HELP! Thunderstruck!

[VStar650CL]

My brother-in-law (full disclosure, broke and mechanically hopeless) had his '16 Frontier take a near hit from a lightning bolt several weeks ago. The truck is a V6 "S" model without NATS smart keys, and after buying a used ECM from a similar "SV" model using the same hardware, I discovered to my chagrin that once a Nissan ECM is programmed into a NATS vehicle, it's impossible to unprogram the NATS function, even by reflashing it as a "new" part. Worse, TechLine tells me that once you put a NATS ECM or BCM into a non-NATS vehicle, it automatically reprograms its opposite number (ECM or BCM) to expect NATS. So the SV ECM basically trashed his BCM along with being unusable.

I found a used S model BCM to replace that, but after combing every internet junkyard I could find, there doesn't seem to be an S model V6 ECM anyplace in America. If any of you Frontier owners have a line on one, I will be forever grateful. Even at my employee price, a brand new one is $600, and given my brother-in-law's sorry state, if we spend it for him we will never see it again.

The needed part is marked NEC17-017 (Hitachi part number) and must come from a '15~'18 V6 Frontier S, not SV. The other vehicle details don't matter, it can be any cab or bed and 2WD or 4WD.

[Niti QX4]

Nothing in the salvage yards here with that year. I'll keep looking around.

[VStar650CL]

Thanks for the effort.

[FrenchPople]

Sounds like the best thing to do here is take it to the dealer to have reconfigured at the least.

With that said I do have a question. With the original ECM plugged in and the key turned to the on position, does the secondary cooling can turn on to high? If so then yes the ECM is most likely shot. If not then it may be ok and you are waisting time tossing parts at it.

[VStar650CL]

Sounds like the best thing to do here is take it to the dealer to have reconfigured at the least.

I am the dealer. I'm a Nissan master tech at an Arkansas dealership.

With that said I do have a question. With the original ECM plugged in and the key turned to the on position, does the secondary cooling can turn on to high? If so then yes the ECM is most likely shot. If not then it may be ok and you are waisting time tossing parts at it.

The original ECM was shot. The new-used one is talking, but problem is, it thinks it has NATS even though it doesn't. TechLine (Nissan engineering) tells me there's no way to unprogram that. So it needs either a new-used ECM from a non-NATS truck, or a brand new one. There are no other choices.

[FrenchPople]

As a fellow technician(only reached OBDII before leaving the Automotive Industry), I'm surprised you went the used ECM route. That said I highly suggest working with the brother in law somehow and getting a new ECM. Once that is done you should be able to reconfigure the BCM. I know it was doable with Consult 3+. Not sure about the current version since it has been 7 years since I was at a Nissan Dealership(I find Forklifts to be more fun)

[VStar650CL]

Once that is done you should be able to reconfigure the BCM. I know it was doable with Consult 3+.

The problem is, none of the NATS functionality is configurable or even erasable. That's why I had to bring in TechLine, because having a NATS part in a non-NATS vehicle was a unique situation I had never seen before. TechLine had seen it, and basically told me I'm up s#it's creek without finding a non-NATS part. If you want to tell TechLine they're wrong, be my guest. In my experience, they usually know what they're talking about.

[VStar650CL]

I'll still be eternally grateful if anyone has a line on a junkyard '15~'18 V6 Frontier S model with a good ECM.

[FrenchPople]

You should be able to change the next function in the BCM. Get a new ECM and start from there. It's going to be the best option here

[VStar650CL]

Please let TechLine know, the number is 800-662-3497. I'm sure Engineering will be interested to hear that they don't know what they're talking about.

[AZhitman]

Found a couple sir!

https://www.car-part.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi

[VStar650CL]

Much thanks, AZ! Didn't think of Car-Parts.com and I probably should have. The page you posted isn't legible when enlarged, but an hour or so of looking resulted in the right part from a yard in Kenton, OH. Woohoo!