Yes, basically artificial firmware barriers that prevent you or a third-party attempting aftermarket repairs.
It’s a genuine problem for those in rural areas that depend on their machines, farmers typically avoid newer tractors because of this, John Deere is especially bad for it.
Yeah, I heard John Deere is absolutely terrible concerning self repairs. Still too many farmers celebrate the brand and brag with their “Mercedes of tractors”
Haven’t actually seen a car that’s vin locked myself, except engine and transmission control modules on some cars. You’d have to find someone with tools to write the ECU if you want to swap in a used control module in those cases.
In general, good generic scan tools and even some mobile apps will get you the fault codes from most modules of most modern cars. What they might not support is coding a new module (it needs to know the options equipped on the car to know how to actuate things) or calibrating new sensors, but often times you can still do that too. There are also marque-specific aftermarket solutions. For example, VCDS gets you fault codes, live data, adaptations, tests, coding for most VAG models other than Porsches. In the expensive version (still in the hundreds price wise, not thousands) you even get some limited Lamborghini support.
Also anything that triggers this particular light should come up with a standard OBD2/E-OBD scan you can perform with a 5 dollar dongle off aliexpress and any free OBD2 app.
Don’t ever buy a John Deere tractor though. Those things have VIN locked parts all around. Tons of things need marrying to the tractor if replaced.
VIN locked, means the actual problem is behind proprietary software that is only readable via company issued computers?
Yes, basically artificial firmware barriers that prevent you or a third-party attempting aftermarket repairs.
It’s a genuine problem for those in rural areas that depend on their machines, farmers typically avoid newer tractors because of this, John Deere is especially bad for it.
Yeah, I heard John Deere is absolutely terrible concerning self repairs. Still too many farmers celebrate the brand and brag with their “Mercedes of tractors”
Haven’t actually seen a car that’s vin locked myself, except engine and transmission control modules on some cars. You’d have to find someone with tools to write the ECU if you want to swap in a used control module in those cases.
In general, good generic scan tools and even some mobile apps will get you the fault codes from most modules of most modern cars. What they might not support is coding a new module (it needs to know the options equipped on the car to know how to actuate things) or calibrating new sensors, but often times you can still do that too. There are also marque-specific aftermarket solutions. For example, VCDS gets you fault codes, live data, adaptations, tests, coding for most VAG models other than Porsches. In the expensive version (still in the hundreds price wise, not thousands) you even get some limited Lamborghini support.
Also anything that triggers this particular light should come up with a standard OBD2/E-OBD scan you can perform with a 5 dollar dongle off aliexpress and any free OBD2 app.
Don’t ever buy a John Deere tractor though. Those things have VIN locked parts all around. Tons of things need marrying to the tractor if replaced.