Erratic instrument panel combination meter gauges and blinkin' lights = panicky wife which = research project for husband. The Internet quickly identified the most likely cause as a malfunctioning ABS module. My own research confirmed the ABS module and combination meter are indeed connected by CAN bus on the 2007 Toyota Camry along with the A/C amplifier, Main Body ECU, ECM, Steering Angle Sensor, Yaw Rate Sensor and Driver Side Airbag Sensor. Malfunctions in the modules can saturate the CAN bus with bad messages and cause the other modules to malfunction. The tiny little wires in the ABS module eventually detach from the CAN bus circuit board and screw everything up. The problem is so prolific a bunch of industries have sprung up around the country to fix the modules. You can just forget about fixing one of the modules yourself because the wires are so teensy tiny you'd probably need a microscope, ultrasonic welder and a steady hand to make the fix. The website says Module Master upgrades some of the electronics in the module while they have it open, but I cannot verify that claim. I can verify they did not replace the electrolytic capacitor which surprised me. In the end, it doesn't really matter because Module Master offers a 5-year guarantee against defects in workmanship. Besides, in all the years and miles of driving ABS equipped cars, the ABS has activated less than 10 times. The real issue here was fixing the CAN bus communication issues. I sent the module Fed Ex in their cheapest package, and it got the Module Master in 2 days. Module Master fixed the problem in 2 days and sent it back Fed Ex, and I received it in 2 days. They wrapped it in so much bubble wrap it could have been nitroglycerin and it wouldn't have exploded in transit. So far, the module is working just fine, and I completely expect it go the whole 5 years or more without problems. There are many choices around the country to send your broken module at various price points. You can drive your car without the module, but it will likely enter limp-home mode because vehicle speed data is no longer getting to the ECM without the ABS module. The speedometer and odometer will not work either which is unsafe and probably illegal. How long do you want your car to be hobbled? Put a crowbar in your wallet, pay the piper and get your car fixed permanently within a week. Module Master is the way to go.
