"Why Should I be Charged for an ECU Reflash on my 2001 Nissan Pathfinder?"

Silver 2001 Nissan Pathfinder Right Side View

I own a 2001 Nissan Pathfinder and my check engine light came on. According to the codes, both banks of the catalytic converter were performing below threshold levels. Rather than replace with catalytic converters (which would be free because the catalytic converters are still under warranty) Nissan wants to do a re flash and charge me $150. Seems to me it’s their fault for not programming the ECU correctly in the first place.

Answer: ECU re-flash falls under the same federal warranty as the cats. Anything to do with the cat or engine computer including re-flash and if they still balk ask to have that in writing so you can forward it Nissan Corp.

What Are Specified Major Emission Control Components?

There are three specified major emission control components,
covered for the first 8 years or 80,000 miles of vehicle use on 1995
and newer vehicles:

* Catalytic converters.

* The electronic emissions control unit or computer (ECU).

* The on-board emissions diagnostic device or computer (OBD).

Catalytic converters are critical emission control components that have been installed on most cars and trucks manufactured since 1975. Since engines don’t burn fuel completely during the combustion process, the exhaust contains a significant amount of harmful pollutants such as carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and oxides of
nitrogen. The catalytic converter aids the conversion of these pollutants to less harmful substances such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, nitrogen, and oxygen before the exhaust is expelled into the environment.

The electronic emissions control unit or computer monitors certain power train functions and controls various operating parameters to help the vehicle run efficiently and with the lowest possible emissions. Ignition, transmission function, air injection, exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), engine operating temperature and fuel system parameters are some of the systems monitored and/or controlled by the electronic emissions control unit.

The on board emissions diagnostic device monitors the operation of a vehicle’s emission control system and alerts the driver with a dashboard light when malfunctions occur. The system will record where the problem is occurring and assist automotive technicians in diagnosing and repairing emission control malfunctions. Since some emission control malfunctions do not have an adverse effect on vehicle performance, they can go undetected by the driver for quite some time. The on board diagnostic device will help catch malfunctions early, preventing a significant output of harmful exhaust emissions from your vehicle, and possibly in time to be covered by the emissions control warranty. Often this “device” is part of the electronic control unit mentioned above.

In the future, there may be other parts or components that qualify for this coverage. Check your owner’s manual or warranty book for possible additional coverage.