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What is a body control module?


Alpo

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Out walking the dog about 5:15 this morning (still cool) and I come up upon some guy who is apparently about to go to work. Poor fella. He had backed into the yard, so his front end was pointed out. And I walked up in his driveway and made the motion to roll the window down and asked him if he was aware that his driver side headlight was out.

 

He said yes he knew, it was the body control module.

 

My newest vehicle is a 1986 Chevy pickup. I'm pretty sure I don't have a body control module on it. That sounds like something that's computer related.

 

So what the heck is a body control module - what does it do?

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Never heard of it. Had to look it up. It controls electrical systems in the body of the car. 
I think what bothers me is there must be an out-of-body controller or WiFi type controller for a unit to have such an odd name. 
 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Body_control_module

 

My wife and I were watching an episode of FBI where a guy’s car is taken control of by some nefarious folks and crashed into a tree. The hackers got in through the entertainment system. Creepy.

 

Sorry for the detour. 

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It just dawned on me that automotive manufacturers and the FTA / Congress (with all their safety idiot proofing) are making cars ridiculously complex. 
 

2000 - Left headlight goes out. Replace bulb. Total cost: $5.00 for two. Now you have a spare. 

2023 - Left headlight goes out. Replace LED Assy. If still out attach computer. Determine cause. Replace the following: LED Assy if shown faulty, replace body control unit. Total cost: $150-$400

 

Gimme a break!

 

 

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You now have ;

ECM's - Engine Control Modules replaced by

PCM's - Powertrain  Control Modules

BCM's  Body  Control Modules

ABS modules - Antilock Brake Modules 

TIPM's   - Total Integrated Power Modules
SIR modules - Airbag modules 


Some cars have up to 30  HID ect 

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Some months ago, my car would not start. I could have gone to Juan up the street and said replace the alternator. Cost 250-300, maybe 500.

 

instead I went to Toyota. Diagnostics 175. That’s not enough, more diagnostics, total 250.  Ok need to replace alternator, 800, total.

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2 hours ago, PowderRiverCowboy said:

You now have ;

ECM's - Engine Control Modules replaced by

PCM's - Powertrain  Control Modules

BCM's  Body  Control Modules

ABS modules - Antilock Brake Modules 

TIPM's   - Total Integrated Power Modules
SIR modules - Airbag modules 


Some cars have up to 30  HID ect 

You forgot the TCM, Transmission Control Module. Yes, your transmission has a computer in it too.

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It's what I implanted into you several weeks ago!   :P

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Do you guys know "Roadkill"? It is absolutely THE best car show on TV. They take old, junk cars and put them back on the road, sometimes roadtripping them, constantly having to stop and fix them. 

A fan favorite is a "68 Charger, built up from a rolling chassis, and "improved" through the years. It's called the General Mayhem.

A few years ago, Dodge gave them some BRAND NEW cars, a Charger, a Challenger, and a Viper. The Roadkill guys proceeded to take them out into the DESERT, and trash them. 

So they took the Hellcat engine out of the brand new Challenger, and had it installed into the General Mayhem. Later, they decided to return the General Mayhem to its original drivetrain, a 440 motorhome engine. When they did so, THIS is how much wiring they had to remove:

2022_6_16_d1d4863c-c51b-43bb-95d2-95f575d2e578_jpeg_1920x1080.jpg

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The averages for New Cars is between 30 and 50 computer modules.  A new Rolls Royce has somewhere around a Hundred!!

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Left rear turn signal and brake light stopped working on my F150. Diagnostics to tell me bad BCM $180 + BCM $370 + Labor to install BCM (everything needs programmed) $195 + tax $36.73 = $781.73. I should have just stuck my arm out the window to signal a turn.

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3 hours ago, Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 said:

You forgot the TCM, Transmission Control Module. Yes, your transmission has a computer in it too.

Had my battery go dead on me. (With the sealed type, you get no warning. It just goes dead.)  Jumpered it to get it started.  Started to drive it and the transmission is acting weird...jerking and hesitating to change gears. Had it towed into the dealership, who replaced the battery. I asked if the tranny was okay. Oh, yeah! No problem. Just when the battery went out it messes up the transmission. New battery...no problem!

 

"Th' more they overthink th' plumbin', the easier it is to stop up th' drain!" Montgomery Scott, Chief Engineer, Starship Enterprise.

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37 minutes ago, Trailrider #896 said:

Had my battery go dead on me. (With the sealed type, you get no warning. It just goes dead.)  Jumpered it to get it started.  Started to drive it and the transmission is acting weird...jerking and hesitating to change gears. Had it towed into the dealership, who replaced the battery. I asked if the tranny was okay. Oh, yeah! No problem. Just when the battery went out it messes up the transmission. New battery...no problem!

