PPE programmer killed my truck

KuhlManAZ · 07-03-2008, 01:40 PM

I used a PPE programmer to adjust for my tire size when it was new. I did not run any tune program, wanted to wait for some miles.

As a recent service, they ran the LMM program recall flash, I did not even realize it.

The other day I plugged in the programmer, selcted a tune and it finished. Truck would not start. Did the "back to stock" and it finished. Still will not start. To make things better, when I plug in the programmer, it will not see the truck, just stalls out in the "checking VIN" screem. PPE had no idea what was going on when I called them. I did not realize they recal flash was done until they asked me about it and I searched my paperwork. They claim that flash is what the problem was.

Well, I had it towed to Chevy 3 days ago and said the truck will not start. As of this moment, they cannot figure out what is wrong, they are just daying a major electrical failure or something. They have been checking for 3 days. I have no idea what it could have done, but it is not looking good.

Anyone have anything similar happen. I am bit worried

**Meyerperformance** · 07-03-2008, 01:43 PM

I haven't heard anything like this but it sounds like a ecm problem

**Meyerperformance** · 07-03-2008, 01:44 PM

maybe a fried ecm, i sure hope not for you, i think they are over a grand

KuhlManAZ · 07-03-2008, 01:47 PM

They are thinking ECM, but they are also working this as a warranty. All I told them is it will not start, nothing more. They say they are running a bunch of tests. I am not sure if they will be able to tell what caused the issue if they even figure it out.

**Meyerperformance** · 07-03-2008, 01:56 PM

hopefully it fried the ecm and they cant tel you adjusted tire size they might say that you tuned it, but they could see if it was reflashed.

KuhlManAZ · 07-03-2008, 02:06 PM

They are saying htey cannot communicate with it, so maybe it did mess up the ECM. The tire adjustment was way back before the recall flash,I am not sure if it was still there after the flash or not. The PPE did read the truck when I plugged it in prior to the tune and the tire size was right, but maybe it was just old info. Last operation by the PPE was the return to stock, which it appeared to finish propery, but it would nto start afer that, and the programmer would no longer start up after that either

**Meyerperformance** · 07-03-2008, 02:15 PM

ya i would say its fried and you will be getting a new one, and if they try to charge you i would contact ppe. But i am sure that warranty will cover it, especially if it cant communicate.

KuhlManAZ · 07-03-2008, 02:24 PM

I have to say I am little gun shy about using a pregrammer again. I did run the update to the programmer from PPE, but I would hate to have somehting happen again, I think it would be more than a little obvious then.

Should I have it installed at a retailer so if it has an issue they will take care of it?

**ob_1jr** · 07-03-2008, 02:30 PM

yeah, hopefully the dealership isn't lying to you when they say they cannot communicate with the ECM. Hopefully it is fried to the point that GM cannot see any parameters in the ECM. (even after it is taken out of the truck and sent back to GM) I know my dealership told me that GM is starting to void warranties if they suspect programmer use and can download the tables and see if any calibration is not GMs. I know they cannot outright just deny warranty just because of a programmer, but they might try to do that if they figure out that you were trying to use a programmer. Hopefully the dealership helps you out on this. Keep us posted on what happens.

**Meyerperformance** · 07-03-2008, 02:34 PM

not many retailers are going to take fall, because you wanted the tuner, and all they did was program it. Its your responsiblity what happens to truck, sorry not trying to be a a hole