I just obtained a used BCM for our '98 Gr Caravan SE Sport. I got it for $80. I was told the one in our van is bad by the dealer and they wanted $900 to replace it.

I would like to put it in myself, if possible but don't know how to go about it. I know it resides somewhere under the Driver Dash . Can anyone help with information, how-to's, or links to same? Thanks.

Note: I have R&R's starters, alternators, fuel filters, etc on our cars just to give an idea of my skill level (slightly higher than oil changes, I would guess, but nothing too advanced....)

 

well u haft to remove the fuse box on the drive side and the bcm isattached to the back of it. here are the tools needed 11mm,10mm 8 mm and screw drivers. humm first timmer u can do it an about an hour or so. What was the orginal prob that they wanted to put a bcm in for? no start? headlights or wipers not working?

 

Thanks for the reply. The van has intermittent instrument failure (total)- then a mile or so down the road everything comes back. The ABS light is on often. I "think" the code on a scan was P1698.

 

hummm u mean then insterment cluster will stop working??? guages and such?
and the 1698 code is for no commucation with tranny computer.
if the cluster is what u are talking about then the BCM wont help any. There are posts on here about fixing the broken solder point on the bakc of the insterment cluster or u can replace it and have the dealer program it.
Dont beleave menext time it fails hit the top of the dash right above the cluster and see if it comes back to life.

 

Yes, speedometer, digital gauges for P R N D, etc... all go out completely.

I believe you, I just wish they had told me that too. What about the ABS light going on and off . That happens independently from the instrument cluster problem. The instrument cluster has not failed for a couple of weeks I think (wife drives it..) yet the ABS light has come on and off several times during that period... I have the BCM, I can't return it, so even though it won't fix the problem it won't hurt replacing it will it? What would you consider symptoms of a bad BCM? What is the tranny computer the TCM?

 

also.. when I say "ABS light has come on and off" I mean it will come on, stay on all the time for the whole trip- and maybe the next trip, and then go off and be ok for awhile. I don't mean blinking or anything like that.

 

well the cluster will take care of the fiart part a new bcm being used it maybe bad or have something wrong with it if u want to put it in go ahead but keep your old one. U also haft to make sure that the new bcm u got did not have VTSS basicly an alarm because if it is programed with alarm into it and u install it it will send the command to the engein computer not to start because t does not see the alarm stuff on the car because it is not built with it. as for the ABS need to pull the codes for the abs to see what that issue is. Need a good scanner ora dealer to see what that code is.