QUIRKY Saab No-Crank -Part 2 (Tech2 ECM Programming) 

Thanks Ivan for fixing my car, she starts every time and I don't have to worry about being stranded anymore!👍 Now could let my son drive it to pick up manual shifting skil, great job as always! I also have all the software downloaded and installed, just need to find an inexpensive usb pass-through interface to talk the car for future issues. Happy holidays!

Recently " retired " mechanic, I have literally worked on everything from Lear jets to lawnmowers. Control modules "computers "didn't exist in vehicles when I started out. When doing work with the laptops, easy on the body, hard on the brain! Love the show Ian.

I've been working on cars forever. You just proved I'm not that smart!

This is what i like most about Saab's, the community is really awesome! You can find guides and solutions to litarally anything Saab related on the forums. I started my career as an apprentice at the local Saab dealer here in Sweden in the early 2000s. We had 4 tech II for all 20 techs and when you needed security access you requested it from the car and then you disconnected it and brought it with you to the head tech which plugged it into a secure computer located in a locked room and then it gave the tech II security access ;) Two years later i opened my own shop specialised in Saabs and by then a friend had succesfully made an key generator that the Global tis accepted. If you are going to work on more Saabs i suggest you looking into the Trionic can flasher tool and Trionic suite tools to hard code ecu's and change other things that the tech II can not do.

@34:25 "It freaking works!"......I'm sure I saw a tear of joy and relief well up just then? Well, it would have if it had been me, as I know exactly what you must have been feeling after undergoing such a long and tortuous learning curve. Kudos to you Ivan, and another Oscar for your outstanding camera work to ensure we could all stay on the ride. I hope you have the time to release a Christmas special, as I can't think of anything better to do on Christmas Day after a hearty lunch.

Your brain is a national treasure for anyone who tries to drive or maintain post-1995 cars with any form of electronic control system. Thanks, Ivan!

This is one of the rare times I've seen someone mention "posts on forums" and not have to complain that all the posts are never followed up with a solution. The only other place this has happened for me is a forum called "VFR Discussion" for the Honda VFR motorcycle, run by the same guy since the year 2001. Also the quality and type of owner for Saab might help. I own a Japanese grey import here in Australia and most of the community are young men who really can't help. I find myself in the position of being one of the *few* people who writes the articles and posts the videos on how to make stuff work.

The hawk at the end ,clearly a message from the Saab God's.

Ivan as an old PC guy that has watched the progression of programming of GUI based Point and Click I can see that these programs were written back in a time when they were in their infancy. Back then it was hard enough just to explain to a jobber or mechanic how to rewrite anything. That's why you had to go back to Java 6 because Java was originally written that way and why Microsoft as you say stole their programming and lost many lawsuits. Microsoft and WWW went on to use the many versions and updates of their Microsoft Visual C++ and every time you turn around there is a new version. which keeps adding to your program app lists. You don't dare delete them because some of the code maybe missing as it has become obsolete. Lucky for you there are these forums where old guys and old programmers can go into a compiler and rewrite missing data. I enjoy watching you work. Keep up the Faith my man.

Of all the brand owner communities, Saab would have my bet to be one of the most educated on programming and troubleshooting. It’s an automotive cult in some senses in the best possible way. What a journey. Can’t wait to see whatever you found for the Christmas special this year! It’s like a RU-vid Stocking stuffer!

Happy Holidays To You and the Mrs. Thank You for all you do for the viewers. 🎄🎁

So much great information here, nice to see the owner post along with us. Ivan is a rare find these days, he’s worth every dollar!

Not too many people would tackle this anymore. You are doin this customer a great service. AWESOME.

That takes a LOT of patience . . . They really make you work for this don't they? I can feel the joy from fixing it like what I get from fixing computers when I'm not a computer guy. I wonder what it was like for the guys that fixed the software and how they figured that out.

Saab story! You have the patients of a saint Ivan.

Ivan, I am impressed. Have done similar things with other equipment. Prepare for the deluge of Saab owners!

