SCANNING - - - - QUAD DRIVERS

[GIANT MOTH]

I'm not too familiar with quad drivers. I have 4 Quad Drivers while scanning and it comes up as Quad Driver 4 - BAD!!! I read this article below. Checked out my wire diagrams. And am totally puzzled. Any of you familiar with this? How about the detail in the service manual? I don't have a copy to back it up.

 

 

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Quad Driver Module 4 Fault

Q. Hello, I have a 1994 Pontiac Bonneville 3.8 liter V-6 engine, power everything, ABS and automatic transmission. When the car reaches 200° or more the car wants to cut out when I try to accelerate. I hit the gas and nothing happens. I just scanned the system using a Snap-On® scanner.

 

 

The only code I saw was a "Quad Driver Module 4 Fault". What I did for the time was made the cooling fan stay on all the time. I know this is wrong. Also put in a cooler thermostat. Now I have no problems but I would like to fix it the right way. The car does not overheat with everything hooked up correct it runs the normal 225° and the fan kicks on.

 

Thanks for you help in advance,

Joe

 

A. You would need to find out what items are being driven by the Quad Driver that set the code. This code usually sets when there is a voltage fault on the particular Quad Driver due to a bad relay or solenoid for whatever is being run off the driver. It could be a TCC solenoid, A/C relay, lots of possibilities.

 

Quad/Output Driver Module:

The Control Module in this vehicle controls most components with electronic switches which complete a ground circuit when turned on.

 

When the switches are arranged in groups of 4, they can independently control up to 4 outputs and are called Quad Drivers.

 

When the switches are arranged in groups of 7, they can independently control up to 7 outputs and are called Output Drivers.

 

Not all outputs are always used.

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[GnatGoSplat]

The Quad Driver is just an electronic switch in the ECM. Take a solenoid for example. The solenoid + would be connected to a +12V source, and the solenoid - would be connected to one of the outputs of a Quad Driver. The output is normally open, but when the ECM wants to activate the solenoid, it will ground the solenoid - wire via Quad Driver.

Quad Driver just means it is a single chip that has 4-outputs, so it can independently control 4 different electrical devices per Quad Driver.

 

Unfortunately, I don't remember the Service Manual actually specifying which devices are connected to what Quad Driver. However, if it fails, that means either the Quad Driver chip is bad, or something it's controlling is overloading it.

 

A bad Quad Driver chip means you need to replace the ECM. That would be my first guess, although you might have better luck diagnosing the problem if you can figure out what Quad Driver 4 actually controls.

 

[GIANT MOTH]

Cool thanks. I should rule out what the quad 4 driver controls before replacing the ECM but I don't have any info on it. If something is drawing too much power or whatever else and I replace the ECM that might just fry it out again. Anyone got any bright ideas?