From my understanding, if the EBCM goes bad, it can't be fixed or replaced new.

What are the alternatives to keep all systems working on the 2000 and older?

Thanx

 

Used unit, live without ABS/TC or buy a new car.

 

From the information I have, one of the best things to assure a good working system is brake fluid service. Condensation and other contaminates can accumulate in the ABS pump causing failure, regular service can help avoid failure. It must be flushed using a Tech II, so a dealer or repair facility that has the Tech II would be able to do it. The Tech II can operate the pump during flush to assure the old stuff is out and the new fluid in. Just had the C5 done a few weeks ago, a good investment of $150.

 

cant you jack up the rear wheels and run it in gear as well?

 

Thanks for your responses. Right now everything is OK, just concerned. I just sent off an email to GM corporate voicing my concern. Will post their reply when I receive it.

 

Waste of time, this has been tried before. Many posts on this very subject with people wanting mail campaigns, emails, ... etc for this. GM has zero interest in doing anything about this and never will unless forced into doing it in a lawsuit. They sell NEW cars, they are not interested in keeping a potential 10+ year old car on the road. By law, they only really have to do 10 years anyway and the bankruptcy nulled even that. Time to get over this subject guys.

 

Not sure if that would activate the ABS pump or not. And there would still be the front lines to purge.

 

After suffering with intermittant ABS codes on my 2000 for the last 5 years or so, here's my take on the issue. We've published several threads about this, but below is a summary update.

1. Clean fluid.
Certainly having fresh clean fluid is good, but in my case, doesn't seem to be the main culprit. However, it's definitely good to flush the system periodically.
Normal fluid bleeding methods will replace the vast majority of the old fluid; but will not reach the small portion of old fluid trapped within the BPMV valves.
The outlet valves only circulate this portion of the fluid when the ABS or TC is activated. This can be accomplished by driving the car and activating the ABS/TC, having the dealer purge the system with the TEC equipment, or, as stated above, jacking up the rear wheels, cranking the engine, and driving the rear wheels up to about 15 MPH (which activates the TC system). So, my recommendation is to flush the system, then jack up the rear and activate the TC system for a few seconds. This will distribute the new fluid into the BPMV valves, and you'll have 95% new fluid thruout system.

2. Sticking BPMV pump motor putting HIGH LOAD ON THE EBCM relay.
My conclusion is this is the major culprit. When not often used, the pump motor gets sticky (or corroded/rusty internally). Then, when used (or monitored by the system at each startup) the motor draws too much current, putting a huge current load on the relay in the EBCM, and can eventually fry the relay contact.
If the motor gets bad enough, it will set a code 1243.

So, how do we free up a sticky motor that is killing the EBCM relay, is irreplaceable, and is sealed into the BPMV? The solution for me so far has been to exercise the motor thru one of 3 ways: drive hard, use the jack-up method, or hot-wire the motor and run it occasionally.
The first two methods circulate the brake fluid and exercise the valves (good), but they also put the EBCM motor relay at risk if the motor is dragging. the hot-wire method by-passes and protects the relay, but is really difficult to accomplish on a 2000 model (have to take the ABS modules apart to get to the wiring).
I simplified the hot-wire process by going into the BPMV, soldering a wire to pin #8, and running it out thru a small drilled hole in the case.
now, I can apply 12V to run the motor in just a few seconds.

This method has worked sorta-okay for the last several years. I get a CEL every few months, due to a code 1243. I hook up the little by-pass wire to 12V and run the pump motor for a few 15-second bursts.
Usually the motor will draw 12-15 amps for a while, then clean up/speed up and drop to about 5 amps. It's like there is rust or residue insde the motor case that gets jammed up in there and drags on the armature.
Actually, tapping on the motor case while it's running will free it up a bit.

So, some thought on our plight:

- No one so far has stepped up with a repair for either the EBCM or the BPMV/motor for the '97-'00 cars. Used ones are commanding up to $1k, and they are potentially headed for an early failure also.
- The EBCM is all potted internally, but I do think that the motor relay might be replaceable by a handy guy. And I think many of the EBCM failures are in this relay.
- I know my motor will probably eventually fail to clean up, and will set constant codes, or will destroy the relay.
- I'm afraid to tear into the motor, since replacements are near non-existant and VERY expensive. We put out a plea for someone to send us a defective unit, so we could autopsy it and maybe find a way to repair the motors; but no donors so far.
- I think that if you are getting fail codes related to motor current-draw, then going out and driving hard to activate the system may be the worst thing - killing the motor relay with the high current loads.

If/when mine dies, I'll definitely dig in there to learn more
about it, and maybe come up with some solutions for some of the failure modes.

Cheers,
DG

 

I would not hold my breath on a reply.

 

I've already received their "auto reply" saying they received it and will reply shortly.

 

SO? Autoresponder is just a computer. You already have the best reponse your likely to get.

 

No sense of humor, huh?