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Fuel guage reads empty and no power to fuel pump or injectors

Tiny
SPILLMAN
  • MEMBER
  • 2001 SATURN L100
  • 119,000 MILES
I was told the ECM was bad so I had it shipped off to be repaired and it came back saying nothing was wrong with it. Once I reinstalled the ECM car started and ran fine for a week. Now the same thing is happening but if I remove the PCM fuse and reinstall it the car will go back to normal and run fine for a little while and same thing happens. I remove the fuse again and put it back in and it will do the same. Help!
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Tuesday, July 16th, 2013 AT 2:08 PM

12 Replies

Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
From the symptoms except the part of you pulling the fuse and it starts I would say sounds like a bad bcm.I have replaced a ton of bad bcms on those L model Saturn's. That's a pretty common symptom the gas gauge being inop and it not starting being a bad bcm.I have seen a lot of other symptoms with bad bcm but that's one of the most common symptoms the gas gauge inop.
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Tuesday, July 16th, 2013 AT 4:46 PM
Tiny
SPILLMAN
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
Just got in the car and drove it 15 miles to the mechanic, started and ran great. If it is the BCM is it common for the car to start and run great at times and then the sympton comes where the gas gauge reads empty and the car won't start? Also, is there any way to confirm that the BCM is bad? My mechanic said that he could communicate with the BCM but not the ECM so that is why he thought the ECM was bad. If the BCM is bad can I buy and install a used one or do I need to buy new? I hate to think about putting that much money into the car.
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Tuesday, July 16th, 2013 AT 5:58 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Yes it can be good one min acting up the next depending on inside of the car temp etc.I seen them be good in the morning and acting up in the afternoon. Also have seen them fail and not be able to talk the ecm the computers pass through each other for there data lines. Like old Christmas tree lights when a bulb goes out all the lights don't work. The way I always was able to see if there bad is I have old tester bcm from the ones I replaced that I marked with what they did codes they set etc and swaoed them out. The problem with a used one is the donor bcm will have the mileage from the car it came out of now displayed on your car. Plus the high failure rate who knows if it works or for how long?Also the used one may have to be programmed.
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Tuesday, July 16th, 2013 AT 7:18 PM
Tiny
SPILLMAN
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
Thanks for all your information. Do you think it is worth removing the BCM and sending it in to be repaired? The price is cheaper and no programming is necessary.
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Tuesday, July 16th, 2013 AT 7:28 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Did find the repair on eBay?That would be the cheapest most likely.
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Tuesday, July 16th, 2013 AT 8:11 PM
Tiny
SPILLMAN
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
Is there usually another issue that causes the BCM to fail? If I rebuild the existing BCM do I need to look for any other problems with the car after I install the rebuilt BCM? Or is it just that Saturn had a problem with the BCM's?
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Wednesday, July 17th, 2013 AT 5:33 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
There really isn't anything causing them to fail they just had a high failure rate. They ran a lot circuits/loads thru a small component so it had a high failure rate on them.I would also wiggle the wires going to it make sure its not a loose connection.
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Wednesday, July 17th, 2013 AT 6:55 AM
Tiny
SPILLMAN
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
Well I sent the BCM in to be repaired and it is due back tomorrow. The repair people said that they replaced some relays and upgraded the capacitators. I sure hope this resolves my problem.
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Thursday, August 8th, 2013 AT 7:32 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
Sounds like they found a problem with the bcm I think they usually test them before doing repairs.
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Thursday, August 8th, 2013 AT 11:41 AM
Tiny
SPILLMAN
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
Ok so I get the BCM reinstalled in the Saturn. It starts right up for the mechanic but when I go to get the car it won't start and after 3 try's of turning it over the gas gauge goes to empty. I take off the negative battery terminal wait 5 minutes put it back on and the car starts right up. Any ideas?
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Monday, August 12th, 2013 AT 3:07 PM
Tiny
SPILLMAN
  • MEMBER
  • 7 POSTS
Just wanted to give you a quick update on my Saturn. I noticed that the negative battery bolt was stripped and not a tight connection, I replaced both battery bolts and cleaned all corrosion and reinstalled. The car has been starting and running great ever since. Do you think that after I got the BCM repaired I was getting a bad ground from the negative battery terminal being not tight? I was upset that my mechanic sent the car back to me with the battery bolt being the way it was. Thank you for all your help.
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Friday, August 16th, 2013 AT 6:55 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,869 POSTS
A bad ground on the battery cable will cause the the car to not crank sometimes maybe stall but not the other problems you had. But good find.
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Friday, August 16th, 2013 AT 11:54 AM

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