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SMOG K01 ECM Flash, Need a smarty in California

5K views 38 replies 8 participants last post by  5.7 Hemi 
#1 ·
I have an 05 ram 2500. The dealer won't flash the K01. Thus my vehicle cannot pass smog because the readiness monitors never show ready. Dealer says it doesn't apply to my vehicle. (Spoiler; it does)

I've read that with a smarty it can be flashed. Is anyone located in SoCal (I'm in San Diego) with a smarty that can help me with it? Will pay for your time. Really don't want to spend $700 for a smarty that can't even ship to California.
 
#4 ·
you dont actually need anything done to the truck. You need to go to a new shop that understands diesels. Dont go to a little popup quick check shop that only does smogs. Go to a truck service station that does smogs too. When I lived there It took me 4-5 shops to find one that knew the rules for my 00' 3500. It wasn't a sketchy thing, a bunch of shops just didn't know anything about diereses and were failing me for stupid stuff (like my second fuel tank), or mechanical fuel pump.
 
#5 ·
I don't understand the issue you are having with your 2005 ECM program but have you tried a different dealer?

You will have to pay the dealer to reflash your old 2005 truck but I'm can't see why they wouldn't do it.
 
#6 ·
I've gone to the same shop three times. Trucks been registered and on the roads here for six years. This year they failed. I'm assuming I just got a dumb smog tech. I guess I'll try a different dealer. The one I went to refused to load it because they said my truck didn't need it.
 
#7 ·
Do you know exactly what readiness monitors are not being set? Do you have an OBDII scanner that shows the readiness monitors?
Any DTC's?

If your truck has passed smog for the last 6 years, I don't see how flashing it to stock will help it pass smog now.
Unless you have loaded another programmer on your truck but then you wouldn't need a Smarty.

If you do flash the ECM, all the readiness monitors will be reset and you will have to drive it around for a while to get them to show ready or good.
 
#8 ·
No DTCs sir. Yes I have OBD scanner, The monitors that don't show ready are MIS and CCM. (They have never shown ready. I bought the truck new) this year they just decided to fail it.

Never had a programmer on it. Flashing it to stock is a different flash than my 'stock' that will allow the monitors to show 'ready'. Basically nothing on the truck has changed except now they failed it. Nothing is wrong mechanically. It passed everything besides showing 'ready'
 
#24 ·
5.7 Hemi,

The reference I found says that diesel 1998-2006 model year vehicles are required to have all monitors complete or ready.

I've searched for others do you have a link or anything by chance. Thanks for all the help guys. I appreciate it.
I sent you a PM for a reliable,competent smog guy.
 
#12 ·
I’m looking and found this. I will continue to find more “concrete” rules.


Number of incomplete monitors allowed to pass on diesel powered vehicles:
  • Old standard: any two for 1998 to 2000 model years
  • New standard: zero for 1998 to 2006 (OIS test)
  • Old standard: any one for 2001 & newer model years
  • New standard: any two for 2007 and newer (OIS test)
 
#13 ·

For some reason getting on CARB.CA.GOV is proving to be difficult. I found the above link, basically it reinforces what I posted earlier.
 
#15 ·
Another.. the rest of the story! LOL..

So a change to the smog rules with respect to diesel trucks I/M readiness status would explain why the 2005 truck is NOW failing smog.


A little research shows that the K01 TSB ECM reflash is specifically for the I/M readiness monitors on the early 3rd Gen trucks.
This is likely what the OP is trying to get at in his 1st post and it now does make sense! :)
This TSB reflash came out in 2010.

If the 2005 truck has the original ECM and it has never been flashed for any of the ECM TSB's over the years for these trucks, it could still have the original outdated 2005 ECM program in it.

There were several threads around that stated that the dealerships could no longer program the 2003-05 trucks anymore as support has been discontinued.
I would still be calling different dealerships trying to find one that will flash the truck.
You will likely have to pay for this service but not that expensive.

Any Smarty product updated with the latest 2012 ECM flash would flash the 2005 truck with the latest stock program.
Borrowing a Smarty product with the latest 2012 ECM flash would work. I've flashed numerous other trucks with my S06 Smarty over the years.

