Replaced ECU, Will the VIN Change?
#1
Replaced ECU, Will the VIN Change?
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.
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.
#2
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.
Edit: Read-only. Long night.
Last edited by User1; 12-05-2020 at 12:21 PM.
#4
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.
#5
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?
#6
#7
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.
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.
Last edited by koco; 12-05-2020 at 11:38 AM.
#10
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.
#11
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.
#12
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.
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.
Last edited by aackshun; 12-05-2020 at 02:27 PM.
#13
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.
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.
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.
#14
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.
#15
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.
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.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
chasMAX
General Maxima Discussion
4
11-29-2016 09:44 AM
nanomax96
4th Generation Maxima (1995-1999)
1
12-24-2003 10:14 AM