MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

Hello,


This is an emergency!!

I have imported a Hummer H3 2006 to Brazil, South America. The VIN is 5GTDN136968173835. It has only 2500 miles now.
There are no dealerships or authorized assistance here and, unfortunately, I am experiencing MAJOR problems with my automobile. The car worked fine for about 6 months but now it is stalling after driving for 5-10 minutes. After that it takes about 3 minutes to start again. It is virtually unusable.

The messages in the display are:
Stab Sys Traction Failed Reduced Power

I have found a shop that has a scanner and the engineer there tells me got the following error messages with it:

ECM P0601 - Control Module ROM
EBCM Malfunction ? C0240 - ABS Traction Control

I don?t even know how to start going about this and I will REALLY appreciate any help or input. I love the car and I don?t know what to do.

Sincerely

Marlus Pasinato
mp@dantai.com.br
msn marlus_pasinato@hotmail.com
+55 41 99739207
+55 41 3023.9207
+55 42 3014.4200
5GTDN136968173835

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

P0601 is not a good code. If the vehicle is still running, it means the internal ROM chip is losing its integrity. The fix is to reprogram and see if that fixes the problem, if not, the PCM has to be replaced and the new on programmed. The only way to program the PCM is via a Tech 2 and the GM service programming system. You might be able to purchase an aftermarket PCM; not sure on this so someone else may chime in.

C0240 means the EBCM will not allow traction control/stability control since it cannot receive a confirmation from the PCM, via the class 2 serial data link, that the PCM is actively reducing (controlling) engine torque. This code may be a by-product of the P0601, due to the integrity of the ROM, and the PCM's calibration.

If there are any GM dealers in the area, they might have the equipment to program the module to see if it requires replacement. I believe SPS is used down there, and if so, the dealer might have access to all GM programs/calibrations via GM's TIS2WEB website. Again, not sure.

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

Well Marlus, you got the best help thats available...

GOOD LUCK

RYD

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

:iagree: x2

Now print out all he said and take it to a GM service provider.

Good luck!

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

I beleive you can get a new pcm from pcmforless.com. http://www.pcmforless.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=55&Itemid=40
good luck with the problem, hope you take care of it fast.

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

just go to any gm dealer. I know theres cadillac dealers in brazil.

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

Thanks for the help!!! I really appreciate it.

f5fstop iformation was great.

I will try the GM dealers here. One of the problems I have is that I don't know the first thing about car mechanics/electronics. Another problem is that the motor used in the H3 is not used in any car in Brazil! Does that make a difference?

I will keep you guys posted and if you have any other ideas, please let me know.

Marlus

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

For a quick fix for stab sys failure go under hood to fuse block and remove fuse labeled for that system, I know when My ABS failed on Bronco I removed fuse and it reverted to normal system. I think most vehicles are programmed that way. Your fuel contains 50% ethanol, I wonder if thats a problem? Regards The Rebel

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

if your fuel in brazil does contain 50% ethanol that will affect your engine. It's not made to nadle that.

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

Our gasoline has 20% ethanol. We have a number of imported cars that do not seem to be affected by it.

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

10% is the upward limit of Ethanol in the US I think as normal fuel. Maaaaybe 15%. But I'm assuming the engine would run ok for a while on a blend like that. It really would only (maybe) at some point start to eat up the fuel lines and things like that. But not this soon.

Best of luck Brazi. As others have said, Fstop is the guy to go to for H3 related questions. I hope you can find a dealer nearby. This site might help:

http://www.chevrolet.com.br/

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

Your right "almost"---by law in Brazil never less than 20% never more than 25% alcohol from sugarcane . In Canada when they started putting about 5% ethanol we had all kinds of problems with anything neoprene, must have been more like rubber especially Chrysler but GM as well and I remember they protested to government. It would happen within a month of vehicle in service,more a function of Time than mileage. If that is case it will be a problem to sort it out. The Rebel

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

Ethanol will affect the seals and the hard parts (cylilnder head valve guides), but the codes you outputted had nothing to do with ethanol.
Even though a dealer does not have the same engine, for this problem, which requires a reprogram and a replacement, they should have the information on their calibration website TIS2WEB. If they have this, they should have access to all GM information, since I believe it is sent as one package to all the world.
marin8703 mentioned pcmforless, that might be the lease expensive way to go, unless you can get a dealer to cover it under the warranty.

