Body Control Module 98 Caravan-problem?

Discussion in 'General Motoring' started by geo.nova, Nov 28, 2006.

  1. geo.nova

    geo.nova Guest

    I had to recently replace the body control module in my 98 Caravan
    because of a windshield wiper problem. I could only afford a used one
    which solved that problem but created another one. Now my total mileage
    (kilometerage?) reading has gone up from approx 170,000km to approx
    220,000km immediately after replacing this. I had asked a mechanic if
    anything like this would happen and he assured me that it wouldn't. So
    I'm asking myself what could have caused this then? Is the mechanic
    wrong or what? Does this body control module hold or control the
    mileage data?
    Thanks in advance,
    Geo.
     
    geo.nova, Nov 28, 2006
    #1
  2. geo.nova

    damnnickname Guest

    You got it!!!The mileage is stored in the BCM and can only be reset by
    Chrysler and I dont mean the dealer. You lucky thats the only problem you
    got from swapping out those modules, I h ave heard alot more horry stories
    then what you have

    Glenn Beasley
    Chrysler Tech
     
    damnnickname, Nov 28, 2006
    #2
  3. geo.nova

    Bill Putney Guest


    I was lucky on a vehicle of mine - lost 15k miles when the BCM was
    changed. Darn.

    Bill Putney
    (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
    address with the letter 'x')
     
    Bill Putney, Nov 28, 2006
    #3
  4. geo.nova

    damnnickname Guest

    Bill you swapped out with a used one or Chrysler didnt program it right?

    Glenn
     
    damnnickname, Nov 28, 2006
    #4
  5. geo.nova

    Bill Putney Guest

    Used one. BTW - when you say a dealer can't program it, but it has to
    be programed by Chrysler - how does one go about having that done, i.e.,
    where does one take/send it, and how much does it cost?

    Bill Putney
    (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
    address with the letter 'x')
     
    Bill Putney, Nov 28, 2006
    #5
  6. geo.nova

    damnnickname Guest

    Once we determine that the BCM or cluster (which ever stores the mileage)
    is bad we play an order for that part with the mileage or the order slip.
    Chrysler will program the mileage in and send the part out. The vehicle is
    NOT allowed to be driven untill the new BCM is installed. My Cluster went
    out on me on my Durango in Florida over the week and I have been waiting
    since Monday for the replacement to get here.

    Glenn
     
    damnnickname, Nov 29, 2006
    #6
  7. geo.nova

    damnnickname Guest

    The last time I ordered a BCM the cost was about $350.
    My vehicle has the MAX care service contract with a rental up to 5 days so
    it doesnt effect me
     
    damnnickname, Nov 29, 2006
    #7
  8. geo.nova

    Bill Putney Guest

    So let's say I have a working BCM from the junk yard (such is the case
    with mine), and I simply want the mileage readout corrected. Do I send
    that BCM in and they program it and send it back and charge a nominal
    fee (if so, approx. how much would that be), *OR* do they take that in
    as a core and send me a refurb and charge me the full price, treating it
    the same as if the one I turned in was defective (not distinguishing
    between a simple mileage reset and a failed unit in need of repair)?
    Would they refuse to process it because I'm not having the dealer do any
    diagnostics and installation - all I want is mileage corrected for the
    vehicle in a BCM I obtained from a third-party source and carry in and out?

    Bill Putney
    (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
    address with the letter 'x')
     
    Bill Putney, Nov 29, 2006
    #8
  9. geo.nova

    sqdancerLynn Guest

    Chrysler is not in the repair business so I would suspect they would only
    sell a new one
     
    sqdancerLynn, Nov 30, 2006
    #9
  10. geo.nova

    maxpower Guest

    Well Bill, if it were that easy to send a BCM in to have the mileage changed
    wouldn't you think that alot of fraud would take place? If im going to sell
    my Truck that has 100k on it but want to back the mileage up to 50k I just
    send it in to Chrysler for a back up mileage? It don't work that way. They
    will not change the mileage from a BCM/cluster, The mileage that is on the
    RO and form that goes off to Chrysler has to be the same as what is on the
    component. Either way you will get a refurbished one. If you were to
    diagnose your own bcm/cluster and needed a new one I would think that the
    parts department would want the one from your vehicle first. The vehicle is
    not allowed to be driven when the module is ordered. In other words my truck
    (still waiting on my Cluster) is not allowed to accumulate mileage with the
    old part still on my truck.

    Glenn
     
    maxpower, Nov 30, 2006
    #10
  11. geo.nova

    philthy Guest

    you have to go thru a dealer for that

     
    philthy, Nov 30, 2006
    #11
  12. geo.nova

    Bill Putney Guest

    I see your point. In one sense I see the purpose in all of this, but I
    think overall things have gotten way too complicated. The chances of
    having a problem that is prohibitively expensive to fix over the life of
    the vehicle have gotten way too high - forces a lot of otherwise capable
    vehicles into the junk yard way too early. I'm not sure we are making
    progress with this stuff any more - I'm thinking in particular of overly
    complex things like SKIM - the new problems they create are 10 times
    worse than what they are supposed to be solving. The lack of the
    reliability of the hardware to make it all happen just doesn't net out.

