ROW Flash, and Now Car Is Undrivable!

[Dave80GTSi]

Guys – Many thanks to each and every one of you who have added your thoughts to this puzzle. I very much appreciate them all, and they’ve given me a number of issues to ponder. Thankfully I do have the unique circumstance here of not needing to rush into this, giving me ample time to do some research and homework.

Pouring thru my Bentley manual, page by page last evening, I finally stumbled across a pretty obscure paragraph, reproduced below:

“On ME 7.2 ( … which is mine) and ME 7.8 cars, the engine control module (ECM) software performs a learning and adaptation routine for the throttle unit if:

- The power supply to the ECM is interrupted (Me: Yup!)

- The ECM plugs were disconnected (Me: Yup!)

- A new ECM is installed (Me: Well, maybe sorta?)

- The throttle unit is replaced (Me: Nope!)

- The ECM is programmed (Me: Yup!)”


So, no question whatsoever that the throttle needs to be recalibrated. [One can perhaps wonder how, if a person were to unplug their battery for months at a time for winter storage purposes, that scenario might fit to the above five (5) bullet points – maybe ticking the box for Point 1?]

But in any case, the Bentley manual then goes on to paraphrase the contents of the TSB info that I posted earlier on in this thread, with the stern admonition (among others) that the min / max temperature guidelines which are noted in the TSB “MUST” be observed. And since my first couple of attempts to recalibrate the throttle did not abide by these temperature guidelines (at that time, who knew?), I am certainly not prepared to admit defeat, nor to cast any sort of blame.

So, while I do remain quite a bit surprised that their temperature window seems to be so strict as to make or break the success of this entire operation, nevertheless it all does appear to come together so to make some sort of logical sense. And so I will set to the warm-the-engine-up-first prelude that I noted earlier, for my third recalibration attempt to be done this coming weekend.

Since I’ve publicly come along this far, out here in the open on this forum, I will most certainly post updates - if for no other reason than to perhaps help out the next soul who might someday follow in these footsteps.

Sincere thanks once again to all - DM