The Orange Section of the Instrument Fuse Panel
06-13-2022, 10:18 AM
#21
New Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 11-15-2012
Location: California
Posts: 16
The dealership replaced the BCM and ECM when we originally had issues with the ABS lights and errors kept coming on, and the battery kept going dead. Their thing was that the ECM was at fault for the ABS issue, and the BCM was at fault for the battery going dead every day.
Once we drove it away from the dealership after they had it, and $1100.00 later, it started doing weird things. We contacted them immediately and they said to give it a few days. We did and it got worse. We took it back to them and they had it all day. They said that they had 'forgot' to 'program' it. Yeah right !!!
We headed back to California and over the next few months, it has got worse and worse. The dealership wants us to bring in back to them. (1600 miles away in NE Oklahoma)..
What is happening is that orange section on the Instrument Fuse Panel doesn't seem to be staying connected. The screw is in as tight as we can get it but the orange section still moves from side to side. If we hit a bump in the road, it jiggles that section and then things happen. If you jiggle it to the left, it starts or stops certain things. If you jiggle it to the right, it starts or stops certain things. When parked, the battery appears to go dead and we have to use the key to get in the car and jiggle the orange section, then everything is ok for a bit. Yesterday, the car shut off completely while on the freeway. We had to jiggle the orange section and everything came back on. That is why we believe that its the connection in the orange section. We're wondering if it was ever the BCM in the first place.
What do we do at this point? The dealerships here in California won't honor another dealerships work, especially one that is in another state.
I love my HHR. It is nearing 370K miles and otherwise runs great.
Again, I am grateful for your help and appreciate the suggestions.
Once we drove it away from the dealership after they had it, and $1100.00 later, it started doing weird things. We contacted them immediately and they said to give it a few days. We did and it got worse. We took it back to them and they had it all day. They said that they had 'forgot' to 'program' it. Yeah right !!!
We headed back to California and over the next few months, it has got worse and worse. The dealership wants us to bring in back to them. (1600 miles away in NE Oklahoma)..
What is happening is that orange section on the Instrument Fuse Panel doesn't seem to be staying connected. The screw is in as tight as we can get it but the orange section still moves from side to side. If we hit a bump in the road, it jiggles that section and then things happen. If you jiggle it to the left, it starts or stops certain things. If you jiggle it to the right, it starts or stops certain things. When parked, the battery appears to go dead and we have to use the key to get in the car and jiggle the orange section, then everything is ok for a bit. Yesterday, the car shut off completely while on the freeway. We had to jiggle the orange section and everything came back on. That is why we believe that its the connection in the orange section. We're wondering if it was ever the BCM in the first place.
What do we do at this point? The dealerships here in California won't honor another dealerships work, especially one that is in another state.
I love my HHR. It is nearing 370K miles and otherwise runs great.
Again, I am grateful for your help and appreciate the suggestions.
06-13-2022, 11:14 AM
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: 03-06-2010
Location: Ohio
Posts: 6,869
What is happening is that orange section on the Instrument Fuse Panel doesn't seem to be staying connected. The screw is in as tight as we can get it but the orange section still moves from side to side. If we hit a bump in the road, it jiggles that section and then things happen. If you jiggle it to the left, it starts or stops certain things. If you jiggle it to the right, it starts or stops certain things. When parked, the battery appears to go dead and we have to use the key to get in the car and jiggle the orange section, then everything is ok for a bit. Yesterday, the car shut off completely while on the freeway. We had to jiggle the orange section and everything came back on. That is why we believe that its the connection in the orange section. We're wondering if it was ever the BCM in the first place.
The obvious thing is that bolt is not actually tightening, for some reason. Is it cross threaded? Stripped threads? Is the plug fully seated and then the bolt is tightened, or are you trying to seat the plug with the bolt?
I've never removed this part, so I'm just fishing for ideas. There is either something wrong with that part, or the way you are trying to assemble it.
