Troubleshooting Guide

The Powertrain Control Module (PCM) monitors critical input and output circuits of the charging system, making sure they are operational. A Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) is assigned to each input and output circuit monitored by the On-Board Diagnostic (OBD) system. Some circuits are checked continuously and some are checked only under certain conditions.

If the OBD system senses that a monitored circuit is bad, it will put a DTC into electronic memory. The DTC will stay in electronic memory as long as the circuit continues to be bad. The PCM is programmed to clear the DTC's from memory after 40 engine warm-up cycles if the problem does not occur again. The DRB scan tool may also be used to erase a DTC.

Diagnostic trouble codes are the results of a system or circuit failure, but do not directly identify the failed component or components.