GMLAN Circuit Description

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2006 Pontiac Torrent and 2006 Chevrolet Equinox. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

The data link connector (DLC) allows a scan tool to communicate with the high speed GMLAN serial data circuit. The serial data is transmitted on two twisted wires that allow speed up to 500 Kbps. The twisted pair is terminated with two 120 Ω resistors, one is internal to the ECM and the other is internal to the BCM. The resistors are used to reduce noise on the high speed GMLAN bus during normal vehicle operation. The high speed GMLAN is a differential bus. The high speed GMLAN serial data bus (+) and high speed GMLAN serial data (-) are driven to opposite extremes from a rest or idle level. The idle level which is approximately 2.5 volts is considered a recessive transmitted data and is interpreted as a logic 1. Driving the lines to their extremes adds 1 volt to high speed GMLAN serial data bus (+) and subtracts 1 volt from high speed GMLAN serial data bus (-) wire. This dominant state is interpreted as a logic 0. GMLAN network management supports selective start up and is based on virtual networks. A virtual network is a collection of signals started in response to a vehicle event. The starting of a virtual network signifies that a particular aspect of the vehicles's functionality has been requested. A virtual network is supported by virtual devices which represents a collection of signals owned by a single physical device. So, any physical device can have one or more virtual devices. The signal supervision is the process of determining whether an expected signal is being received or not. Failsofting is the ability to substitute a signal with a default value or a default algorithm, in the absence of a valid signal. Some messages are also interpreted as a "heartbeat" of a virtual device. If such a signal is lost, the application will set a no communication code against the respective virtual device. This code is mapped on the Tech 2 screen as a code against the physical device. Note that a loss of serial data DTC does not normally represent a failure of the module that set it.

The interaction between high speed GMLAN and class 2 is assured by BCM, which is the gateway. Any message from the class 2 modules to the high speed GMLAN modules is translated by BCM without carrying the original transmitter ID. Therefore the GMLAN modules consider the BCM as being the originator of all class 2 messages that they receive.