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

I don't know if I mentioned I work for G M but anyways it's been my experience that the last code fault shown is not always what originated problem. Sometimes its a couple things back which finally resulted in error code. Regards The Rebel:(

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

As for which codes to diagnose, technically, you start with verifying the concern, then performing diagnostic system checks. Then, you run the computer for codes. However, since this person is quite a distance away, and he has already run the codes, and in all regard, verified the concern, the steps prior to checking codes has been performed.

When diagnosing using codes, you are correct it is not always the first code, but knowledge of how the systems interact helps. On the H3, the BCM is the main controller, after that it falls to the PCM, the EBCM, which would be the cause of the C0240 code is very low on the pecking order of the controller to diagnose first. (In the case of some codes, the code diagnosing chart will usually list other codes that could be possible, and from there which code to diagnose.)

Therefore, looking at the codes, since the PCM is outputting a code that states it is having problems with the memory, thus losing its program, does it not make logical sense to think that the EBCM has NOT received a torque control signal from the PCM?
To be honest, to diagnose a problem such as this via the internet is next to impossible; can't verify pinouts, connector stability, etc. However, to help someone where the nearest Hummer dealer is a few thousand miles away, is all we can hope to do.
Maybe I'm wrong to assume that anything stated on this is board is not scripture, but an educated guess from someone who has worked in engineering for GM, the past 16 years.
Since you are a GM employee, then here is a trivia for you. Why is P0601 in the PCM controller? Why was it required?

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

They sell chevy colorado's in brazil. Its the same engine. Go to them if anything. I've seen em there.

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately - Monday Update
 

Status This Monday

So ?


I have to talked to GM in Brazil. They will not support/give any assistance to this car in Brazil. They don?t have anyone trained and their dealers do not have access to GM?s international support area.

I have sent emails message to the original dealer (Landers). No replies, so far.

I have contacted (email) pcmforless.com and asked them about sending a PCM here.

The motor used in the H3 is not used in any Brazilian or commonly imported car here.

I have a few questions, if you can help me:

1. How large is the PCM and approximately how much does it weigh?
2. Would you reprogram this PCM differently or would you keep the original standard data?
3. Can an experienced mechanic/engineer can switch the PCM without many problems?
4. Is there anything else I should do?

Finally the big question:

Why did this happen to me? I know it sounds depressing but I got the impression, form surfing the net and in this forum, that this is not a common problem. I don?t want it to happen again!

Thanks,

Marlus / Brazi

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

Send it back to the us. Your probly gonna have more problems down the road and your not gonna be able to get them fixed. I've had a few. Front differential, overheating, windnoise from piller, cracked wheel well, radio buttons turning white, sunroof would pop back open, loud noise from the back brakes that they refuse to do anything about, battery died, rust on my brush guards the second day i had it, I think the only thing i havent had was the heads being replaced. But hey it can happen in a few miles. I would never have bought this car if i couldnt get it serviced. Sell it, bring it back, get rid of it. Cause you'll be going threw the same thing some other time down the road in its lifetime. Someday your gonna have another problem. My truck only has 13,000 miles on it. These definatley dont have the reliability of a nissan. I supose its the price you pay for a super bad ass cool biotch magnet truck that runs **** over.

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

oh and i havent had the PCM problems.

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

Check your battery before you do anything. Battery on it's way out will cause all our problems. Past that ignition switch is your most likely culprit. If the P0601 is actually a P0101, make sure vehicle does not have cold air intake or oiled air filter. If either are present, replace with stock intake parts. you're chasing your tail on the PCM until you check the battery and ignition switch first.

