Waddy2001 Posted June 7, 2020 Share Posted June 7, 2020 Hi crew. I've read here that the '89 ECM is on the passenger side, something like 'where the feet would be'. The repair manual makes it look like the ECM is behind the glove box. The Reatta Owner's Journal says it can be accessed from the engine compartment. All I want to do is get my dash working again and I've read here, I believe, that this can be accomplished by cleaning the contacts. I'm recently widowed, it's been six months, and I feel I'm now able to work this out. Any help I can get would be great. There was a link to a JPG on here for an '89 but that doesn't work now. Thanks in advance. I really appreciate any help I can get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted June 7, 2020 Share Posted June 7, 2020 Is hanging vertically to the right of the glovebox. Is removed down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddy2001 Posted June 7, 2020 Author Share Posted June 7, 2020 15 minutes ago, padgett said: Is hanging vertically to the right of the glovebox. Is removed down. OK thanks. So I have to take the glove box out, right? I think I tried that a couple of years ago with no luck. I'll see what I can do. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted June 7, 2020 Share Posted June 7, 2020 55 minutes ago, Waddy2001 said: The Reatta Owner's Journal says it can be accessed from the engine compartment. This must be a mistake or typo. Show me where it says that and I will change it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted June 7, 2020 Share Posted June 7, 2020 ROJ doesn't say that here: ECM Removal Instructions - '88 & '89 Models Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddy2001 Posted June 7, 2020 Author Share Posted June 7, 2020 15 minutes ago, Ronnie said: ROJ doesn't say that here: ECM Removal Instructions - '88 & '89 Models I must be dyslexic. I read 'firewall', not footwell. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted June 7, 2020 Share Posted June 7, 2020 Thanks for clearing it up. It does say "Remove two wing nuts on the firewall" but it's talking about the passenger compartment side of the firewall. If you just quickly scanned over the instructions I guess you could make the mistake of thinking it's in the engine compartment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddy2001 Posted June 7, 2020 Author Share Posted June 7, 2020 11 minutes ago, Ronnie said: Thanks for clearing it up. It does say "Remove two wing nuts on the firewall" but it's talking about the passenger compartment side of the firewall. If you just quickly scanned over the instructions I guess you could make the mistake of thinking it's in the engine compartment. I'm guessing you'd have to be a contortionist to get at this area. Thanks, all. I think I'm good to go now. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted June 8, 2020 Share Posted June 8, 2020 Small hands with long fingers help (can span an octave and a note). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Eaton Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 I made a tool to remove and install those "wing nuts" Used a piece of 1/2 inch plastic pipe...cut 2 notches in one end for the "wing" to fit into. any length will work but I made mine about 12 inchs long. Place the notches on the wing and unscrew.....reverse to install, takes the wear and tear off your fingers. NOTE... the BCM (body control module) is located behind the glove box. The ECM (engine control module) is located lower and as Padgett noted it comes out into the footwell.... not the easiest unit to remove. If you get a spare and want to test it, just unplug the connectors from the one in the car and plug them into the new/replacement. Let it lay in the carpet and you can then drive the car and verify that the replacement does fix your problem. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddy2001 Posted June 9, 2020 Author Share Posted June 9, 2020 Thanks, Barney. I don't have a spare. This is a last ditch effort to get the dash working. It was intermittent for a long time then stopped working completely. The CRT works occasionally. If jiggling/cleaning the ECM connectors doesn't work, I'll get rid of the car. I love it, don't get me wrong. It's beautiful to drive but I've spent too much money on it already. I'll see what the wing nuts look like then probably try your idea. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DS_Porter 89 Burgandy Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 When you say "the dash doesn't work" do you mean the speedometer display? Mine went out and I had to change it out. Its OK now. I bought it from someone on this forum. I could dig up the name if it would help. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddy2001 Posted June 10, 2020 Author Share Posted June 10, 2020 38 minutes ago, DS_Porter 89 Burgandy said: When you say "the dash doesn't work" do you mean the speedometer display? Mine went out and I had to change it out. Its OK now. I bought it from someone on this forum. I could dig up the name if it would help. The dash used to be intermittent. There'd be a click, coming from one of the fuses on the other side of the center column, and the lights would go out. Then they'd come on again for a while, another click and they're out. To me that means that there is a connection problem. By dash I mean the speedometer/gas 'gage'/etc. The CRT works now and then, no touch just a display. I used to get the light show but after about two years, most of which was spent in storage, there is nothing. To be honest, I don't think it's the display itself, I think it's something before that. When it worked, the full diagnostic after the light show, showed nothing wrong. The intermittent thing has been going on since day 1 but I was too dumb to ask the previous owner what the problem was. I'll post back once I get my hands on the ECM and jiggle the connectors, contact cleaner too. Thanks for responding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted June 10, 2020 Share Posted June 10, 2020 Sounds like a circuit breaker overloading, cooling, and resetting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted June 10, 2020 Share Posted June 10, 2020 Could be a RAP or a photocell problem. Have you tried pushing the dimmer slider on the headlight switch to the far right to see if the IPC and CRT illuminate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddy2001 Posted June 10, 2020 Author Share Posted June 10, 2020 10 hours ago, padgett said: Sounds like a circuit breaker overloading, cooling, and resetting. OK, that would be lot easier to change/check. I'll do that first if I can find a replacement. