Do ECM's from Autozone need to be Flashed/Programmed?

jeepsgonewild · 12-10-2009, 03:12 PM

I had an ECM replacement installed about 4 and 1/2 months ago for my 96 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 2 wheel drive for intermittent stalls at stop signs and while moving. No codes, spent a lot of money diagnosing, replaced ECM and not 1 issue since...until now. My question is what the hell is causing this? Is it an electrical short?

Fortunately, Autozone is giving me a replacement for free, and all they want is the core ECM.

So...my next question is...do I have to get the ECM flashed for my Jeep. Is it only the VIN that is programmed in?

I would assume that Autozone would already have the ECM flashed for my make and model Jeep, but I just want to know also if the Jeep dealer has ripped me off because they told me I needed to have the ECM programmed.

Autozone doesn't know whether it needs to be flashed or not. Their computer has no notes that it needs to be flashed. Unsuspecting people that are replacing an ECM must already know that an ECM requires flashing? Because I sure didn't. I assumed it was plug-and-drive hardware.

jeep0312 · 12-12-2009, 09:59 AM

Im not sure if this answers your question but i replaced my ecm with one from autozone about 6 months ago and to this date i have had zero problems. I never had it flashed either.

jeepsgonewild · 12-13-2009, 03:36 AM

I installed the ECM yesterday with success. Jeep started up like usual, but 10 minutes driving, the RPM's was glitching out again. This is very strange. The symptoms are exactly like I had with my first ECM, and when I put a new one in, I had no issues at all for 4 and 1/2 months. I am now leading to a possible ground wire somewhere. Perhaps, the battery ground wire has become corroded? I might even have to check the wiring harness for any breaks.

**ratmonkey** · 12-13-2009, 01:43 PM

these things can sometimes have a healthy appetite for coils, coil feedback can fry a pcm from time to time.

jeep0312 · 12-14-2009, 04:29 PM

i had already put on the new coil, ground wires, every freaking sensor then finally i took out the screws on the original pcm and it started to run better so i got a new pcm and bang not a problem since!