BCM not programming?

Supposedly the technician followed the correct procedure although this was secondhand information from the owner of the shop. The technician came from a Chevrolet dealership, and I have not met him. I went to get both BCMs, thinking I would return the new one to O'Reilly for credit. I also thought I would inspect the old unit for bad solder connections, etc. Well scratch that--it is all subminiature surface mount components. I don't have the tools or expertise to mess with that. Long story short, before they removed the old unit, which they had reinstalled after no success with the programming, the old BCM worked--door locks, dome light, power windows, etc, all working. They told me that they had started the car the day before and it was running normally. I read that the BCM could do weird things if the ignition switch is bad. The ignition switch is badly worn--I can remove the key when the engine is running. The engine cranks and even turns over until the key is released to the ON position. Then the engine dies. I ordered a new Delco switch (but not the lock cylinder assembly) thinking that this might be worth a shot. I am thinking the BCM may not be bad after all and if the ignition switch is bad maybe the new BCM wasn't getting enough voltage to allow programming. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks! Corey

The saga continues. The shop brought in another technician who had a different programming device. Again, the scanner recognized the new BCM but attempts to program the unit resulted in no communication or response. Could I have a defective OEM Delco part? They declined to install the new ignition switch I provided (also a genuine AC Delco OEM part) saying the switch wasn't the problem and that the tumbler was worn out. The main ignition key is obviously worn and can be removed with the engine running but the valet key works normally since it has no wear. IMHO it's just the primary ignition key that is worn. The shop said if I replaced the tumbler it would invalidate the car's anti-theft system and that would be the point of no return. My understanding was that older GM cars could have the tumbler replaced without impacting the anti-theft system. Maybe I misunderstood. Problem is that these guys have little experience with Saturns. I am going to pick up the new BCM and return it to O'Reilly in hopes of recovering my $400 but beyond that I am at a dead end.

If the BCM interacts with other modules, and I'm sure it does, could the problem be elsewhere, say the ECM or an anti-theft module if there is one? I may have told you that I had to ride 20 miles on the rim of a rear wheel after I had a blowout on the interstate. The rim was shaped like a triangle by the time I got home and even at 10 miles an hour the car was shaken badly.

Should I have the car towed to another shop and start the process all over again? With the old BCM reinstalled the car starts and runs. Sometimes. It's like Russian roulette I am two steps away from having to junk this car. It has 175,000 miles but otherwise is in good shape. There was an issue with the timing chain oiler (GM recall) but that was dealt with years ago, and what a surprise, the dealer said my VIN was not on the recall list. I had to pay $1500 out of pocket. The truth was every 2002 Saturn had the oiler problem. I should have contacted GM before caving and paying the dealer. They installed a kit which was provided by GM per the recall. I think the dealer made $1,500.00 on the deal. But I digress.

Hi Joe,
I thought I would bring you up to date on the BCM issue with my 2002 Saturn L200. I bought a new GM OEM part from O'Reilly and brought it to the repair shop. They brought in two "experts" to program the BCM and both times they reported that there was no communication with the BCM and gave up. I brought in a third individual who seemed confident he could make this work. He knew about the Saturn Service Call procedure and also mentioned the importance of floating a battery charger across the battery while the BCM was being programmed. I had read that in the chat rooms and figured this guy was speaking from experience. I had returned the BCM to O'Reilly for a refund, so he ordered another new OEM unit. A few days later he had the car up and running. Engine starts and runs, door locks, dome light, etc all work. Even the chime sounds normal and the headlights flash and horn honks when you lock the car with the key fob. A day or two later I get a call from the shop (I kept the car there so they could check the brakes) and when they road tested the car they said the dash instrument cluster would black out and lights would flash. I was able to drive the car home but none of the gauges (speedometer, tach, gas and temp gauges) function and both turn signal arrows in the cluster are brightly lit. Turn signals do work normally and one or the other arrow winks on and off. Also, at night the lights on the radio, heater and clock flash bright and dim when turn signals are activated. I am wondering if one of the connectors on the BCM might have a pin that has been pushed out of position and not making contact--especially if the cable from the instrument cluster goes directly to the BCM. I am thinking it is a ground wire since so many functions, all related to the dash instruments and lights, are affected. Most of the idiot lights on the cluster are lit dimly whereas they should not be lit at all. Otherwise the car is perfectly drivable, transmission shifts normally, radio plays, etc. Is there a repair manual with a schematic for this car still in existence? I think I could troubleshoot this myself and since the BCM has been unplugged and replaced multiple times that is why I suspect it could be a pin in one of the cable connectors. I am afraid to unplug anything without advice because I don't want to toast this new BCM. Corey Meyer