Golden, Colo. -- Advancements in vehicle technology have led independent repair shops to rely on their parts suppliers for more than parts. That relationship often leads to dealerships sharing repair information, and, now, a new service that provides factory scan tools.
The communication between a vehicle's computer and various control modules has made once routine repairs complex, requiring replacement parts to be programmed to the specific vehicle being worked on. A pair of Colorado AutoNation dealerships--Go Chrysler Jeep West and Go Ford West--are helping independent shop owners with a new mobile flash service for Chrysler and Ford vehicles.
On newer Chrysler vehicles, when a body control module (BCM) or powertrain control module (PCM), are replaced, a code has to be entered into the generic module that allows the electronic control module (ECM) to communicate with it, said Steve Jones, GO Chrysler Jeep West's Chrysler master tech.
That requires the factory DRB III scan tool for 1997 or newer vehicles and the StarScan for 2005 and newer vehicles, said Mike Mulkins, parts manager at Go Chrysler Jeep West. The price of those scan tools and cables can quickly add up, reaching more than $5,000 per tool, he noted.
"We don't view independent repairers as our competitors," Mulkins said. "We want them to be profitable. For smaller shops, it's cost prohibitive to purchase the factory scan tool."
Mulkins said he began offering the Chrysler reflash service last fall with each of the computers or modules he sold, charging $50 to shops in metro Denver and $75 to shops in nearby cities. He noted that a shop can then turn around and resell the reflash at a profit, most times at a 100 percent markup.
Shops now don't have the added expense of a tow bill to the dealership if they want to have a customer's vehicle reflashed with a factory scan tool, said Mark Manson, parts manager at Go Ford West, which offers the service at $100. Parts Specialist Tim Deneau said he conducts the Ford reflashes with the factory Integrated Diagnostic System (IDS) and a wireless laptop outfitted with a broadband card.
"They get installed as a generic module, then it's customized to the vehicle," Jones said, adding that the factory scan tool accomplishes that in conjunction with the OE Web site.
Even independent repair shops equipped with the most advanced aftermarket scan tools and access to OE Web sites can get stuck on a job, Mulkins said.
"The reflash service can come in handy for shops with customers who have a lockout situation or may have lost their keys," said Claire Cummings, Go Chrysler Jeep West's business development manager-wholesale parts.
"There are some situations where the OE information is not available," said Jamie Fuelling, manager of Merrill Auto Electric in Lakewood, which carries factory credentials from Chrysler and BMW.
Although Fuelling has reflash capability through his tools, which include Ease Diagnostics and a Bosch MasterTech, he said he recently used Go Chrysler Jeep West's service on a 2000 Dodge 2500 diesel. "We tried to reprogram the ECM with our equipment," he said. "Our equipment would not recognize the ECM sold to us."
