lwriddell Posted February 10, 2004 Report Share Posted February 10, 2004 Does anyone know if the PCM on my 1995 Seville SLS can be reprogramed. ?? If so, by the dealer or can I do it myself ?? If dealer only, does anyone have a price that they were charged ?? Just trying to keep the dealer honest !! Thanks, in advance for any information that might be out there, lwriddell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Concours Posted February 10, 2004 Report Share Posted February 10, 2004 Why do you want to reprogram it? Jeff 98 Concours 90 Seville 04 Corvette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lwriddell Posted February 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2004 I want to reprogram it because the transmission shop, that rebuilt it, says that the problem is in the PCM. They checked the wiring harness and I checked the grounds. Everything is OK. The transmission takes off in 2nd gear, the traction control and the ABS are disabled, and 1 time ( in very cold weather -50/-60f ) it was running 3500 RPM at 55 MPH. I stopped and checked the fluids ( all OK ), let it idle for 20 minutes, and it was fine. Hope this helps, lwriddell@cox.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Concours Posted February 10, 2004 Report Share Posted February 10, 2004 Still sounds like a tranny problem to me. Sometimes the wire harness that goes into the transmission gets pinched inside the transmission and causes problems. It also sounds like the shift solenoids could be bad. The traction control and ABS being disabled sounds like the EBTCM (electronic brake and traction control module). Most likely a corroded wire harness problem.......easy to check....just unhook the harness and clean both sides, the harness side and the connector pins on the EBTCM. Is your traction control turned off by the button in the glove box? If so, that would also cause the traction control to be off and cause the tranny to start in 2nd. Jeff 98 Concours 90 Seville 04 Corvette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lwriddell Posted February 10, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 10, 2004 Where is the EBTCM located on the 1995 Seville SLS ? There is not a switch for the traction control in the glove compartment. Thanks for the information, although I should have mentioned that the guys at the transmission shop hooked it up to a portable box that somehow replaces the PCM transmission function, and it shifted just fine. I don't really know if such a "box" exists, but they have a great local reputation, and they had the car for 3 days and only charged me for 3 hours. They have even called back, with some other ideas, that BTW didn't work either. Someone out there has to have had a similar problem--don't ya think? lwriddell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Concours Posted February 10, 2004 Report Share Posted February 10, 2004 As far as the traction control and ABS, I had a similar problem on my mom's 95Concours. The ABS light was on and the traction control didn't work. I took it to the Caddy dealer and they said it needed a new EBTCM for 600.00. I brought it home and thanks to Logan on this site, he helped me fix it. It had corroded contacts where the wiring harness plugs into it. You have to take the Air Cleaner box out, then you'll see this metal box thing down below, close to the engine. It has a large wiring harness plugged into the top of it. You take that off and use some electrical cleaner and a toothbrush and clean both the male and female connections real good. That fixed the one on my moms car and so far, so good. If it is indeed your PCM messing up the tranny, then I think you would need to get a new PCM. I still think it's something with the tranny. C'mon someone with more experience.........put in your 2cents worth. Jeff 98 Concours 90 Seville 04 Corvette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonA Posted February 10, 2004 Report Share Posted February 10, 2004 I agree -- the PCM doesn't need to be "reprogrammed". Nothing programatically changed in the PCM since the car was new. The PCM may indeed be bad, but I don't think that "reprogramming" it will help. It does sound that the shop did a lot of diagnosis, to include removing the PCM from the circuit, and found it to be the problem. I think replacement of the PCM, or even just the chip, is going to be the fix. As I understand it, the PCM on a '95 will be in the cabin, behind the front passenger kick panel (under the glove box area). Jason(2001 STS, White Diamond) "When you turn your car on...does it return the favor?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loucar1 Posted February 11, 2004 Report Share Posted February 11, 2004 Speaking of PCM.....Have you checked for trouble codes Lou 94 Seville STS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry94 Posted February 11, 2004 Report Share Posted February 11, 2004 On my '94, if I disable the traction control, then the transmission starts off in second gear. That's the way it works. I may be out in left field here, but you say your anti-lock/ traction is disabled. Sounds like the computer is working properly, by starting in second gear because the traction control is disabled. If you fix the traction control/anti-lock problem, then the transmission may work properly. Just a thought. Barry 2008 STS V82016 Colorado Z711970 Corvette LT-1 Coupe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lwriddell Posted February 11, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2004 Yes, I did check for codes, I will do it again in the AM. The transission shop said that the codes were all over the place, and were not consistant. I have a list of codes that I got 2 days ago. I will post them, along with the codes I get in the AM, for comparison. I will also clean the connection under the airbox, as suggested. Then I will take a 3rd code reading to see if there is any improvement. I will post this information also. I learned many years ago, from drag racing, that you will never know what the problem was if you fix more than one thing ( or make more than one change ) at a time. I keep a log for every problem, noting each fix or change, and the results of each action--if any. That always was a good rule to follow and it help make my cars a consistant source of agravation to those who choose fruitlessly to dethrone the mitey MoPar. I'm not sure that the same rules apply, as they did in the 50's, 60's, and early 70's. I