Genuine Shop Manuals Standard Equipment on All Cars

Just like the myth that the earth is a globe.

Just like the myth that operating systems can crash.

What percentage of recalls are for computer problems?

And how old is the computer on which you wrote yer reply?

 

My great grandma didn't. When I got my '68 two years ago it still had the
original owners manual in the glovebox. When she gave me the title it was in
the original paper folder "NEW CAR PAPERS" thingy Ford used to give out with
new car. I have the original sales documents, a repair slip of something
that was repaired under warranty, an extra manual, and even the little round
key thingies with the key numbers on them so new keys could be cut if the
originals were lost.

Cory

 

Exactly. ECMs very rarely fail, even the early ones like "Lean Burn"
Chryslers from the 70s and HT4100 Cadillacs from the 80s. They're
usually replaced because someone can't figure out what's REALLY wrong
and blames that "stupid black box" that they can't understand. Or
because someone fries the ECM doing improper diagnostics. Its usually a
sensor, actuator, or wiring problem at the root of most "ECM" problems.

 

If I were in a pedantic mood, I'd point out it's not. Very close,
though.

Dunno -- but I sure hear of a lot more for mechanical problems.

I'd have to check -- but it's a 700 MHz Athlon, and the chip had just
come out when I bought it. Though this is about as relevant as
everything else you wrote except the question about percentage of
recalls.

 

And where the "utes" hangout.

Bill Putney
(To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
adddress with the letter 'x')

 

And as relevant as the myth of computer infallibility.

If I were in a pedantic mood, I'd point out that it is not -34 degrees
here in SoFla, though my vehicle's computer sets the fuel mix there, nor
is the proper voltage 22, though that's what the ECU insists on
delivering to the battery.

Fortunately for most folks, the ECU can deliver all sorts of bogus data
with impunity. Until the morning ya switch it on and a voice says, "Good
morning. HAL here. Hope yer day has been a good one so far. . ."

 

Steve wrote:

I agree that it's seldom the black box, most often the i/o stuff that
craps out. But the i/o stuff is part of the computer, there's a
gazillion sensors in modern cars, and failures are both common and
difficult to remedy.

The good news is that most failures are never noticed unless they
trigger a dash mounted warning light.

 

Almost none.

Three years, however, my two prior PCs lasted 8 and 7 years,
respectively, and were working fine when I gave both to my parents.
They used each another 7-8 years before trashing them as they couldn't
run the newer software. I've only had a couple of PCs have hardware
failures (one CD-ROM and one modem) in nearly 20 years of PC ownership.
And I've NEVER had a CPU fail.


Matt

 

Nobody said computers were infallible, just not prone to a high rate of
failure as you assert.

One computer failure does not a trend establish.

You really shouldn't stop taking your medication without your doctor's
approval.


Matt

 

I never said they were infallible (of all people, I sure know they
aren't). I objected to your implication (repeated above) that
virtually any car over four years old will have computer problems,
when they're a very rare source of failure.

Are you seriously saying you're charging your battery at 22 volts?
That's a problem you need to fix -- alternator, connectors....

Not for very long...

 

But it is enough to dispel the myth of infallibility.

 

Joe Pfeiffer wrote:

Alternator's fine. Bearing's a little noisy (diagnosed by sticking one
end of a screwdriver on the bearing housing, the other end in my ear)
but the regulator is in the ECU.

How do I fix that?

 

No one said they were infallible, they are just pointing out that your claim
that most cars over 4 years old have computer problems is bullshit.
Bob

 

The trouble is there is no such myth, at least not held by anyone here.
Our comments were only about your absurd claim that every car more
than four years old has a failed computer. I'm sorry you aren't capable
of understanding that. Then again, I guess we should have known that
anyone who would make such a ludicrous claim obviously was a few quarts
shy of a full sump.


Matt

 

Alot of alternators have internal regulators. I know my 93 Grand Prix does.
Even an 85 Camaro has one.

 

Alot of alternators have internal regulators. I know my 93 Grand Prix does.
Even an 85 Camaro has one.

 

Some have external regulators, either mounted on the alternator or on
the firewall. Some have internal regulators. Some have the regulator in
the ECU.

Sensible designs have an external regulator.

The '92 Caravan does not.

 

OK, so we found 12 that had no (apparent) problems.

So line up a hundred or so old cars and read the signals. I'd be willing
to bet a very substantial number are not to spec.

 

OK, a little hyperbole just to liven up the conversation.

What, then, would you guess is the percentage of 4+ year old cars in
which all the signals are in spec?

 

That's the beauty of computers, they can adapt to changes as a car wears
out.
Bob