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How to Diagnose a CAN Network

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Controller Area Network (CAN) electrical systems began to

appear in new vehicles in 2003. Since then, more and more
vehicles have been equipped with CAN systems, until 2008
when virtually all passenger cars and light trucks sold in the
U.S. were CAN-equipped.

As a vehicle owner or do-it-yourself mechanic, you need to

know how CAN has made the electrical system in late model
cars and trucks much more complicated than ever before. CAN
allows various modules and systems to share data and interact
in ways that where previously impossible.

So what exactly is CAN? It is a communication standard that

allows the various modules and computers in a vehicle to talk
to one another via a common "data bus" circuit in the wiring
system. Think of it as a high speed party line that allows data
and commands to zip back and forth from one module to
another. This allows the Powertrain Control Module (PCM),
antilock brake/traction control/stability control system,
electronic steering, electronic suspension, automatic climate
control system, keyless entry system, lighting control modules
and dozens of other systems and modules to all be
interconnected electronically.
The Development of Controller Area Networks for Cars

CAN was created in 1984 by the Robert Bosch Corp. in

anticipation of future advances in onboard electronics. The
first production application was in 1992 on several Mercedes-
Benz models. Today you will find it on all new vehicles.

CAN Diagnostics

If you don't know the difference between a CAN data bus and a
school bus, you're not alone. Even many professional
mechanics are not yet up to speed on CAN diagnostics.
Troubleshooting a late model CAN car is really no different
than troubleshooting any late model OBD II vehicles. You need
a scan tool to read out fault codes and other sensor data, and
you need a scan tool that is CAN compliant. That means it has
the proper software and hardware to communicate with the
vehicle at higher speeds.

Older scan tools (namely, most of those made before about

2006) lack the circuitry to talk to a CAN system. Some older
scan tools have the right hardware, and can be upgraded with
new software. But in most cases you will need a newer scan
tool that is CAN-compliant to do onboard diagnostics.
Most inexpensive scan tools designed for the DIY market are
on-e-way tools: they can read codes and data, but they cannot
send commands to the vehicle that are necessary to run all
kinds of system self-tests. That degree of sophistication is
reserved for more expensive professional level scan tools or
factory scan tools. In addition, the software in a typical DIY
scan tool (even if it is CAN-compliant) can usually only access
powertrain codes. It can't talk to the ABS system, climate
control system, electronic steering or suspension systems,
climate control system, airbag system or other onboard
electronics. In other words, it is a very limited tool. For
advanced diagnositics that go beyond sijply reading powertrain
fault codes and sensor data, you need a professional level tool
or a factory tool. The latter can be quite expensive, costing
thousands of dollars -- plus annual software updates that can
add hundreds more. So if you need advanced diagnostics, the
only option for most motorists and DIYers is to take your
vehicle to a repair shop that has the proper diagnostic
equipment.

How Information Moves Around Your Car in a CAN

System

Like many current vehicles, information in a CAN-equipped

vehicle is shared over a serial data bus. The bus is the circuit
that carries all the electronic chatter between modules
(nodes). The bus may have one wire or two. If it has two, the
wires are usually twisted to cancel out electromagnetic
interference. The speed at which the bus carries information
will vary depending on the "class" rating of the bus as well as
the protocol to which it conforms.

A data bus with a "Class A" speed rating is a relatively slow,

low-speed circuit that typically carries less than 10 kilobits (10
Kbps) of information per second. A data bus that operates at
Class A speeds is limited to simple command functions like
operating power mirrors, power seats, power widows, power
door locks, remote trunk releases and lights.
A data bus with a "Class B" rating, by comparison, may operate
from 10 Kbps up to 125 Kbps, depending on the operating
protocol (SAE J1850 or Europe's ISO 9141-2). This is fast
enough to carry more complex information and time-sensitive
data. Systems that may may share a data bus with a Class B
rating include electronic instrumentation, electronic
transmission controls, security systems, and climate control.

Class C is currently the fastest data bus rating. Class C

systems can operate at speeds up to 1 megabits per second,
which is up to 100 times faster than a typical Class B data bus.
Many of the vehicles that are currently using a Class C data
bus are operating at speeds of around 500 Kbps, which is fast
enough for powertrain control modules, air bag modules, and
fast-acting antilock brake and stability control systems. Eeven
faster CAN systems are coming with "class D" ratings of over 1
megabytes per second. And some applications such as
onboard entertainment systems require even higher speed
audio and video streaming.

