Help! Looking for certified XLR tech in Michigan

[pure zen]

must make contact,,,,

I guess the trunk divider is in place if not top will not work micro switch is on drivers side.

Good point,,,,,and just because the 'divider' looks to be in place,,,doesn't mean that left side catch is snapped in all the way to make contact..

 

[ccclarke]

If the luggage barrier isn't in place when the Folding Top Switch is depressed, a message on the DIC will be displayed, and the operation will be aborted.

CC

 

[xlrlist01]

Yes the decklid (trunklid) opens and closes just fine. The top control switch worked fine (when pushed I could hear the pump run after the windows lowered) but after getting the car back from the dealer this last time, I get nothing. The real challenge I'm having is finding a tech that knows where to go and what to look for. Anybody can plug in a Tech 2 and stumble around looking for something that doesn't look right. What i'm hoping for is a recommendation for a central Michigan tech that knows XLRs inside and out. Thanks.

The fault starts to sound like a defective switch. In the workshop manual, if you can't find what you are looking for under "roof", try "folding top" or "power folding top". The major section starts around 8-610 and is under the general heading of "roof".

If any of the conditions that prevent the roof from operating are current, then you will get a warning in the DIC. As you are not getting that, it points to the switch being defective. At 8-665 is the section "Power Folding Top Does Not Open". This directs to 8-659 which runs through a series of steps (checking the DIC display mostly) and then gets to step 7: "Using the scan tool, navigate to roof system, data display, inputs". "View the top control switch parameter". Press the top control switch to the open and close positions. Did the parameter display Top Open and Top Closed? Assuming "No", go to step 20. Remove the switch, using a 3A fused jumper, connect one end to the accessory voltage circuit and the other end to the switch open signal and then to the switch close signal (in turn). Did the Tech-II display show open/close? (You should have engine running when opening/closing the roof.)

By now you will have worked out that if the answer is "yes", then you have a faulty switch.

Now you need to know the circuit description. For the switch it has four circuits:

Pin 1: Top cover release supply voltage, L-GN (2166)
Pin 2: Top cover ajar switch supply voltage D-BU (2167)
Pin 3: Instrument Panel Lamp Supply Voltage (2) BN (1244)
Pin 4: Battery Positive Voltage RD/WH (440)

I don't know about you, but those names do not exactly match the previous instructions, a quick look at the circuit diagram (8-615) reveals:

Pin 1: Open signal (L-GN)
Pin 2: Close signal (D-BU)
Pin 3: not shown
Pin 4: Battery (RD/WH)

Any competent mechanic with a Tech-II should be able to follow this far. If you just want to test the switch without removing it, you are looking at a maximum of 10 mins with a Tech-II. Easy.

As usual, anything you read on this forum is "use at your own risk".

HTHs

 

[bluebeast]

The fault starts to sound like a defective switch. In the workshop manual, if you can't find what you are looking for under "roof", try "folding top" or "power folding top". The major section starts around 8-610 and is under the general heading of "roof".

If any of the conditions that prevent the roof from operating are current, then you will get a warning in the DIC. As you are not getting that, it points to the switch being defective. At 8-665 is the section "Power Folding Top Does Not Open". This directs to 8-659 which runs through a series of steps (checking the DIC display mostly) and then gets to step 7: "Using the scan tool, navigate to roof system, data display, inputs". "View the top control switch parameter". Press the top control switch to the open and close positions. Did the parameter display Top Open and Top Closed? Assuming "No", go to step 20. Remove the switch, using a 3A fused jumper, connect one end to the accessory voltage circuit and the other end to the switch open signal and then to the switch close signal (in turn). Did the Tech-II display show open/close? (You should have engine running when opening/closing the roof.)

By now you will have worked out that if the answer is "yes", then you have a faulty switch.