could not be stumped, back then. I could attack a bothersome car with not much more than a vacuum gage, timing light, compression tester, and a paper matchbook cover ( or a dwell meter on the hard jobs ). THANKS lwriddell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lwriddell Posted February 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 OK GUYS, Thanks to your advice, I was able to locate the problem. The wiring harness connector ( male and female ) were corrorded and actually burned thru. I unpluged them, pulled the ABS fuse, and tied up the harness to keep it from shorting against something. I am going to complain to the dealer today, but I don't expect that he will admit any responsibilty. My new question is, if I replace the ABS pump and harness ( if anyone has done this, PLEASE fill me in on the process ), how will I know if the problem was caused by something other than corrosion?? I am gun-shy on this one. I am afraid if I do the replacement, that it may be shorted somewhere else, and just do it again!?!?!?!? Lost and Scared in RI--" lack of knowledge is a terribile disability that I have let this car infect me with " PLEASE HELP, lwriddell@cox.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98Concours Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 First of all, you really need to get the HELMS service manual for your car. You can order one from helminc.com. They're a bit pricey, but worth every penney. Also you can often get them on ebay much cheaper. You can also join your car at alldata.com and use their online service manual. I have the Helms manuals for my caddys, but use the alldata online stuff for my other cars. Alldata is pretty good, but I prefer to have the manual with me when working on a car. Jeff 98 Concours 90 Seville 04 Corvette Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pushinthelac Posted February 13, 2004 Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 Take it to a professional and see what they say, if its just reprogramming it can take them only a few minutes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lwriddell Posted February 13, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2004 Been there-done that, every time I get it back I have to tell them what is not working. The transmission man called me today to say that he learned that the 2nd gear starts are because the ABS and TC are disabled!!!! I just paid him $180.00 ( cheap for the 15-18 hours that he had in it ) to tell me that he couldn't find anything wrong with the wiring and the transmission was perfect. Had I taken his "PROFESSIONAL ADVICE ", I would have replaced the PCM. Would not have helped, because the ABS unit was burned up. BTW, thanks to this board ( supposed band of amatures ), I found the REAL PROBLEM in about 20 minutes. I just need to know now, if I fix the damage, will that cure the reason that it happened in the first place?? LOGAN----ARE YOU OUT THERE---HELP Thanks, lwriddell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Logan Posted February 14, 2004 Report Share Posted February 14, 2004 There is a 'test' box for the some trans. I think its more for the 4T60/65 rather then the latter 4T80. Its Kent Moore J-38791. No current TSBs on wire/plug water/corrosion damage at the ABS plug. I have seen some of these go bad in the field. But not quite as bad as yours. Being...its sounds as if pins came out of the ABS unit...I think that will have to be replaced. At least the electroincs chunk of it...if thats available. The empty harness connector should be available. What you really need is about a foot of harness and the connector out of a wreck. Then solder and heat shrink the new one one. I do not think Cadillac has a service kit for this. Logan Diagnostic LLC www.airbagcrash.com www.logandieselusa.com www.ledfix.com www.ledfix.com/yukontaillightrepair.html www.ledfix.com/ledreplacements.html www.ledfix.com/j42385toolrental.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lwriddell Posted February 17, 2004 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2004 Logan, Somehow you and I think alike, I just asked a guy on E-Bay for a couple of feet of hahness to go with his used ABS unit. He had already junked the rest of the car, so I'm still looking fo a piece or harness with the connector. I will post a picture of the unit and the connector when I get them out of the car. My wife thinks that us guys ( on the Caddy board ) should write the TSB's for GM. We also have a 1996 Ford windstar and a 1987 Buick Riviera that I could write some TSB's for!?!?!? I took the Cady to the dealer ( the one who sent it to the trans shop, in the first place ) bacause he said that his guys should have found the problem the first time it was there. When I got there, he wanted to charge me something over $80.00 to look at it to see if he ( they ) had made a mistake !!!! We got into an arguement over the car being returned, after the trans rebuild, with the traction control and antilock brakes disabled. He said that that had nothing to do with the trans. I said that the trans should not be starting out in 2nd gear and whatever it takes to keep that from happening was up to them to find and let me know before the car was returned to me as being fixed ( $2,500.00 ) just for the trans rebuild @about 62,000 mi. Needless to say, he claims that the problem happened after it left his shop ( 2,500 miles and 2 months later ) so I lost the first round. More rounds to come!?!?!? The day after I got the car back, the TC and ABS lights came on, I was 200 mi from home. Whe I returned, I called them, and they told me that this was a different issue, but it would not hurt to drive the car as the TC and ABS were not part of the transmission. I have been sick for over 2 months, and only made a couple of necessary trips, before finally getting around to posting on this board to get some honest and professional advice. Thanks to everyone here, I guess that if we had our own dealership, we would be too honest to make any money!!! I also want to mention Logan as one of the most honest businessmen I have ever encountered. I had a problem with my third brake lite, so I went to his site where he tries to not sell you a part that you don't need. What a guy !!! Needless to say, I didn't need a new lite and now mine works fine thanks to his site. Thanks to all, lwriddell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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