How to Test the GM Ignition Control Module (1995-2005)

-Part I-

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1/2 Previous imageEnlargeCloseNext image This is one of the easiest GM Ignition Control Modules to test. This article will take you step by step through the whole process of diagnosing and troubleshooting a BAD Ignition Control Module and Ignition Coil. The Ignition Control Module (ICM) and Ignition Coil tests in this article assume that your vehicle is Cranking but NOT STARTING due to a NO SPARK Condition. If youre GM car or truck starts and runs, this article will not help you. Now, if you need to test a Misfire Condition, or test the Spark Plug Wires, or Distributor Cap on this type of GM Ignition System, click here: How to Test a Misfire / No Spark-No Start Condition GM 4.3L, 5.0L, 5.7L Distributor Ignition System (1996-2004). Since so many things can cause your vehicle to not start (like a bad fuel pump, etc.), the following tutorial may be of help to you: How to Troubleshoot a No Start (GM 4.3L, 5.0L, 5.7L) (at: troubleshootmyvehicle.com). At the end of this tutorial I've included a list of other tutorials that will help you diagnose a Cranks but Does Not Start Condition (in case it's not Ignition System related).

Symptoms of a BAD Ignition Module and Ignition Coil

Your GM car or truck will Crank but NOT START. Now this is not an absolute truth since sometimes these components can fail intermittently. In this scenario, your vehicle will Start and run most of the time, but every now and then it wont. If this is the case, youll have to wait till the car or tr uck does not Start to use the tests in this article.

What tools do I need?

You dont need a whole lot of stuff, heck... you dont even need a Scan Tool (tho a Scan Tool is important to have, but not for this article)! Here is what youre gonna need to ef fectively use the information in this article: 1. A Multimeter (dont have a Digital Multimeter? Need to buy one? Click here to see my recommendations: Buying a Digital Multimeter). 2. An LED Light. To see a photo of this tool click here: Abe's LED Light. 3. A Test Light. 4. A helper to crank the engine. 5. A Wire Piercing probe. This tool is a time saver. If you need to see what this tool looks like, click here: Wire Piercing Probe. As you can see/read... these are just basic tools, nothing fancy, extravagant or EXPENSIVE.

Basic Operating Theory

Here is a little background information to help you diagnose the Ignition Control Module (ICM) or the Ignition Coil. In a nutshell, when your turn the key and start cranking the engine: 1. Power in the form of 12 volts flows into the Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor, the Ignition Control Module (ICM), the Ignition Coil.. among several things and... 2. The Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor starts to create its Crank Signal, which it sends to the PCM. The Crankshaft Position Sensor is a Hall Effect type sensor and produces a digital (On/Off) signal that can be seen with an LED or an oscilloscope. On an oscilloscope, it produces a digital square waveform. 3. The PCM, upon receiving the Crank Signal (along with other Sensor input Signals) start to do its little song and dance and sends the Ignition Control Module (ICM) a Signal called the IC Signal (IC=Ignition Control). 4. With this IC Signal, the Module starts to activate the Ignition Coil to start sparking with a Switching Signal. As youre probably already aware, the Switching Signal is just a term that describes the switching on and off of the Primary Currents path to ground (the Primary Current refers to the 12 volts supplied to the Ignition Coil). If everything is working properly, the engine will start. Now, the important thing to know is that the PCM controls the creation of Spark from the get-go (crank up) and at all engine speeds thru the Ignition Control Module (ICM). The really cool thing about this type of Ignition System is that all of these Signals (IC Signal and the Switching Signal) can be tested easily with some very simple tools.

Ignition Control Module (ICM) Circuit Descriptions

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1/2 Previous imageEnlargeCloseNext image The Ignition Control Module (ICM) has 4 wires coming out of it. Below are the descriptions of what each circuit does. Each circuit is identified by a letter, and this is the same letter that you will find on the Ignition Modules connector. Circuit labeled A -Pink Wire: o Power (12 V) Circuit. Circuit labeled B -White Wire: o Ignition Control (IC) Signal. Circuit labeled C -Black with White stripe Wire: o Engine Ground Circuit. Circuit labeled D -White with Black stripe Wire: o Switching Signal Circuit.

Ignition Coil Circuit Descriptions

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1/2 Previous imageEnlargeCloseNext image The Ignition Coil on your car or truck may have or may not have 3 wires coming out of it. Whether it does or doesnt doesnt matter... the info in this test article still applies. Below are the descriptions of what each circuit does. Each circuit is identified by a letter, and this is the same letter that you will find on the Ignition Coils connector. Circuit labeled A -Pink Wire: o Power (12 V) Circuit. Circuit labeled B -White Wire: o Tach Signal for the Tachometer in the Instrument Cluster if equipped. Circuit labeled C -White with Black stripe Wire: o Switching Signal Circuit. This wire (circuit) comes from the Ignition Module.

How to Test the GM Accelerator Pedal Position (APP) Sensor 1

-Part III-

TEST 3: Reference Low (Ground) Circuit Test

So far in your troubleshooting, you have:

Resistance tested Accelerator Pedal Position (APP) Sensor 1 (TEST 1). Checked for the 5 Volt Reference signal. (TEST 2).

