Please Help, Dangerous PCM and Electrical Problems, Shut off no start

[Philr]

Hello all,
First post here and hoping I can find someone with some deep smarts on diagnosing possible PCM, TIPM or some other electrical issue. Truck is a 2007 with 6.7, 68rfe, 4x4, 100k miles, previous owners fully deleted it and flashed with a RaceMe. I've owned for over 3 years with zero issues until this nightmare began a few weeks ago...

It all started when I took it in for an alignment. Oddly the shop seemed to struggle with this and kept the truck overnight. They then called and asked if it had ever not started. I went in and they had it hooked up to a jump box and said they had run the batteries down with the key on but it would not start even jumping or after charging. No crank and also had a stored low battery code along with active codes:
C2202 Original VIN Mismatch/Missing
C2206 Vehicle Configuration Mismatch
U0100 Lost communication with ECM/PCM
U0141 Lost commuication with TIPM

I had the truck towed home and started checking power and grounds to the PCM and also the Can bus lines all of which were fine although the PCM would not communicate with the scan tool or show VIN. I contacted RaceMe who were incredibly helpful and provided me with a recovery file to try flashing to the PCM. I did this and everything went back to normal. Truck started and ran great with no codes and I thought maybe the PCM firmware somehow got corrupted during the low battery voltage, especially since I had an Edge CTS2 plugged in reading off the bus.

Fast forward to this weekend when I went for a drive with the truck. It was fine until about 4 miles (temp just starting to come up) and while going 55 the truck felt like it went wide open throttle then every light on the dash seemed to go off including a chiming noise and then it just shut off, no power steering or brakes, it was scary getting safely off the road but thankfully it worked out. It was a long walk home with the wife and then I went back to the truck with the tuner and scanner. It had the 4 above active codes along with some new stored ones:
B1A28 ECM Mismatch with SKIM
U0151 Lost Communication with Occupant Restraint Controller
U0168 Lost Communication with Vehicle Security Module

I cleared the nonactive codes and tried flashing the recovery file with the tuner thinking I would be on my way soon. This time the file would not flash and immediately gave an error. I tried disconnecting the battery cables for a few minutes and then reconnect and tried flashing again but same problem. At this point it was getting dark and the truck was not in a good spot so I had it towed home again. Next day I pulled the C2 connector from the PCM to check power and ground as I had done the previous week and got the same OK results. While laying under the truck I also noticed a very subtle high frequency electrical noise that went away when I removed the C2 PCM connector which seemed odd since the key was off. I also disconnected the batteries again for 20min or so. After that I connected everything and figured I'd try the recovery flash again since it was the only option left to do. This time it worked fine and I was able to start the truck yet again which really left me scratching my head. However, unlike last time now I have 6 PCM codes for each injector, P268C to P2691 "Injector Data Incomplete" even though the injectors remained untouched through this whole process as did the files flashed to the PCM.

Does anyone have an idea on what could be going on or best way to proceed? Is it a failing PCM even though I've been able to reflash it? Could it be the TIPM or another module that somehow corrupts the PCM firmware? Maybe some kind of wiring damage?

Thanks for any help and ideas.

 

[cerberusiam]

Looks like it lost the trim codes for the injectors.

 

[GCroyle]

Sorta clueless but truck went in for alignment and had to be towed out.

Don't you wish you had video of this “repair” under the hood.

Good luck.

 

[DonFitzwater]

Sorta clueless but truck went in for alignment and had to be towed out.

Don't you wish you had video of this “repair” under the hood.

Good luck.

I know it seems like a strange coincidence but the odds of it happening on an older vehicle that has been modified are pretty good. A friend recently had a front end alignment and new tires installed on a Scion XB. When he picked it up he headed from Alaska back to Maine..........he made it about 150 miles and the dash lit up like a Christmas tree and was running terrible. He blamed the shop for the troubles........after they did an alignment and tire replacement. When he made it to my shop, we found out that 2008 Scion cars were notorious for coil, pcm and wire harness failure. He's still blaming the dealer for his old POS toyota half breed car.

