Q: Would a used transmission have to be programmed with my vin #
I just had a used transmission installed and a week later my oil filter housing replaced. Now my check engine light is on and when the vehicle is cold and you shut it off it stays in ACC saying it is still in gear. I have been told that the transmission valve body has my vehicle vin #. Would the installer have had to reprogram the valve body and change the vin # to my vehicle or did they use my old valve body? They told me they had to reprogram the tranny so it would communicate with the vehicle. Is this true or are they blowing smoke up my skirt?
My car has 140000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.
More and more automobile parts are being tagged electronically with the VIN. This is ostensibly done to make it hard for chop shops who steal cars and sell them piece by piece to the repair market. I’ve not run into a valve body that was tagged before, but since they are now electronic parts too, it only makes sense. The problem for you is that it limits your repair options. The dealers have proprietary software to enable them to change serial numbers on parts, but that software is often slow to make it to the independent market. This might be a job that will require a trip to the dealer’s service department.
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