If you did not have it re programmed prior to installation, all bets are off as to how it will behave. If the security light is on you should not be able to start the car at all. The fact that you can tells me that the BCM probably needs to be reprogrreprogrammed.

Can't half fix a BCM issue unless you get very lucky in terms of the donor car. And if the place you bought it from is pulling it from a junkyard is cleaning it and calling it refurbished with no electronics check then you may have gotten a BCM that went to the junkyard because it was bad

 

Thanks for the interesting comments.

The unit I purchased was from GMPartsGiant.com and sold as "new" not refurbished. Of course, as you suggest they may be selling junkyard products that have been cleaned up to look brand new. I have no way of knowing for sure, although they do have a A+ listing with the BBB (Genuine Parts Group, Inc.BBB ACCREDITATION SINCE 11/17/2017) Of course, I have no way of verifying the BBB web site either.

****** begin *********

From their Genuine Parts Group FAQ:

Are these genuine OEM GM parts and accessories?
Yes, we specialize in selling only genuine OEM GM parts and accessories.

All parts sold on our website ship from our authorized GM dealerships located all across the US and are the same exact parts found at your local GM dealer.

Why buy OEM parts?
These products are specifically manufactured and engineered to fit your car, truck or SUV just like the original parts that it came with when you first purchased it and include the 12 months 12,000-mile manufacturer's warranty from date of purchase.

******** end quote




So far A/C , fuel + temp gauge, lights etc all seem to work OK

When I first installed the bcm, the security light flashed and it did not start, but after the 30 minute relearn period it started. I plan on checking with a few local dealers to see if any will program the mileage etc. as the new bcm came with 0.0 miles. I did drive it for a little over 1 mile and except for the Solid (not flashing) Security + Service Engine + airbag telltale lights, everything seems to be OK. Well as I wrote the mileage was 0.0, now 1.


I will check with a few local dealers to see if any will set up the mileage etc.

thanks again,

joe

 

When you ordered it, did you order it for a 2001 L100 specifically, or by part number?

The reason I ask is that some vehicle models and years share the same BCM part number but require different firmware for everything to function properly.

It sounds as though the new BCM came with a default firmware already in there. Never really thought about that before.
So you can do the relearn, then take it and have it flashed to match your car's options, etc.
But the base configuration must be semi-universal enough to allow you to get whatever L compatible car you put it into running.
This may not be true for all BCMs but seems to be from your experience.

Who would have thought GM would do something involving foresight?

Have you tried getting the SES codes read for free at autozone or similar?
They may be nonsense, they may not. Just curious.

 

I used the VIN number to get the correct part, but the receipt only contains a part number, I did nothing more than install it and do the 30 minute learn process several times. I ran it for a total of 5 miles now and it every thing continues to work OK,

I did not think about taking it to Autozone, but did check it with a cheap OBD2 meter I own and there were no DTC fault codes. Our Saturn L100 has no extra options, it has manual windows, manual locks etc. Basic lighting, A/C and automatic transmission. Perhaps having such a basic model makes a difference.

It doesn't even have the stock radio, we replaced that many years ago. I saw a YouTube video of a fellow that had a Saturn with the same indicators lit and he said the car worked OK that way until he tried put the codes in the stock radio - then the Passlock activated and the car would not start.

It's a tough decision at this point because everything appears to be working OK. If AutoZone is free, that may be an option to consider.

 

If the radio install affected passlock, he must have tapped into the ignition circuit, changing what the BCM was seeing.

AutoZone will read no more trouble codes than your reader. It is impossible to know if the air bag system is disabled as the light indicates without using a more sophisticated scanner to read the srs system for codes. If any codes that come up are body codes, you don't know if it is due to the fact that the BCM needs reprogramming or if the issue real.

Reprogramming it to match your car should leave you with a properly operating BCM

 

Thanks for the comments, we may wait a while to see what happens as we are also considering buying a new car for my wife and I would then get her car. The only problem with that is I like the physical size and layout of the L100 better than her Cruze.

 

I called a local GM dealer, I was told I could not get the mileage programmed because the BCM module must be programmed before installing into the vehicle. They recommended I have the car towed to the dealership and buy a new body control module from them and they will program it before installing it. They did say they can re-program the one I have now - it will take 1.5 hours of labor but they don't know if it will work when finished. I do not understand why they said I must have it towed when it drives ok. The dealer also said because the mileage is off I can not get a new registration.

I also called the local garage, they told me it can not pass inspection with the check engine light on, and if the mileage is really different it will throw up a red flag on the emission control tests. I am going to drive there this afternoon and let them hook up their scanner to see if they can determine the fault codes. At any rate, the way it is I should still be good for almost a year.

I refused to buy a new BCM from the dealer, but I may try another dealer.

 

Mileage programming is a touchy subject to many, especially dealetships. They cannot afford to get caught up in even one odometer fraud scandal or anything that remotely resembles one.

So the policy becomes "we only program mileages into bcms we sell after we verify the paperwork and see it is legit."


​​​same deal wih some years of ion dashes. They will sell you a brand new one and program the mileage. Bring them a junkyard dash to reprogram and they want nothing to do with it.

I would not be surprised if mileage programming must be the first sep
But there has to be factory reset option somewhere to revert it back to a virgin state.

Many independent mechanics have the electronic tools to do the bcm flash.

The question is how do get back to the virgin state.

You may widh to contact the vendor you purchased it from. They may know the details.

 

thanks again,

I called a Buick dealer and their service department had a friendlier attitude, said they would re-program it for $99 - best part was she knew what I was talking about, did not keep running back to talk with a tech.

Later I took the Saturn to the shop that does the state inspections, the owner said not to worry about the mileage on the odometer if they can not fix it because as long as the odometer is working he will pass it. He told me I could put the mileage at the time it was reset to 0 the door jam. Apparently years ago they did that all the time after they changed out speedometers. He told me he also has records of previous emission & state inspections .They also hooked up their Snap On scanner and found no faults, the warning light was for oil change, apparently the new bcm does not accept the reset - it goes out for a while then comes back.

After I got home I put the old BCM in and took a picture

I now have record of the mileage. I think everything is OK, probably would not even need to get it programmed but already made the appointment

I looked and according to PA DMV law, there is a place where you can acknowledge the odometer error on the title transfer, and enter the correct mileage. I forgot what number it gets, think it might be #2 for error and #3 for unknown mileage. Also, I have read a post from individual that got junk yard bcm mileage set properly during programming. At any rate, I will find out - too busy next week but the following week I can get it in for programming, until then I will keep using it.

When we were looking at the Buick dealer website for the service phone number we noticed they had new base model Buick Encores for less than $20G with all the special discounts/rebates etc. so maybe the wife will test drive one to see if she likes it. I like the old Saturn better than her Cruze but it may be time for me to change.

on edit: I do believe within the next year we will stop using the Saturn, probably send it to the junk yard.

 

I had documentation with the odometer reading from the last Pa State inspections along with a photo of the odometer when the old BCM was removed. Faulkner Buick/GMC in Harrisburg Pa programmed the new BCM and added the previous miles to the new BCM. Now everything is good again and it was only $95 + tax. Saturn seems good now, everything looks OK, including the odometer and all the gauges are working correctly again.

It was the first time I was at Faulkner Buick/GMC in Harrisburg and I was really impressed. My total cost for BCM replacement was about $400, and I am planning to keep the old Saturn a while, but we may now trade my wife's 2011 Cruze in for a new car for her.