koco

I replced a fried ECU with one from the junkyard that is now working fine; the odometer reading stayed original. My question is: will the VIN remain original, or will it need to be programmed into the new ECU?

I don't yet have a working diagnostic program that will show me what the VIN shows up as, I don't think Torque OBD will do that. I don't really want to buy a diag program just to look at the vin.

User1

The VIN will be in some file folder tucked away somewhere you don't have access to unless you know what you're doing, and it would be write-only anyway. You're asking a de minimis question.

Edit: Read-only. Long night.

Costee

Vin detection and writing on ECMs is possible only on cars from 2005 model year. i.e., from the 6th Gen.

koco

Thank you for your reply. Your answer is a bit non sequitur; I was asking if the VIN will follow the ECU, or remain unchanged. Remember, the odometer reading was not affected by the ECU swap because it is obviously retained in some other memory than that within the ECU. That being said, perhaps there is a chance that VIN information is also recorded outside of the ECU.

The only reason I care about this is for smog purposes; if I go to smog and it passes, the VIN sent to DMV needs to match that of the rest of the vehicle.

koco

If it were true that VIN detection was not possible on vehicles prior to 2005, how does the smog inspection computer capture the VIN? Are you saying that the VIN is not stored within the ECU on all vehicles?

Costee

Yes, to answer your second question. I'm speaking for the Maxima.

koco

Thank you for the reply. You are saying that the VIN information is perhaps not stored within the ECU on a 2000 Maxima? Thereason I posted this thread is because I read information online about having to flash an ECU to update the VIN and odometer mileage after performing an ECU swap; this ECU flash could be performed with an advanced diagnostic program (that I currently do not have), the article did not say it was for a 2000 Maxima though and since my odometer reading did not change after the swap, I need to know if the VIN has changed, otherwise emissions inspection will be impossible without some programming.

The NATS ignition transponder key programming was easy with the $100 Silca SBB unit, plus I can use it again on many makes and models.

Costee

No vin information is stored on a 2000 Maxima. ECU.

User1

VINs are probably added to a DOT database when they are registered and confirmed with the windshield plate when you pass through. I don't know this for a fact. VIN purpose is to ID the chassis, not individual components.

koco

Thank you for your reply once again. Here in NV it is the DMV, not the DOT that is responsible for verifying the emissions certificates that are uploaded from the state certified smog inspection stations. I noticed that the VIN information is automatically populated on the inspection computer from my past visits there with other vehicles, so if the VIN that appears on the smog station's computer differs from my chassis VIN it will not be a valid smog certificate for me. In this case "individual components" do make a difference and are not trivial items of no importance.

I guess I could just go to a smog station and risk losing the $19.99 to see if the VIN matches up, but its sometimes easier to ask the advice of someone who already knows the answer without speculating the outcome.

User1

I get it. DOT oversees the DMV. There are many divisions to a state DOT. Lots of speculation on this forum. My intuition tells me you're overthinking this, it's chassis plate VIN verified and follows the registration, and that if there is a discrepancy, yours will hardly be the first, and there will be an easy solution on their side, whether it's to add to notes, or whatever.

aackshun

iTrader: (3)

This thread makes 0 sense.

ill help the poor souls who find this mess via Google.

Read this carefully.

There is no vin registration on any single plug Nissan/Infiniti ECU.

So in lamens.... If your ECU has one plug.... It doesn't store VIN information.

If it has two plugs..... Well last time I checked two isn't one so guess what..... What I said doesn't apply....

/Thead.

koco

Thank you for your criticism of this thread, its ok if you have no use for any information or disinformation uncovered here.

A person who worked an an emissions tech told me that some vehicles when connected to the emissions station computer will populate the VIN information automatically. The concern was that upon changing an ECU the emissions inspector would notice a discrepancy and that this could lead to a problem that would need to be resolved before a valid emissions certificate could be issued. Do that make any sense to you? It makes sense to me, and that's why I posted here to begin with. I was not concerned with the fact that it is a trivial bit of information, or that some people may not care about this sort of thing before I posted it. I just wanted to see if someone knew for sure if this vehicle was one of that has VIN information stored within the ECU. It appears that the answer to that question is no. Thank you everyone for your participation with this. Have a good evening.

Theslaking

No it doesn't. There's laws that are designed specifically to protect the consumer tha repair their own vehicles. However, depending on your state, you might have to file the appropriate paperwork with your DMV stating why vins don't match. Ie: engine and chassis swaps.

There is also likely an age limit that makes the dmv care.

If the vin does not follow ecu then my statements are for future reference only.

koco

None of that sounds like fun. I'm hoping to avoid any of that, but plan ahead for it if needed. Plus it seems like it would have a fee associated with it like everyting involving a DMV.

Child_uv_KoRn

iTrader: (7)

The vin is checked on the dash... lol

koco

The smog inspector that I go to pulls the VIN automatically from the vehicle's computer whenever possible. lol