I have a 1998 Base C5. My EBCM works fine, and I know about how these are not available anymore, no need to rehash. My question is, was this EBCM used only and exclusively just on the Corvette? GM usually likes to use same parts on other models. Were these Units used in any other models that GM produced in similar years that you might be able to look at for spare parts in addition to just early model C5 Corvettes?

 

You are correct, GM uses parts on several models at once but to the best of my knowledge, the EBCM was for the C5 only. They can be found used on eBay but be ready to open your wallet up....wide up.

 

The EBCM for the '97-'00 cars are C5 specific for those years. There are also some minor variances on if the car is equipped with Active Handling or not.

A note: if the EBCM has issues the car will still very much be drive-able. It will still start, accelerate, slow, stop, and turn just as it had before. If the issues were terminal then the EBCM issues I've been having for the past three years would had been a much larger headache. At worst I lose AH and I have to annoyingly hit reset on the DIC every time the issue comes up.

 

I thought these were now being repaired. http://www.ebay.com/itm/97-98-99-00-...hXFPwd&vxp=mtr Is that not the repair service for the earlier models?

 

Interesting, but even they say they cannot repair the C1255 code

 

Someone who is more familiar than I with these, can you tell me if it is the electronics themselves that is hard to replicate or is it the firmware that is on the boards that no one knows how to replace?

I find it difficult to believe the hardware itself could not be duplicated using other parts, but the firmware on the board is a different story. To replicate the firmware, you would have to know the various codes at the byte code level.

Might be able to do a CAN dump on a healthy and sick EBCM in order to determine the codes required, and no doubt it would take some time to do, but it could be done.

 

The components on the early EBCMs are immersed in an epoxy (for weatherproofing I'd guess, sorta like mil spec ) and according to many that have tried to resolder the components, the board gets trashed beyond repair when any attempt to repair is made. The later model's components are not coated, and thus are often repairable. As far as I know, no one has developed a solution or fix for the early models, although many have tried.

 

Firmware/software it sounds like.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...post1589285863

 

Hope you don't have active handling V code is active M code isn't ..

 

From what I have read, the 01-04 EBCMs suffer the same issue if you have a bad logic board (C1255, No repair, EBCM toast) like the 97-00 EBCMs. The repair on the 01-04 units are the relays that power the EBCM and the BPMV are replaced. Some other circuits are also repairable but the relays are the usual repair on those units.

As for the 97-00 units they are also repairable as long as it is not a C1255 error (same for 01-04 units). Not many people repair these units. Some are repairable as long as not having a C1255 code. The thing is there are not any interchangeable units with these. There are units that look the same on other GM vehicles but they do not directly work on the C5. They look the same and have the same connector and will hook up to the C5, but the wiring is different, and some things on the C5 don't match with those units circuits (some things are the same, some not) on either EBCM. Magnasteer is called something different, and probably is.

With that said there is one thing that is the same. The top board (power) is the same. You can take the top board out of a cadillac for instance, and solder it on the C5 EBCM and it will work. Same board all the way down to the serial number stamped on the board. So you can fix the top board but beyond that no repair possible. Also all the circuits are repairable on that board as well.

As for the firmware being different or not, I have no idea. But the electronics wiring is different and circuits missing from other boards, they would not work.

 

You read wrong.

 

I realize that the C1255 is sometimes referred as the "kiss of death" but I am wondering something.
On my 98 the ABS light and the Traction control light will come on ever so often and I have gotten the C1255 code before.
It`s not everytime but I also had a code for the left rear tire sensor C1227 excessive wheel speed variation.
I have noticed that when I turn traction control off I rarely have the ABS light come on too.
Can something else set the code C1255 internal failure or is the EBCM more than likely just slowly going out.
Thanks

Sorry, I just realized this should be in the tech section. Newbie here.

 

Moving this to C5 Tech.

 

I didn't know the difference before I bought it, but I'm glad my car doesn't have AH. Read a few stories of the AH system going haywire and doing funny things. Plus the EBCM is less complicated, therefore less chance of something going wrong. I believe the M code EBCM doesn't have the extra relays and valves to apply brake hydraulics to individual wheels.

 

Thanks, I will try that. I appreciate it.