Engine problem

[jonlabree]

Hope you guys can help.

I have a friend who has an 89 coupe and he tells me he is getting an Error message. It says "Engine control problem detected, Electric problem."

Not having an 89 I can't help him. I was hoping you guys could.

Thanks in advance.:)

[DAVES89]

Jon,

Have him go to the climate screen. Then press "off". Now press "off" and "warm" and codes will come up. Write doen the codes. Report back and we will tell you what they mean.

Now the other thing he night have done is do to the "status" hard button. This will tell him what the warning would look like if he had a problem.

One other thing that had happened to me was that my amber 'Service Engine Soon" light had burned out also triggering the warning. You can easily check that by simply turning the key to the "run" position.

BTW most of this is covered on Ronnies site...

[jonlabree]

Thanks Dave. He told me he can't get into the computer, but I think he is not following the direction correctly.

[Ronnie]

You can print this off for him if needed:

BCM means Body Computer Module and controls the functions of the body.

ECM means Engine Computer Module and controls the functions of the engine.

IPC means Instrument Panel Cluster.

* With the key on, engine running or not, go the climate screen on the CRT and press and hold the OFF and WARM buttons at the same time.

* The service engine soon lamp will light and the ECM codes will be listed followed by the BCM codes and then the IPC codes.

* They go by quite fast so you may want to write them down. Any code with a "h" after it will be a code that was current, but is not now, and is listed a "history" code. Any code that does not have an "h" is a current code.

* ECM codes will start with a "e" and then 3 digits, BCM with a "b" etc.

* After the codes are listed the screen will say ECM? This means do you want to diagnose the ECM.

* If there were "e" codes push "yes" if not, push "no" and the screen will go to the BCM?

* If there are ECM codes after pushing "yes" it will ask several questions.

* Keep pushing "no" until the question "ECM code reset" comes up and then push "yes".

* You can go from the ECM to the BCM and then to the IPC and clear any codes.

* You can't hurt anything by doing this procedure and even if you make a mistake simply push "end" or shut off the key and everything will go back to normal.

[jonlabree]

Thanks Ronnie, I will e-mail it to him.

[Ronnie]

Below is a chart with the ECM codes if he needs them:

[Guest Mc_Reatta]

If there aren't any codes and SES is off, check that the ALDS cover is on the connector under the dash by the drivers feet.

Then clean and reseat the battery connections, as well as cleaning all the common ground points there. A lot of times getting that message comes from voltage fluctuations from dirty connections and bad grounds affecting the sensors and computers.

Also can be the CPS, but stick with the easy free fixes first. A bad CPS would probably give much worse symptoms than what you describe.