Good info to have on here!

I'm actually chasing a similar gremlin down in my WJ, but I'm not seeing gauges pegging or SKIM light not turn on, will check for this when it happens again though!

Glad you got it sorted out without being run on too crazy of a goose chase!

 

Good info to have on here!

I'm actually chasing a similar gremlin down in my WJ, but I'm not seeing gauges pegging or SKIM light not turn on, will check for this when it happens again though!

Glad you got it sorted out without being run on too crazy of a goose chase!

Thanks! Yeah it was a nightmare. I hated getting stranded in those construction zones. People would get pretty pissed

Have you tested your Crank or Cam Sensor?

 

Very good post, it should be a sticky.

Anyhow I see this common problem all the time, even though the symptoms are always the same, but it's the same stall problem. As mentioned by 99WJ47, I fixed three for people by convincing them to just buy a PCM and be done with it, worked every time. You read all these post where people have replaced all kinds of sensors, and two or three times at that. They've spent three times the cost of the PCM while trying to avoid buying one in the first place. And as 99WJ47 mentioned, you can get them for less that $300 bucks if you look.

 

omg we're having the same issue! We're getting the P0601 PCM. It would randomly not start, and then start after a minute or so. We ordered a rebuilt PCM and it started and ran for a few miles then it died and the SKIM lights showed up and wouldnt start at all (key in a circle with a line across and the gas gauge on empty) We took the SKIM fuse out and it started. We put the original PCM back in and it starts everytime! But CEL is back on. Waiting on the replacement of the replacement to get here... hopefully this one works lol

Did u get it new or rebuilt?

 

The one I got was rebuilt. I've heard some people say that with replacing the PCM, they had to have their keys "reprogrammed" at the dealer. This could be on a PCM vendor to vendor basis. So far, I haven't had to do this. You might check with the company you placed the order with and ask them if this is required.

 

The symptoms you have experienced is exactly what we went through a year ago with our 2000 WJ. We did not get any codes though. I got our PCM through the dealer. It's just shy of a year and everything is ok. It was a new vehicle for us and were weren't familiar with them. In fact, up until then, I had never even heard of a PCM. It didn't seem like the mechanics in this area were familiar with them either. After a year on this and another JEEP Forum, I have found that it's a fairly common problem with these vehicles as they age. I was unable to find any brandy new PCMs. They are all rebuilt. It's where you get them from that matters. Your local parts store sell rebuilt PCMs from a company called CARDONE. There are mixed reviews on their reliability, but there are many positive experiences reported. ( https://www.cardone.com/products/el...ucts/electronics/electronics-products-remanufactured/powertrain-control-modules).

 

Interesting... Does anyone know how much it costs to reprogram the key at the dealership? I only have one.

 

If I remember correctly, you can get it done fairly cheap $20-$50 depending on where you go. It's cheap by dealer standards I guess :laugh2:

Once you have two keys, you can start programming your own for free! :grin2:

Go ahead and buy 2 blank keys. One for programming at the dealer and one to program in case you lose one of you others so you can make more and not have to pay.

 

Just ordered two blank ones. Called dealer and they said $50 for multiple keys

 

It is not necessary to have your keys reprogrammed after you replace a PCM. The PCM is programmed to the VIN and the keys should work after the PcM is installed. I replaced mine and did not need to do anything with keys. I have not heard of this before reading it here. Should verify with you PCM supplier before purchasing.

 

Well ya that's what they told us too so I supposed we just got a defective replacement. I still need a couple extra keys made since we only got one when we bought it

 

The keys are programmed in to the SKIM. When changing the PCM the VIN must match the VIN that is programmed in the SKIM. If both VIN's don't match the engine will stall and not run. The SKIM only has a write once memory, when programming the VIN is copied from the SKIM into the PCM.

Yeah, Once you have two keys, you can start programming your own for free just as long as this option has not been turned off.

 

Go back to the PCM supplier and tell them to make it right. You could end up getting new keys made and they still might not work.

 

We should be getting the second replacement PCM Tuesday... If that doesn't work, we will just ask for refund and go elsewhere. We even triple checked the VIN number to make sure they had it right when programming the unit... We shall see lol

 

Just wanted to post a little update. Drove it to another state (4 hour drive) and have been drive my GF around town the last few days. Issue fixed for sure. I'd go with ACR for your computer since they have lifetime warranty.

 

The second replacement just got here. Gonna try n install it on my own and hopefully this time it works... Got it from ACR too. Good to hear positive feedback. Lol

 

Ok done. PCM replaced in a whooping 25mins! Lol
Third time is the charm! Anyways, so far the engine light is gone. And it's idling good as before. No issues with the SKIM (so far). Just turned it off and started it again and it's fine... Fingers crossed this is it!


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Ok done. PCM replaced in a whooping 25mins! Lol
Third time is the charm! Anyways, so far the engine light is gone. And it's idling good as before. No issues with the SKIM (so far). Just turned it off and started it again and it's fine... Fingers crossed this is it!

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Sweet! Glad to hear yours is running agian. Such a nice feeling.

Did your PCM come in a flat-silver, military looking like metal box? It looks tough. I'm wondering if they've used something to keep the heat at a minimum.

