Beware of Autozone reading your error codes for free, they damaged my PCM by doing it wrong

Many of you responded to my previous post regarding my 94 Corsica having very high voltage. My mechanic told me that when Autozone used the paperclip method to attempt to read my OBD port, they did it wrong and damaged the PCM. When he (my mechanic not Autozone) plugged his scantool in, it indicated a stored code of a PCM failure. He said this is also why my radiator fan keeps coming on and off all the time when the engine is cool. (The coolant temperature sensor throws the signal to the PCM which tells the fan to turn on)

What he told me is this: My Chevy Corsica is a 1994. In that year, they neither used an OBDI nor an OBDII system. Instead they used a hybrid system commonly referred to as "OBD 1.5" which cannot be read by sticking a paper clip into the connector like they do on the OBDI systems.

I heartily recommend that none of you take any 1994-1995 vehicles that use the "OBD1.5" system to Autozone to have the codes read. I have investigated and found that the Autozone store in my community is not equipped with a scantool that is capable of reading "OBD 1.5" systems. I assume that is also true of all other Autozone stores. Apparently Autozone is not aware of the differences in these OBD systems and consequently is not able train it's employees to properly identify the type of OBD system prior to attempting to read codes. When the Autozone employee stuck the metal device that resembles a key into my OBD socket, he couldn't get the light to flash on the dashboard so he took a paper clip and started touching the wires together on the OBD socket and nothing would happen. He then told me that I should just take it to the dealer. It was about that time that my radiator fan began cycling off and on intermittently and still does today, and this high voltage electrical surge problem began occurring. My mechanic said that believes that Autozone crossed the 12 volt line into the OBD data line and damaged the PCM when they were touching wires together with the paper clip.

Reply to
J
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Reply to
philthy

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sounds like a crock of shit to me

but.......ima google it.

~:~ MarshMonster ~takes a toke........wonders why he's NEVER heard of obd 1.5 during ALL those seminars in the last 25 years.......oh well ...google here we come~ ~:~

Reply to
Marsh Monster

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Change of heart..........may not be a crock of sht.

MY OBD site has it.....but it also said the electrical was the same on the connectors. Anywhooooooo......sounds like it's entirely pausible that the AutoZonedOut store may've got you.

~:~ marsh ~takes a toke of the new weed......mmmmm........new stuff is always worth finding out about~ ~:~

Reply to
Marsh Monster

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