Question re: ECM reflash/backup warning recall

[Crunch]

I have an interesting situation here. I purchased a spare ECM because the original was having problems. The spare ECM seems to work well, but the throttle is extremely sensitive and it throws smoke when I step into it. My thinking is that the person who owned the truck it came off of had some tuning done to it, at least for the acceleration curve. I'm no mathmagician, but it "feels" like a geometric increase. It doesn't smoke or run any different if I go easy on the throttle.

Long story short, I'd like to get the ECM reflashed so it returns back to stock settings. I am aware that I will get stuck with the out of gear/door open warning recall if I do this, and also get tagged for $165.88 for the procedure and up to a 48 hour turnaround. But since the gears in my head are always turning, I got to thinking that if I took the truck in to have the out of gear/door open warning recall done, that procedure might involve a full reflash of the ECM. If that's the case, I save $165.88, and since it's a recall I get a loaner car for the time they have it in the shop.

Am I correct in thinking that having the recall done reflashes all the software on the ECM? Or is it simply a software update that is applied over the existing software? Also, I've heard that if an ECM has been tuned up, a reflash will sometimes fail and turn it into a brick. Is this true?

Thanks.

 

[sag2]

The reflash overwrites the software with factory software. You lose the "tuner" software if it does have it.

 

[Crunch]

The reflash overwrites the software with factory software. You lose the "tuner" software if it does have it.

That's what I wanted to hear. Since I had already accepted that I was going to get stuck with this recall one way or another, the next step will be to try to take advantage of the situation and save the reflash cost. After a quick tow next week I'll take it in to the dealer and ask for the recall to be performed. That will be free, and one dealer told me that they provide a loaner car for recalls so I shouldn't be without a vehicle while my truck is sitting in their lot for a few days. I stopped at a dealer earlier this week to ask about a reflash and catching a ride on their courtesy shuttle to get me back and forth. The service advisor told me that because of the coronavirus the courtesy shuttle is no mas. They got a bulletin that a lady is suing a dealer for $100 million, claiming that she got the virus from one of their shuttle drivers. That was all it took, and now the service is finito.