I've never tried checking the I/M monitors on my 2004.5 truck. It does have the latest (2012) Smarty S06 ECM program on it.
I will have to check them out.
 
#19 · (Edited)
He could but that's not necessary. A dealer used to be able to flash an early 3rd gen in less than an hour.
If the OP borrowed a Smarty product, it would take about an hour to flash a Smarty program on his ECM and then flash it back to stock.

Numerous companies could sell the OP various programming devices, they may even be able to bench flash his ECM if he sends it to them, but that's not the easiest way.

There are ways to tell if the 2003-05 ECM has been re-written but I'm sure the smog testing center would not know how to do it.

Of course, flashing the ECM to the latest stock program may not set all the I/M monitors to good and get the truck to pass the smog test.
Although the OP stated he has no DTC's, the MIS (misfire) I/M set to not ready is concerning.
He could have an issue despite no DTC's and the truck appearing to run fine.
 
#17 ·
I'd wonder if Calibrated power could help them out since they've always specialized in compliant tunes, if they know a way to get a compliant tune on the truck that sets the correct parameters in the ECM
 
#20 ·
StealthDiesel nice points. There is plenty of options it just seems the smarty would be the easiest and the cheapest. I don't think the MIS is an issue, I bought the truck in 2004 brand new, it has never shown ready on the monitor.

As always yall have been so helpful with information resources and options. Thank yall.
 
#21 ·
IDK Id be tempted to talk to a lawyer TBH, the state should not make you get a re-flash just to pass when nothing changed on the truck since the last time.

Or like I said before go to a different shop. This seems more like a smog tech knowledge thing than anything
 
#23 ·
CumminsShake, perhaps post on the California section of the forum asking to borrow a Smarty or a nearby Ram dealer that is recommended or what they are doing to pass smog in their Cummins trucks.

If we lived a little closer, we would have flashed your truck with my Smarty S06 already! :)


So I got curious and went out to the garage and connected 2 of my OBDII scanners to my 2004.5 truck.
I'm running an S06 Smarty with the latest 2012 Mads update. The S06 doesn't show I/M status.
I have never checked I/M status on my truck before. Never needed to, never thought about it!

My pretty decent Autel scanner shows all my I/M parameters as "N/A".
My cheapo OBDII scanner also shows all the I/M parameters at "N/A".
 
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#25 ·
Cummins Shake, I'm a little late to the party but here is my input just in case you are still having issues.
I had a similar problem with my 2006 49 state truck. I don't remember what codes were causing the issue but the smog tech said I had to go to the dealer because the ECM showed not ready to test.
Your profile says your in SanDiego so you'll probably know the dealers in the area. I started in Poway and that dealer said they could not re-flash my ECM to resolve the issue because they didn't have the right machine. A few other dealers said the same thing. I eventually ended up at Rancho Dodge in Kearny Mesa and they were able to flash my ECM which fixed the issue.
 
#26 ·
Cummins Shake, I'm a little late to the party but here is my input just in case you are still having issues.
I had a similar problem with my 2006 49 state truck. I don't remember what codes were causing the issue but the smog tech said I had to go to the dealer because the ECM showed not ready to test.
Your profile says your in SanDiego so you'll probably know the dealers in the area. I started in Poway and that dealer said they could not re-flash my ECM to resolve the issue because they didn't have the right machine. A few other dealers said the same thing. I eventually ended up at Rancho Dodge in Kearny Mesa and they were able to flash my ECM which fixed the issue.
Went there today! They won't do it. I explained everything, showed the TSBs. They refused. Said it is only for Cali trucks. I explained my truck is a California truck since I brought it into the state.

I scheduled with a referee, I'm over this crap.
 
#29 ·
Pablo and a master heavy duty mechanic friend are scratching their heads. Does it in the driveway,on the road but it is becoming a daily deal now. I can't imagine the new trucks in ten yrs with so much more complicated electronics? I've got smog coming up in December and must get this resolved or I'll be in the same boat.
 
#30 ·
Got updates referee called said your truck is federal your smog tech doesn't know what they doing. Take it back. I take it back he says you have to run it as California because their is no veci. There is no veci sticker because its a federal truck and it wasn't required. Does anyone post a picture veci sticker or know a work around?
 
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