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C5 Electronic Brake Control Module Adventure Story

gkayvee

Active member
Joined
Jul 11, 2012
Messages
26
Location
Memphis, TN Area
Corvette
2002 Electron Blue Lingenfelter Blown Convertible
It all began with the TCS and ABS warning lights coming on in my 2002 'vertible. I checked codes and one code wouldn't reset/clear: TSC 1214 Solenoid Valve Open... Even discontected the battery, no change on reconnect. My mechanic plugged her in and said it was the EBCM (P/N 12216561). Chevy said the part costs $1,282 and is on indef. back-order. AC Delco said the same and that 75 were on backorder and 400 were expected from the factory in 2 weeks, "or so." Time to get busy! Maybe the following is old news, if so return to your nap:

Searched the part number on EBay and found 19 new ones for sale from $732 to $2,000. Considered buying one from a good vendor in West Palm Bch, FL for $740/free shipping. BUT, there must be a better way to skin this ol' alley cat, says I. SO, in a brief stroke of genius, I Googled the part number. (This is the good part of the story.) What I found is a company in Winder, GA called My Airbags (www.myairbags.com) that rebuilds/resets air bags, instrument clusters, seat belts, and most importantly EBCMs for Corvettes and Caddys. For $72 including return shipping they will repair/rebuild your EBCM within 24 hours of receipt, test it and send it back with a lifetime warranty! Does life get any better? We'll see, I'm waiting for the rebuilt part to be returned. Pays to look around.
 
It all began with the TCS and ABS warning lights coming on in my 2002 'vertible. I checked codes and one code wouldn't reset/clear: TSC 1214 Solenoid Valve Open... Even discontected the battery, no change on reconnect. My mechanic plugged her in and said it was the EBCM (P/N 12216561). Chevy said the part costs $1,282 and is on indef. back-order. AC Delco said the same and that 75 were on backorder and 400 were expected from the factory in 2 weeks, "or so." Time to get busy! Maybe the following is old news, if so return to your nap:

Searched the part number on EBay and found 19 new ones for sale from $732 to $2,000. Considered buying one from a good vendor in West Palm Bch, FL for $740/free shipping. BUT, there must be a better way to skin this ol' alley cat, says I. SO, in a brief stroke of genius, I Googled the part number. (This is the good part of the story.) What I found is a company in Winder, GA called My Airbags (www.myairbags.com) that rebuilds/resets air bags, instrument clusters, seat belts, and most importantly EBCMs for Corvettes and Caddys. For $72 including return shipping they will repair/rebuild your EBCM within 24 hours of receipt, test it and send it back with a lifetime warranty! Does life get any better? We'll see, I'm waiting for the rebuilt part to be returned. Pays to look around.

And what was the result of this fairy tale????????????
 
And what was the result of this fairy tale????????????

Ken, thanks for reminding me to finish my fairy tale! Well, it initially failed the bench test after rebuilding the part, sooooo they had to re-rebuild it and retest and then it passed. So shipping took a little longer. After it was returned and installed it works great! The lifetime warranty is a big plus.
 
My 1999 coupe

It all began with the TCS and ABS warning lights coming on in my 2002 'vertible. I checked codes and one code wouldn't reset/clear: TSC 1214 Solenoid Valve Open... Even discontected the battery, no change on reconnect. My mechanic plugged her in and said it was the EBCM (P/N 12216561). Chevy said the part costs $1,282 and is on indef. back-order. AC Delco said the same and that 75 were on backorder and 400 were expected from the factory in 2 weeks, "or so." Time to get busy! Maybe the following is old news, if so return to your nap:

Searched the part number on EBay and found 19 new ones for sale from $732 to $2,000. Considered buying one from a good vendor in West Palm Bch, FL for $740/free shipping. BUT, there must be a better way to skin this ol' alley cat, says I. SO, in a brief stroke of genius, I Googled the part number. (This is the good part of the story.) What I found is a company in Winder, GA called My Airbags (www.myairbags.com) that rebuilds/resets air bags, instrument clusters, seat belts, and most importantly EBCMs for Corvettes and Caddys. For $72 including return shipping they will repair/rebuild your EBCM within 24 hours of receipt, test it and send it back with a lifetime warranty! Does life get any better? We'll see, I'm waiting for the rebuilt part to be returned. Pays to look around.
I bought a 1999 coupe about a month ago and have the same problem, contacted myairbags and they do not service 1999's, only 2000 and up. Called them and they said no parts any longer?????
 