Moral of story is: know a genius to work on your Saab, otherwise sell for scrap. Well done Ivan.

All the hoop jumping was certainly worth it Ivan. One little thing I would advise to all owners of cars 20+ years old, if your good at soldering, and have an ECU that can be taken apart, then think about going in and changing out the electrolytic capacitors inside. They can start to leak when they get old, and the electrolyte can start to cause havoc with the pcb, eating through traces and destroying surface mount components. They can be like little ticking time bombs inside your ECU. 20+ years of repeated hot/cold heat cycles under the bonnet of the car can be pretty tough on them.

Awesome diagnostic and fix. The old version of JAVA would stop a lot of people. Always a great learning video for me.

Watched both vids. Best part of the vid/s was owning the mistake with the ground and not hiding it (respect). Over the many decades in this business, it has always intrigued me when mechanics/techs (not the same) labeled something "Quirky" simply due to the lack of knowledge. There are plenty of domestic vehicles that require modules to be programmed or they will not operate either. And all the software/diagnostics for all manufactures do not use the same protocols either. The Saab brand is just another car like all the rest, they break down and cost money to repair. On another note: When programming the other ECM's, you need to choose the correct options when doing so or they will not be plug & play.

Wow, I'm proud of myself, I wondered if the case should be grounded in the first video. Lots of them are grounded through the case. I'm learning from Ivan as I watch his videos....😁

Ivan. Superb video. ECU failure really is a limiting factor with the Saab 93, but this tutorial gives hope :) UK 2006 Saab 93 Aero owner, so very much appreciate you're sharing of the fix 😊

Wow, when it comes to this, you're a much better man than me Ivan! If I never have to work on a Saab again, it'll be too soon. :-) Great job following through Ivan. You will be the hero to Saab owners everywhere. Merry Xmas to you and your family! Thanks again!

I should've left a comment on the last video, I could've saved you a few of the tech2/tis headaches lol. A bit ashamed of myself for not noticing the missing ECM ground either :P Great work keeping these on the road!

Quirkiness of some brands does why some places specialize in just 1 brand. You going to become popular on the Saab's community. Great job by the way

Wow! You outdid yourself on this one! Whatever you were paid for the job, it wasn't enough!

I appreciate your humility as well as your honesty. Ivan it is so refreshing the thought process that goes into all your work. No wonder you have so many followers enjoying your craft.....Pete

Hats of to you Ivan. This really is beyond most people's abilities or even willingness to do something like this. I bet you are going to be inundated with busted Saabs now...😊😊😊

Quite the rabbit hole you entered here Ivan and came out alive!! Well done.

That's the great thing about internet, if you have a problem someone else has solved and reported ways to fix it. Just takes time if you want to learn and DIY.

i was wondering about the ground in part 1. good job as always. this is one of your best videos

That feeling you get after jumping through all the hoops (Priceless) , knowledge is power. Just a little advise as to how I do my setups , I have a gaming laptop so if can handle all kinds of setups. What I do is create virtual machines inside of windows and once configured properly I use individual virtual machines for different OEM setups . Like that I never have to go through all the Java difficulties because having different softwares creates driver conflicts.. Every virtual machine is setup for every manufacturer or software, it saves alot of times and keeps all the settings intact.

Ivan makes me think of Brains in the series ' The Thunderbirds'. I enjoyed very much watching this one since we had a lot of Saabs when I was young.

Man everyone needs too give Ivan a thumbs up I know this took some time. 😃

Saab owner from Iceland. Very well articulated video a big help for us Saabers, my hat off to you :D

Thank god for smart people online that can fix/modify the software to make it work.

While the video is only about 40 minutes long, it must have taken hours to research all that information. You are a better man than I. Enjoy the holidays.

Dang Ivan, you even said on the first video, that you needed to check powers and grounds…Understand why you didn’t but I guess what this video shows is that you should always follow your diagnostic path. Great job!! Keep those videos coming

What an operation! My hat is off to you for making it thru that convoluted process and keeping track of where you were and what to do! My hat's also off to the folks who reverse-engineered the software to make it possible. What a task!

