what to do when I can't get the SES light to come on?

[baller760]

Ok, I've been having this problem ever since I got the car. It runs great and everything but the service engine light doesn't flash for a few seconds when I turn the key like all the other lights. I replaced all of the bulbs as well. So it can't be that. So basically, I'm worried because I have no idea if the car is flashing a code so I don't know if I'm hurting anything. What can I do besides buy a scanmaster for now? Or does the scanmaster just make the SES light blink like all the other tests? Is there anything else to check?

 

[TurboBuckeye]

The scanmaster has it's own display for codes and does not use the ses light as an indicator. Other than that I can't help you

 

[Red Regal T]

Right. The Scanmaster reads out the number code. You need to get one. Makes it a snap to set the car up and is necessary for tuning with no knock.

 

[baller760]

Ok, that's good. I'll buy one today. thanks.

 

[Turbo Brian]

There is a small card called the lamp driver module that allows the SES light to work under various conditions. It is located in the wiring harness just to the left of the glove box as viewed from the passenger seat.

The module provides an alternate power supply to the SES light when there are certain failures. For example, if you blew the ECM fuse, the computer would not be powered, but the module would light the SES light and allow an ECM failure to show (steady SES light). The SES light is powered through that module.

If there was a code that a previous owner wanted to hide, the module may have been removed.

To see if it is still there, remove the glove box door and box and look about 6 inches towards the center of the car. The module (a little bigger than a match book) plugs into a holder at this point in the harness.

 

[GNVenom]

Tell us more about this module. I have never seen one, and haven't been able to identify it in the GM wiring diagrams. Maybe it's used on the non-turbo vehicles.
If the ECM fuse goes out, nothing works...no SES lamp, no fuel, etc.
Without power to the ECM, you can't flash codes since the internal RAM is turned off. The ECM needs to be powered up with a read cycle from the EPROM before any codes will be transmitted.

Do you have more info in the module you'r'e talking about?

-John
www.casperselectronics.com

 

[petesgn]

I had a 84 s10 that had that that check engine module but my 86 or 87 buick doesn't have it. i think GM did away with it.

 

[83ttypecooled]

lamp driver module

Hi,
All the carbureted cars had them.I am somewhat at a loss to verify that our cars do, because I haven't looked. The location sounds right.It will be taped to the main harness and be blueish green, as I recall. A wiring diagram may help.