I bought a 1999 coupe about a month ago and have the same problem, contacted myairbags and they do not service 1999's, only 2000 and up. Called them and they said no parts any longer?????

Dreemz:

The part for a 99 must be different than later C5's (?). (You parts/tech gurus jump in anytime!) The Delco guys told me that the part is actually made by Bosch in Germany! Also, that module is actually two parts: the electronic brain and the hydraulic connection--two boxes essentially. All C5's are 10+ years old now, so we'll have to get more creative about parts The General sez he doesn't have anymore. Here's what I'd do in your situation:

  1. Call a Chevy dealer you like and be sure you have the right part number(s) for that module, and ask if it cross-references to a later year part that they DO have, then get THAT part number, if there is one that cross references.
  2. Go to the Delco wesite and call the 800 number and see if they have a solution. If they don't,
  3. Take the original part number or the newer cross-reference and Google it to see what you get. If no good results, search the part number on EBAY. There will probably be a vendor with some new ones or a Vette salvage vendor with some used ones. I like Dino's Corvette Salvage in MS. Price? Who cares, you gotta have brakes!
  4. Hopefully this helps, and maybe others have a few ideas too??
 
Dreemz:

The part for a 99 must be different than later C5's (?). (You parts/tech gurus jump in anytime!) The Delco guys told me that the part is actually made by Bosch in Germany! Also, that module is actually two parts: the electronic brain and the hydraulic connection--two boxes essentially. All C5's are 10+ years old now, so we'll have to get more creative about parts The General sez he doesn't have anymore. Here's what I'd do in your situation:

  1. Call a Chevy dealer you like and be sure you have the right part number(s) for that module, and ask if it cross-references to a later year part that they DO have, then get THAT part number, if there is one that cross references.
  2. Go to the Delco wesite and call the 800 number and see if they have a solution. If they don't,
  3. Take the original part number or the newer cross-reference and Google it to see what you get. If no good results, search the part number on EBAY. There will probably be a vendor with some new ones or a Vette salvage vendor with some used ones. I like Dino's Corvette Salvage in MS. Price? Who cares, you gotta have brakes!
  4. Hopefully this helps, and maybe others have a few ideas too??
Hey, thanks for getting back so quickly on this. Mine is a Delphi unit and therein lies the rub. One on ebay, as-is for about $1700.00. Seems a bit steep.
 
Hey, thanks for getting back so quickly on this. Mine is a Delphi unit and therein lies the rub. One on ebay, as-is for about $1700.00. Seems a bit steep.

Very high. Obviously Delphi is as dead as the Vega. There must be a retrofit from a later model C5. Or perhaps a 1998? Buehler? Buehler? Anyone???
 
The REAL problem with the earlier that 2000 EBCMs is that the components are covered in a heavy potting material. You can just destroy the circuit board when trying to access a relay or solenoid. Some people have done repairs themselves.

With that said, there are a limited number of repairs you/anyone can do. If the circuit board is the problem with an IC chip type issue then the EBCM is just a paper weight regardless of year.
 
pre 2001 EBCM

Last spring I was at the NCM bash and attended one of Paul Koerner's seminars (always very informative, BTW, Thanks, Paul). At the end I asked the question if there was hope in sight for 97-00 owners for fixing the EBCM issue. His answer was "coming soon"

Well, when I got back home, I scoured the 'net and found this: VALVE. Electronic Brake Control made by GM. #12530740

Haven't called them, I found a junker to fix mine, but perhaps this is the start of the "coming soon" event.

Before that I was working a project in Aiken, SC and one of the engineers in my group had worked at Bosch in Charleston, SC. I got a couple contact names and thought, what a good possible opportunity if I could source a pallet of these babies from the original manufacturer. Well, to make a short story long, it was a good thing I didn't have to pay for emails and long distance calls, there are no new old stock ones laying around, and zero hope that production would be resumed. To complicate the issue further, Bosch only made the hydraulic side of the system, and Delphi made the electronics. Well guess what side is still working and really isn't the issue. So I gave up that dream of an income stream until I turned 99 and just retired to enjoy Corvettes.
 

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