Holy crap! That really makes me value my 04 Hyundai Tiburon, which will accept any ECU from an 03 to 08 Tiburon with 0 hoops to jump through. they're literally plug and play, no programming or immobilizer nonsense needed. The immobilizer is _just_ in the BCM, and is only activated when the alarm is active, at least in the USDM market.

I have a clone Tech2 with the Candi module and I'm having the same problem with obtaining security access. I have an old laptop that has Windows XP but I have been unable to get TIS2000 to give security access. The next thing I'm going to try is to download the Global TIS. I have a 2006 9-3 2.0t which is why I'm working on this project, but there are other Saab owners in the area so I'm hoping I can provide programming services to them, for a fee of course. My quest continues. Thanks for the video, you've given me a direction and a glimmer of hope!

Ivan, you have a great attitude. No matter the weather you do not hesitate to wip out your tools and drop to the wet cold ground if necessary. I hope someday you can have a warm/cool dry workshop to work in. Not sure how it would make you better but I would not shiver so much in my warm home watching you outside in the weather. Stay safe and keep up the great work.

NOBODY else on the planet would have done all of this research and work to fix a customers car.. your one in 5 million Ivan!!

one of the many reasons i'm not against piracy is stuff similar to this. when anything digital is shut down or is deemed obsolete, it's lost forever. it was really cool that the software i would've thought is server sided worked offline. glad these files and programs are available and hopefully people keep em stored on a hard drive cause someone could need it down the road.

I just finished watching part 1 of the video and I did mentioned in the comments on the grounding the engine computer. I'm glad you noticed it Ivan!!!

Thanks Ivan! You have the look of a very happy man! And YES! A BIG shout-out to ALL the online communities for all the help they provide, most just ask for a donation which I'm more than eager to oblige. They've helped me figure out so much out over the years and we are forever grateful! Nice work! BTW, Happy Holidays to you and your family, all your members and the online info guru's!

That was pretty cool Ivan and interesting and a headache I think we need to go back to throttle body and carburetors without the computer fuel spark and Air all you need for a motor to run

Hi Ivan! Doesn't it feel good to get something working! Cars are getting so close to the IT world I live in, it's scary. But I can 100% relate to your world and this video.

Ah... I could see that feeling when you turned the key and it started after all that rigamarole. Accomplishment and relief. Nice work.

Ivan, you're the men,it takes a skilled computertech to be able to go through all this steps without burning that damn car. You have my huge respect for your work 👏👍👌

Wow good thing these is a forum or group to keep these going especially the ability to get into the computer .

As a viewer who loves your channel, I'm definitely NOT a mechanic or an electronics tech like you, Ivan. While I enjoy watching your videos, and feel a small fraction of the exhilaration you express when the car is repaired, what I enjoy most is the scientific method and experimentation you use to diagnose. As an ol' grizzled science teacher and long ago avionics tech in the USAF, I respect and admire your ability.

Did everyone follow that! I can’t believe how difficult that was to fix. 3 computers, several pieces of software, patches and old versions of them not to mention your skill and patience 😮. How many cars like this end up in the junkyard because nobody knows how to fix them or has the money to? And it’s only going to get worse as the years go by

That's crazy how that works and an awesome video. Before my first stroke I used to wright and build custom OS's for Android, namely Samsung phones and tablets. It's crazy what you can do with a lot of know how and some imagination. After my second stroke I had to quit building custom Android OS. You have to have all your brain or you can brick a phone or tablet quickly. I started my RU-vid channel based on this (and anything else tech). Loved the video. Oh, and XDA is a huge community of developers and a great place to learn. That's where i have my custom ROM link and page at.

your dedication is at 100%

Great series. I have a few friends who love Saabs. Unfortunately, the cars did not love them back and they eventually gave up and sold them.

Ian I wouldn’t know were to start. I’m not a computer wiz like you. Great job love your videos and work.

True master at electrical diagnosis and programming of all cars!! Whatever you’re charging you should be getting paid more!!

