With my new found confidence in the Q I took it out this afternoon: After finding the disconnected vacuum hose a couple days ago I had a phone call and had to stop on the side of the road for ~15 mins...no issues. Today I took the car to my son's baseball practice (~15 min drive)...no issues. Took son home (~15 mins), let car idle (~7 mins), took car to mom's to pick up daughter (~10 mins), let car idle in driveway while getting daughter (~10 mins)...came out to a perfectly idling car, but the VCD, slip, and check engine lights were all on...and throttle response was nonexistent, but since it's a short ride home, what harm could it do to take it home? Got almost halfway home and just died while travelling ~20 MPH, wouldn't restart, nothing. Got a ride home and will put a scanner on it in the morning, but am losing faith.

P0605 Internal Control Module Read Only Memory Error is the only code my cheap scanner sees...waiting to see if the fancy Snap On scanner sees anything else.

Found a computer for $350, but they said it will have to be programmed to the car, and the keys will have to be reprogrammed. There are two shops in the area that supposedly have the equipment for programming, any idea what it takes to do the programming? I'd like to get an idea what all this will cost.

Any update so far? Just seeing this

Nothing yet, haven't removed the computer. Planning on sending it to G7Computers.com once I get it out. If not will have to buy one and pay the dealer $175 to program it to the car and the keys to it.

Do these computers only come on 2000 or newer vehicles?

I remember I had a 96 Camry and years ago it had a torn timingbelt. The mechanic seemed to have thought it was the computer that wasn’t allowing it to start. Turns out it was just the timing belt.

But obviously these cars don’t use timing belts though. You’re positive it is the computer?

Hopefully when fixed it doesn't go like the 2002 movie " Die Another Day "

P0605 is failure of the computer to read it's own memory chip. Not sure what else it could be.

Check the camshaft sensors. There's 2 on the block and one right where the transmission meets up with the engine. Edbwoy has a good video on where these are on VK45s.

It happened to mine, randomly stalling, sometimes giving that CEL code etc. The crank (crank and cam sensors are the same but have different plug directions) sensor on my transmission had metal shavings in it and when I replaced it I never had that issue since and she runs strong ever since.