One thing to keep in mind about the CAN standard is that CAN
as well as other protocols such as SAE J1939, GMLAN, OBD II,
SAE J1587 and LIN have more to do with the way information
is formatted, transmitted and received than how fast it is sent.
This means the automotive engineers who design the onboard
electronics for CAN-compliant vehicles are free to choose any
operating speed they want (up to one megabits per second) as
well as the type of bus conductor (one wire, twisted paired
wires or a fiber optic cable). On most cars today, a high-speed
data bus is needed to handle the volume of information going
back and forth between all the onboard electronics.

In 1995, GM introduced its own "Class 2" data bus to handle

communication between modules. The system ran at a speed
of 10,400 bits per second (10.4 Kbps), which was more than
adequate for vehicles a decade ago. In 2004, GM moved to
their next generation data bus system which they called
"GMLAN" (GM Local Area Network). Introduced on the Cadillac
XLR and Saturn Ion, GMLAN added the capability to operate at
two speeds on two separate buses: a low speed (33.33 Kbps)
bus and a high speed (500 Kbps) bus.

The low speed side of the GMLAN system operates on a single

wire bus to handle body-related control functions, while the
high speed bus uses two wires to carry data between the
powertrain, transmission and antilock brake modules. A
"gateway" node connects the high speed bus and low speed
bus, and allows information to be shared back and forth. For
example, the radio (which is connected to the low speed bus)
may adjust volume based on engine speed and vehicle speed
(from the high speed bus) to offset road noise.

Mercedes also uses several different bus speeds on their

vehicles. Depending on the application, there may be a high-
speed 500 Kbps CAN-C bus for the powertrain, transmission
and ABS modules, and a slower-speed 83 Kbps CAN-B bus for
the body control functions. On some Mercedes cars, there may
be as many as 30 modules on the CAN-B bus. Up to model year
2002, all communication between the CAN-C and CAN-B bus
went through the electronic ignition switch (EIS) module. After
2002, a new "gateway" module handles the inter-bus
communications as well as onboard diagnostics via a CAN-D
bus.
How CAN Data is Sent and Received

If your eyes haven't glazed over yet, here's how data is sent and
received in a CAN system. Every module (node) that is
attached to the data bus network is capable of sending and
receiving signals. Each module (node) has its own unique
address on the network. This allows the module to receive the
inputs and data it needs to function, while ignoring information
intended for other modules that share the network. When a
module transmits information over the network, the
information is coded so all the other modules recognize where
it came from.

Data is sent as a series of digital bits consisting of "0's" and

"1's". If you looked at the data on a scope, you would see a
square wave pattern that changes between a high and low
voltage reading. The low voltage reading usually corresponds
to the "0" while the high voltage reading corresponds to the "1".
The actual voltage readings will vary depending on the
application and protocols the vehicle manufacturer is using,
but most operate in the 5 to 7 volts range.

The CAN standard requires a "base frame" format for the data.
What this means is that for each distinct message sent or
received by a module on the network, there is a beginning bit
(called the "start of frame" or "start of message" bit), followed
by an "identifier" code (an 11 bit code that tells what kind of
data the message contains), followed by a priority code
("remote transmission request") that says how important the
data is, followed by 0 to 8 bytes (one byte equals 8 bits) of
actual data, followed by some more bits that verify the
information (cyclic redundancy check), followed by some end
of message bits and an "end-of-frame" bit.

Still with me? There's more! One of the tasks of any network
system is to keep all the messages separated so they don't
collide and garble one another. Usually the body control
module or instrument cluster module is assigned the task of
managing the network traffic. When it sees a message coming
over the bus, it looks at the first bit in the data stream. If the bit
is a "0", the message is given priority over the others. This is
called a "dominant" message. If the first bit is a "1" it is given a
lower priority (a "recessive" message). Thus, the highest
priority messages always get through to their intended
destinations but the low priority messages may be temporarily
blocked until the traffic eases up.
CAN System Faults

CAN-compliant vehicles are just as vulnerable to electronic

faults as older vehicles. Though CAN systems use fewer wires
and fewer connectors to save weight and cost, they also use
more modules and more complicated modules.
Communication problems can occur if module connectors
become corroded or loose, if wires become grounded, shorted
or break, or system voltage is below specifications. Some
modules may even forget their settings or locations if the
battery is disconnected or goes dead.

On some Chrysler minivans, for example, the automatic climate

control system will quit working if battery power is lost. This
happens because the electric stepper motors that control the
position of the blend doors forget their locations. The system
has to be put into a "relearn" mode to re-establish all the motor
locations and settings.

