For 1990-2009 cars

The following is an overview of instructions for the general information and 14 step System Verification included in the Diagnostic System Check - Vehicle procedure.

### Diagnostic Instructions

A link to Strategy Based Diagnosis is provided as an overview on how a technician should diagnose a vehicle.

A link to the Diagnostic System Check Instructions is provided. This provides an overview of instructions and examples for the general information and 14 step System Verification included in the Diagnostic System Check - Vehicle procedure. The examples in this document are intended to give the technician a general idea of what the test step is referring to. They are not intended to list every possible condition or situation.

Diagnostic Systems Check steps are listed by priority to guide the technician to the appropriate diagnostic procedure to correct the customer concern. There are many ways to determine the priority of diagnosing a vehicle concern. Some faults can cause customer perceived symptoms in areas unrelated to the fault. Using an example from the System Check, after reading DTCs, the technician is asked to verify there are no Electronic Control Unit Internal Performance Faults present. It is important that any internal performance issues are addressed prior to continuing through the System Check. There is no benefit addressing other DTCs that could be set due to an internal fault to a control module. If the fault is present, performing the diagnostic procedure for that fault will likely correct the customer perceived concern and possibly eliminate other DTCs that may be set.

Not all steps of the Diagnostic System Check have to be performed. The Diagnostic System Check tries to prioritize the test steps with the highest priority faults first. The technician is then lead to another document to do the actual diagnosis or repair. The strategy is to repair higher level faults that may be the cause of other system or component level symptoms. Additionally, the Diagnostic System Check can only be used for a single fault at a time. If additional faults are present, the technician must perform the diagnostic system check for each concern until all customer concerns are corrected.

Once a repair has been completed, General Motors diagnostic strategy is to always have the technician verify that the customer concern has been corrected. This is to prevent comebacks and to ensure customer satisfaction with their dealership experience. Therefore a link has been provided to Diagnostic Repair Verification procedure for the technician to verify the customer concern has been corrected.

There are some assumptions made when General Motors prepares service information. They include the following areas which are presumed to function as designed:

• | The 12-volt battery is fully charged. General Motors assumes the majority of vehicles brought in for repair will be able to start and be driven into the service stall. If the vehicle has a dead battery, it is slow cranking or for any other reason the technician feels the customer concern may be battery related, a link is provided to Battery Inspection/Test. This procedure will guide the technician through inspecting and verifying the battery functions properly.

• | Fuses should not be open. General Motors does not call out in diagnostic procedures to verify a fuse. The technician is expected to find an open fuse when the diagnostic test step states to check for an open circuit condition. Therefore a link has been provided to Power Distribution Schematics and Electrical Center Identification Views for technicians to reference power sources and fuse locations if they feel there may be loss of power due to an open fuse condition.

• | Ground circuits are clean, tight, and in the correct location. General Motors assumes that the original ground circuits have not been compromised. The technician is expected to find a poor ground connection when the diagnostic test step states to test the ground circuit for an open/high resistance. Therefore a link has been provided to Ground Distribution Schematics and Harness Routing Views for technicians to reference ground locations and which ground circuits may be related to the customer concern.

• | All connections/connectors are fully seated. General Motors assumes that all connections are properly installed. The technician is expected to find an open or poor connection when the diagnostic test step asks to test the circuit for an open/high resistance. Therefore a link has been provided to Component Connector End Views for technicians to reference which connections may be related to the customer concern.

• | There are no aftermarket devices that affect the operation of the system. General Motors can only author diagnostic and repair information for vehicle systems and components that are original equipment or genuine GM Accessories. Aftermarket equipment can negatively affect original equipment operation and lead a technician's diagnosis of a concern in the wrong direction. Therefore a link has been provided to Checking Aftermarket Accessories that guides a technician through the possible causes of vehicle problems related to aftermarket accessories.

