I have a 99FRC which I bought mainly for autocross but given the current situation it has been sitting in the garage since last April. Switch panel (fuel, gauges, options, reset, etc.) had been iffy before parking and now, none of those buttons work (ground?) and the check engine light has come on. FWIW, the DIC itself seems to work. It tells me my mileage and interrupts with low tire pressure and door ajar alerts. I just am unable to reset or retrieve the codes related to the engine light.

I read as much as I could on switch panel and related topics and unless I'm mistaken I need to check connections, possibly replace, the switch panel and then retrieve the codes that threw the engine light on and address those issues. The switch panel part of the job involves removing the dash which widely believed to be impossible until someone posted how to do it assuming one had a lot of time. I saw some recycled switch panels for ~$90.00

At the moment, funds and time force me to look for a workaround. So I'll start with low-hanging fruit and work my way up:
1. Are there little things that trigger the check engine light, such as loose gas cap, wiring connections, etc. I can check? Will correcting these defects make the check engine light go away?
2. Identify and revisit ground points that are material to the switch circuit. Does anyone know which of the 6 or 7 grounding points is involved?
3. Is it possible to connect an OBD2 analyzer, reset the check engine light and retrieve the codes this way?

I'm really not against spending money if it keeps the car running as an autocrosser with the occasional drive out to the country. I'm even willing to spend to bring the car back to an analog platform as much as I can, hence question #3. If there's a way to configure the car for street/track without having to gut the dashboard and restoring finicky non-mission-critical systems, I'd be very grateful to know.

Thanks in advance,
MR2

 

Access the diagnostic codes through the DIC and let us know what DTC’s you may have...there are YouTube videos about how it’s done !!

 

That would be a great idea if the DIC worked...

"Switch panel (fuel, gauges, options, reset, etc.) had been iffy before parking and now, none of those buttons work (ground?) and the check engine light has come on. FWIW, the DIC itself seems to work. It tells me my mileage and interrupts with low tire pressure and door ajar alerts. I just am unable to reset or retrieve the codes related to the engine light."

Ar least that is what I get out of his post

 

Thanks for trying gents, Meantime, I've been looking up OBD IIs and Corvette Mods (and maybe others) offer a bunch of devices from Tech2s all the way down to OBD2 readers (which might also reset engine light, IDK). Anybody experienced in these devices to make a recommendation? I'd appreciate it!

 

The Tech 2 will read all the codes not just PCM codes like most generic code readers do... Go to any auto parts store and them pull the standard codes

 

The engine light is likely an emissions code. Take it to AutoZone and have them ready the code for you. Could easily be your gas cap.

 

Thanks Smoken and 3s!

I know the Tech2 will reset code alerts, but will it also let me do things like program new keys, or alter theft alarm settings? These are functions controlled by the (dead) switch panel which I am trying to sidestep, but after reading forum posts and the Service Manual (SM) I don't believe the Tech2 can replace the switches. So, the most direct response to my situation described in the first thread may be to bite the bullet and pull the dash out, after all.

BTW, nowhere in the owners' manual nor the service manual index is there a listing for "check engine light" Instead Chevrolet prefers to call it a Malfunction Indicator Light, which in parenthesis below says "check engine light". And there's a difference between a flashing and a steady light. I learn something everyday.

One of the, if not THE, best forums on the planet. Thanks again!

 

Just an update:

1. It was the gas cap. Took it off and screwed it back on. And I drove it a total of ~40 miles before the light turned off upon starting. I was ready to take it to Auto Zone to pull the codes, but it fixed itself.
2. Never got to this point. This would have been my next step, and probably still is a good idea, maintenance-wise.
3. From what I have read, the short answer is yes. The long answer starts with "It depends...." Mostly with this assumption: If we can ID codes and reset CEL with a scanner, what is the most cost-effective scanner around (Auto Zone, free)? And can a scanner be an effective replacement for non-operative DIC switches? That's where it goes off the deep end; and soon gets into how IT-competent the owner/user is, what if you buy from another country and it goes bad, among other things.

But read the articles written by excellent and dedicated forum members out there. More info than one could probably get in a classroom semester course. This is the best forum for this kind of stuff.
BIG, big THANK YOU to everyone.

MR2

 

Bad wires to the battery would be worth checking into and the ground connection just below the battery it’s a 10mm clean and inspect wires for bs wear through grab some new end link screws to the battery . Test battery and re attach give it a go ...prob this is were the problem is ..I have several problems in the past not with this one but other times it’s always been a battery wire whether it’s positive or negative or just the screws were stripped out or not tightened properly they do make a battery wrench I picked one up at auto zone for a few dollars ..

 

@mister2

I will go use my cheapy amazon OBD-2 reader on the 2001 I have and see what I can and can't do with it. I'll report back with results.

These OBD-2 readers are so cheap these days its worth buying one just to not have to drive to the parts store to have them read/reset these codes for you.

 

This is precisely what I was getting to in my original post. As IPCs and DIC switches become scarce and maybe more importantly, expensive, I want to know whether there are workarounds to getting the information and control I would otherwise have, had they been working correctly

When I bought my C5 2 years ago, there were a couple of threads that raised questions about discontinued and irreparable parts. Today the questions have shifted from "Where can I get the part?" to "Can I live without the part?"

So your experiment, in parallel to experiments others are doing with scanners and other devices now available on the market, will determine where our future is headed.

Standing by....