06-13-2022, 11:19 AM
#24
New Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 11-15-2012
Location: California
Posts: 16
I gave it a shot and called General Motors Customer Service 800 462 8782 and was told that they are just customer service and do not help with automotive issues.
She told me to take it to a dealership and have them look at it to tell me whats wrong with it.
She told me to take it to a dealership and have them look at it to tell me whats wrong with it.
06-13-2022, 11:21 AM
#25
Moderator
Join Date: 01-23-2009
Location: Fredericksburg,VA
Posts: 25,293
Why haven't you done as I suggested? Pretty simple to disconnect the plug and put your eyes on the pins. It is not supposed to move when installed.
We don't have anything to do with GM, I don't think they even monitor us anymore. I get the feeling you are thinking you are complaining to them. If you have an issue with a GM Service Department you should contact GM customer service, the contact info is in your Owner Manual. Maybe their Twitter would help. They have regional managers that are responsible for your kind of problems.
We don't have anything to do with GM, I don't think they even monitor us anymore. I get the feeling you are thinking you are complaining to them. If you have an issue with a GM Service Department you should contact GM customer service, the contact info is in your Owner Manual. Maybe their Twitter would help. They have regional managers that are responsible for your kind of problems.
06-13-2022, 12:18 PM
#26
New Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 11-15-2012
Location: California
Posts: 16
We did as you suggested and not knowing what we're supposed to see, everything looks ok. That orange section is just not seating right because it does wobble back and forth.
I don't have any issue with GM,,,,, I called them because of a suggestion above to contact them.
I am not a Twitter person.
I'm just getting very frustrated at this point.
Thank you for your help.
I don't have any issue with GM,,,,, I called them because of a suggestion above to contact them.
I am not a Twitter person.
I'm just getting very frustrated at this point.
Thank you for your help.
06-13-2022, 12:52 PM
#27
Administrator
Join Date: 10-13-2011
Location: Welland,Ont Canada
Posts: 37,506
Could you possibly post a couple of photos of the orange connector and where it fits into the BCM?
my thoughts are it is ok until that connector loosens up, so probably it’s the pins in the connector are loose.
my thoughts are it is ok until that connector loosens up, so probably it’s the pins in the connector are loose.
06-13-2022, 12:57 PM
#28
Moderator
Join Date: 01-23-2009
Location: Fredericksburg,VA
Posts: 25,293
You need someone that knows what they are looking at to look at it.
You should have been looking for something preventing it from seating, something out of place, something projecting, something bent, something that looks out of place. What would you look for if the plug for your phone charger didn't seat? The 2 sides should look like they mate; a matching hole for each prong, all prongs straight and tight, all holes tight in their spots.
I still don't know why you think the harness needs replacing. The obvious problem is the plug is not inserted properly for some reason. I can't think of any reason it could be, apart from a foreign object.
I also can't think of any reason to replace computers that have nothing to do with the cited problem, something must be missing from the story, or the shop is the most incompetent set of boobs on the planet.
I suggest you go to a mechanic shop and have them look at the connection, don't ask them to diagnose or fix anything else without an explanation.
You should have been looking for something preventing it from seating, something out of place, something projecting, something bent, something that looks out of place. What would you look for if the plug for your phone charger didn't seat? The 2 sides should look like they mate; a matching hole for each prong, all prongs straight and tight, all holes tight in their spots.
I still don't know why you think the harness needs replacing. The obvious problem is the plug is not inserted properly for some reason. I can't think of any reason it could be, apart from a foreign object.
I also can't think of any reason to replace computers that have nothing to do with the cited problem, something must be missing from the story, or the shop is the most incompetent set of boobs on the planet.
I suggest you go to a mechanic shop and have them look at the connection, don't ask them to diagnose or fix anything else without an explanation.
06-13-2022, 01:29 PM
#29
New Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: 11-15-2012
Location: California
Posts: 16
'or the shop is the most incompetent set of boobs on the planet.'
Wow, you nailed it !