Various kinds of problems can occur on other CAN-equipped

vehicles when the battery is disconnected or goes dead. The
modules in the CAN system require a certain amount of
voltage for their Keep Alive Memory settings. If this is lost, the
module will forget these settings and may not function properly
until it has time to relearn the lost data. In some cases, this
requires a special relearn procedure using a scan tool because
the module can't do the relearn by itself. And on some vehicles,
the module may go to sleep and not wake up until it is pinged
by a scan tool or the main gateway module (usually the body
control module). Relearning procedures typically require a
factory scan tool or a professional level aftermarket scan tool.

One of the features of CAN and other network systems is that

modules can send and receive "ok" signals to let the main
control module know if they are working or not. In theory, this
makes diagnostics easier. On the other hand, it also means
that one misbehaving module may generate enough noise to
disrupt the entire network causing a complete shutdown of the
vehicle!

When a serial bus communication problem occurs, it will

usually set a "U" diagnostic trouble code (DTC) and turn on the
Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL). Depending on the fault, the
vehicle may or may not start, or it may only operate in a "limp-
in" mode with limited capabilities. Loss of communication
between the engine controller and transmission controller
(code U1026 on a GM, for example) may put the transmission
into a limp-in mode where it will only operate in one or two
gears.

Loss of communication codes may indicate a wiring problem

on the bus, or a fault with a module. Isolating the fault may
require unplugging modules one at a time until the fault is
found. Just remember that all modules on a bus network need
three things to function properly: power, ground and a serial
data connection.

When diagnosing bus or module communication problems, you

usually start by checking for voltage at the module, then the
ground connection, and finally the data line. If all three are
good but the module isn't working, the module needs to be
replaced.
On GM applications, a code U100 or U1255 means a general
loss of communication on the data bus. With a Tech 2 scan
tool, you can go to Diagnostic Circuit Check, then Message
Monitor to see a list of active modules and compare it to the
list of modules that are supposed to be on when the key is on.

To minimize the parasitic current drain on the battery when the

vehicle is off, a "sleep" signal is sent to the modules on the
network. Some may remain on for a short period of time after
the ignition is switched off (air bag module, for example), and
some may never go to sleep (anti-theft module and keyless
entry receiver, for example) but most are put into a sleep mode
to save battery power. If the sleep signal is never sent, or a
module fails to recognize the sleep signal, it may remain active
and pull power from the battery. Depending on the current
draw, this may run down the battery if the vehicle sits for a
period of time.

CAN System Applications

2003 Ford Excursion, 2003 Ford F-250 & F-350, 2003 Ford
Focus & Thunderbird, 2003 General Motors Saturn ION, 2003
Lincoln LS, 2003 Mazda 6, and 2003 SAAB 9-3

2004 Buick Rendezvous, 2004 Cadillac CTS, XLR & SRX, 2004
Dodge Durango, 2004 Ford Explorer, 2004 Ford F-150, E-250 &
E-350, 2004 Ford Taurus, 2004 Lexus LS430, 2004 Mercury
Mountaineer, 2004 Mercury Sable, 2004 Mazda 3 & RX-8, 2004
Toyota Prius, and 2004 Volvo S40

2005 Audi A4 & A6, 2005 Buick LaCrosse, Rendevous & Ranier,
2005 Cadillac STS, 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt, Corvette & Malibu,
2005 Chevrolet Equinox, 2005 Chevrolet SSR, 2005 Chevrolet
Trailblazer EXT, 2005 Chrysler 300C, 2005 Dodge Dakota &
Magnum, 2005 Ford Crown Victoria, Five Hundred, Focus &
Mustang, 2005 Ford E-150, 2005 Ford Escape & Expedition,
2005 Ford Freestyle, 2005 GMC Envoy ESV & XL, 2005 Isuzu
Ascender, 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 2005 Lexus LS400 &
GX470, 2005 Lincoln Town Car, 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis,
Montigo & Sable, 2005 Mercury Mariner, 2005 Pontiac G6,
Grand Prix & GTO, 2005 Land Rover LR3, 2005 Mazda MPV &
Tribute, 2005 Mercedes SLK350, 2005 SAAB 9-7X, 2005 Toyota
Avalon, 2005 Toyota 4Runner, Sequoia, Tacoma & Tundra, and
2005 Volvo S60, S80, V50, V70, XC90

Essentially ALL 2008 and newer model year passenger cars

and light trucks.

CAN Code List

Controller Area Network (CAN) generic OBD codes

More Engine Diagnosis Articles:

CAN communication problem (what to do when the CAN

system won't talk to your scan tool)
Flash Reprogramming PCMs

More on Flash Reprogramming PCMs

Powertrain Control Modules (PCMs)

Trouble Codes

Making Sense of Engine Sensors

Understanding Engine Management Systems

Throttle-By-Wire systems (Electronic Throttle Control)

All About Onboard Diagnostics II (OBD II)

Zeroing in on OBD II Diagnostics

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