Now, we're gonna' test the Ground Circuit (also know in GM tech terms as the Reference Low Circuit). This Ground, like the 5 Volts you tested in the previous test, is provided by the Throttle Actuator Control (TAC) Module. This means that you need to be careful to NOT short this circuit to 12 Volts intentionally or accidentally or you're gonna' fry the TAC Module. The wire that you'll be testing is the Brown (or Yellow w/ Black stripe) wire labeled with the letter E in the photo below. IMPORTANT: The image, above, shows you the front of the connector just to make it easier to identify the circuit you need to test. When testing the circuit, you should back-probe the connector or probe the wire (with a wire-piercing probe), or you could damage the metal female terminal! This is a headache you definitely want to avoid. Alright, this is what you need to do:
1. Place your Multimeter in Volts DC mode. 2. With the Black Multimeter lead, probe the wire identified with the letter E in the photo below. This is usually a Brown colored wire of the connector. Note: If the wire is a different color, identify the wire by the letter that's embossed on the connector. 3. Connect the Red Multimeter lead directly on the Battery's Positive Terminal using a Battery Jump Start Cable. NOTE: The jumper cable will be 'live' with 12 Volts... so be careful and wrap the jumper cable end (that you've brought into the vehicle) in a shop towel or plastic bag. This will keep it from shorting to any metal surface. 4. Have a helper turn the Key On, but don't crank or start the Engine. 5. If all is OK, your Multimeter should register 10 to 12 Volts. 6. Let's interpret your test results below:

CASE 1: Your Multimeter registered 10 to 12 Volts. So far so good, since this test result lets you know that the Throttle Actuator Control (TAC) Module is providing Ground to Accelerator Pedal Position (APP) Sensor 1. The next step is to check that APP Sensor 1 is creating the correct pedal position signal. Go to TEST 4. CASE 2: Your Multimeter DID NOT register 10 to 12 Volts. Double check your connections and make sure you're testing the correct wire... ... If your Multimeter still does not register 10 to 12 Volts in this circuit, then you've found the cause of the APP Sensor 1 Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC). Repairing the cause of this missing Ground will get APP Sensor 1 back to work, since without Ground, APP Sensor 1 won't work.

Now, although it's beyond the scope of this tutorial to troubleshoot the problem with this Ground, but here are the two most like causes:
1. There's an open short on this wire between the APP Sensor Assembly's connector and the Throttle Actuator Control (TAC) Module. 2. The Throttle Actuator Control (TAC) Module is BAD.

TEST 4: Testing the APP Sensor 1 Signal Circuit

So far in your troubleshooting, you have:

Resistance tested Accelerator Pedal Position (APP) Sensor 1 (TEST 1). Checked for the 5 Volt Reference signal (TEST 2). Checked and confirmed that APP Sensor 1 is getting Ground (TEST 3).

The next step, and the last one of this tutorial, is to check the voltage output of Accelerator Pedal Position (APP) Sensor 1 with your Multimeter in Volts DC with the Key On and Engine Off (KOEO). When the Accelerator Pedal is at rest (not depressed), it should output about 1.0 Volt DC. When the Pedal is fully depressed, the Voltage Signal should go up to about 2.0 Volts. NOTE: This test has to be done with the Accelerator Pedal Position Assembly back in its place (in the vehicle) and connected to its electrical connector. OK, to get this pot boiling... this is what you need to do:
1. If you haven't already, install the APP Sensor Assembly and bolt it down. 2. Reconnect the APP Sensor to its connector and reconnect the Battery Negative Cable to the Battery Negative Post. 3. Turn the Key On but don't crank or start the Engine. 4. Set your Multimeter in Volts DC mode. 5. With the APP Sensor Assembly connected to its connector, probe the Dark Blue wire. This is the wire identified with the letter F in the photo of the connector above. This is where a Wire Piercing Probe comes in handy.. since it'll let you easily access the wire inside the insulation (to see what this tool looks like, click here: Wire Piercing Tool). 6. Ground the Multimeter's Black Lead directly on the Battery's Negative Terminal. 7. Observe your Multimeter's Voltage DC reading. 8. You should see about 1.0 Volts DC. 9. Now, manually push down the Accelerator Pedal till it bottoms out. Your Multimeter should register about 2.1 Volts DC when the pedal is fully depressed. NOTE: If all is OK, your Multimeter should register a smooth voltage increase with no gaps in the Voltage numbers. 10. After pushing the Pedal all the way to the floor.. now slowly release it as you watch the numbers on your Multimeter.

If all is OK, your Multimeter should register a smooth voltage decrease with no gaps in the Voltage numbers.

CASE 1: Your Multimeter registered the indicated Voltages with NO gaps. This is the correct and expected test result and lets you know that APP Sensor 1 is OK. Now, if you have performed all of the tests (in this tutorial) and they have all passed with flying colors, YET you still have an APP Sensor 1 Diagnostic Trouble Code... there's a good chance that:
1. There's an open short on this wire between the APP Sensor Assembly's connector and the Throttle Actuator Control (TAC) Module. 2. The Throttle Actuator Control (TAC) Module is BAD.

It's beyond the scope of this article to troubleshoot these specific issues, but you have at least eliminated APP Sensor 1 as being bad. CASE 2: Your Multimeter DID NOT register the indicated Voltage and/or showed gaps in the Voltage numbers.. This is not good and tells you that APP Sensor 1 is malfunctioning. You can confidently replace the APP Sensor Assembly if the APP Sensor Assembly failed this test and TEST 1: Resistance Test of APP Sensor 1.