    Bill Putney
    (To reply by e-mail, replace the last letter of the alphabet in my
    address with the letter 'x')
     
    Bill Putney, Nov 30, 2006
    #12
  13. geo.nova

    damnnickname Guest

    You have'nt seen nothng yet, you think they have been complicated. wait
    untill the newer models with this CAN-C and CAN -B bus systems start
    having problems. right now they are in the dealers,

    Glenn
     
    damnnickname, Nov 30, 2006
    #13
  14. Glenn, this is completely stupid. Some states - mine for example (Oregon)
    once the
    vehicle reaches 100K miles they REFUSE to put mileage on the title. They
    ONLY put
    mileage on the title if the title is changing hands if mileage is under
    100K. In other
    words, the State of Oregon has determined that a vehicle after 100K had
    completely
    depreciated and a vehicle with 100K on it is worth the same money as a
    vehicle with
    200K on it. Oregon did not used to do this but started doing it this way
    after they
    replaced the computer system at the DMV. (another horror story for a
    different post)
    I very strongly suspect that the feds don't require mileage tracking on
    vehicles after
    100K which is why the state is getting away with it.

    From a value standpoint it is very true that at some point it makes no
    difference
    how much mileage is on a vehicle in terms of it's value. Would you for
    example
    pay any more for an old car with 220K miles on it vs an old car with 280K
    miles
    on it? Come off it.

    I think Chrysler is blowing smoke up your ass with the scary stories about
    fraud
    in mileage. The real truth of the matter is that Chrysler is too damnded
    lazy to
    do it and would rather people pay them for a new module than charge a
    reasonable
    fee for programming an old one. Clearly all Chrysler would have to do is
    make a
    policy that they will change BMC mileage to anything you want as long as the
    mileage figure you want is over some figure - such as 150K - that is
    determined
    to be End Of Life for the vehicle. Or, they will change mileage if the
    change is
    less than 10% of the previous figure.

    You might try plugging some numbers into Kelly Blue Book sometime - you will
    find the higher the mileage you put in the less the vehicle value changes.
    You will
    also find that KBB doesen't rate vehicles older than 20 years. The market
    has
    spoken on this issue and has determined that when the mileage and age is
    high
    enough, that it makes no difference in value what the mileage is. Chrysler
    should
    be listening.

    Ted
     
    Ted Mittelstaedt, Dec 1, 2006
    #14
  15. geo.nova

    maxpower Guest


    Ok contact your congressman and tell him that
    2 different things
    Purchase a used car service contract and extend the mileage and tell me it
    makes no difference to Chrysler. Google Chrysler....get the 800 number and
    call them ok? Chrysler and every other manufacturer have guildlines that
    they follow. this is one of them. we dont make the rules!!!

    Come off what????
    AS I said, google Chrysler, Make the all. let me know the results.
    contact your local CP parts dealer Ted.
     
    maxpower, Dec 1, 2006
    #15
  16. geo.nova

    maxpower Guest


    Ok contact your congressman and tell him that
    2 different things
    Purchase a used car service contract and extend the mileage and tell me it
    makes no difference to Chrysler. Google Chrysler....get the 800 number and
    call them ok? Chrysler and every other manufacturer have guidelines that
    they follow. this is one of them. we don't make the rules!!!

    Come off what????
    AS I said, google Chrysler, Make the all. let me know the results.
    contact your local CP parts dealer Ted.
     
    maxpower, Dec 1, 2006
    #16
  17. How many companies offer used car service contracts on vehicles that
    have 150K+ miles on them?

    Google Chrysler....get the 800 number and
    You are not listening which isn't unusual.

    OK, so Chrysler and it's service contract companies think a car value is
    still
    significantly affected by mileage even at the 100K Perfectly fine.

    So, let me ask you - do you think that Chrysler and it's service contract
    companies still think car value is significantly affected by mileage at 150K
    miles?
    What about 200K? What about 250K?

    At some mileage point Chrysler's service
    contract companies aren't going to write a contract on a used vehicle.

    Do I know what that point is? No. Do I care? No. That is why I
    said the statement SOME FIGURE.

    I DO KNOW that that point exists. If you believe otherwise then please
    inform the group what service contract companies out there will write
    contracts on 250K+ mile cars and I'll go to the junkyard and collect
    a whole passel of them for $100 per car, put service contracts on them
    and just start driving them until they conk out. Within a year I'll get
    them all fixed for free according to your logic.

    So all Chrysler needs to do is say they will happily reprogram the BCM
    to ANY MILEAGE FIGURE THAT IS BEYOND THIS POINT for
    a fee.

    Did you not understand this? Did you not get it?

    Ted
     
    Ted Mittelstaedt, Dec 2, 2006
    #17
  18. geo.nova

    maxpower Guest

    Ted, Im not going to get into these Childish debates with you. I don't write
    the guidelines, I don't work for Chrysler, I just go by the rules and
    regulations. You make no sense at all.Do you want me to get you the 800
    phone number from Chrysler so you can debate this with them?
     
    maxpower, Dec 2, 2006
    #18
  19. geo.nova

    maxpower Guest

    You lack common sense Ted, Think about, just think ok?
    fraud /fr?d/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[frawd]
    Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
    -noun 1. deceit, trickery, sharp practice, or breach of confidence,
    perpetrated for profit or to gain some unfair or dishonest advantage.
    2. a particular instance of such deceit or trickery: mail fraud;
    election frauds.
     
    maxpower, Dec 2, 2006
    #19
  20. geo.nova

    philthy Guest

    qaftermarket is already there and if someone wants to spend 400 grand they
    can access everything with a laptop losing the scantool
     
    philthy, Dec 2, 2006
    #20
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