2000 Dodge Stratus PCM is throwing a DTC

Tiny
DNMCKNIGHT
  • MEMBER
  • 2000 DODGE STRATUS
  • 4 CYL
  • FWD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 140,000 MILES
My sister's 2000 Doge Stratus is throwing a DTC (p0601) that says "Int Control Mod Memory Check Sum". I understand that this is not good news for the PCM. Are there any connections to check or tests to run before it is time to give up on the old PCM and get a new one?

Once I do decide to get a new PCM is there anything I need to know before I buy a new one or attempt to mess things up, like does it need to be programed? Is it user programmable? What makes this a difficult fix? Or it is as easy as plug and play?

Thanks in advance for your help.
Dan
Sunday, August 22nd, 2010 AT 8:13 PM

3 Replies

Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS


https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/416332_2000_dodge_stratus_code_P0601_part1_1.jpg



https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/416332_2000_dodge_stratus_code_P0601_part2_1.jpg



https://www.2carpros.com/forum/automotive_pictures/416332_2000_dodge_stratus_code_P0601_part3_1.jpg


First of all thank you so much for your donation.It say's if you have that code bad pcm it's a internal failure.I posted the code description how to change it where it is.They have to be programed unless you can find one that is already programed.What model stratus and engine size do you have?
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Sunday, August 22nd, 2010 AT 8:27 PM
Tiny
DNMCKNIGHT
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
First the answer to your question is that the Stratus is a SE model 2.4L. Secondly the link beneath your reply for Auto computer exchange dot com seems to use the terms ECM PCM and ECU interchangeably are they all different names for the one computer? Or are there different computers working together?

A day after I sent my message another thing happened, the blower fan resister failed for a second time in about six months. Compared to the computer this is a relatively inexpensive fix but it makes me wonder, could these be symptoms of another problem like a coil pack going bad, or alternate shorting, or going bad and throwing out excessive voltage spikes? Is there some sort of filter on the computer that protects it from miscellaneous electric "noise"? I would hate to replace a computer just to to have the new one fail because it was a symptom of another problem. What might be the most likely culprit?

Thank you for you prompt and helpful advice, it is greatly appreciated.

Dan
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Sunday, August 29th, 2010 AT 4:30 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
Alright here's the lingo break down for ecm pcm and ecu. Different manufacture's use different names for the same thing also different people use different name's for the same thing. Here's how it break's down though ecm/ecu ecm is engine control module ecu is engine control unit same thing different name's they mean that they are are just the engine computer. Now pcm is power train control unit meaning it has both the engine computer and the transmission computer in it aka transmission control module both in the same module.A Transmission control module or tcm is just a transmission computer with no other computer's in it. Also some people refer to a ecu or a ecm as a pcm which I think is wrong. But like I said different people call the same part different thing's. Confusing I know I hope I explained it well enough so you now know the difference. Now with your blower motor resistor was it a card a printed circuit board?If so the oil's from your hand's could have gotten on the card and caused it to go bad bad prematurely. Or you could have gotten a poor quality one or a defective one.I haven't seen voltage spike's cause internal communication failure code's in ecm's ecu's or pcm's they would just make the computer not function any longer usually. The computer's are fused but if you were to hook up the battery backwards or jump start the car reversed jumper cable's then you could damage the computer that way. That is the most common way to damage the computer. If you want you can have the alternator tested and the battery as well.
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Sunday, August 29th, 2010 AT 9:11 PM

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