Warning to those with newer (computer controlled) mopars

-

toplscuda

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2005
Messages
3,009
Reaction score
6,762
Location
St. Louis
You would be well advised to stay away from these guys. Flushing your money down the toilet will get you better results

Car Computer Exchange (Imperial Automotive Service) out of Cary North Carolina

As some may know my Sebring has been out of commission now since early December. For awhile I had a check engine light on with the death code of PCM's P0601 which is an internal memory fault. Now don't get me wrong the car ran great, I even drove it to Dallas and back and got incredible mileage but my car was due for state inspection and with a check engine light on it would not pass. I searched for a replacement and since my car is an early build 04 the computer is unique to those which makes it difficult to find. I did find one available from Car Computer Exchange (also known as Imperial Automotive Services of Cary North Carolina). I purchased it on December 4th and provided the VIN and mileage they requested. This was all done on line. According to their website they would program and get to me in a couple of days. I could live with that as I had until the end of the month before the plates expired. Well my first clue that things would not go well was the emails I kept receiving saying I hadn't completed the needed VIN and mileage even though I had confirmation emails stating otherwise. The second clue was not being able to get anyone on the phone. Finally after several days and just as many unanswered emails I did get someone on the phone. I spoke to the guy who was supposedly handling the programming who said they kept sending the emails out because they didn't think that was the correct computer I needed for my car. After explaining to them about the early/late computer change(should I really have to explain that to them??) he agreed I knew which computer I needed and he would get it programmed and out the next day. Forward over a week later and still no computer. After several more calls they did send one out which I received about Dec 17. Installed it and the car fired up. Yea I am happy until the second start up which the check engine light came on and the P0601 code popped up. It takes two key cycles before the code will set. Tried to reset it to no avail. Contacted them the next day and talked to the tech who told me it has to be an issue with the car but he would like me to send it back in along with the original out of the car so they could diagnose the issue. Now I am already out $200 and they have already told me they do NOT issue refunds so I sent them both in. I had asked if they had another in case these could not be repaired and he told me thy had two which he would set aside. Also told me it would be a same day turnaround so that I would have one before the end of the month. Fast forward to Jan 3 and still no computer. This time they were just plain ignorant on the phone and told me I would get one back when they were done with it. After getting off the phone I contacted the credit card company to dispute the charges (outcome still pending). Was lucky enough to have a member of the Sebring club find the correct computer in a yard up by him which he sent to me. Now I cannot use it until the correct VIN is programmed into it because it will trip a P1685 which is for a mismatched sentry key but it will at least start and let the car run for 10 seconds or so. Along with his computer showing up I get another package today from Car Computer Exchange with a supposedly repaired/rebuilt/reprogrammed computer. Turns out it is the original one out of my car (I took a picture of the serial number on the unit before I sent it out. They had sandblasted the case (guess they are unfamiliar with the static electricity that builds up when you sandblast something and the effect static electricity can have on electronic components) and some nice little rebuild stickers on it. Followed their install instructions to a T and turned they key. NOTHING, no crank, no fuel pump, just nothing. leave the key on for a minute and get a no buss on the odometer. Disconnect the negative cable, pull the computer and install the other one. It fires right up but as said before will not continue to run due to the security issue, but at least it would run. Just for the heck of it I put the other back in and same as before- dead- absolutely nothing, no crank, no fuel pump, no buss. What a joke this company is.
So as stated before DO NOT use Car Computer Exchange(Imperial Automotive Service) out of Cary North Carolina unless you want to throw money away. They will happily take your money and not give you a thing useful in exchange.
 
You probably wont like my comment.
100% of these security faults i"ve dealt with was in the ignition switch no matter what brand or model vehicle it was.
 
Redfish believe me I am well aware of the issues with the Chrysler computers ans security. I am in the middle of doing a 6.1 transfer in to my fish and building my own harness.
The issue with this company and the original computer in my car was a p0601 code otherwise known as the3 death code on the ECM's. It is an internal memory fault that has been traced to some cheap eproms Chrysler used in these computers. The car ran fine and actually on the rouond trip to Dallas and back averaged 30.1 mpg with me running 75-80. The issue was Missouri will not pass it with any code no matter how the car runs. That brought me to these guys and picking up a replacement computer which when received was bad also with a p0601. Then they send me back my original supposedly repaired ecm after 2 months and it will not even prime the fuel pump or crank the car. The other will fire up the car with no issues what so ever but until I have the correct VIN programmed in to it the sentry system will shut the car down after several seconds of running. It is just doing its job.
Thanks for the input though :D
 
Is that a St. Louis thing with it not passing with a light on? Out here in the sticks it will pass even if it had every light flashing on the dash.
Dallas
 
Looks like a trip to the dealership will be needed. Just bring lube with you.
 
Is that a St. Louis thing with it not passing with a light on? Out here in the sticks it will pass even if it had every light flashing on the dash.
Dallas

Correct, it is strictly a St. Louis area thing. In St. Louis, you have to pass emissions (I know, effing retarded) and state-safety MVI, but for the rest of us it's just a joke, er, safety MVI.

And I, too, know the pain of the failed eeprom. An ex's '01 Neon had the same issue. Not sure, I think we just learned to ignore the light. It had no effect on anything at all except possible resale, but that car died some other death before that was ever an issue.
 
jos51700 you are correct about the emissions thing. It wasn't an issue when they would actually sniff the exhaust because as you stated it doesn't have an effect on the car running at all. I orogonally thought I had another year to worry about it since I had two year renewals on the car but found out I was mistaken on when they were expiring.
Both the Chrysler minivans at work had to have the ECU's replaced for the same issue a few years ago. It is frustrating but the repair part I can live with, it is the screwing people out of thier money that I can't stand.
 
-
Back
Top