Seeking advice for ECM/PCM on my new to me 2006 Magnum RT AWD

2359 Views 32 Replies 7 Participants Last post by Magnum_guy, 2 mo ago

Magnum_guy

Discussion Starter · 5 mo ago

I just picked up a 2006 Magnum R/T with the same issue. Really surprised this is so hard to figure out given the age of these cars, frequency of the issue, and the fact that there is a forum community out there. ( If there was a definitive post on this / FAQ etc I missed it)

I am planning on trying to get a 2007 PCM/ECM core i purchased to get reworked for my 2006. Some say this wont work but I don't see why it would not work....Seems like they changed the design for the PCM without changing the rest of the car..... and I'm guessing it was due to all the trouble they were experiencing since the car was not redesigned until 2008.

From what I have read I think Solo in FL might be a good place to try for a refurb.

Solo PCMS PCM ECM ECU Engine Auto Computers
Solo PCMS is a provider of PCM, ECM, ECU, and Engine Auto Computers

www.solopcms.com

Unless I learn something else that's where I plan to go with mine next week after the holiday.

Any advice on if Solo is the right reburbish place? Also wondering if there is any way for we to configure this my self or go to an independent shop to have that done. Seems like a real scam that these are locked to the vin with no way to do it your self on a car that is more than 15 years old with an active hobby community,

If there is a good definitive thread on stalling / cutting out while driving on the highway etc please point me there. I have an OBD2 code reader and its pointing to lost communications so I think this is the proper next step...

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AHBGuru

· #3 · 5 mo ago

My understanding is that 06 and 07 are very much the same. The electrical systems did change significantly in 2008.

The most common reason for the stalling was a defective throttle body, if memory serves.

As IC notes, take the time to figure out what is actually wrong. Everyone wants to blame the computer, when that's rarely - if ever - the actual cause of a problem.

Whether it's the old Lean Burn system, or today's ultra-sophisticated engine and body control management, you will never be able to fix a problem until you figure out what's actually wrong.

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AHBGuru

· #9 · 5 mo ago

Magnum_guy said:
Just those 4 faults. I'm using a bluedriver OBD2 reader I got off of amazon. Pretty slick unit but I'm still figuring it out. I think I can monitor traffic there if I knew what signals were of interest and what they should be reporting.

This is a new car to me but I know the ECM/PCM is not populated for the transmission control port. These AWD Magnum cars ran a Mercedes 4matic transmission /transfer case with their own control unit as I understand it.

Magna-Steyr transfer case was used through 2008, then the Borg Warner 44-40, which is still in use today.

Chrysler A580 uses a stand-alone TCU. No idea why people still think this is a Mercedes transmission, probably the same people who think the cars were simply re-skinned E Class sedans.

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AHBGuru

· #11 · 5 mo ago

ImperialCrown said:
The NAG1 was originally a Daimler-Benz design. Chrysler bought the rights to it and built it at Kokomo. By that time it was a 14 year-old transmission. It was a robust, old-school 5-speed that could handle the torque of the Hemi.

Mercedes NAG1 / WA580 / W5A580 automatic transmission

Mercedes NAG1 / WA580 / W5A580 automatic transmission by Michael Dickens The NAG1 (WA580 or W5A580) automatic transmission found in many Chrysler products is an electronically controlled 5-speed transmission system with a lock-up clutch in the torque converter. The fifth gear is designed to...

www.allpar.com

It had that very thorough & expensive German engineering. Parts were pricy, but durable.
Change the fluid (ATF+4).

The Mercedes 5-spd autos were based on the ZF 5HP30, which was used in a lot of European vehicles at the time. Mercedes added the 2-spd reverse. By the time Chrysler got ahold of it, the overall design was closer to the original 5HP (we could probably refer to it as a "5HP80"), with plenty of durability enhancements that allowed it to hold up under the 6.1 and 6.4 SRT models through 2014, and all Charger Pursuit models through 2020. It was an excellent transmission.

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AHBGuru

· #13 · 5 mo ago

Magnum_guy said:
I think many including myself misread Car and Driver
"The system dealing out the power in the Magnum is similar to the latest 4MATIC system available in most Mercedes sedans and wagons. A transfer case near the passenger's footwell next to the transmission sends 38 percent of the power to the front wheels and the remaining 62 percent to the rear. Unlike many active all-wheel-drive systems that can send power back and forth depending on the need, the Dodge doesn't vary the torque split in the driveline. But it does employ traction control at both ends to limit wheelspin."

The transmission is a common design with Mercedes but not a common P/N Right? If that is true do you know what is different other than SW? ( IE Bellhousing etc)

Was the Magna-Steyr transfer case derived from the Jeep technology?

PS-Thanks for setting me straight. I am new to these cars and still learning a lot.

C&D was one of the media outlets that claimed the original LX was based on E-Class bones. Unfortunately, they still do, as does Mopar Action. Both rags should definitely know better. I would search for the Burke Brown interview here on Allpar, to learn more about the design of the LX, and the decision to "synergize" certain parts assemblies with/from Mercedes. I believe he covered - at some level of detail - the development of the A580 transmission and MS140 transfer case. For sure, the MS140 was replaced with the BW44-40 after 2008. The A580 went out of production in August of 2018 at Kokomo 2, and the remaining inventory was used in the Charger Pursuit models through 2020.
I have no direct knowledge as to all of the changes Chrysler made to the A580 over the years. Some of the wearable items (seals, gaskets, etc) were shared with the 722.6, but also cross-reference to the 5HP. Obviously, Chrysler re-engineered the assembly to the extent that it required ATF+4, which is not something the Mercedes or ZF assemblies called for. The devil is in the details, there.

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Mercedes NAG1 / WA580 / W5A580 automatic transmission

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