Grounding through the case is the classic way to build cars. It wasn't until somewhere in the 80's that the practice of having ground wires and not using the body as ground started.

Ivan, first off, WOW dude. I'm an electronics engineer and have had to emulate mix and match software like this in my past before, so I totally get it of what you had to do.... right down to the correct version of Java... I am going to suggest that you make sure that you save all and every software file that you have downloaded to a USB or SS Drive. I guarantee you that one day in the future, you will need these files again, broken laptop, something and will appreciate having everything in one file folder. It will be a good idea to write yourself a step by step as well because 6 months or 2 years from now, you'll be fuzzy remembering all of this. More power to ya bro.

I have been in black holes like this before. Your perseverance is commendable. Thanks for sharing.

I can see how proud you are of your self ivan and so you should be young man. Well done. There is nothing you can't do ivan. Happy days. Have a great Christmas. From the england.

Ivan is a great tech who takes us along for the ride. But what I like most about him is his COURAGE. I saw this too on that multiple video AMG repair. The hoops he had to go through to program this ECM remind me of XDA Developers, a website where I learned how to root and flash custom Android operating systems on my old LG G3 and V20 smartphones. There are so many giants on whose shoulders we stand.

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING ! ! ! Ivan, you are one of a kind! When you said "Hours" of online time, I can only imagine! The computer case being the ground was something different. I'm keeping the video......just because. Thankyou for the ride through this video!

Thank you for this video! I’ve had my eyes on the emulators for some time, but was afraid of pay much money for some thing I couldn’t pull off. This knowledge will help me a lot!

I remember 3 wires to the ignition . Connect 2, touch the 3rd to start . You da man Ivan.

Kudos on telling about the ground wire. Great video! Persistence is a virtue. ;) Wish you were closer to me. Merry Christmas!

First visit to this channel. This repair is worth the entire value of the car; if it couldn't be fixed, it's a parts car. What amazing gumption and resourcefulness you have! Well done!

Wow. Ivan, you are an impressive guy. I wish you lived closer to Texas!

Wow, I thought VW keys were difficult to program until I watched this video. Good job Ivan!

Man this brings back memories, Still have my Tech2 don't know if it works, kinda hated working on them Saab's...

Hello Ivan... first off, thank you for doing the research and providing it to the community. People like you, who aren't gatekeeping information, are rare and very appreciated! Secondly, can you tell us the name of the passthru you have?

Bro! Excellent diag and job well done! If there's a will there's a way. God bless. - FixItPhillip

Love the smile on your face brother good work as usual , can you link forums that will help Ivan , happy holidays

🎉🎉🎉 what an awesome video part 2. Thank you so much. You are one of it's kind. Here in Germany a few people and mechsnics couldn't find the right issue. You did. And it's a pleasure to watch you working. 🙌🏻

What a long drawn out method to get that going Ivan.!!!!😁 you have patience my man .forums are great for everything like that I have to admit i use a few for motorbikes I have and cars ,great knowledge on these forums folk very helpful . But again great work i would expect a few Saabs. Trundling up your driveway in the near future 😁😁👍👍

The SAAB owners group are doing an amazing job. One of the nice things now is that if you see someone driving a SAAB they are almost inevitably an enthusiast. As a quick aside when the world runs out of SAAB ecus is there actually aftermarket options that are plug and play? 🤔

Another great fix Ivan! I'd have given it up. You're the master. Really mind bending.

Very interesting case study Ivan. Lesson learned on the ground. Thanks!

I have a 2006 BMW 650i Convert and that is just about as much of a pain as what you're going through. Old laptop with old Windows software... I wanted to jump out of Windows after trying to get my top to go down and back up and get the darn lamp off the dash. When the top fails you can't open the boot unless you use the key and that sometimes sets off the 374 decibel alarm. It tumbles down hill real fast. I am fighting dash lamps every week and I'm expecting worse soon. Nice work sorting out this SAAB story. Bobby

Absolutely mind bending. Saabs were trouble before and it has not improved with the newer models. Now they are completely gone. So we are all on our own. Good luck somebody has gone to all the trouble of figuring out the software. Holy crap what a task.