• | The scan tool powers up. General Motors assumes that power is available at the Data Link Connector and the scan tool will power on. Therefore a link has been provided to Scan Tool Does Not Power Up if the technician finds that the scan tool does not power on.

### Diagnostic System Check

1. VERIFY CUSTOMER CONCERN--This step is to obtain as much information as possible from the customer. Are there aftermarket accessories on the vehicle? When does the condition occur? Where does the condition occur? How long does the condition last? How often does the condition occur? Review the service history of the vehicle for previous repairs that could help diagnose the current concern.

Now that the technician understands the customer concern, they should validate the concern on the vehicle. In order to verify the concern, the technician should be familiar with the normal operation of the system and refer to the owner or service manual for any information needed. Inspect the visible system components for obvious damage or conditions that could cause the concern. Conduct a thorough visual inspection. Detect unusual sounds or odors.

The condition described by the customer may be normal. If the technician finds the vehicle to operate normally, compare with another like vehicle that is operating normally, under the same conditions described by the customer. If this is the case, explain your findings and the operation of the system to the customer. If the customer is dissatisfied, submit a Field Product Report.

2. BULLETIN SEARCH--By searching for related bulletins, recall/field actions and preliminary information documents, a procedure for a known field issue may resolve the customer concern with little or no diagnosis necessary saving the technician diagnostic time.

3. MECHANICAL CONCERNS--This step is designed to take the technician directly to a list of symptom diagnostic procedures. The technician is asked to verify the symptoms exhibited by the system are mechanical in nature and not related to an electrical system, see some examples below. If the technician feels the concern could be related to an electrical system, they should continue through the Diagnostic System Check to verify the electrical functionality of vehicle. If the technician feels the concern is exclusively related to a mechanical system, a link to Symptoms - Vehicle is provided to select the appropriate symptom diagnostic procedure for the customer concern.

Examples:

• | Brake noise or diagnosing irregular pad wear

• | Water leak diagnosis

• | Engine or transmission fluid leak diagnosis

• | Manual window or door lock diagnosis

• | Vehicle vibration diagnosis

• | Exhaust noise or leak diagnosis

4. CONTROL MODULE COMMUNICATION and DTC CHECK--The technician is asked in this step to record the following three pieces of data on the Repair Order; any control module that the scan tool determined is not communicating, any DTC and symptom byte set current or history, and the control module that has set the DTC.

This is considered a setup step for the rest of the Diagnostic System Check. The technician is not expected to do anything other than record the three pieces of data provided by the scan tool on the Repair Order. This provides the information needed to complete the rest of the diagnostic system check.

To complete this step, the technician is asked to utilize the scan tool function called Vehicle DTC Information located in Vehicle Control Systems. This function will query every possible control module on the vehicle requesting all DTCs. During the DTC query, the scan tool will try to establish communication with each control module. If the scan tool can communicate with the control module during the DTC request, it will display PRESENT and provide the number of DTCs set in the control module. If the scan tool cannot communicate with a control module, it will only display NOT COMMUNICATING. Since the scan tool cannot determine if a given control module should be present or not, the technician is asked in a future step to verify that the vehicle was not built with control modules listed as NOT COMMUNICATING. If the technician performs this function and finds that there are no control modules communicating, a link to Power Mode Mismatch is provided as the vehicle power mode may cause no communication with any control module on the vehicle.

Once the scan tool has completed the routine, the technician should review each control module that has set a DTC and document them on the Repair Order. When reviewing the DTCs, the technician should take notice if any DTCs are powertrain related, and if so, navigate in the scan tool to the Powertrain area and utilize the Capture Info function. This will upload any Freeze Frame/Failure Records stored in the control module to the scan tool in case the data is lost from the control module. As an example, if the technician commands a Clear DTCs function on a powertrain controller, all diagnostic information stored in the controller is erased. This includes Freeze Frame/Failure Records and Inspection/Maintenance System Status indicators, if required for your region.

