Principles of Operation

Reversing Lamps

Principles of Operation

When the transmission is in REVERSE, the PCM (gasoline engine) or the Transmission Control Module (TCM) (diesel engine) sends a message over the High Speed Controller Area Network (HS-CAN) to the Body Control Module (BCM) indicating the transmission is in REVERSE. The BCM (Body Control Module) provides voltage to the reversing lamps when it receives the message that the transmission is in REVERSE and the ignition is in the RUN state.

Field-Effect Transistor (FET) Protection

A Field-Effect Transistor (FET) is a type of transistor that, when used with module software, can be used to monitor and control current flow on module outputs. The FET (Field-Effect Transistor) protection strategy prevents module damage in the event of excessive current flow.

The BCM (Body Control Module) utilizes an FET (Field-Effect Transistor) protective circuit strategy for many of its outputs (for example, a headlamp output circuit). Output loads (current level) are monitored for excessive current (typically short circuits) and are shut down (turns off the voltage or ground provided by the module) when a fault event is detected. A short circuit DTC is stored at the fault event and a cumulative counter is started.

When the demand for the output is no longer present, the module resets the FET (Field-Effect Transistor) protection to allow the circuit to function. The next time the driver requests a circuit to activate that has been shut down by a previous short (FET (Field-Effect Transistor) protection) and the circuit is still shorted, the FET (Field-Effect Transistor) protection shuts off the circuit again and the cumulative counter advances.

When the excessive circuit load occurs often enough, the module shuts down the output until a repair procedure is carried out. Each FET (Field-Effect Transistor) protected circuit has 3 predefined levels of short circuit tolerance based on the harmful effect of each circuit fault on the FET (Field-Effect Transistor) and the ability of the FET (Field-Effect Transistor) to withstand it. A module lifetime level of fault events is established based upon the durability of the FET (Field-Effect Transistor). If the total tolerance level is determined to be 600 fault events, the 3 predefined levels would be 200, 400 and 600 fault events.

When each tolerance level is reached, the short circuit DTC that was stored on the first failure cannot be cleared by the clear the continuous DTCs command. The module does not allow this code to be cleared or the circuit restored to normal operation until a successful self-test proves that the fault has been repaired. After the self-test has successfully completed (no on-demand DTCs present), DTC U1000:00 and the associated DTC (the DTC related to the shorted circuit) automatically clears and the circuit function returns.

When each level is reached, the DTC associated with the short circuit sets along with DTC U1000:00. These DTCs can be cleared using the module on-demand self-test, then the Clear DTC operation on the scan tool (if the on-demand test shows the fault corrected). The module never resets the fault event counter to zero and continues to advance the fault event counter as short circuit fault events occur.

If the number of short circuit fault events reach the third level, then DTCs U1000:00 and U3000:49 set along with the associated short circuit DTC. DTC U3000:49 cannot be cleared and the module must be replaced after the repair.

The BCM (Body Control Module) FET (Field-Effect Transistor) protected output circuits for the reverse lamp system is the reverse lamps output circuit.