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddy2001 Posted June 10, 2020 Author Share Posted June 10, 2020 9 hours ago, Ronnie said: Could be a RAP or a photocell problem. Have you tried pushing the dimmer slider on the headlight switch to the far right to see if the IPC and CRT illuminate? Yes, tried that near the beginning of this. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddy2001 Posted June 11, 2020 Author Share Posted June 11, 2020 Update, sort of. I went to take the Reatta for a drive this morning. Dead battery, well not enough to turn the engine over but live enough to, guess what, show my half of the dash, the gas gauge side. The cassette deck also decided to spin. Very odd, I'd say but it gave me hope to know the dash isn't kaput. This week looks good to work on it as it won't be too hot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
padgett Posted June 11, 2020 Share Posted June 11, 2020 You was hot ? Garage was reading 100F today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddy2001 Posted June 11, 2020 Author Share Posted June 11, 2020 1 hour ago, padgett said: You was hot ? Garage was reading 100F today. Last two days you couldn't breath outside, hot and very humid. Much cooler now. I don't have a garage, unfortunately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddy2001 Posted June 12, 2020 Author Share Posted June 12, 2020 Turns out the wing nuts were loose, there was only one screw holding the cover up so I'm guessing the previous owner has already checked out the ECM. Other than jiggling connectors, what else should I be doing? Spraying contact cleaner on them? I don't want to pull the ECM down, it's so damn tight in there. After charging the battery overnight, I got the dash lights on this morning. No lightshow, just the dash lights then they went out. I have the battery disconnected while I'm jiggling things, that's probably safer, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 (edited) This thread has got so long and has veered off topic several times. I have forgot what the problem is you are trying to fix. Could you please restate what the problem is and what you are trying to do to fix it. Edited June 12, 2020 by Ronnie (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddy2001 Posted June 12, 2020 Author Share Posted June 12, 2020 8 minutes ago, Ronnie said: This thread has got so long and has veered off topic several times. I have forgot what the problem is you are trying to fix. Could you please restate what the problem is and what you are trying to do to fix it. Locating the ECM, done. Trying to get the dashlights to work. That is the problem. The original post was to find the ECM in case that controlled the dashlights. Might as well close this, as the problem has been solved, more or less. Thanks for all your help, crew. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 What did you do to solve the problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddy2001 Posted June 12, 2020 Author Share Posted June 12, 2020 1 hour ago, Ronnie said: What did you do to solve the problem? The problem of the dashlights isn't solved. I thought you wanted this thread to pertain to the original question: Where is the ECM located? That was answered but the secondary problem still exists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronnie Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 4 minutes ago, Waddy2001 said: The problem of the dashlights isn't solved. I thought you wanted this thread to pertain to the original question: Where is the ECM located? That was answered but the secondary problem still exists. Ok, I see. Just as info, the Engine Control Module, (ECM) really has nothing to do with the dash or CRT lighting up. The Body Control Module BCM is what controls them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddy2001 Posted June 13, 2020 Author Share Posted June 13, 2020 18 hours ago, Ronnie said: Ok, I see. Just as info, the Engine Control Module, (ECM) really has nothing to do with the dash or CRT lighting up. The Body Control Module BCM is what controls them. Good to know. Thanks, mate. There was an old post here about a guy fiddling with the ECM to get the dashlights back on, hence the wild good chase. Thanks to everyone for their input. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddy2001 Posted November 1, 2020 Author Share Posted November 1, 2020 Update: over the summer I took the glove box out, exposed the BCM, fiddled with the wires but nothing. A month ago, I changed the battery. When I installed it, I was surprised to see the underhood light come on. Dash worked for a while so I know it's still in good shape. On reflection, I must have joggled either the negative or positive battery wires. Come spring, I'll revisit those to see if there is a loose wire somewhere. I'm willing to bet that this will solve my problem. Have a good winter, mates! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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