ECBM Rebuild At Home Fix ABS and Brake Light on

How I fixed a intermittent ABS and break light problem by Rebuilding the EBCM Module. Total cost $1.19 .
This is how I fixed my intermittent ABS and Brake dash lights on my Chevrolet blazer with the Kelsey-Hayes EBCM module, without spending up to 1500 bucks on a new EBCM. You may have code C0265 "Electronic Brake Control Module Motor Relay Circuit." The fault is usually due to broken solder joints on the circuit board. This time I need to pull the EBCM and repair the solder. Its a really simple fix. Just touch the soldering Iron to the bad solder points. This video is kind of long but it goes step by step with little editing.
On a on a 2001 chevy blazer I needed a T10 and a T8 torx tool, That and a soldering iron and some RTV sealant and about 1 hour I was good to go.

[hironsmemorials]

I followed the steps in your video and was able to re-melt the cracked solder where the power wires connect to the board on a 2005 Cadillac Deville EBCM. It worked! No more lights on the dash! Thank you for the detailed video and your insight into how to fix this problem ourselves. The cracks in the solder are hard to see without taking a close photo but they were defiantly there and were the problem.

[AZStarYT]

Now THAT is a component level repair I like to see. After a career in aerospace and computer engineering as an engineering tech, I went on to biomedical research, but kept up with applied engineering. Cars are mostly controlled by electronics now, and that's fine with me. I could have done "board level" swaps back in the day, but preferred to do the actual diagnosis down to the particular resistor, capacitor, transistor or chip and save my employer a few buck$ (often hundred$ and in some cases thousand$). Over 90% of "repairs" were fixing cold solder joints from boards that had been wave soldered. Not enough flux or heat too low. The rest were a mix of corrosion on connectors or burned out components. I don't begrudge auto mechanics their pay. What I disagree with is engineering planned obsolescence and warranties based on MTBF (Mean Time Between Failure) of electronic and mechanical components, and making the ECM code difficult to find anywhere, much less online. I'm not wanting to rewrite or hack any of it (or violate their copyright). Just want to look at signals and do simple things like exercise the ABS dump valve to get air bubbles out of the module while bleeding the brakes without having to pay $1k+ for a "scanner" I don't need. Most scanner manufacturer's reps can't even tell you what their products will do aside from what's on their poorly written website. Sheesh!

[yancemartin]

Your a great samaritan providing a great service to all of us chevy abs light sufferers. Thank you sir, you do great work.

[mikecoppock]

You just saved me $1500. The removal on my 2000 Silverado was quite a bit more difficult, but the rest wasn't too bad. I added thermal grease to your instructions and put dielectric grease on the three connectors before plugging them in. Thanks!

[jeffreynobles]

Just did this exact same procedure on my 2001 S-10 a little while ago. The brake and ABS would come on intermittently. I knew it was a cold solder joint issue, because if I started the vehicle and the lights were not on, I could open the hood, and tap the top of the EBCM module with the handle of a screwdriver, and BOOM....lights would immediately come on. Just took it for a test drive after my repair, and everything was good. Tapped on the top of the module twenty or so times to try to get the lights to come back on, but they didn't. Problem fixed. I was an Electronics Technician for years when I was younger, and I did a LOT of soldering back then. That experience I have/had is a good thing to have!! Good video!!! Thx for posting it!!

[marylamb]

I bought a used one from the junkyard. The junk car was a Caddy with 30 thousand miles on it, so the EBCM was in good shape. It cost $55.00. I installed it myself. It wasn't hard, but it was a pain to gain access to one of the screws. The lights never came back. I also grabbed the front leather seats from the same car and replaced my cracked ones.

[KC-vpwn]

I had the same thing happen to my 98 blazer!
Fixed the bad solder connections, siliconed it back up and it's been 3 years and still going.
Great video!

[diariezs]

Hi, many thanks for the explanations and step-by-step video. Cheers from Moscow, Russia!

[juanchoful]

Hello: after watching this video, see how easy it is repair and I repaired my chevy s10 modulo 2000, following the recomendations and surprise worked. I own my s10 since 2006 and the failure of the abs I had since I ve had since 2009, when I was driving in the Tennessee chattanooga, pass a bump and immediately turned on the abs.. thank you very much for sharing this video. thousands of likess

[williamchow]

Wanted to report that the reflowing of the bad solder joints did the trick. I spent more time (2+ hr) cutting open the silicone sealant, cleaning off the old sealant, and then resealing it. The actual soldering took 5 minutes. GOOD LUCK to others that want to try this fix. Works!!!

[larryh]

Thank-you so much for posting this. It solved my issue on my 2003 GMC Safari. The fix was easy but getting the ABS module out was total hell. On the vans it's mounted to the frame just under the drivers seat. So lying on your back with the module facing away from you working with a mirror is not fun. One of the T20 screws was totally corroded and the only thing I could do is file the head off. Eventually I got the module out (about a 4 hour struggle..) Fixing and replacing the module was less than a couple of hours. Total cost was $10 for a tube of silicone. I'm sure this saved way over $1k. Thanks again....

[jerryumfress]

I repaired mine. one of the 6 coils had a broken wire. I soldered it, lights went off. thanks for the vid, it was a great help

[roberta]

I am a ASE Certified mechanic and this the best fix for this problem.  I had my doubts but it worked!  The hardest part was cleaning the old silicon off.  I suggest using new white electronic heat sink paste for the contact points inside the unit. A replacement remanufactured ABS Module was $175, this fix cost me $7.49 for the Black RTV Silicon.  Just say'n!

[transmitterguy]

I replaced all of my daughters 2006 jeep liberty ABS sensors while I was doing brakes and rotors(only $70 at 150000 mi). The light Is still on, I am an electronic tech too, so I'm pullin It apart tomorrow!! Thanks!

[Stacyjtyler]

Very nice video I have 50 miles on this repair and I have no lights on. Previously it was a 5 minute light up ordeal. Thank you very much for the 1500 dollar discount. I have a few add in and mods I did which I'm pretty sure you did but maybe it might be a little unclear to non mechanic enthusiast that is mechanically inclined and wants to fix his own vehicle but would like to do this very easy repair.

For the enthusiast google two things through hole circuit board component and surface mount component. This this guys very good advice to repair your module. After you figure out the difference between the surface mount and through hole components and you have the module opened up in front of you ignore all of the surface mount components. All you need to do is go around the circuit board and and through hole component re melt the solder. He points out a bunch of different spots on the board if your new to circuit boards or soldering you might have trouble trying to match what he is doing. The ultimate goal is to reheat each through hole component. Don't just say well he only did these 8 spots(arbrtrary number). Go ahead and re heat each through hole solder joint. I just did it and did every through hole and it was less than 2 minutes to do every single one. Better safe than sorry.

[wills]

You have no idea how lucky you are that the unit isn’t buried under the frame on the drivers side. Good video- appreciate it. But for all those that have to try & get it out from beneath the vehicle & ridiculously inaccessible- may the force be with you!

[l.b.stringfellow]

Excellent!!! Thank you for your time. Very common issue, my mechanic didn’t want to try it. I’m a dentist and working with tiny delicate things are what I do all day. I wouldn’t recommend for the heavy handed.

[bgood]

Another testimonial - did this on my '01 Blazer and no more Brake/ABS light ! Thank you for your time to make this video !

[daveyJ]

Brother! I'm glad you did not do the Seppuku! We need you and your "human hands". Very informative; thanks for posting! I'll be working on mine this week.

[jaysanchez]

Just did this myself on my 02 blazer and bam problem solved, thank you very much for your incite, just saved a ton of money doing this at home.