Flashing arrow/ trouble codes '99 V70R

vilified89 · Post by **vilified89** » 04 Mar 2010, 17:46

Hi all,

Yesterday morn, I had a problem starting my 99 V70R, after running a short errand. Anyway, hours later, I finally got it started, only to see the dreaded flashing arrow and the check engine light on. I limped it home, and to a mechanic this a.m. The mechanic I took it to doesn't have vadis or vida, however, he hooked it up thru autoboss. He claims that there aren't any problems with the transmission (the neutral safety switch), or the gearbox. He mentioned that he could not get communication with the instrument cluster. He did give me a print out of what was discovered via autoboss.

With what I described and the codes I'm about to give, can anybody help? Btw, the mechanic mentioned that he's 90% sure that the prob lies in the cluster control module. He claims that I can only buy a new one and that it is costly, he can get a used one but doesn't think it can be rematched with my VIN and be compatible with my car. Can I use a used cluster control module, if so, can it be programmed by a dealer to work within my car?

Should I try taking my car to a dealer/mechanic who was VADIS/VIDA to get a correct diagnosis?

The trouble codes I received were:
ECM-720A Immobilizer Communication
ECM-530D DIagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) in another control module

FCPEURO · Post by **FCPEURO** » 04 Mar 2010, 19:23

I would that the car to someone that has the correct equipment to read the car. The blinking arrow is almost always a transmission code stored in the system. If you can't read the transmission computer, then you can't really find the problem.

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 04 Mar 2010, 19:53

Any OBD-II reader should read all engine and transmission codes so long as the car was originally sent to the USA. Beyond the engine and transmission you are on your own and you are at the mercy of the stealerships.

...Lee

Post by **VCA** » 05 Mar 2010, 05:05

Ozark Lee wrote:Any OBD-II reader should read all engine and transmission codes so long as the car was originally sent to the USA. Beyond the engine and transmission you are on your own and you are at the mercy of the stealerships.

...Lee

Correct. You really need a shop with VADIS or VIDA (or an AutoLogic, but they're more common in Europe). If it is the cluster [CDM], a used one might be able to be reloaded with software for your car (there's nothing in VIDA that says you can't reload a used CDM), but the mileage CANNOT be reset. Communication to the HS CAN bus from the LS CAN bus is through the CDM, so if there's a problem with the it, you might not be able to speak to the HS CAN bus (ETM, ECM and TCM). Now, my car did that (right in the middle of the dealer programming keys into the immobilizer)--believe it or not, a bad positive battery cable was the cause.

vilified89 · Post by **vilified89** » 05 Mar 2010, 14:58

Hey all,

Here's the news from the repair shop. My antenna ring is bad, and the DIM (Drivers instrument cluster) is bad as well, and I need the dim to be reprogrammed.

Post by **VCA** » 06 Mar 2010, 08:32

vilified89 wrote:Hey all,

Here's the news from the repair shop. My antenna ring is bad, and the DIM (Drivers instrument cluster) is bad as well, and I need the dim to be reprogrammed.

Ouch. Sorry to hear that. The antenna ring is a common failure. The DIM, not so much, but I believe it to be the correct diagnosis based on symptoms--it's the communication hub between the high-speed and low-speed CAN networks in our cars, and failures/intermittent operation can lead to hard starts or no starts. It's probably flashing the arrow and showing the CEL because it's having communications issues.