensive
B) Hard to get a replacement
But with regards to your plumbing example...If it's just everyone in your neighborhood I would assume there was something wrong with the water pressure in your neighborhood. Unless you could point to the same problem in other neighborhoods that used that contractor and/or pipe material.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,341
Likes: 8
From: Hopatcong New Jersey
Are the C5 EBCMs a perfect design? No, obviously not.
Is there a chance that any given EBCM can fail? Yes.
Is that chance high? Not really.
Does it suck if it happens? Yes.
Should you waste your time worrying about whether it will happen? No.
Is there a chance that any given EBCM can fail? Yes.
Is that chance high? Not really.
Does it suck if it happens? Yes.
Should you waste your time worrying about whether it will happen? No.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,640
Likes: 83
From: . New York
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 19,304
Likes: 85
From: San Diego CA
Make no mistake, this issue is significant and it will happen. You should not worry about it ONLY if there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. Many folks who keep cars for far longer than average, prepare for obsolescence by buying parts BEFORE they are unavailable. Should none of us worry about retiring by not saving? Of course not - so to those who own pre 2001 C5s, plan, check, locate, contact. Doing so may mean the difference between selling your C5 for a big discount or keeping it as long as you desire.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 19,304
Likes: 85
From: San Diego CA
Exactly - failure by design/specification, not a lack of luck. This is the case with many of the C5 components.
