Immediate help needed. Checksum failed: $0548

[2007 5.9]

I'm lost with it as well...known good tunes just lock up a ECM!!

Why is it a checksum issue while flashing???

Really confusing...I hate having customers have issues I can't fix!!

[06 Mega 5.9]

Well, as I stated, we're going to call Cindy today and see what can be determined on EFI's end. If it turns out that the ECM is a brick, LRieff has a new ECM he got from the dealer with a dealer flash on it that he offered to sell and overnight to us and, of course, for far cheaper than the dealer. We can pull that stock tune, change the VIN, re-flash and at least get it back on the road again.

[06 Mega 5.9]

Spoke with Donna at EFI Live. She passed some info to Paul and within 3 minutes called me back. The problems stem from the Smarty, we did nothing wrong in our attempts. It needs a dealer flash, no other way around it.

Awesome support from EFI Live! Donna even offered a free license! There's much more to EFI Live than the ability to make a Cummins a monster! It's the people that stand behind their product. That's a successful business!

[JoshH]

Have you tried disabling checksums in the tune?

[GMPX]

Glad to hear it's all going to work out ok. Bad timing really with those of us at this end of the world working on different days/times zones.
Les is correct though, the known good files from Tune depot should have flashed ok, so not sure what is going on there. It's also a real problem with that tuner not returning to stock. I would suggest taking your Smarty with you to the dealer so you can use their recovery file, they might run in to the same problems. Could be worse, one of the Smarty revisions (when returned to stock) then used as a base tune with EFILive ended up bricking the ECM.

[06 Mega 5.9]

I would suggest taking your Smarty with you to the dealer so you can use their recovery file, they might run in to the same problems. Could be worse, one of the Smarty revisions (when returned to stock) then used as a base tune with EFILive ended up bricking the ECM.

Can you elaborate on this a bit more? I'm not sure I'm understanding exactly.

The truck is actually still under warranty. The previous owner purchased an extended warranty but it expires early next year. We're kinda hoping we can play dumb and just tell them it wouldn't start and the Edge Insight showed nothing and get the ECM flashed or replaced under the warranty.

Have you tried disabling checksums in the tune?

Yes I did. Not during the first attempt though but I did disable the "Calibration Verification" checksum on one of the attempts thereafter. No luck.

[billybob]

Good luck getting any warranty support if the dealer knows there was a programmer anywhere near the truck, our local dodge dealer is voiding warranties because of bolt-ons like CAI's, turbo back exhausts, etc, on otherwise stock trucks

[GMPX]

Can you elaborate on this a bit more? I'm not sure I'm understanding exactly.

The flash process on the Cummins ECM is not very flexible, you have to do it one specific way or it fails. When Smarty 'returns to stock' (I name them because this is the programmer with issues) the ECM is not left in a 100% stock state as it would have been prior to having the Smarty put on. The problem this causes is when the tune is then read as your stock file, there is still extra data in there (put in by Smarty) that in simple terms confuses EFILive as to what it should be flashing. So we analyse the file, figure out we need to write 'x' amount of data, but the hacked code in the ECM says there is actually 'y' amount of data, when the reflash happens things don't line up and it fails.
On the 6.7L ECM, one revision of the Smarty when returned to stock and then flashed with EFILive actually caused the ECM to lock up (See here). You might jump to the conclusion that it's EFILive's fault, but no, we are following the rules with these ECM's when it comes to flashing, if the files (modified or returned to stock) also stuck to the rules then none of this would be an issue.

Regarding the dealers, from what I've seen it depends, some are very good and will happily reprogram the ECM for you without question.

[06 Mega 5.9]

Good luck getting any warranty support if the dealer knows there was a programmer anywhere near the truck, our local dodge dealer is voiding warranties because of bolt-ons like CAI's, turbo back exhausts, etc, on otherwise stock trucks

At this point, I don't think they're going to be able to find any evidence. The Edge Insight doesn't even register anything. I didn't see it for myself but my dad tells me that all it showed was that it was looking for certain protocols. Aside from that, we've had this truck at this same dealer a few times in the past with the CFM+, "aftermarket exhaust" which is merely a Magnaflow muffler on the stock system and the Edge Insight sitting on the a-pillar. They've questioned it but continue on to the next step without further questioning when told it's only a monitor. Since the last visit, however, we installed the Airdog and XDP sump. But of course, being under warranty, they're going over it with a microscope and probably trying to find any reason to save them from replacing or flashing the ECM. One thing they said was "well there's some sort of pump with filters bolted to the frame." We said "and...? Filtering and straining the fuel of any contaminants and water better than the factory system isn't good?"

Regarding the dealers, from what I've seen it depends, some are very good and will happily reprogram the ECM for you without question.

We're playing the waiting game right now. Called the dealer and being under the extended warranty, they sent a tow truck out to pick it up. My dad tells me that the driver asked what the problem was and, as most do, thought he would try to diagnose the problem. He jumped in and proceeded to crank it! Something my dad did NOT want to do or be done unless it was in the dealer's hands. Needless to say, that story was shared with the dealer so maybe that gave us a little leverage.

[06 Mega 5.9]

Finally got word back from the dealer. They've ordered a new ECM and said if it works, great. If not, we're paying the $1400 for it. Billybob, you are right. Dealers now have zero tolerance for any aftermarket modifications and will immediately disregard the warranty on such vehicles. They did us a huge favor by letting it slide this time due to the fact that it had been in their hands in the past as is but said, from now on, it wouldn't pass "inspection."

We're confident that the new ECM should work without issues. However, they never specified if they even tried re-flashing the existing one. Being under warranty, you'd think they'd be on the look out for the cheapest fix. Oh well! Now we just have to cross our fingers that we don't have any future issues reading the stock tune and re-flashing one of Les' tunes.