Some times you feel like you are headed down a deep rabbit hole and the it works YES!

Great troubleshooting Ivan, process of elimination is time consuming but rules out all the variables one at the time. As always, job well done & satisfied customer.👍

Great video Ivan. I can see that some garages would struggle with that fix. Happy Christmas to you and your family.

Ivan, once again, got all the little magic fairies, that make a car function correctly, all happy once again. Genius level diagnostics...

Looking at that old software and how it works/looks reminds me of the 90s Honda PGM-FI diagnostic system. One thing that Honda did was use specific cartridges that slid into the hand held testers body for accessing the different systems. It may be very basic by today's standards but its usually rock solid and it just WORKS. The amount of time and research you took to find out what was needed is a leap of perseverance. Good on you Ivan for being the kind of guy you are by finding out what was needed. Kudos to the Saab community as well to make this information available on line to anyone.

Thank you very much, sir. Gives me hope for my 2003 9³ with multiple issues. 👍

It is pretty incredible to see what a group of human minds can do through cooperation; and now we don't even have to know each other, but yet we still can work together from across the world; essentially overcoming big industry who has no interest in letting the people have access to this stuff, but still the people find a way. :) Unfortunately the internet is a double edged sword that can just as easily brainwash millions of people and derail them from their purpose... so there's that

that was an awesome video it just goes to show if you take your time and see it through to the end you /we/us can do amazing things

Ivan, you are the man! I absolutely love your work and have a huge appreciation for your talents and tenacity. As someone also fluent in computers and auto electronics and the owner of a 2003 GM product, you bet I'll be following these steps to have this tool at the ready. Thank you for your work!

Sold Saab parts in the 1980 . Was told a lot of Saab stories . Some things never change .

My uncle actually keeps an old Toshiba Libretto laptop (cute little laptop) just to program special types of PLC's for different industrial applications, more specifically for bottler and juice processing plants, it runs on windows 98 and still uses old serial port connections... Great stuff.. ECM's and just any control module on our cars are just that.. PLC's for automotive applications it's no surprise for me that you need a 20+ year old software to program older cars...

Glad you showed the issue with the external ground. Only thing I wonder is if you noticed that when the 2nd and 3rd did the same thing? Seen this on retro computer repairs as well. People think the RF shield is useless until they find out it's part of the ground for the PCB.

Wow! That was fun watching you jumping all hoops to get that emulator working for the security pass-through! What a pain in the ass!!! But I still have a couple of old laptops that can run 16-bit!! But you just gave my old laptop a reprieve!! I did think about throwing it away. But now I have a purpose to use it for tech 2! Thanks, Ivan! I did all the stuff you did, the emulator and bin files, all the fun stuff. Now I am stocked up on goodies! Great video, great lesson 👍 😀

Hi , the TOPMAN comes through AGAIN!! Many thanks ,so interesting , from Ex GM worker in UK. We just used to ask the factory Tech to come out to the car park with his box of tricks and sort our problems for us LOL!!

Good information about testing ECM on the fly with a cable, ground the case if its metal it should do no harm, it could have been less obvious if the bracket was the ground. The car is on the edge of being eclectically obsolete, I would have done a while your at it spare ECM regardless.

What an involved procedure! About halfway through I was ready (if the car was mine) to find a cliff to push it over. I must say what a knowledgeable person you are and what great support you have through the Saab group. I have always liked Saab and would have bought one some years ago if I could have. Great stuff.

Ivan, that was an incredible job. My brain is fried for sure though. Wishing you a Merry Christmas. Thanks for Sharing!

Everything goes back to the basics, powers and grounds.

I owned a Saab 93 twin turbo diesel 180 bhp estate (station wagon) for 125,000 miles and loved it. It looked the part & was quick, quiet, comfortable & did 42 miles/UK gallon (35 US). The only reason I didn't get another Saab was because they went bust. Glad to see some people are keeping these things rolling; nice one Ivan !!