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

why cant you just take it to a normal place like firestone or something. Go to a mechanic.

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

AHA!!!!!

I knew you were a troll!!!!

You are not the victim here. You spent, several thousand dollars on a vehicle importing it to your country, yet the conversation of "who is going to service my truck in Brasil?" never came up before you went through all the trouble of planning and executing a task the size of importing a HUMMER???

Who sold it to you? Call them before you come onto a worldwide public forum and announce you are having "MAJOR PROBLEMS" with your H3.

I call bullcrap

F5 et al. Thanks for helping this turd.....but I have a hard time believing this.

:fdance: :fdance: :fdance: :fdance:

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately -Answering HummBebe and Whaaaaat
 

HummBebe,

I am not sure I get your last posting. Are you suggesting that I am not having all these problems? That I am making this up? That makes no sense. Why would anyone do that?

If you wish I will send you pictures of the car, of the VIN. I have written in my first posting ALL my phone numbers. Call me and I will gladly give more details on this. Call me collect but I want you to post our conversation here later. I will do more, if you wish. I will pay your ticket to come to Brazil and if there is no problem with my car, you don?t have to pay me back. Of course, you will have to help us solving this problem and pay for the ticket as soon as you test the car.

I knew when I bought the car that the warranty would not be covered in Brazil. I just did not expect to have these kinds of problems so soon.

I had a very good deal with the import services company and I bought because I think H3s are great. I want it to work ASAP.

All I asked in my last posting is what could have caused this failure since I get the feeling it is not common.

Answering whaaaat:

The car is in a mechanic now. The H3 is probably the only on in my city (population 1.5 million). This company specializes in imported cars but they have never seen and H3. Only H2s. When I took it there, there were a number of Ferraris and BMWs. The equipment (and people) needed to reprogram an H3 PCM don not exist in Brazil. I would guess, in the whole country there are no more than 20-30 of these cars. I do not blame GM for this. They do not sell Hummers here. You have to import them directly.

One more thing:
A few months ago I had a tracker/locater installed in the car. The tech people that did it, tell me that it is very simple and guaranteed it has nothing to do with this problem. I had it taken off as soon as the problems started.




Marlus Pasinato
mp@dantai.com.br
msn marlus_pasinato@hotmail.com
+55 41 99739207
+55 41 3023.9207
+55 42 3014.4200
5GTDN136968173835

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

The title of your post is offensive.

Imagine how if you were someone looking to purchase a HUMMER and you came across a post like this. Would it not make you take a second thought about purchasing one?

Now you are telling us that you had an aftermarket device installed on your vehicle (a few months ago), and you are running it with fuel that the vehicle is not designed for.

I would have done a hell of alot more research before I brought an expensive vehicle into my country.

A troll is someone who comes on to a forum like this and makes inflamatory statements in order to discredit a product.

My point is...the HUMMER is not the issue. If you are not a troll, I apologize sincerely.....if you are, well....you know what to do.

Vin numbers mean nothing to me, I have no way of checking to see if you are real.

You need to find someone who is willing to work with you and GM in getting your vehicle working again.

You could change the title of your thread....makes you sound like a mama's boi.

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately - Monday Update
 

Good luck!

I will change this title somehowRe: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

Ok HummBebe, here we go ...

1. I agree that the title of this thread is a bit too much. I did it purposely so that I could get attention. How would you feel if the help you need for something was 6 thousand miles away? I could not find it but If someone can tell me how, I will change the title to - Major Problem Overseas, Need Help - or something like that.

I am also willing to bet that some people read the posts and are thinking: ?Man, this guy is F&?%(&? .

2. I have the problem with the car for about 3 weeks and here, at this forum, was by far the best help I got. I took it to 3 mechanics and called another couple in Sao Paulo. I contemplated bringing someone from the US to work in the car. This will get very expensive. By the way, after import duties, this car is over US$ 60.000 here. I am also afraid of loosing a lot of money.

