reprogramming a PCM at a tune up.

From : Annonymous

Q: hes a new one on me. having a problem with rough idle on my 04 dodge grand caravan with a 3.8. check engine is showing briefly p303 which is cyl 3 misfire. had the same problem 6 months ago and it was a bad plug or so i thought on cyl 3. back then dealer was great and suggested what it might be but plugs and wires were first on the list and with 80000km on it i could save money by doing it my self which i did. within the last week idle is very rough feels like its going to stall but doesnt. go back to regular dealer and they have closed up after 50 years last friday! go to next local dealer and explain whats done and its doing. i clearly say plugs and wires were just change 6 months ago and same cyl is having the same code... something else is wrong. i take the shuttle home. 2 hours later they call bad wire and they have to replace all as they dont sell just 1. crock # 1. they also say my engine is full of carbon but wont tell me how they know as they have not taken the engine apart. crock #2 best is now coming they say i need to reprogram the pcm when the wires are changed and that costs $110 plus tax. after arguing on the phone i tell him he=92s wasting my time send the shuttle back and to not touch the van. i get the van and ask to speak to the mechanic its like i m not speaking as he ignore that altogether. when asked about how do they see the carbon he says through the air intake air cleaner hose removed which i have cleaned earlier this week. i tell him that he is a idiot and leave. this of course after i have to pay $100 for them to look at it. comment from the shuttle driver indicate im not the first to call him that and i was politer than most. now... after that long storey; has anyone ever hear of reprogramming the pcm at ever tune up i called another dealer and he was shocked they said they would read the pcm for error codes but no re-program it unless there were updates available. before i write a nasty letter to the dealer and chrysler canada is this how a tune up is done on the new computer controlled cars maybe ive been doing it wrong all these years. and before anyone comment i know my letter will not likely do any thing but it will make me feel better and no i will never take my van there again. tia derek .

Replies:

From : bob

4nospam@rogers.com wrote before i write a nasty letter to the dealer and chrysler canada is this how a tune up is done on the new computer controlled cars maybe ive been doing it wrong all these years. and before anyone comment i know my letter will not likely do any thing but it will make me feel better and no i will never take my van there again. tia derek ive never reporgrammed my ecu after a tune up. cant see any reason to. it think its a good idea to plug in a code reader just to be sure and clear any codes you find. -------- ..bob 2006 fxdi hot rod 2008 mustang coupe 2001 dodge dakota qc 5.9/4x4/3.92 1965 ffr cobra - 427w efi damn fast. .

From : maxpower

hes a new one on me. having a problem with rough idle on my 04 dodge grand caravan with a 3.8. check engine is showing briefly p303 which is cyl 3 misfire. had the same problem 6 months ago and it was a bad plug or so i thought on cyl 3. back then dealer was great and suggested what it might be but plugs and wires were first on the list and with 80000km on it i could save money by doing it my self which i did. within the last week idle is very rough feels like its going to stall but doesnt. possibly a dirty throttle body with the p0303 i would have the compression of that cylinder taken. possibly low compression assuming that the plug is gapped correctly. and i doubt if the plug wire is causing the problem go back to regular dealer and they have closed up after 50 years last friday! go to next local dealer and explain whats done and its doing. i clearly say plugs and wires were just change 6 months ago and same cyl is having the same code... something else is wrong. i take the shuttle home. low compression have reading taken 2 hours later they call bad wire and they have to replace all as they dont sell just 1. crock # 1. they also say my engine is full of carbon but wont tell me how they know as they have not taken the engine apart. crock #2 makes no sense... do you know what the warranty is on parts at the dealer they are 12 months or 12k miles. why wasnt it replaced under the mopar warranty best is now coming they say i need to reprogram the pcm when the wires are changed and that costs $110 plus tax. actually this is true and should have been done the first time the plugs and wires were replaced. there is a tsb 18-018-04 to change the software. it only has to be once and if the vehicle is still under 80k miles it would be done under warranty. this will not take care of the misfire or p0303 after arguing on the phone i tell him hes wasting my time send the shuttle back and to not touch the van. i get the van and ask to speak to the mechanic its like i m not speaking as he ignore that altogether. when asked about how do they see the carbon he says through the air intake air cleaner hose removed which i have cleaned earlier this week. i tell him that he is a idiot and leave. this of course after i have to pay $100 for them to look at it. the service writer you are arguing with gets his info from the technician. the carbon they are referring is probably the carbon buildup in the throttle body and yes you can see it. if they would have done a compression test and found a cyl to be low they may also be referring that to carbon build up on the valves and possibly be selling you an induction service to remove the carbon comment from the shuttle driver indicate im not the first to call him that and i was politer than most. now... after that long storey; has anyone ever hear of reprogramming the pcm at ever tune up i called another dealer and he was shocked they said they would read the pcm for error codes but no re-program it unless there were updates available. you are not communicating with the service writer like you should be. sounds to me like you went in there with an attitude from the start. just because one dealer did work and went out of business does not mean that another dealer has to take care of the rechecks for free. unless it is a warranty issue before i write a nasty letter to the dealer and chrysler canada is this how a tune up is done on the new computer controlled cars maybe ive been doing it wrong all these years. yea by all means write that nasty letter if you think it will help thats always the proper way to handle it. glenn beasley chrysler tech and before anyone comment i know my letter will not likely do any thing but it will make me feel better and no i will never take my van there again. tia derek .