5. CONTROL MODULE INTERNAL PERFORMANCE FAULTS--The technician is asked to review the DTCs recorded in step 4 and verify there are no control module internal performance faults set current. This type of fault may be the cause of other symptoms or DTCs displayed by the vehicle. By addressing this fault first, the technician may find the other concerns are resolved. The technician should always follow the diagnostic procedure for these types of faults prior to replacing any control module. If the technician finds a control module has an internal performance fault, a link is provided to Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) List - Vehicle to select the appropriate DTC diagnostic procedure.

Examples:

• | B1000 Electronic Control Unit Performance

• | B101D ECU Hardware Performance

• | C0550 Electronic Control Unit Performance

• | C056D ECU Hardware Performance

• | C0570 Auxiliary Electronic Control Unit Performance

• | P0606 Control Module Internal Performance

• | P0607 Control Module Performance

6. CONTROL MODULE COMMUNICATION VERIFICATION--This step is used to ensure the control modules that are NOT COMMUNICATING were not built on the vehicle. To understand if the vehicle was built with that option, we provide a link to the Data Link References document where Regular Production Options (RPOs) are listed next to ECU names and can be compared to those the vehicle was built with. If the technician determines that a control that is NOT COMMUNICATING should be present, the technician is asked to follow the appropriate diagnostic procedure listed in the Data Link References document.

7. COMMUNICATION and POWERMODE FAULTS--This step is asking the technician to look for communication DTCs or DTCs related to control modules powering up based on power mode, communication enable or wake-up circuits. See in the below table some examples of the DTCs the technician should diagnose prior to continuing through the Diagnostic System Check. The technician should review the list of DTCs recorded in step 4 and verify that none of these type of DTCs are present. If so, the technician is referred to the Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) List - Vehicle to select the appropriate DTC diagnostic procedure.

Examples:

• | U0140 Lost Communication With Body Control Module

• | U0164 Lost Communication With HVAC Control Module

• | U0170 Lost Communication With Passenger Presence Detection Module

• | U0402 Invalid Data Received From Transmission Control Module

• | U0452 Invalid Data Received From Inflatable Restraint Sensing and Diagnostic Module

• | U1814 Powertrain High Speed Communication Enable Circuit

• | B1428 Ignition Switched Power Run/Crank Relay Circuit

• | B137B Accessory Power Module Wake Up Circuit

• | C0897 Control Module Power Moding

• | P2536 Ignition Accessory Switch Circuit

8. POWER MODE VERIFICATION--This step verifies the Power Mode Master is receiving the proper output state of the ignition switch. The technician should use the main power mode input, this being either the ignition key or, on vehicles equipped with Passive Entry Passive Start, the push button switch. The test should not be performed using a key fob, if the MIL is illuminated the powertrain controller may disable this input. The technician is asked to perform the test with the driver door open. This ensures the retained accessory power mode is inactive during this test which could result in different scan tool readings. The technician is only asked to verify the current Power Mode parameter in the power mode data display list. If the parameter does not match the actual ignition switch position, a link is provided to perform the Power Mode Mismatch diagnostic procedure.

9. ENGINE CRANK and RUN VERIFICATION--Here the technician is asked to verify that the engine cranks and runs. The technician should use the main power mode input, this being either the ignition key or, on vehicles equipped with Passive Entry Passive Start, the push button switch, to complete this step. The test should not be performed using a key fob, if the MIL is illuminated the powertrain controller may disable this input. The technician should know at this point whether the engine cranks and runs without having to actually performing this test step. One of the follow has probably already occurred and this step can be skipped: The technician drove the vehicle into the stall or verified when checking the Crank and Run parameter in step 8. If the technician has not already somehow verified the engine cranks in previous steps, the technician should perform this test step. Regardless of how this step was performed, if the engine does not crank, a link is provided to Engine Does Not Crank or if the engine cranks but does not run, a link is provided to Engine Cranks But Does Not Run for the technician to choose the correct diagnostic procedure for the actual engine application being used.

