[jza80]

Hey guys,

So if you saw my other recent post about strange front O2 sensor behavior: https://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=726842 that seems to have been resolved with a new sensor. I still can’t rationalize how unplugging the sensor caused it to fail, but after installing a new Bosch #16623 ($58.78 from Amazon), normal oxygen sensor function has been restored.

BUT, even with the new sensor my car is still failing to complete the front O2 sensor diagnostic readiness, despite fairly extensive driving in a manner that should allow the diagnostic to complete. I should add that about 9 months ago I replaced the ECM with a new part sourced from Orio and programmed by them (and married to my car by me). Since that repair, the car has run great. Prior to the ECM replacement, there has never been any trouble with getting all the OBD monitors to run and set their respective readiness bits. So, my suspicion is that the calibration file loaded into the new ECM by Orio has some problem with getting the front oxygen sensor OBD diagnostic to run, or complete and show as ready. I discovered this after my car failed smog check as “incomplete” due to the front O2 sensor readiness bit not being set.

My thought is to bypass the state referee circus that will entail to try to get an exemption and just simply install a different ECM that has the original Saab calibration files (just add the module, no SPS). I am not an expert on what will work so I am hoping the community can help me out. So here goes with a few questions:

1. My car has a #55567225 ECM. I have found this part online at various auto salvage yards, from various model years (2009, 2010, 2011). The concern is that the mileage of the 2011 and 2010 donor vehicles is high, over 150K miles, so I am worried that the ECM’s from these cars may not be in great shape (my ECM failed at about 50K miles). The 2009 has a little lower mileage. Are all the 55567225 ECM’s interchangeable among the various model years? That is, can a 2009 55567225 ECM be married to a 2011 car as is with the existing calibration files unchanged? SPS is not an option for this job, I need to be able to retain the existing cal files.

2. Assuming the answer to 1 is yes, then will there be a problem with the VIN mismatch of the replacement ECM and my car? I have a Tech 2, and I will be buying security access from Orio since the cracked globaltis will not work for my 2011. Will the Tech 2 just recognize the car’s VIN and reset the ECM VIN based on Tech 2 user input?

3. If it works, this will be a temporary fix and I will be re-adding my existing ECM back into my car once I get the smog check done. Last time, I “removed” my old ECM with Tech 2 before adding the new ECM. Is the “remove” process necessary or can I just swap the hardware and “add” the replacement ECM? I would like to avoid the extra step of removing/divorcing my existing ECM if possible.

Thanks in advance for any advice on this!

 

[Diggs]

If you find an ECU same part number, year, tranny then yes, all you have to do is add with tech2. I have done this. Only issue with mine is the sticker on it says "MPS 2004" so i think it's from a 2004 and not a 2003 as sold to me. I have a CEL for P0546?? I think. Runs fine but it also doesn't like data it is receiving. The EGT only came on 2003 so not sure why it is even looking at the sensor if the ECU is 2004. I know it models it instead on later cars so it must not like the calculations from my O2 sensors.

Anyways, rambling. Yes, it is possible and easy with tech2.

 

[Diggs]

https://www.saabcentral.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6382096&postcount=4

select NO if you want to use multiple ECUs.

All the other questions are straight forward.

 

[jza80]

Thanks Diggs!

Is it mandatory that the model year match? I don't think that there was a physical change in engine hardware between 2009-2011, but if the MY need to be exactly the same there is one ECM I have found that is supposed to be from a 2011 but the donor car mileage is 170K (!)

 

[Diggs]

I honestly don't know. 170k is a lot of miles but that just means it was on the highway a lot. I wouldn't be scared of it.

 

[Hus_sho]

Reinstall old ECU, use trionxsuite to copy ur old data , then flash it to the new ECU.

U always can pull all the software numbers from ur current ECU, go to https://tis2web.service.gm.com/tis2web/
Enter ur VIN number and follow the steps to check if u have the correct ECU software .

By the way, which O2 monitor exactly is not completing ?
Is there any other faults in the car ?
Is ur coolant temp reading correct through the Tech2 ?

 

[jza80]

Thanks for the link! I will check the CVN this weekend.

The problem is with the front oxygen sensor functional readiness bit. All the other diagnostics have set (front O2 heater, catalyst, fuel monitor, evap, etc). ECT reads normal, about 181F at thermostat open. No signal noise from MAF or TPS that I can see. No DTC's, pending or active, no driveability issues.

Since the replacement of the new ECM with the Orio-supplied part, the car was driven several thousand miles including long drives in steady-state conditions so the drive cycle to run the monitor occurred probably hundreds of times.

As far as transferring over the old ECU's calibration files, I disposed of the part awhile back. Never thought I would need it again...

Update: I ran the VIN through the tis2web program, it pulls up the ECM part number and vehicle details, but lists the CVN as "unknown". Maybe because it is a 2011 model year. So no luck there, unfortunately.

 

[Hus_sho]

Thanks for the link! I will check the CVN this weekend.

