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PCM need to be programmed?

190,000 MILES
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DNJFUN13
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Replaced fuel pump, crankshaft sensor, new plugs and wires. No start. Put in a PCM from another dodge truck. Ran for 30 min until I put it in gear. Put back the original PCM and now no fuel or spark. Does PCM need to be programmed for that specific model or can I just buy a new one and put it in? I pondering if it’s the PCM or if it could be something else
Apr 22, 2026 at 3:34 AM

What to check next

Diagnostic guidance. Suggested checks and possible repairs are separate from the owner's reported results.

Identify the exact engine, original PCM part number and donor PCM application before deciding whether a replacement is compatible or requires programming. Have the no-start diagnosis documented, including current scan results and how the reported lack of fuel and spark was established. The next investigation should include the relevant power supplies, grounds and control circuits using the matching wiring diagram. Temporary operation with a donor PCM does not settle the compatibility or programming question, and the thread does not prove that either PCM failed.

Guidance references and applicability

2CarPros: Original discussion 1712618 https://2carpros.com/questions/pcm-92276476 Source for the owner's reported history and outcome. Contributor suggestions are not independently confirmed diagnoses. No attachment content was verified. Fluke: Diagnosing voltage drops https://www.fluke.com/en/learn/blog/automotive/electrical-automotive-troubleshooting General support for testing electrical supplies and connections under load. Use the actual vehicle's circuit diagram and test limits; this reference does not diagnose the reported fault.

Read the replies · Discussion summary and reported outcome

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CARADIODOC
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What's the rest of the story with the replacement computer? Any time power is lost to it, meaning disconnecting the battery or the computer, you have to do a relearn for "minimum throttle". Until that is done, idle speed will be too low. Common symptoms are the engine will tend to stall at stop signs, and it may not start unless you hold the accelerator pedal down 1/4". You also won't get the nice idle flare-up to 1500 rpm at start-up.

Minimum throttle is the only learned thing that doesn't occur on its own. You have to drive at highway speed with the engine warmed up, then coast for at least seven seconds without touching the pedals.
Apr 22, 2026 at 5:20 AM
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DNJFUN13
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The truck was running until I would put it into gear. At which point I decided to put the new computer in. It ran for 30 minutes and then I shut it off. And now I cannot get any spark or fuel. I put the original PCM back in there and still the same thing. I’ve really narrowed it down to being the computer however, I don’t know if those PCM for that year of Dodge need to be programmed or if I can just order one off-line and put it in.
Apr 23, 2026 at 1:25 AM
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CARADIODOC
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If it ran for thirty minutes, it doesn't need to be programmed. You're still going to have to do the minimum throttle relearn at some point, otherwise idle speed will be too low.

Normally the place to start is by reading and recording any diagnostic fault codes, but that won't work now. They get erased when the Engine Computer is unplugged. With no spark and fuel, the most common suspects are the crankshaft position sensor and the camshaft position sensor. It is very common for fault codes for them to not set just from cranking the engine, so don't look at a lack of a related code to mean those sensors are okay. They normally need more time for a missing signal to be detected, as in when a stalled engine is coasting to a stop. If you do want to check the fault codes, Chrysler made doing that yourself much easier than any other manufacturer. Cycle the ignition switch from "off" to "run" three times within five seconds, without cranking the engine. Leave it in "run", then observe the fault code numbers in the odometer display. There's two other ways to proceed without fault codes.

The best way is to view the automatic shutdown, (ASD) rely status on a scanner. It should turn on for one second when the ignition switch is turned to "run", then it turns on again during engine rotation, (cranking or running). The computer needs to see signals coming from the two sensors during cranking, then it turns on the ASD relay which sends power to the injectors, ignition coil(s), fuel pump or pump relay, and a few other places.

The other way to check ASD relay operation is to connect a test light to the wire that's the same color at any injector, any ignition coil, or to either of the two smaller terminals on the back of the alternator. Most commonly that's a dark green / orange wire. Back-probe through the rubber weather seal alongside the wire. Prop the test light so you can see it from inside the truck, or have a helper run the ignition switch for you. You should see the test light turn on full brightness for one second when the ignition switch is turned to "run". That proves the ASD relay and circuity are okay, and the computer has control of that relay. Next, the light should turn on again when the engine is being cranked. If it does not, those two sensors are suspect. At that point you need the scanner to view live sensor data and see what those sensors are listed with. On Chrysler's DRB 3 scanner, each sensor is listed with a "No" or "Present" during cranking. Aftermarket scanners have a similar way to show whether those signals are showing up.

Let me know how far this gets you.
Apr 23, 2026 at 8:24 AM
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Discussion summary

PCM need to be programmed?

The owner reported a no-start after fuel-pump, crankshaft-sensor, plug and wire replacements. A PCM from another Dodge truck reportedly allowed approximately thirty minutes of operation, followed by another no-start. Reinstalling the original PCM did not restore operation. The owner described missing fuel and spark and asked about PCM programming.

Reported outcome: No confirmed cause or successful repair was reported.

The two owner descriptions differ on whether the engine stalled when put in gear or failed after being switched off. Engine details, PCM identification and diagnostic measurements were not supplied. The thread's generic wire colors and driving relearn procedure are not instructions for this vehicle.

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