 

[GCroyle]

Ok but did the tech somehow run down dual batteries then use a jump box on the scion like happened on this truck?

What might happen to this truck if somebody crossed the cables and just nicked a battery post ? Smoke escape?

I certainly don’t know what happened but even from here if all is as stated by OP this stinks a good bit.

 

[cerberusiam]

Pretty easy to see what happened, lost the SKIM key which basically shut the truck down. The high pitched noise was probbaly the security system squalling. Once it was reset py disconnecting the batteries and recovery file loaded it now runs but missing the trim codes, the whole process somehow at them. If the trim codes will not reload, probbaly not in the recovery file, OP will have to pull all the inejctors to get the numbers off them and go back to Bosch to get the correct trim codes. Totally pain in the rear but when the electronics get hosed it is a nightmare to fix.

 

[GCroyle]

Cerb,

How do you explain the battery rundown?

Gary

 

[Ozymandias]

Cerb,

How do you explain the battery rundown?

Gary

I would guess they let it on ACC for the night.
Happened to me to that way.

 

[GCroyle]

Ok Oz, that’s possible but do shops routinely leave keys in a vehicle if left overnight at the shop?

I think if it was my shop I’d have the keys in a locked case.
But I don’t own a shop.

 

[cerberusiam]

Yep, they left the key on when they were turning the wheels for the alignment and simply forgot it. Like anything else electronic when it loses power it can very well lose its teeny little mind and then all manner of things can go wrong.

That is a small problem, now he has to deal with the lost trim codes, that is a pain to resolve. Hopefully the SKIM codes are gone, that will shut the truck down. Trim codes are just make it run inefficient and throw codes but it will still run.

 

[DonFitzwater]

now he has to deal with the lost trim codes, that is a pain to resolve. Hopefully the SKIM codes are gone, that will shut the truck down. Trim codes are just make it run inefficient and throw codes but it will still run.

Are the trim codes not obtainable by scanning the QR code on the injector body ? That's how we do it in the marine world.

 

[cerberusiam]

Should be a code on the injector, if it can be read, and that will have to go back to Bosch to get the correct codes. Depends on who has access to and knows how to look up trim codes. We just got done going thru this, the trim code Bosch sent with the injector was wrong. Vendor had to go back to Bosch to get the correct trim code.

The problem is I don't think you can see the serial # without pulling the injectors.

 

[Philr]

Appreciate all the replies! Yes, I am very curious as to what exactly the shop did to my truck. Definitely makes sense the batteries were run down as it did originally have a low battery code which only trips below 10v I think. I just can't believe low battery voltage alone would cause such problems or it would be a huge issue and weakness with these trucks.

Just to clarify on the story since there is a lot in the first post: after towing the truck home from the alignment shop I was able to get it going again with the tuner recovery file and it ran great and also had no codes so the injector trim numbers were intact. However, after driving it about 4 miles it tried to kill me by suddenly going wide open throttle then completely shutting off at 60mph and losing power brakes and steering. Up until that point on the drive it ran perfect with no check engine light. Immediately after this on the side of the road it also would not take the recovery flash like it had previously. After towing it home again the next day it did take the flash but at that point is when I got the codes for the injector trim numbers being invalid so something that happened during that episode must have corrupted them.

At this point I'm too scared to test drive the truck again until I have made a valid attempt at fixing the issue and find a smoking gun so to speak. I thought the first reflash after the low battery ordeal solved it but the second time shows there is some deeper problem that I don't understand and I can't risk another uncontrolled acceleration/shutdown ride in case it happens in traffic. Plus the tow bills are adding up, haha.

I did find a guy with a good reputation in the Cummins world that re-manufactures ECM's and I just sent mine off to him. I'll be curious if he can find anything wrong with it.

 

[Ozymandias]

Like said, as long as the Truck is stock, OEM, there will be no harm to any system in it running low on voltage or disconnect the battery entirely. Except that it will refuse to start of course, but with new power everything is back to normal then.
Yours is tuned and that's a whole new world of uncharted territory. Everything is possible then.

