Has anyone ever swapped the TCM or main PCM on their dakotas? Im having trouble finding out whether or not if I order a replacement PCM online if the new computer will require me taking my truck to the dealership to have it flashed or if the swap plug and play?

The reason for the swap would be is that my transmission over temp light is still acting up by coming on and off by itself randomly for sometimes 15 minutes or only 15 seconds. Sometimes it will come on and stay on as soon as the is truck started, even though the truck is not running hot and the fluid levels are spot on. The trans fluid does not show any evidence of it being burned or discolored. I even replaced the transmission range sensor that has the transmission temp sensor integrated on it and nothing changed. I ended up taking it the dodge dealership and paid for the diagnostic test, and their techs could not find anything wrong with the transmission and could not reproduce the light troubles. They ended up refunding the diag fee. Im just wondering if the problem is within the PCM/TCM?

 

I would guess that you would have to have the stealership flash your new PCM.

I had similar issues with my 06 dakota. I, luckly, had an extended service contract on my truck, and the stealership had to fix it after 3 rounds through their shop, and a tons of arguing later, most if not all the issues were caused by a faulty PCM.

I personally wouldnt mind seeing if the ECM and TCM could be separated so that one could stack programing chips (custom program for motor and separate one for transmission), or even go a step further, get aftermarket ones that you can program and tune your self.

 

Not really a way for it to be plug and play. For one thing, your VIN will have to be programmed into the computer, among other details.

 

From my experiance the dealerships cant / wont program in the Vin.
I had to deal with some pirates in Florida (Jamal my partsolagist) who kept claiming to have programed in my vin. Every time I got the ECM from them I would go to the dealer and they would confirm that the Vin was not mine. After the third try and me paying the shipping they finally got it right.
Check online for customer complaints before buying from any of the online suppliers, most are crooks.

 

I used to know more than one guy who had had his PCM programmed with a VIN by the dealership. The dealership has to be able too. If they replace your engine computer due to a fault, how else would they program it for you?

Now the willing or not willing part, that is the question. I'm sure some dealerships are more willing than others.

 

thanks guys! Yeah, I suspicious that the ECM is going bad. The trans temp light comes on, the air bag light came on randomly twice before.

Although I believe that the the transmission light is related to the TCM which is part of the ECM computer, so im not sure if they both could be bad or if that one goes bad, so does the ECM too...

 

I took the truck to the shop a couple weeks ago, and they confirmed that TCM portion of the ECM is indeed bad. The truck was acting more erratically than normal, with the dash lighting up like a christmas tree, the coolant gauge dropping to zero when the battery light would come on, the random airbag light while driving, random trans temp light, tranny going into limp mode (stuck in 4th gear), plus the if you shifted gears (any gear) the gear selector indicate Park no matter what. Some times the truck runs flawlessly all day, sometimes its nothing but electrical problems.

Long story short, the computer is going to cost $800+ 1 hour of labor+ $150 reprogramming. =about $1000 job.

 

They sure think a lot of those PCMs. $800...wow

 

If you go to a local auto "recycler", they might be able to give you the phone number of someone that can do all this for you - in your own driveway. There are quite a few mobile repair services like this available, otherwise, the used parts dealers wouldn't be able to sell too many parts requiring a flash. I've used this type of service on more than one occasion & the price tag for a used PCM and in-drive flash was a LOT cheaper than a dealership approach. At some used parts dealers, the purchase of a PCM/ECU and mobile reflash contact go hand-in-hand.

 

I know my local o'reilly auto does a reflash, check the commercial side of your local parts store they may know someone with the right tools