3. As far as why importing a car (any car) ? that is a personal decision. I love my H3. No intention to discredit at all. Actually, we can all live well and drive ford pintos ? we can all survive with that. Why do spend money in Hummers, or any other car? Because we like them and they make us feel good, somehow. At least that?s my opinion.

4. I don?t believe that anybody will give up on buying an H3 because some guy in Brazil had problems. If they do, I would say that is a very stupid reason for not purchasing it.

5. Mama?s boy is offensive. You don?t need that to make a point.

Re: I will change this title somehowRe: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

:rant: for an :rant:

We started off on the right foot!

Now tell us how we can help. You are screwed it sounds like....what can we who are 6000+ miles away do for you?

F5 gave you great info....he is the best we have to offer.

Did you try calling HUMMER? (not GM)

Making things clear
 

What can you do? The help I got here was GREAT. I am just waiting for a reply from pcmforless and from the dealer where the car was originally purchased.

I will also try to cover everything before I start bringing parts from the US. It takes time and money.

I called Hummer in the US. There is no Hummer office in Brazil. They gave me GM’s phone number here. I called both commercial and the tech depts. At GM and they just told me that Hummers are neither represented nor supported here.

I want to make one thing clear: I don’t blame GM for not having service for this car here. It make no sense for them and I knew that when I bought the H3. I took my chances ...

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

just a little edit towards my above post. If the pcm is comparable with the bcm i think it would weigh less that a pound or around there. I think the pcm has a heatsink or something so then it may weight a bit more.:)

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

This might be of some help as well.....

http://www.books4cars.com/viewcart.a...s&BookID=29104

2006 H3 shop service repair manual by Hummer (B06_GMT06NH3)
$169.95

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately - Monday Update
 

Hi, Kelly from PCMforless here.

The PCM is small, perhaps 7"x7"x1" and weighs about 3lbs. It is something that can be switched out without needing the expertise of a mechanic.

However I am not sure that replacing the PCM would be the right thing, as this sounds like a problem with another control module, or braking system. In the PCM we are able to change things like timing, air/fuel, speed limiters, transmission issues, fans, etc etc but there are no areas to change or turn off codes for the braking system. Furthermore I would have to send you a new computer, which would require a CASE relearn. And since there are no dealerships near you, you would not be able to have that done.

Sorry but I do not think there is anything we can do to help you.

Any Ideas
 

According to Kelly, from pcmforless, a new PCM will not fix the car.
Do you guys have any ideas/comments?

Thnx

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

Pull all three of your computers and send them to Mexico? They have Hummer dealers there.

Still Complicated
 

I can take all computers and send everything to a dealer in the US, bit what will they do to them and will the car work when I get the computers back?

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

It's a crapshoot I know, but better than not being able to do anything, yes?

I do not understand why any Chevy Dealer in your area cannot order the program for your HUMMER. (language/system maybe)

Can't is very different than won't. Looks to me like you only have the two options.

Re: Still Complicated
 

I suppose they can check for codes and tell you what may be wrong. If it is a computer issue, PCM BCM or EBCM, they can flash and reset then ship them back?

Re: Still Complicated
 

That's where you run into issues though - when you reflash the computer you need to do a CASE relearn with a tech 2 scan tool, and judging by his location it seems the chances of that are slim.

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

Can the dealer do the case relearn and then send it back???

Case Relearn - Can you do it only with the PCM?
 

That is the BIG question:

Can a new PCM be programmed and a CASE relearn done without the whole vehicle, using the original data?

If not, I do not see another alternative than to bring a tech specialist with all the equipment needed to Brazil. That will make a US$ 100 problem turn into a very expensive ordeal.

I will also insist with GM(Brazil) and Hummer(US) to see if they can help me.

Re: MAJOR Problems - Need Help Desperately
 

Gee, you're mean!! Stop calling everyone a troll or AE! :p :p