CheapABS.com Repair Service - ABS Control
One of our in house vehicles, a 1998 Camaro SS, has had some traction control issues. A few years ago, the "ASR Off" light illuminated on the dash all by itself. Over the years, I tried some easy fixes like cleaning speed sensors and things of that nature. Nothing seemed to work, so to the dealership it went. Mr. Goodwrench himself, yes he still works there, claimed our Electronic Brake Control Module (EBCM) was faulty. I was very excited to hear that the problem had been found. The bad news was that a new unit from GM would run $1080, and from different part suppliers an AC Delco part would run close to $500.
Thank god for Google because I found some companies that specialize in rebuilding this non-rebuildable part. Basically the module is just a plastic housing with some different metal pieces that tie into your master cylinder. It also has circuit boards, connectors, and many other things I really have no idea about. Our buddy Matt at CheapABS.com offered to give us a hand with the module. He services a number of different ABS units, including the Bosch 5.3 which is what our Camaro is equipped with from the factory. His service is really clever because he has it all setup for the average mechanic right on his website. You seriously don't have to even know how to change your oil to do this all by yourself. He even has how-to videos on his site to guide you through the process.
Easy to follow instructions are on Matt's website
Our EBCM or ABS unit was removed by taking off the six torx screws that hold it onto the brake master cylinder. Two electric connectors are clicked off and with a little wiggling our unit was free. Matt has instructions on how to package, pay for, and mail your unit right to his office in Virginia. He says on his site that he has devised a unique method to fix these units, unlike some of the other guys.
Well after a few days of looking, Matt couldn't find the common issues with our part. This was very sad news because I thought for sure we had the solution all nailed down. Matt is a great guy offering an amazing service. He didn't charge us for the inspection and even resealed the part back to factory specs. Even if you aren't sure, he is a great starting point for a problem of this nature.
For more information, please visit: http://www.CheapABS.com
The dealership was correct though in their analysis. A new EBCM setup was installed, after being purchased from Amazon. The dash lights are all gone and the ASR button actually works. This type of fix gets a lot of flack because in all honesty, spending close to $500 on a part for a vehicle this old seems pointless. I totally understand that and also believe that the amount spent could have gone to bigger and better things. This is just one of those annoying items I have stared at for years and finally decided why not. Either way though, I now have traction control and my ABS seems to be more actively involved. After all this work, time, effort, and money spent - I still find myself turning off the ASR at random times, just like everyone said I would...