10. REMAINING DTC REVIEW--Here the technician is asked to review any remaining DTCs that were not addressed in previous steps. The technician is asked first to verify there are no control module supply voltage, system voltage or 5V circuit DTCs present. Control modules, systems or components with insufficient or zero voltage can cause one or multiple symptoms to exist on the vehicle. Control module voltage issues could also be the cause of failures during a programming event. The technician should correct voltage issues prior to addressing any programming or configuration DTCs. The technician should then check for any ECU programming, setup or configuration DTCs. By programming software or configuring a control module, the technician could correct the customer concern unobtrusively. The remaining DTCs, which are usually specific system or component faults, are diagnosed last. They can include ECU input and output circuit DTCs or individual circuit faults that usually cause single symptoms or failure modes on the vehicle and can be fixed following the proper DTC diagnostic procedure. In general, the technician should think about what DTCs or faults could be caused by another DTC or fault. A failed sensor may set a component DTC and then the system may set a DTC indicating the system cannot operate properly. By correcting the sensor fault, the system may now operate properly and the system level DTC will transition to history. Refer to the examples within each category below to understand the differences between these DTCs. If DTCs of these type are current, the technician is referred to Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) List - Vehicle to choose the correct DTC diagnostic procedure.

10.1. | Voltage DTCs

• | B1325 Device Power 1 Circuit

• | C0875 Device Voltage Reference Input 2 Circuit

• | C1001 Adaptive Cruise Control Indicators Supply Voltage Circuit

• | P0641 5-Volt Reference Circuit

• | P0787 Downshift Timing Solenoid Control Circuit Low Voltage

10.2. | Programming, Setup, Configuration or Software Performance DTCs

• | B3943 Steering Column Lock has Not Learned Column Integration Module

• | B101E ECU Software Performance

• | B1019 System Configuration Error

• | C0558 Calibration Data Not Programmed

• | P0630 VIN Not Programmed or Mismatched - Powertrain Control Module (PCM)

10.3. | Component related DTCs

• | B0013 Driver Frontal Deployment Loop Stage 2

• | B0163 Passenger Compartment Temp Sensor Circuit

• | C0045 Left Rear Wheel Speed Sensor Circuit

• | P0565 Cruise Control Switch Circuit

• | P0751 1-2 Shift Solenoid (SS) Valve Performance

10.4. | System related DTCs

• | B1010 System Sensors Data Mismatch

• | C0176 System Thermal Error

• | C0561 System Disabled Information Stored

• | P1564 Vehicle Acceleration Too High - Cruise Control Disabled

• | P1625 Transmission Control Module (TCM) System Reset

10.5. | Any other remaining DTCs--The technician should diagnose and correct any other DTCs that are left that were not from the categories above.

11. EMISSION RELATED INSPECTION/MAINTENANCE TESTING CONCERNS--Several regions require that a vehicle pass on-board diagnostic system tests and the inspection/maintenance emission tests in order to renew license plates or vehicle registration. This is accomplished by viewing the Inspection/Maintenance System Status display on a scan tool. Using a scan tool, the technician can observe the Inspection/Maintenance System Status in order to verify that the vehicle meets the criteria that comply with the local area requirements. If inspection and maintenance checks are required in your region, and the customer concern is related to not passing an Inspection/Maintenance test, a link is provided to Inspection/Maintenance (I/M) System Check where the technician can choose the appropriate Inspection/Maintenance System Check for the actual engine application being used.
12. SYMPTOM DIAGNOSIS--At this step, the diagnostics are assuming that the only information the technician has available to diagnose the customer concern are symptoms of a problem. There are no DTCs set current or history. There may be a Driver Information Center display message or a system indicator to aid in identifying the root cause. The technician should evaluate the symptoms and conditions described by the customer and perform the symptoms diagnostics for the area of customer concern. A link is provided to Symptoms - Vehicle which contains a list of all symptoms related to this service manual publication.