The problem is with the front oxygen sensor functional readiness bit. All the other diagnostics have set (front O2 heater, catalyst, fuel monitor, evap, etc). ECT reads normal, about 181F at thermostat open. No signal noise from MAF or TPS that I can see. No DTC's, pending or active, no driveability issues.

Since the replacement of the new ECM with the Orio-supplied part, the car was driven several thousand miles including long drives in steady-state conditions so the drive cycle to run the monitor occurred probably hundreds of times.

As far as transferring over the old ECU's calibration files, I disposed of the part awhile back. Never thought I would need it again...

Update: I ran the VIN through the tis2web program, it pulls up the ECM part number and vehicle details, but lists the CVN as "unknown". Maybe because it is a 2011 model year. So no luck there, unfortunately.

Do u have a scanner that can read OBDII mode 06 data ?
PM me ur VIN as well ..

 

[Hus_sho]

I just noted that u already replaced it, can u make sure it is tightened all the way in ?
I looked at the raw mode6 data, it look like ur P1132 monitor is the one not set.
And ive seen in ur previous post u mentioned that the old sensor reaches 1.3V which is not good, can u graph the new sensor maybe using ur OBD if it is fast enough, and upload the graph, the car must be fully warmed .
Take it in a long drive, various load conditions, see if the sensor voltage exceeds 1.0V at any stage, and note the conditions that triggers this (acceleration, desecration, climb, hot .....etc)

 

[Hus_sho]

Actually looking at the mode6 data again, it looks like the sensor exceeded the 1.0V threshold (1.19v) in the forth line.
Where did u buy the sensor from ? I assume it is new right ?

 

[jza80]

Resolution notes...

So I wanted to close the loop on this; I got a resolution, sort of.

What I did was swap in a 2010 9-3 ECM with the original calibrations and from an exact same spec vehicle into my car. With this replacement ECM, I was able to quickly set all the OBD readiness monitors, and get smog check passed.

Here are some interesting bits of info on this process:

I did not “Remove” my original Orio-replacement ECM with Tech 2, I just “Added” the salvage yard 2010 ECM. Also, I added it as a “replacement” ECM as I did not want to add any variable into how the ECM was VIN matched, etc. Probably it would have made zero difference (see below), but that was how I did it.

My car fired right up with the salvage yard ECM with no problems. Ran exactly the same as with my newer replacement ECM.

After smog check was completed, I reinstalled my original Orio-sourced ECM. This is the interesting part: After switching the ignition on, I got a “OK” message on the system check, not the usual error message about some problem or other that happens when a module is not properly Added. So, I tried the starter and the car fired right up! I thought that since I had selected “replacement” when I Added the 2010 ECM, that my original would need to be Added back. But, it was fine. To be on the safe side, I “Added” it back again, only to be told by Tech 2 that the ECM was already matched to the car. I did not try reinstalling the 2010 ECM again but presumably I may be able to swap back and forth as needed without the need for Tech 2. We’ll see in 2 years.

Next, I wanted to SPS the Orio-sourced ECM, since clearly there is an issue with the calibration somewhere. This was a fail, unfortunately. The Orio Tis2Web would not load a calibration file into my Tech 2, no matter what I tried. If I selected “Tech 2 Remote”, I got error E4394, “server processing failed”. If I tried Tech 2 J2534, I got error message E4403, something about invalid VIN (although, the Orio Tis2Web did communicate for several seconds with the Tech 2 before failing, whereas it instantly failed when I used the Tech 2 remote option which I believe is the correct option).

The other interesting part is that Mode 06 results were basically identical for either ECM, with failing results for $01 81 (exhaust gas sensor 1), and $81 81, $81 82 (fuel trim), despite the test values being just about dead in the middle of the allowed limits. But one ECM worked and one did not.

I have reached out to Orio about the SPS problem, I would like to try reflashing the newer ECM if it is possible to do. However worst-case I have the 2010 ECM to use for smog check in 2 years.

FWIW the CALID and CVN for the 2 ECM’s are:

2011 Newer SAAB/Orio replacement:

CALID 20208949

CVN E61A406C

Salvage yard 2010 ECM

CALID: 20205145

CVN: 40CF5F8C

The main thing for me now is that my registration is renewed. Fortunately I was able to get the problem resolved myself for a relatively modest cost ($140 for the ECM, and $$ for my deluxe new scan tool that will work on all my cars and do lots of things). I can’t even imagine what the cost would have been had this troubleshooting and work been done at a dealer or shop. This is likely the kind of nuisance yet expensive thing that leads to Saab’s being sent to the salvage yard.

 

[Hus_sho]

U dont need to divorce any module from the car (aside from the radio if u want it to work on another car i guess).

I can confirm ur finding, Multiple modules married to the car can be swapped with no tech2 required.

To copy and reflash ECUs i use ObdLinksx and trionic software, they work flawlessly .

 

[jza80]

To copy and reflash ECUs i use ObdLinksx and trionic software, they work flawlessly .

Thanks.

I think that will be the best option for me, since SDS does not seem to be working and it is uncertain if Orio has a correct calibration for my 2011. The 2010 works, so reflashing the new replacement with 2010 calibration makes sense. Probably I will pick up another salvage yard ECM to practice on, however...