I'm getting this on my 2003 Dodge Caravan

but the van runs just fine. I looked around the fuse box and could not find a fuse that is blown

I cleaned my battery terminals. and after 15 minutes and re-hooking, the error code comes back up very quickly.

any suggestions, other than replacing the PCM?

 

P0601-INTERNAL MEMORY CHECKSUM INVALID. Based on cruising forums for many years, in rare cases external faults have been known to cause this but the PCM is the #1 culprit. May be worth the time to check sensor circuits and the PCM itself for power and ground and inspect associated wire harnesses. Some have driven with this code for years with a constant CE light but that may mask other problems as they pop up.

http://www.obd-codes.com/p0601

 

If PCM failed you wouldn't be able to use DTC at all. #P0601 is famously tied to dead computer, and the problem is it's impossible for a PCM/ECM to detect it's own faults since there has never been one manufactured with such circuitry by ANY maker. It's always caused externally..

Bad battery causing the altenator to spike

Crossed burnt wires on injector harness(since it's on the PCM socket itself)

Main harness short or cross on DTC wires

Other controller failure has it's own codes and obvious signs


Even if you fix it, the code won't clear without a flash or replace. If you have chip key it has to be done by a dealership. There are rumors that it clears after x fault-free startups but this is obviously not the case..

 

Odd thing is over those 9 years of cruising forums and reading articles, time after time after time the PCM is changed and the P0601 is cured. Agreed, not everytime but I can count the number of times it didn't on my left hand. You are the first to state a P0601 cannot be caused by the PCM. I would need to see a lot more evidence from an equal number of sources.

 

P0601 is where ROM values don't match power-on sensor feedback, if a PCB component or socket-trace dies on the PCM it simply doesn't function..

Feel free to continue to suggest makers are making digital circuits that still function with on-board(since they are all single-board) component failure, though.. It fixes it because P0601 is caused by unmatched values 6+ startups and since the part is warranted the replace, or usually flash, is free and people don't ask how to avoid costly servicing in the same forum threads and blog entries.. which means it doesn't fix it and that's just a lazy observation.

 

Noted and life goes on.

 

Unless your one of the people who actually have the problem and wan't to know the specifics and options. If you can get it done by a dealership for $800.00 up-front and inside a week consider yourself lucky..

 

Taking that statement literally, life grinds to a halt if you have a 601. I'd bet a buck that's not what you meant. These problems are all part of life. Options? They're stated on this and other forums and other sources all over the internet. Your experience adds to that pool and is much appreciated.

There's those forced to take the big bucks option stated for various reasons ranging from they don't have the skills to tackle it to they've exhausted the troubleshooting process including changing the PCM and came up empty. Lucky? Lucky is when you fork over $50 at a salvage yard, slap that PCM in your van, and vuala, the 601 is gone and you're on your way. No reprogramming, matching security configs, nothing. We should all be so lucky. Then there's those who don't see the need to spend a dime and drive with it forever with no issues. The easiest option of all if you can take it.

 

Any code at all and emissions won't even pull it into the shop.. Expired tags and emissions are illegal in every US state. People driving Dodge and Chrysler don't typically have such disposable income even on their next paycheck.. This leads to a financial fallout for that owner.

By the way: chip key; it won't work... Newer firmware; you now need your BCM and TCM done too and they cost the same or more. This is what all your forum posts and websites fail to mention.. Autozone, all-computer, rockauto are the 'cheap' routes that have warranties and the least bad feedback.