reprogramming ECM?

How do you mean 'service item'?

Disconnecting the battery for a while (or just for seconds, and holding brake pedal down for ten) will *reset* your ECU...basically cause it to reboot, with all it's learned information cleared.

I think reprogramming the ECU/ECM is part of the regular maintenance schedule isn't it? That's what I mean. Is that all they do? Just reset it by killing the power? Well actually, they must have some other way since the clock and radio etc do not get reset when they do it, but it was all reset when my battery died and it reset on it's own.

Thanks, Jim

Actually, I just found this thread:

Which pretty much answer my questions as long as the same applies to s 2000 OBW which I imagine it does....

Thanks, Jim

OK. I do realize that. I guess my question is still what does that item in the regular maintenance schedule refer to and is it equivalent to clearing the ECU memory by killing the power?

We might be dancing around the same bush, but calling it a different name, here.

"Resetting" the ECU is essentially the same thing as powering down your PC, and letting it reboot. In our ECUs, they accumulate some "learning" about how we drive, shift points etc, as well as the quality of fuel that's being used, and other things that I sure don't know ;-)---THAT info will be purged, when the ECU is reset.

"Reprogramming" (to me, anyway) implies something more substantial than a reset---making an actual change to the base code that the ECU starts up with, and works from ever after. In this sense, reprogramming would be more like doing a Windows Service Pack 2, on your XP machine. Most folks would call this a "reflash", in terms of Subaru ECUs. Also, during a reprogramming or reflash, all the learned info would be purged, just as in a reset.

As far as the clock & radio presets being ok, I'd imagine both resetting or reprogramming/flashing of the ECU could be accomplished without messing with them. Or, they could take note of your FM presets, and restore them afterwards. It's kind of inconclusive.

HTH

OK. I've rechecked my service manual that came with my 2000 OBW. The 24000 kms service has an item "Reprogram Engine Control Management System". I imagine in the US the same item is in the maintenance schedule every 15000 miles?

So my original question is...what is THAT?

Thanks, Jim