Honda CRV/EX BCM

Body Control Module

We're still on our covid recovery. Not dancing yet but definitely on the mend. Still tired with raspy throat and chest congestion. To top it off, we have car problems. Unbelievable problems!

On Saturday, December 31, when we were to set out for Ottawa, our main and newest car, the 2018 Honda CRV/EX, oddly had a dead flat battery. Not just weak, but dead flat, there was nothing there. I couldn't even unlock the trunk. So we took Kate's car instead with the idea that we'd deal with this problem on our return. 

On Tueday, January 3, on our return, we tried jumper cables from Kate's car but that didn't work. The car would turn over but just wouldn't go. Lots of dash lights were flashing for various systems in bad states (anti-theft, tire pressure, etc.). We gave up, it looked awfully bad, and I talked to our local Honda dealer. They recommended we call for a tow truck and bring the vehicle in. They recommended a local company and we called them. We got a jump start from the tow truck (we paid $200 with tip, and Kate asks why didn't I use my CAA?), the tow wasn't needed, and I drove the car to our local dealer (along the way there all systems seemed to return to normal) where they tested and replaced the battery saying my original was tired/worn. At 65,000km I thought that was odd but OK, they know best.

Anyways we came home and covid set in. Maybe a week later I used it once around town when I felt much better. Then one night Kate opened the garage door only to discover that my headlights were on (there's this recommended "auto" setting where the lights come only as needed). That's odd, they weren't on before, so we shut the lights down completely. Covid symptoms returned and we weren't doing much of anything for a few days.

On Tuesday (January 17) I went to pickup our PC Express order (we are shopping on line to avoid exposing people) only to discover that again the car battery on the Honda CRV/EX was dead flat. I called up our local Honda dealer, explained what was going on, said to them there must be a power drain of some sort going on and that I wanted them to look thoroughly at the problem. I also described the odd problem we saw where the lights came on unattended. They recommended again that we get it started or towed and bring it in.

We got a jump start this morning (Wednesday, January 18) from a CAA tow truck and I took it to our local Honda dealer where the service technicians said it was probably a bad battery. I said I doubt that and, in any case, the car is out there, the doors won't lock and the dash is all lit up like a Christmas tree — it's very weird! Things did not return to normal as on the last trip. They think, that's probably because the battery is low. But I'm sure something is radically wrong. Kate gave me a ride home in her car as she had on my previous visit and we left the car with our dealer.

I soon get a call back from our local Honda dealer. Apparently the "Body Control Module" (BCM) has failed. It's an important computer that runs many things and it seems to have run away with itself performing strange acts like turning on the lights, going into accessory mode, unlocking the doors and more on whim at odd times. It's not covered by warranty, it will cost $600 or so to replace, it's on backorder and it is unlikely, given chip shortages, to be delivered anytime soon.

But I say, "we want to take the car to TX in a couple of weeks". Their reply is that ain't gonna happen and the car isn't driveable until this is fixed. There are others in the same boat (similar problems and shortage of parts, there are some very odd stories found with Google). He asked if we needed a car, but fortunately we have Kate's car. I gather some people have been waiting months for the part (on Facebook I found a Goderich CRV owner in the same boat who has waited 6 months (sic!) for the part). Others in this predicament are unhappy using a rental car while paying for their car to sit on the dealers lot waiting for parts. We will be unhappy too if that's our fate.

I got the vehicle identification number (VIN), year and model, for our car and I've spent the rest of the day trying to find Honda supply houses here and in the US who might have the part. There don't seem to be any supply houses in Canada that aren't at the dealers. There are several US sites who seem to have the part but I need to call to confirm. I'd be happy to have the part mailed to us, or I could drive to a nearby US dealer to pick up the part. We will see and we will fight with Honda Canada another day.

Friday, January 20. My research on US sites shows a few sites who seem to have the part I need. They're telling me the part number for the BCM is 38809-TMM-A11 (confirmed when I also supply the VIN); to confirm before calling any of these US sites I call our local Honda dealer and they tell me the part number they have on order is 38809-TMM-CO1. I check for that part on the same US sites and it's not available having been discontinued. I call back to our local dealer and talk with their parts fellow who assures me, they have the right part number, they've done this before, there are differences between the versions in Canada and the US.

So what am I to do? It never rains, but it pours...