 

"Th' more they overthink th' plumbin', the easier it is to stop up th' drain!" Montgomery Scott, Chief Engineer, Starship Enterprise.

That is because most modern transmissions are electrically shifted by computer.

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1 hour ago, Trailrider #896 said:

 

"Th' more they overthink th' plumbin', the easier it is to stop up th' drain!" Montgomery Scott, Chief Engineer, Starship Enterprise.

 

 ......... there is so much truth in those few words .....  :mellow:

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1 hour ago, Trailrider #896 said:

Had my battery go dead on me. (With the sealed type, you get no warning. It just goes dead.)  Jumpered it to get it started.  Started to drive it and the transmission is acting weird...jerking and hesitating to change gears. Had it towed into the dealership, who replaced the battery. I asked if the tranny was okay. Oh, yeah! No problem. Just when the battery went out it messes up the transmission. New battery...no problem!

 

"Th' more they overthink th' plumbin', the easier it is to stop up th' drain!" Montgomery Scott, Chief Engineer, Starship Enterprise.

On my Jeep, a low battery will even cause the engine not to run properly. The ECU need the battery to be fully charged to run. No more starting the engine and running off the alternator. 

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Just now, Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062 said:

How much does it cost to replace the "Id10t" module ?   :huh:

Which one? There can be several. It will also depend on the vintage of your vehicle. A 20 year old vehicle, like my Jeep, has one. More modern vehicles have more. Look again at the pic I posted about the Dodge Hellcat engine. That double armload of wiring and computers that Freiberger is lifting out of the trunk is what it takes to make a modern engine go. And THAT bundle is several years old, now.

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4 minutes ago, Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 said:

Which one? There can be several. It will also depend on the vintage of your vehicle. A 20 year old vehicle, like my Jeep, has one. More modern vehicles have more. Look again at the pic I posted about the Dodge Hellcat engine. That double armload of wiring and computers that Freiberger is lifting out of the trunk is what it takes to make a modern engine go. And THAT bundle is several years old, now.

 

 I was thinking of the one that holds the steering wheel .....  ;)

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13 hours ago, Pat Riot said:

It just dawned on me that automotive manufacturers and the FTA / Congress (with all their safety idiot proofing) are making cars ridiculously complex. 
 

2000 - Left headlight goes out. Replace bulb. Total cost: $5.00 for two. Now you have a spare. 

2023 - Left headlight goes out. Replace LED Assy. If still out attach computer. Determine cause. Replace the following: LED Assy if shown faulty, replace body control unit. Total cost: $150-$400

 

Gimme a break!

 

 

I had a light go out on my Impala.  They wanted $231,00 to replace it.  I took it a local mechanic and he replaced THE BULB for  about $16.00.  Shop around, but don't count on the dealer to give you a good deal.

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12 hours ago, Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 said:

Which one? There can be several. It will also depend on the vintage of your vehicle. A 20 year old vehicle, like my Jeep, has one. More modern vehicles have more. Look again at the pic I posted about the Dodge Hellcat engine. That double armload of wiring and computers that Freiberger is lifting out of the trunk is what it takes to make a modern engine go. And THAT bundle is several years old, now.

I hate replacing that one. You have to loosen the nut between the steering wheel and the seat. These days most of those are wound so tight...

 

Then more than likely you just get another faulty ID10t 

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9 hours ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said:

I had a light go out on my Impala.  They wanted $231,00 to replace it.  I took it a local mechanic and he replaced THE BULB for  about $16.00.  Shop around, but don't count on the dealer to give you a good deal.

That's an expensive light!

 

This thread exemplifies why I do not do any work on my own cars anymore.

 

Heck my Camaro has 'Airplane Mode' and I'm not kidding.  On those rare occasions when I end up with all four wheels off the ground Airplane Mode prevents the traction control from cutting power to the wheels.  That way when I'm safely back on the ground, I don't lose any time getting my rpms back up.


The General Lee had nothing on me!

s-l1200.jpeg

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One of my police officers wrote up a 2007 Chevy Impala for the right front turn signal not working.  I checked, and sure enough, it wasn't working.  Rear right signal worked fine. Checked the bulb, it was good.  Checked the wiring, no issues.  After a few days, I traced it back to the fuse block.  There, I found the officer had taken the fuse out of the panel that controlled the interior light, rather than just switching it off at the interior light.  Guess what else that fuse powered?  Yep, the right front turn signal.

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This all started when Accoutning took a more powerful role in design.  It is much cheaper to built autos with plug-in modules but much more expensive to repair.

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