 

[Philr]

Agreed, the tuner does add more unknown than stock but with how many tuned diesel trucks that are out there that don't catastrophically break down with old batteries or try to kill their occupants with random acceleration and shut down at speed I'm hesitant to place much blame on it yet.

Also, about a year into ownership on my truck I let it sit for too long in cold weather with some older batteries that went way down in voltage and I tried charging and jump starting before finally replacing the batteries and everything was fine once I got new batteries in it and it had the same tuner then. I guess the only difference was that the key was not "on" while the voltage was dropping but not sure if that would make a difference and seems strange that could cause permanent damage that even reflashing the ECM won't fix.

 

[Ozymandias]

You must know that the reflash you did is only a canned tune but it is not the actual software that was on the Truck when he left factory, there can be differences between them.
It is difficult and at that point my knowledge ends for helping you out of your disaster.

Worstcase you need a new ECM and have it programmed from the Dealer - $$$$.

 

[DonFitzwater]

Worstcase you need a new ECM and have it programmed from the Dealer - $$$$.

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Better add a few more dollar signs since the truck has been deleted. Hopefully he can find a dealer level fix without having to go the full route of DPF/emissions reinstallation. That would be horrible.

 

[Philr]

Yes, my knowledge rapidly drops off when it comes to the different firmware flashes to the ECM. Agree the standard flashes that come with the tuner are not related to what the dealer would use when say flashing a new ECM. However the recovery flash I was provided seems to be more along that line. It did "jumpstart" my non-responsive ECM and apparently put what seemed like factory firmware on it that I had to flash again with the standard tuner file to get rid of the delete related codes. Would be curious if anyone knows the difference (if any) between this recovery flash and what the dealer would program to a new ECM.

I unfortunately agree on the new ECM prognosis unless there is something else that takes it down and corrupts the firmware which again exceeds my knowledge. Possibly TIPM? Not sure if any other modules could do this and actually kill the truck while driving.

Haha, laughed at all the dollar signs. I've been doing my best to stay away from the dealer for the reasons mentioned. Even so it's gotten really expensive. Reman ECM's from reputable sources are $1k+ and also dropped close to that on a decent scan tool figuring I'd rather own the tool than pay the dealer.

 

[cerberusiam]

You do not need a dealer to reflash the ECM. The recovery file is just that, it is the complete stock calibration the truck came with. That is why you codes for the emissions systems when you started it back up. When you loaded the the tune again it loaded the delete calibration and modified the tables for the tune setting.

There is nothing there that should cause a problem EXCEPT the failed load. If you did not load the recovery file and the subsequent tune with batteries fully charged and a charger on the batteries all bets are off what happened. Even the ambient temp has to be in the normal range above 70 F for a load thru the OBD port to work correctly. By rights should not EVER be loading a calibration thru the OBD port on these trucks but it is what we have to work with. To do it safely and correctly it should be benched flashed with Insite but that is a lot harder to do.

The SKIM key error and security system error is likely what shut the truck down, why it went WOT is unknown but with a partially corrupted flash it is not unusual. Now the fun will be getting the trim codes and entering them. Not sure if the RaceME allows you to enter the trim codes, AutoEnginuity does and maybe Solus but not sure. The first part of the battle will be getting the codes. There may be a QR label on the body or a serial number left to read, if not that means a new injector. You will have to pull every one unless RaceME has and idea how to find them and load them again.

 

[Philr]

Cerberusiam, that's helpful! So it sounds like you are leaning towards possibly the ECM is fine and something happened to the recovery file loading? The odd thing is that after the first no start problem and recovery file flash + tune flash the truck ran great with no error codes until the crazy shut down after driving 4 miles. I guess it's possible that could be a corrupted recovery load but makes me also wonder if there's another module crashing the party. I assumed the SKIM and security errors were from the lost communication with the PCM but maybe it could be the other way around?

I have a Launch x431 scan tool that I can read the injector trim codes and supposedly write them as well but won't know for sure until I get the correct codes to try. I've heard it's possible to read them by removing the valve cover although it's tedious and involves a mirror on the rear ones. Hope that route is possible without pulling them.