Found out my unit went bad and its the reason my engine fans no longer come on when the engine gets hot. I see the part for sale for around 75 bucks but i dont see how to install the thing anywhere.

1. Where is it located? Dealership said in the airbox on drivers side and some sites say ECU is at left front of engine compartment.

2. Is a PCM, ECM, and ECU the same thing?

3. How hard is this thing to install?

 

Dealership is correct- you take apart the stock airbox, and it is sitting in the bottom of it. As for as the different names- each manufacturer has a different name for it. PCM is what controls the fans though.

 

Thanks found the air box. Do i need to take the top part off and the pcm will be in plain sight at the bottom?

 

take your left side support brace off (13mm socket and a ratchet) remove the 8mm bolts holding the air box halves together and finish taking the air box apart the computer inside is the PCM, or ECM. a dealer will have to reprogram the computer and it is NOT DRIVABLE after its been changed, don't even re-connect the battery. so its better to just let them change it unless you want to purchase a performance programmed PCM but i wouldn't recommend that. just buy a programmer if you want to tune it.

PCM= Powertrain Control Module
ECM= Engine Control Module

 

i got a recommendation, if you need a new pcm, why not get a tuned pcm?? i think you can still send in a bad one as a core. if you do that youll only be paying 25 more bucks.

 

That would be pretty shady to do if the pcm does actually have an electrical problem inside of it. I'd imagine they'd get it, reflash it- and send it out to another customer who would then get the problem. I don't think they do any testing of the pcm's to check for stuff like this before they flash them and send them out (maybe the pcm does its own check when they flash it?)

Either way, if they found out- you'd definitely lose your core money. The core charge for a tuned pcm kindof implies that you are sending in a working pcm, its not like a core charge at an auto parts store for a worn out alternator or something.

 

im not trying to say to do anything decietful, i thought if they flashed it, it reprogramms whatever was wrong??

 

I doubt that the pcm could've come 'unprogrammed' for a certain feature- and if that were the case, the dealer could plug in their tool and reflash the pcm. I'd imagine that an output inside the pcm is dead.

 

okay but just so we're clear, im not telling anyone to "milzy" anyone else.

 

Thanks. Ive found someone who will program the computer with my VIN. The dealership is not an option as they want 800 bucks for a new one installed.