My complete story is that we bought a new AC Delco battery from a Chevrolet dealer in Chino, California last summer when the battery occasionally went dead. With the new battery, it started being more often, so we went to buy another new one from the same dealership. They would not warrant the second battery and said that they had to run a parasitic test. It took them five days to run their parasitic test and $140.00 for them to check out the battery, and their conclusion was that the computer was bad. They said $5,000.00 to replace the computer. I said no thanks. We paid for a new AC Delco battery again (the second one). Then we went to NE Oklahoma on a trip. The second day there, the battery went dead while parked in the garage. A tow truck was called and he started the car so that we could drive it to the dealership about 15 miles north of our home there. They had the car for the day and said the ECM and BCM were both bad and needed to be replaced. The BCM was new but the ECM was from a wrecking yard. It took a week to get those parts so we had to wait. Our bill was $1,100.00 and that was with a discount. When they were done and we drove off the lot, that's when things started happening. They said to give it a few days. Two days later, we took it back and they said that they had forgot to program the BCM. It did better for a week or so, at least long enough for us to drive back home to California. Now it just keeps getting worse.
I called a local mechanic that was recommended by a friend and he said he would rather not work on the problem. I called two local dealerships here and they both say they have to do a complete diagnostic first at $185.00 and then they will tell us what all needs to be fixed. They will need the car for at least 24 hours.
Honestly, I don't trust dealerships anymore.
When he gets home today, I will have him take that orange section off again and inspect it a lot closer than he has before. I will take a picture and show you.
I think if you guys weren't helping me, I would have already totally lost it.
Thank you all for your help.
Wow, you nailed it !
My complete story is that we bought a new AC Delco battery from a Chevrolet dealer in Chino, California last summer when the battery occasionally went dead. With the new battery, it started being more often, so we went to buy another new one from the same dealership. They would not warrant the second battery and said that they had to run a parasitic test. It took them five days to run their parasitic test and $140.00 for them to check out the battery, and their conclusion was that the computer was bad. They said $5,000.00 to replace the computer. I said no thanks. We paid for a new AC Delco battery again (the second one). Then we went to NE Oklahoma on a trip. The second day there, the battery went dead while parked in the garage. A tow truck was called and he started the car so that we could drive it to the dealership about 15 miles north of our home there. They had the car for the day and said the ECM and BCM were both bad and needed to be replaced. The BCM was new but the ECM was from a wrecking yard. It took a week to get those parts so we had to wait. Our bill was $1,100.00 and that was with a discount. When they were done and we drove off the lot, that's when things started happening. They said to give it a few days. Two days later, we took it back and they said that they had forgot to program the BCM. It did better for a week or so, at least long enough for us to drive back home to California. Now it just keeps getting worse.
I called a local mechanic that was recommended by a friend and he said he would rather not work on the problem. I called two local dealerships here and they both say they have to do a complete diagnostic first at $185.00 and then they will tell us what all needs to be fixed. They will need the car for at least 24 hours.
Honestly, I don't trust dealerships anymore.
When he gets home today, I will have him take that orange section off again and inspect it a lot closer than he has before. I will take a picture and show you.
I think if you guys weren't helping me, I would have already totally lost it.
Thank you all for your help.
06-13-2022, 04:17 PM
#30
Moderator
Join Date: 01-23-2009
Location: Fredericksburg,VA
Posts: 25,293
Has anyone looked at the battery installation? There should be a plastic part with a wire coming out of it encircling the negative wire.
See post #17 in this thread: No power on my alternator - Page 2 - Chevy HHR Network
Mechanics don't like to do electrical troubleshooting. Find one that will simply look at the connector Heck the BCM may even be the wrong part, did you retain the old parts? In most states a shop is required by law to ask if you want them. Got a receipt with a part number?
See post #17 in this thread: No power on my alternator - Page 2 - Chevy HHR Network
Mechanics don't like to do electrical troubleshooting. Find one that will simply look at the connector Heck the BCM may even be the wrong part, did you retain the old parts? In most states a shop is required by law to ask if you want them. Got a receipt with a part number?