How to clear BCM codes??

[SteveSneed]

A tale of potential woe for those of us that have done lighting upgrades:

Soon after I got my 2011 RS, I replaced the front turn and rear tail/brake/turn lamp bulbs with LED units with load resistors. While I was installing them I tested them first without the load resistors and got the expected error msgs, then installed the load resistors and confirmed that all was good.

Recently I got rear-ended just hard enough to require replacing the rear bumper cover and pad, and took the car to the local body shop I've used for years to get the work done. When I went to pick up the car, they wouldn't release the car to me until I signed a you're-responsible release about BCM error codes - the BCM was storing a bunch of B25xx, B26xx and B38xx DTC codes from when I was putting in the aftermarket bulbs, and according to the guy at the shop, insurance may not pay them because the codes can prevent the airbags from deploying or other safety systems from working. The body shop is required to scan the codes and report any errors but won't clear them since they're not an authorized Chevy dealer (that's just messed up, I know) and Progressive is demanding that they get cleared before they'll pay off on the claim.

So I got out my trusty bluetooth OBDII dongle and fired up Torque, expecting to be able to clear the codes. But Torque apparently can't access codes in the BCM, or at least it says that there are no codes to report.

I need to get these cleared so Progressive will pay off the claim. Is this something I have to take the car to the dealer to get cleared? Or is there some way to access them via my bluetooth OBDII dongle, either with Torque or some other software?

Thanks!!

Steve

[Snoman]

Yea, there's a few things going on here.

1. Your shop is most likely not a qualified ARC (authorized repair center). ARC's can legally act as an insurance adjuster and insurance will pay whatever the ARC tells them to. Going outside of the ARC has consequences, but more like the "strong arm/bully kind". In Texas, Progressive would be required to cut you a check and you do whatever you want with the money (after getting estimates performed at a ARC) .

2. Since you went with your own shop, Progressive set its own requirements for payment and your shop agreed to do the work since you told them you would be responsible for the work. This means you personally agreed to pay them. Even if you don't remember having this conversation, you signed something with them that says you did and would .

3. No lighting kit properly installed will throw any BCM codes. At worse it might show a fluctuation in voltage or amperage, but any reputable dealer will ignore these because they can clearly see what is causing them. Using big words like airbag and safety are smoke screen cover words to cause confusion and make you believe they know what they are talking about.

4. Asking you to sign a waiver to pick up your own car, basically admitting you know the shop didn't do the repair work and you're not holding them liable for NOT doing their job - yea, that's a no, never and I would never return to the shop.

5. You're pretty much screwed, clearing the BCM codes (***IF*** they are directly related to your lights) will work until the car is started again, if they don't reappear immediately. This is an assumption that the problem is even related to your aftermarket bulbs, but since the ASE certified mechanic who doesn't have a clue is telling you they are related while lying through his teeth... yea this never ends well.


Put the OEM lights back in, or bulbs or whatever they want. You need to visit someone with a tuner module to clear BCM codes. Ask the local Camaro club you joined and their performance sponsors to assist, otherwise you're taking your car to the dealer after asking AutoZone.

[SteveSneed]

Thanks - I was suspicious about the whole release thing. But it turns out I had misunderstood things a bit.

The shop is an ARC, and they could (and did) clear the errors once I signed off on them - the release was a "you acknowledge these error codes were stored in the BCM when it entered the shop and were not caused by anything we did" sort of thing. The errors are cleared, Progressive has paid the claim, and all is good. The guy doing the paperwork made it sound like Progressive was waiting for me to do something about the codes before they would pay off, but a follow-up conversation this morning with the adjuster got me squared away. The repair work itself was fine.

I'm not surprised at the codes being thrown, since I initially tested each bulb without its load resistor and they did report the errors during that test. The cluster of errors during those tests were the only ones and there were none since, so the finished installation is good. But I wasn't aware that this sort of error was permanently stored or that the BCM stored the codes in a manner that requires dealer-grade intervention - after all, bulbs burn out, people change them and go on; seems kinda silly to permanently store codes for burnt-out secondary lights. OTOH it probably nets GM dealers some shop hours, and I can see how it could extend a bit of liability protection to those shops.

Thanks again.

Steve

[Snoman]

Very good to hear, glad it all worked out

[SteveSneed]

OK, I got my specific problem dealt with, but I realized that we didn't get an answer to the fundamental question: Is there a way to clear BCM error codes using commonly-available-to-the-public methods such as a OBDII dongle and an app (i.e. we don't have to take the car to AutoZone or a dealer)??

Steve

[Snoman]

You will need a computer of sorts that is capable of reprogramming the BCM to clear codes, like the one available from HP Tuners.