Does anyone know why the heck Jeep didn't just run something through the firewall and mount the PCM on the floorboard? I've been trying to think of all kinds of reasons and can't think of a good one. Surely, the know electronics and heat are going to reduce the life of it.:nerd:

 

In the first pic, the first replacement that didn't work is on left... The original to the right.
The replacement that's in the jeep now is the bottom pic

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It doesn't look the same? I wonder why that is. The ACR PCM that failed in my Jeep and the MOPAR replacement looked like the two on the top.
Did they provide you with a copy of the Lifetime Warranty? I didn't see one on their site on line.

 

We actually saw a removal and install video on YouTube and the PCM on it was like the one at the bottom. But hey as long as it fricking works! We have lifetime warranty lol
Now just gotta send the other two back


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The BF took the jeep to work so that the emissions things get completed (we have an OBD II connected) then we'll take it to register it!!


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It says on the packing list/receipt "term lifetime warranty"





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Btw the BF took it to work today and it threw two codes P1391 and P0340.

Had to replace the camshaft positioning sensor :/ what a pain. Had to remove the battery tray.
Let's see what's next lol


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What does "lifetime warranty" mean? It could mean something. It could mean nothing... I haven't heard back from them. It might behoove you to find out the terms they allude to. And get it in writing. I would not assume that it meant that for as long as you own the vehicle if anything goes wrong with the PCM that they will replace it at no cost to you. I have never heard of that kind of iron clad warranty for any product or from any company in my whole life. It usually means whatever they will do works more to their benefit, than yours. It seems to me that you are putting a lot of weight on this , without really understanding what it means. I am just throwing stones here.

 

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say if the PCM is failing, it's likely other major things are coming within at least 25K miles. Engine/tranny/etc. That's their warranty I am assuming. It's more of a marketing thing. It's a "We know your Jeep is old as fu** if you're having to replace this part, since we know that we're going to market a "lifetime" warranty since your engine/tranny will likely fail before our PCM does."

Hope that doesn't offend anyone, but probably what their marketing team did. Not a bad move by them, either. I will say, when I got mine...it looks a hell of a lot "stronger" than the factory and may very well last another 10-15 years. The factory one may not have prevented heat getting in there, so they probably took some extra steps to keep it a little cooler.

Any idea on why the PCM wasn't placed inside the car like most cars? Kinda weird to have electronics in the engine bay when they can be easily put in the floorboard or something.

 

I much rather use $25 PCM's from the junkyard that have never been messed with then these so called remanufactured PCM's for $200. Most never cars have their PCM's in the engine bay.

 

what is the key to success on a junkyard pcm, my 2000 was aquired and it has had parts thrown at it, we reset timing (seemed out due the backfire) no voltage on gauge or snap on scanner, we can read rpm as we are cranking, but no start. found a 99 running and driving but knocking and i can get computer.

 

Stay on topic. U can get whatever part from wherever you want. That's not the point. Do you research and go with whatever floats your boat.


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Curious to know what local parts store flashed your PCM. Was it a national chain? Nobody around here does that except the dealer..

 

No, it was a local/regional place called Henderson's Bumper to Bumper. Unfortunately they were recently bought out by a local NAPA franchise and no longer offer the service.

I know that O'Reilly can flash computers, but they ship them to their distribution center to do it. Not sure if they can do a Chrysler one though.

EDIT:

The reason why likely only the dealer can do that is because you're in California and we have to save the baby seals or something

 

I don't think it's because of the seals. It's more likely against the law. This is a place that you can buy pot down the corner but can't by fireworks on July 4th or be on the beach after sunset.

 

I'm posting this in hopes that it will help someone. My issue started out as happening once every few weeks where the car would just die (gauges were dead as well...gas gauge and bat would be pegged left even with key ON). After about 10 minutes, I could start the car and not have the problem again for another week or so.

The real problem came when it started getting more frequent (almost every day). It definitely seemed to be "thermal" related. This is important. I noticed it would happen if the car got to 210 degrees or higher usually. Not always, though. I read and read on the forums and was convinced it was the Crank Position Sensor. However, I took it to the dealer and they diagnosed PCM as faulty for free.

I ordered a re-manufactured one from ACR (Automotive Computer Repair) for 200.00 plus 45.00 for overnight shipping. I installed it today and ran the Jeep hard, lots of stop and go traffic (it would LOVE to leave me stranded in one lane road contstruction zones with lots of traffic ) so had to test that. No issues. Looks like the PCM was the culprit.

The one thing that "clicked" with me last night before I got the PCM in the mail was when it died on me when I got to the parts store. When I put the key in and turned it to on to see if the gauges would come back (sign it will start) I noticed the SKIM (Security Key Module) light up in the dash. This got me thinking....The ECU has to send back a signal to the SKIM for the car to run (otherwise it will just die after 5 seconds). What this was telling me is that the SKIM couldn't communicate with the PCM....hence the PCM being dead. Try this out if you're having this issue so you can figure out if it's the Crank Sensor or the PCM.

Let me know if this helped you or if you'd like more information on the issues I had!

Just curious - when your Jeep died, did all electrical die with it? I just posted a thread about my jeep having a similar issue. When it dies (randomly) everything dies with it - no lights, gauges, chimes, etc.

 

Basically all the gauges would go left, but the radio would work. So when it does it next, see if anything else works to rule out an electrical issue. Try rolling a windows up or down.