Need Dealership with a Brain...

I need to find a dealership with a service department who has someone who understands what we do to these cars and what things may happen when you do them.

 

I live in Plainfield CT, but I'm in Pomfret during the week for work, so I'm attempting to call Webster MA today to see if they can program my spare ECU to my keys so I can get my car back on the road while I'm waiting for my stock ECU to come back from Tactrix. I would like to keep 2 ECU's working at all times for the car, but I'm not positive on how the system works, and if thats possible.

 

I've heard two things... One that the BCM checks the key ID and the ECU checks the key ID and if they both agree the car will start, OR the ECU has to be "married/linked" to the BCM, and only one can be married at a time... I'm not sure which it is but the latter of the two would result in me having to tow my car somewhere to link the two together, and then make it so only one ECU works at a time.

 

I have a feeling if I call Webster and tell them I have a junkyard ECU in my hands, my title, my keys and my insurance card and I need the ECU programmed for my keys they will say sure bring the car in... or say they can't program the ECU out of the car... something stupid like that. I read somewhere on here or NASIOC that someone had this done for a spare ECU but I'm not positive on where he went but he did say one of the tech's had a highly modified Subaru so he understood what he needed done.

 

Unfortunately this is the same dealership who couldn't understand when I asked them to simply "wake up" my new TPMS sensors since they were already programmed in the TPMS computer, which resulted in me buying the second tool from Tire Rack to do it.

 

So if anyone knows of a dealership with a Tech on hand who would understand my situation, OR has any input on how the Immobilizer works so I know better of what I'm in for then that would be great.

 

 

It's fun bricking an ECU... At least now I built the bench to fix it so after I get my original one back from Tactrix, I should be able to fix it if it happens again in the future.

 

The guys at Valenti in Westerly are pretty good. One of the master techs is a buddy. Let me know, I'll put a call in ahead of time for you.

I'll report my call in a few min, but I may take you up on that. I'm going to be in NH this thurs and Friday but my wife is working summer school in Exeter which is only a half day so if you prep the Tech then maybe she can show up with the ECM and have him program it one of the days I'm gone. I doubt I can get to Westerly today.

 

Thank you for the info though.

I was told from Long Subaru then need the car there... Franklin subaru is telling me it has nothing to do with the ECU and the car has to be present to fix it.

 

WTF

 

How does this damn system work because its NOT matching up with whats written on Cars101.com

 

I didn't change the BCU or the keys so if it has "nothing" to do with the ECU then my car should just friken start.

The guys at Valenti in Westerly are pretty good. One of the master techs is a buddy. Let me know, I'll put a call in ahead of time for you.

 

+1

 

Go to Valenti.