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*REAL FIX FOR Chevy/GM/Avalanche Intermittent brake & ABS light!!!!

Rolling_Rock

New Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2012
Messages
5
*REAL FIX FOR Astro Van Intermittent brake & ABS light!!!!


I have made this video to put this to REST once and for all - the astro van ABS/BRAKE light issues.

HERE IS THE REAL FIX - someone in charge please make this a 'sticky'

**WATCH VIDEO BELOW**

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_6Sk7-fm0I

**WATCH VIDEO ABOVE**

This is the REAL FIX for ANY Chevy Kelsey Hayes 325 EBCM module - common on Astro Van, S10, Corvette, etc. There is NO NEED to 'mail it in for repair' to the online 'companies' out there. YOU can do it YOURSELF in about 10 minutes on your kitchen table with a simple 25 watt soldering iron and some flux.

The fix WORKS - I have done it MULTIPLE TIMES. All the 'repair companies' do is RE-SOLDER the broken joints typically around the relay (code co256) - NO "NEW RELAY" IS PUT IN. The RELAY is NOT the problem! Its simply old solder.

Do it your self and save $100-$1,700

Cost for repair if you have a soldering iron laying around is $0

Typical symptoms:

BRAKE and ABS light come on 'intermittently' seemingly when 'going over a bump', doesn't happen all the time, code co265 may show WITH an ABS code-reader

Comment with questions.

--Rolling Rock :welcome:
 
I am fairly comfortable with soldering, but the symptom that you have listed is not what mine is. As soon as I start the truck up the ABS and Brake light both come on. When taken to the dealership they said it was a bad EBCM. Would this be a possible fix for it? they did not give me the code (I know I should have asked).
 
Looks like my problem is fixed.  My Av ABS and Brake lights came on as soon as it started moving too.  I removed the ABS module and opened it up.  After identifying the suspect connections, my brother (works at a electronics firm) removed the old solder and re-soldered all six pins.  After 24 hours, the lights have not come back on.  Thanks, Big Brother!

I was told it was a bad EBCM also, but that gets it's input from the ABS mod in question.
 
It Worked! Thanks for the Sticky. Here is a couple of pics in my repair process.

3rd pic shows the original solder joints which don't look bad.

 

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I do think the two on the left side may have been the problem ( in this 1st pic it's actually on the right near the barcode. Had the module rotated), as one of those solder joints looks shallow.

2nd pic shows how much RTV you have to clean up and the 3rd shows it clean.
 

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Last pics show all clean and clamped backed together. I let the RTV set 3 minutes before clamping together, than waited 75 minutes before removing the clamp and installing.

No screws used to hold the cover on my version, it's RTV only. I used heat sink compound for my CPU to replace the contact points  (see pink spots on previous pics)
 

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Yeah I wasn't so sure of the heat sink material...what I removed seemed different mor eplyable over time...what I did...and I don't know if it is good or bad is this.. I kind of assumed it was a buffer layer between the metal and the board for vibration...based on that I took little pieces of masking tape at each point on both the board and the cover...then dabbed about a tear drop worth of the same silicone that I used to seal up the unit on each little spot...figured it would definitely stay pliable and the tape would allow it to separate if the unit had to come apart again..

Bottom line the resolder definitely did the trick for me..hopefully won't have to take it apart again to see if my method worked...
 
Real good article.  For the last 4 to 5 years I was having the ABS & Brake light come on intermittently and for no apparent reason (brakes worked fine) and not when the brakes were applied.  The lights would stay on anywhere for a few minutes or for a day and then not come on again for several months.  My ECBM is under the vehicle.

This past February the ABS/Brake light came on and wouldn't go off.  Stealership said no signal coming from the ECBM and replaced it.  Cost for new ECBM, labor and tax was $1174. javascript:void(0);

Wish I had seen this thread first.  They gave me the old ECBM - it still is on my worktable.  I might just experiment on it.
 
See my post for the vibrating/running sound from the module and ABS light on. Will this fix that?
 
I must be missing something simple--I don't want to break it??? How does the big connector on the PBS module disconnect?? The one with the red tab.
 
I finally figured it out. Sprayed it with silicone, pushed up the red tab, and used a screwdriver to pry it off.
 
wallifishrmn said:
I finally figured it out. Sprayed it with silicone, pushed up the red tab, and used a screwdriver tho pry it off.
Now the fun begins
 
I tried to fix my ABS problem but I could not open the 4 old torx screws. They have never been open in 12 years and now they are completely rusted.
Maybe I can drill them out.

But I don't know which size they are to have them at hand before I drill them out.

Can somebody tell me the size of that screws?

Thank you.
 
Wow no one replied. Maybe I can crawl under there today.
 
Sorry no one answered.  At my age, crawling under my A/V or any other vehicle is a thing of the past unless it is an emergency and someone is around to help me get back up.

The head type of the replacement screws is not important since you are going to replace them anyway.  What is important is acquiring the correct length and the correct thread type.  The head size diameter might be important if the screws will be recessed.  But otherwise Torx, Phillips or nut head should all work.

Having said that I have the old ECBM (Electronic Brake Control Module) from my 2004 Z71 A/V and clearly flat headed screws were used to secure it to the BPMV (Brake Pressure Modulator Valve).  Mine had 4 screws.

The 2004 A/V shop manual also stated NOT to reuse the same mounting screws, tighten them in an X pattern, torque to 39 lb in,  and do NOT use any type of sealant on the mating surfaces.

Hope this helps.

Retired guy.
 
Did this fix to my daughters sierra.
just make sure you get electrical solder
easy easy easy.
mine hade no bolts holding it together
 
tblt44 said:
Did this fix to my daughters sierra.
just make sure you get electrical solder
easy easy easy.
mine hade no bolts holding it together

So what did they use, bubblegum?  ???
 
So I got this again for the 3rd time, only now it's on and off; not permanent. So I'm wondering if I have a corroded ground wire like I saw a video of a Tahoe with this same problem. His ground was up by the radiator. Don't know if ours would be in the same place or not. Going to do some looking right now as I don't want to rip it apart for the 3rd time.  :E:
 
So I found a ground wire just on the other side of the frame bar just below the driver's side door handle. It didn't look that bad but was suspicious. When I went to unbolt it, it had no torque on it. Almost moved with my fingers. So I bared the frame and ring connector and torqued it down. Then sprayed some primer to keep it from rusting of course. On start up it was still there. So I decided to go around the block and see what happens. It went off 10 feet out of the drive and stayed off rest of the short trip. That actually doesn't mean much at this point because it went off before. only time will tell.
 

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So I did the soldering procedure for the 3rd time and nothing really changed.   :E:
The ABS light goes off usually first thing in the morning, and then returns on the way home from work. I also noticed I am  getting the Traction Control Off light when it should be the wet condition light. This is all leading up to  a dirty or faulty wheel speed sensor. The Z66 just has two on the front wheels. (This makes no sense since it's rear wheel drive only) well at least that is all I could find when I did my inspection tonight. Tomorrow I will remove the front wheels and  pull the sensors to clean / inspect. Hopefully it's just mud as it looked caked  on the inside of the driver's side wheel.
 
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