How long is the longest it's taken you to diagnose a serious NO BUS issue that was something other than the PCM?


It's going on 3 weeks that the local Dodge service center has had my Durango (not counting the 10 days to get exchange PCM's shipped) and they still haven't found the problem.


Also, is using a running vehicle to swap parts for diagnostic purposes a common thing for service centers to do or are they getting desperate?


I'm a licensed amateur (HAM) radio operator and know that these days it's more common for many radio repair centers to just swap circuit boards rather than get the DVOM out, roll up their sleeves and actually do circuit testing like they did in the old days. I suspect the same goes on in the auto industry.


It seems that a good diagnostician could have checked every wiring connection in the entire vehicle in 3 weeks.


I'm just concerned that I may be dealing with parts swappers and not true diagnosticians, and maybe it's time to contact another repair center.


Replys are appreciated.


foamhand.

 

From the fact that they have had it that long, I would be concerned. I am quite sure that even if it was an exchange part (which your pcm should not be) it would only take a few days at most. There can be anything from a wiring harness issue, all the way up to a problem in another module, or even as simple as a bad ground. I would imagine that your vehicle is not getting priority, or they are simply running time on it and not doing the proper diagnostics. It would seem that the computer system would help pinpoint a communication issue in the canbus system and lead to a possible cause within a relatively short amount of time. The newest vehicles have several more modules than our Durangos and I have seen the problem tracked down inside of a week. It takes a mechanic with the proper skills and not just a parts swapper like you said.