Sorry for that mistake, but I still find it hard to believe that Mazda would not be able/not have the knowledge to reconfig. a used pcm. Or any other manufacturer.
A new one still has to be configured to the specific vehicle.
oh, they definitely do have the knowledge
they do not have a will to do that, it undercuts their profits
Which in really many situations (I presume) ends up with no profit and a lost customer both for the dealer and the brand.
Both OP and the Mazda owner will end up with another brand that they may hate later on, but that doesnât do Volvo or Mazda any good
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Allowing tens of thousands of dealer employees the ability to erase or rewrite immobilizer data from computers would be a major flaw in vehicles security systems. Dealers work on and around late model and new cars, the manufacture has a responsibility to keep these systems secure.
sounds like a statistical âwhite noiseâ, as if owner does not âapply his headâ, it will be equally true for any brand, so the needle is not really moved much.
that kind of issues is relatively rare
what I think tips the balance is a constant drip of problems, especially repeating ones - this is how I became a stern skeptic of Ford, telling âI can not bear it any longerâ after car with under 20K miles was getting the warranty repairs time after time, every time replacing brake parts and transmission electronics, and not getting it resolved after 5 or 6 visits⊠although I was told on anotehr thread, it takes 7 tries for Ford, I was simply impatient 
anyway - no more Fords for me
unsurprisingly, Ford essentially lost competition to Japanese makes in compact cars segment
on Mazda (ah, my âhot buttonâ as of now): I know for sure their weak spot used to be in weak corrsosion protection, which they finally seem to address in early 2010s, including the stupid electronic wiring routing and grounding wiring, exposing these components to elements, which is terminal in ârust beltâ where I live. if rust was in plain sight, wires/ground issues were making for quite hard to diagnose issues. still, this is what kept me from buying them last few times I was on the market, now they seem to improve there, giving a resonable reliability on other areas⊠more or lessâŠ
The larger issue is if they condone re-programming of used electronics, they run the risk of being liable in the event that hardware fails later on. Also, they have to track hardware revisions to be sure the software (actually firmware at this point) is compatible. It is far easier for them to just say- the hardware must be new, fully tested, up to date version before it can be programmed. Not saying it cannot be done but is far easier and less risky to take the âwe donât allow used hardware of unknown condition to be programmed with our configuration software toolâ approachâŠ
I guess weâll just agree to disagree on that one. If that truly was the case the Volvo Tech that I met outside of the dealership, would not have told me that he reprogrammed a used one for his car.
Either that tech meant he could do that on his own car, or he could bring in your car and do it. You would be his customer, of course. He could say itâs his car or a close relatives car if asked. Thatâs how I interpret what you said, anyway.
Iâll clear this up once and for all, what he meant was, it is possible to do it using dealer software, and he could do it on his car only. Or he would lose his job. No if ands or buts the dealership could do it. if it was not safe the tech wouldnât have done it on his own car. This is a way 4 Volvo to make $1,300 on a $200 job thatâs it plane and simple. Or you can just junk your car for all they care. If you plan to buy a Volvo and plan to keep it ,as they brag about hundreds of thousands of miles of driving hahahahaha you better work for a Volvo dealership if you want That kind of mileage or be prepared to be raped by the Volvo dealership.
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I have been searching online for information, because this topic intrigues me. Some people claim that you can successfully install a used ETM from the same exact model and engine type without any re-programming. Have you tried this, or are you just going by what the dealer told you?
The problem is, if you install a used throttle body that still has the mechanical TPS, that throttle body will suffer the same problem.
If this vehicle came into my shop, I would install a remanufactured throttle body like I mentioned before, https://xemodex.com/us/product/electronic-throttle-body-etb-for-volvo/. and then I would call the FLASHER.
You spend $300.00 for the remanufactured ETB, and the Flasher comes out and does the reprogram/relearn of the ETB for $100.00-$200.00.
Tester
I would like to point out that there are other reasons for a shop not to provide or allow used parts. I implemented and enforced a policy at the chain of shops my employer operated that stated we would not provide or install any used parts. If your vehicle was old enough that new parts could not be obtained, you were out of luck. If you couldnât afford a new or rebuilt engine, please go somewhere else., etc.
I instituted this policy after we put in a used engine for a âpoor single momâ. The woman signed our usual release of liability. A week after doing the job corporate legal called me in for a chat. The customer had complained to them that the car didnât feel ârightâ, and she no longer felt safe in it. I showed the lawyer the release the woman signed, and he agreed we had no legal liability. But, he said, she said sheâs going to the media with this to ruin our reputation. We wound up telling her to find a used car she liked, and we paid for it. Since that day, no used parts, not even a rear view mirror.
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Well I did have a pretty reliable Ford Ranger (but the engine was Mazda, as far as I know), but my general opinion is not very good for American cars overall. I think perhaps the trucks are a bit more reliable, but I have not done extensive research. Letâs just say I am not that comfortable buying an American car, and I think that is sad, because I live here. But to be fair, my fear is not limited to American cars.
When I test drove a VW Jetta I really liked the car, but the first thing my mechanic said was âItâs going to cost more in maintenance.â And when I did a little online research I was still afraid to buy the car, even though one of my friends said it would be a good car. He might be right, but Iâve heard enough about expensive repairs that I was not confident enough to buy it. The same could be said for Audi, just based on personal experience. My dad bought an Audi and he had nothing but problems with it. He also had extensive problems with a VW van (the first water cooled model). Before that my dad was pretty happy with his air-cooled VWs. And I think I would love driving a mini cooper, but when I researched it the same thing comes up with reliability being a big issue, which is somewhat evident in how the resale value drops so quickly.
Of course, that itself is not a reason not to buy an Audi, but itâs one example of what can happen, that I never hear of when it comes to Toyotas or Hondas. Of course, Iâm sure it happens sometimes with Toyotas and Hondas, I just never hear about it, so Iâm more confident buying those. lol
I did try and used throttle body supposedly from the same year and model as my 02 S60 even made sure the color of the sticker was the same as the one that came off the car was a white sticker the one I put on a car was a white sticker, the car would run but very very poorly