{"id":1167,"date":"2019-08-23T11:44:26","date_gmt":"2019-08-23T15:44:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.solopcms.com\/blog\/?p=1167"},"modified":"2019-11-06T11:46:27","modified_gmt":"2019-11-06T16:46:27","slug":"how-to-test-a-pcm-complete-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.solopcms.com\/blog\/how-to-test-a-pcm-complete-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Test a PCM"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Modern cars rely on computers to manage their various systems. For example, when was the last time you or someone you know had to adjust their car\u2019s timing? Unless you\u2019re a classic car collector or you\u2019re old enough to carry an AARP card, the answer is probably \u201cnever\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There\u2019s a reason for that; we have computers to handle timing, air to fuel ratio, and even when and how our automatic transmissions shift. The advantage of this isn\u2019t just less maintenance. It also means you get better gas mileage and performance since computers can make adjustments on the fly to compensate for changes in temperature, humidity, and road conditions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The disadvantage? Computers are a pain in the rear to diagnose. To help you out, we\u2019ve put together a handy guide.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What Are the Symptoms of a Faulty PCM?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many of your car\u2019s functions are controlled by the powertrain control module (PCM), which works in conjunction with the engine control module (ECM) and transmission control module (TCM) to adjust engine timing, the air to fuel ratio, and other systems.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So before we talk about how to test a PCM, here are some common symptoms of a PCM failure.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your &#8220;check engine&#8221; light is on<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other warning lights may be on, including traction control and ABS<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You lose fuel economy for no apparent reason<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your car stutters when starting, requires multiple attempts, or won\u2019t start at all<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stuttering or stalling during idling<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your transmission sifts erratically, skips gears, or fails to shift at all<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Poor performance and acceleration<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are other things that could be causing these symptoms. For example, poorly-inflated tires can cause a drop in gas mileage, and hard starting can be caused by a weak battery or failing starter. But if you\u2019re experiencing two or more symptoms with no other obvious cause, it\u2019s a good idea to check your PCM.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What Tools Do I Need?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before starting any job, it\u2019s important to have the right tools for the task. Here\u2019s what you\u2019ll need to test a PCM:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Flashlight<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Standard and Philips screwdriver<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">OBD or OBD II code scanner (check with your car\u2019s manufacturer on device compatibility)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Multimeter<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A new PCM (if replacing)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-1171\" src=\"https:\/\/www.solopcms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/shutterstock_1449230540-wecompress.com_-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"how to test a pcm\" width=\"700\" height=\"466\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.solopcms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/shutterstock_1449230540-wecompress.com_-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.solopcms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/shutterstock_1449230540-wecompress.com_-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.solopcms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/shutterstock_1449230540-wecompress.com_-768x511.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 1: Visual Inspection<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, before you start doing any surgery on your car, the first thing to do is to check for rust or a disconnected wire. This isn\u2019t the most common cause of a PCM failure, but it\u2019s the easiest to identify.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make sure that your PCM is connected to your battery, and that there\u2019s no rust on the PCM itself or on the battery wiring. Reconnect any loose wires if necessary. If your PCM has experienced corrosion, you\u2019ll have to skip to step 5 to see if it\u2019s failed.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 2: Check Your Battery<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While you\u2019re under the hood, use your multimeter to ensure that your battery has a full charge. It should read at least 12.6 volts with the engine off, or 13.7 volts with the engine running. If it\u2019s showing less than that, fully charge your battery and re-test. The reason this is important is that low voltage can cause certain sensors to fail, depriving your PCM of the input it needs to make correct adjustments.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 3: Code Scanning<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your battery is fully charged and there\u2019s no visible rust, your next step will be to plug an OBD or OBD II code scanner into your vehicle and see if the PCM is producing any OBD error codes. This can be incredibly helpful in solving many mechanical and electrical problems since you can use these codes to narrow down which systems are causing the failure.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A codebook (or easy Google access) is a necessity here since you\u2019ll need to learn what the codes mean in order to make head or tail of them. We\u2019ve written about several PCM-related error codes in the past, including the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.solopcms.com\/blog\/p0603-code-what-means-how-to-fix\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">P0603 code<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.solopcms.com\/blog\/common-causes-u0100-code-fix\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">U0100 code<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.solopcms.com\/blog\/p0113-error-code\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">P0113 code<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, and the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.solopcms.com\/blog\/fix-p0606-fault-code\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">P0606 code<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Obviously, this isn\u2019t an exhaustive list, but it represents the most commonly-displayed error codes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-1172\" src=\"https:\/\/www.solopcms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/shutterstock_257375269-wecompress.com_-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"how to test a pcm\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.solopcms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/shutterstock_257375269-wecompress.com_-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.solopcms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/shutterstock_257375269-wecompress.com_-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.solopcms.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/shutterstock_257375269-wecompress.com_-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 4: Inspect Wiring and Sensors<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hopefully, you had some success with the previous step, because this is where things can get tricky. You need to check the sensors that are connected to your PCM, as well as the wires that connect them. If you\u2019re seeing a PCM code \u2013 or two, or three \u2013 it can really help you narrow in on which sensors or wires are faulty.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Perform a visual inspection of these wires, as well as checking them with a multimeter. Don\u2019t forget to check ground wires and connection points, either, since these are frequent causes of trouble.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you\u2019ve replaced any failed components, reset your car\u2019s codes, and drive for a while. Most likely, you\u2019ll have solved the problem.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 5: Try a Replacement<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If all else fails, or to confirm some repairs, you may need to try running your vehicle with a replacement PCM. Ensure that the PCM is the correct version not just for your make and model, but for the same year as well. If it turns out that your PCM was faulty, you\u2019ll immediately notice an improvement in performance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And that, friends, is how to test a PCM.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What if I Need to Replace My PCM?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019ve followed all of these steps and it turns out that your PCM does need to be <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.solopcms.com\/blog\/should-i-replace-my-engine-computer-or-can-i-repair-it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">repaired or replaced<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, it\u2019s a good idea to get professional help. While it\u2019s possible to repair or replace your own PCM, it <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.solopcms.com\/blog\/everything-need-know-powertrain-control-module-reflashing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">requires specialized tools<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which you may only need to use once.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For more information on what SoloPCMs can do for you, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.solopcms.com\/contact-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">contact us<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> via our web form, or call us at 888-848-0144. Our technicians have decades of combined experience and are ready to help with any issues you may have.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Modern cars rely on computers to manage their various systems. For example, when was the last time you or someone you know had to adjust their car\u2019s timing? Unless you\u2019re a classic car collector or you\u2019re old enough to carry an AARP card, the answer is probably \u201cnever\u201d. There\u2019s a reason for that; we have&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1211,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[71],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Test a PCM: A Complete Guide | Solo Auto Electronics<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A step-by-step guide on how to test a PCM. 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