Now you need to know the circuit description. For the switch it has four circuits:

Pin 1: Top cover release supply voltage, L-GN (2166)
Pin 2: Top cover ajar switch supply voltage D-BU (2167)
Pin 3: Instrument Panel Lamp Supply Voltage (2) BN (1244)
Pin 4: Battery Positive Voltage RD/WH (440)

I don't know about you, but those names do not exactly match the previous instructions, a quick look at the circuit diagram (8-615) reveals:

Pin 1: Open signal (L-GN)
Pin 2: Close signal (D-BU)
Pin 3: not shown
Pin 4: Battery (RD/WH)

Any competent mechanic with a Tech-II should be able to follow this far. If you just want to test the switch without removing it, you are looking at a maximum of 10 mins with a Tech-II. Easy.

As usual, anything you read on this forum is "use at your own risk".

HTHs

Thanks for the info. I have an appointment Monday at 8 a.m. with a dealer about a hour away who says they have a XLR certified tech. If this is true, he should have no problem. If this is another case of the dealer trying to pass off somebody that is not, as certified, I'll will have printed out your info and taken it with me just in case. We plan on keeping this car for quite a while and obtaining a Tech II might be on my to-do list. Any opinions on the Chinese Tech II clones? I see them available for a reasonable cost compared to the real deal. If there is not a thread on this topic, I might start one. Thanks again.

 

[rexster314]

There's a bunch of threads on the Chinese TechII. I started one in the spring, don't know if that's the newest or not. I'm very satisfied with mine

 

[bluebeast]

There's a bunch of threads on the Chinese TechII. I started one in the spring, don't know if that's the newest or not. I'm very satisfied with mine

Thanks for the link to the thread. Having been up to my eyebrows in cars since the early 1970s, I'm thinking that a TechII is the next adventure.

 

[xlrlist01]

Thanks for the info. I have an appointment Monday at 8 a.m. with a dealer about a hour away who says they have a XLR certified tech. If this is true, he should have no problem. If this is another case of the dealer trying to pass off somebody that is not, as certified, I'll will have printed out your info and taken it with me just in case. We plan on keeping this car for quite a while and obtaining a Tech II might be on my to-do list. Any opinions on the Chinese Tech II clones? I see them available for a reasonable cost compared to the real deal. If there is not a thread on this topic, I might start one. Thanks again.

Are they clones? I'm no expert on this, but my understanding is that the GM official ones were made in China. The official ones also have either a GM badge, or the badge of one of the Divisions. It has been discussed that the unofficial ones do not support every function of the official ones, I have no information, if so, the way the discussion has gone suggests that the differences are minor if they exist at all. You do need to get the correct card installed. There are threads here that discuss Tech-II options.

 

[bluebeast]

Are they clones? I'm no expert on this, but my understanding is that the GM official ones were made in China. The official ones also have either a GM badge, or the badge of one of the Divisions. It has been discussed that the unofficial ones do not support every function of the official ones, I have no information, if so, the way the discussion has gone suggests that the differences are minor if they exist at all. You do need to get the correct card installed. There are threads here that discuss Tech-II options.

I'm still in the shallow end of the pool as far as which sources of the Tech2 tool are legitimate and which are not. When you see the gigantic cost range of what these are going for I have to consider the fact that there is something going on. Getting to the bottom of why will most likely be an interesting journey. What is the reason for one tool going for $400 and another going for $2000? I found this web page GM TECH 2 Diagnostic tool - A quick word before buying on Ebay | eBay The info there will be the beginning of where my search for the truth will start. Anybody interested in joining me on this journey is welcome.

 

[rexster314]

The one I got is a clone. Came from China. I knew it would be a clone. The software PCMCIA card is a clone. I knew it would be. I found a dealer that took paypal. I knew I would have a better recourse than if I had used a credit card or heaven forbid, Western Union.
I paid just under 400$ US for it. Including the CANDI module that's needed for our XLR's. I've used it several times with success. It's done everything I wanted it to do. It stays in it's case when not in use. I have an original user manual for the TECHII. Screen by screen, it's all GM info.

I'm satisfied with my purchase. I'm not saying where I got it other than China. No advertising here. Of course, YMMV.