Dodge, Ram and Jeep Module Programming Cost in Fort Worth…

As of October 2026, Dodge, Ram and Jeep module programming in Fort Worth costs $150–$500 for most jobs from a mobile specialist: $150–$500 for an engine or powertrain module, $150–$350 for a body control module, and $325–$1,200 to program a used engine module to your VIN. Gateway-protected 2018-and-newer vehicles and complex cases are quoted after diagnosis. The module itself is a separate part cost.

Chrysler-family vehicles (Dodge, Ram, Jeep and Chrysler) are the most module-dependent trucks and SUVs we see in Fort Worth. Their immobilizer is not one box; it is a conversation between the engine module, a security or ignition-node module, a radio-frequency hub on newer keyless models, and, since 2018, a secure gateway that guards the diagnostic port. Which of those modules you replaced decides the price. This guide breaks the cost down by module and by model generation, so you can see which row your Ram, Charger, Durango or Wrangler lands in before you call.

We are a mobile-only service. Programming happens where the vehicle sits, anywhere in Fort Worth and the surrounding Tarrant County area. For the technical background on how these modules work together, see our Mopar SKIM, WIN and PCM programming guide; this page covers the money.

Dodge, Ram and Jeep Module Programming Cost by Module

The bands below are the same ones used across our site. The last column says when each applies.

Module job	Mobile specialist	When it applies
Engine or powertrain module (PCM/ECM) programming	$150–$500	New or reflashed module, immobilizer-side fault, VIN and key sync
Used engine module programmed to your VIN	$325–$1,200	Salvage-yard module re-VINned to your vehicle; price rises with module complexity
Body control module (BCM) programming	$150–$350	Replacement BCM, configuration and key registration
Transponder key cut and programmed	$120–$250	New key on a chipped-key vehicle
Push-button smart key (fob)	$250–$650+	Keyless-Go and proximity models
Airbag module crash-data reset	$100–$300	Module set a crash code but the restraint system was not deployed
Secure-gateway (2018+) or complex multi-module job	Quote required after diagnosis	Authorized session needed, or several modules replaced at once

A dealership bills bay labor at roughly $165–$215 per hour plus parts and software fees, and many dealers will only program a new part bought through their own counter. An independent programmer charges a flat rate, travels to the vehicle, and can usually work with a sound used module, which is where most of the saving comes from.

What the price does not include

The module hardware is separate. A new engine module from the dealer parts counter is the most expensive route, a remanufactured unit is in the middle, and a used module from a salvage yard is usually the least. Towing, if the vehicle cannot be driven to us, is also separate; mobile service avoids it in most cases.

What Changes the Price

1. Which module you replaced

The cheapest row on the table is a plain reflash or configuration of an engine module that is otherwise healthy. The most expensive is a used engine module that has to be re-VINned and married to the security system. A body control module sits in between. The module name on the invoice usually settles the range.

2. Model generation: pre-2014, 2014–2017, or 2018 and newer

Chrysler-family security changed in three broad steps:

Roughly 2000s to early 2010s: a Sentry Key Immobilizer Module reads a transponder in the key and talks to the engine module. Many vehicles also have a Totally Integrated Power Module that sits under the hood and handles power distribution, which is a frequent source of failures on Durango, Grand Cherokee and Ram trucks of those years. See our TIPM module programming guide.
Roughly 2014 to 2017 keyless models: a radio-frequency hub joins the chain. Our RF Hub keyless module programming guide explains it.
2018 and newer: a secure gateway sits between the diagnostic port and the modules. Programming through it needs an authorized, logged session. Our secure gateway programming guide covers what is and is not possible.

The newer the vehicle, the more likely the job is a quote rather than a fixed range.

3. New, remanufactured or used module

A new module arrives blank and is configured to the vehicle. A used module arrives carrying another vehicle's VIN, key data and options, all of which must be replaced with yours before the engine will start. Used is cheaper to buy and more work to program. Our used engine module programming guide explains when a used module is sound and when it is a trap.

4. Gas, diesel or hybrid

A Cummins diesel Ram has a different module set than a Hemi half-ton or a Wrangler 4xe, and the module is usually more expensive. Diesel jobs trend toward the upper end of the band. Our Ram diesel used PCM and ECM guide is the deeper read.

5. Number of keys on site

Many Chrysler-family modules wipe the programmed key list when they are replaced, so every key you own has to be present and re-learned. If one is in a drawer at home, it stops working until it is added back, and a second visit costs more than bringing it the first time.

6. Whether the real fault is the module at all

A scan tool that cannot talk to the vehicle, a wiring fault, or a failed relay can all look like a dead module. A diagnosis before parts are ordered is the cheapest step in the job; our guide to a scan tool that will not connect covers the first checks.

Cost by Model Family

These are general patterns, not promises. We confirm each vehicle by year, trim and VIN before quoting.

Ram 1500, 2500, 3500. The single most common job we see. Older trucks tend to need engine or TIPM-side work in the $150–$500 band; 2019-and-newer Ram 1500 (the redesigned truck) falls under the secure-gateway rules and is quoted. Diesel units are at the top of the engine-module range.

Dodge Charger and Challenger. Frequently theft-related: a stolen-attempt vehicle may need a new engine module, a new keyless hub and keys, all programmed together. When several modules are replaced in one visit, programming them together costs less than three separate calls and is quoted as a bundle.

Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee. The TIPM and the body module are the usual suspects, with the cost depending on whether the key list has to be rebuilt.

Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator. Our Wrangler and Gladiator key programming guide covers these. The hub and the keyless hardware drive the price.

Chrysler Pacifica, 300 and Voyager. Mostly keyless, mostly 2014 and newer, with the same hub and gateway considerations.

Jeep Cherokee, Compass, Renegade, Patriot. Smaller crossovers with a similar chain; cost depends on the year and whether the vehicle is on the gateway side of 2018.

When a Module Job Is Really a Key Job

Not every "module problem" on a Chrysler-family vehicle needs module work. A key that was never fully registered, a fob with a weak battery, or a worn key can all stop a vehicle from starting and flash the security light. Those are key jobs priced at $120–$250 for a transponder key and $250–$650+ for a proximity fob, covered in our Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep key replacement cost guide. If every key is gone, see our all keys lost cost guide.

How a Mobile Module Programming Visit Works

Identify the vehicle and the modules. Year, model and VIN, plus the part numbers on any replacement module.
Check the replacement. Part number, hardware revision and option content are compared against the original. A wrong-hardware module cannot be fixed with software.
Stabilize voltage. A battery maintainer goes on the vehicle. A voltage dip mid-session is one of the few ways to damage a module.
Program. VIN, configuration and key data are written. On gateway-protected models, an authorized session is used.
Re-learn the keys. Every key is registered, and each is tested.
Verify. The vehicle starts, warning lights are checked, and stored codes are cleared and re-read so you leave without a leftover fault.

We cover the broader picture of what independent programmers can and cannot do in our explainer on whether a locksmith can program an ECM or PCM.

Three Typical Jobs and How They Price Out

These are composite examples to show how the table is used, not records of specific customers.

A Ram 1500 that will not start after a used engine module was installed. The owner bought a module from a salvage yard, and the truck cranks but the security light flashes. The module has the donor truck's VIN and key data. This is the used-module-to-VIN row, $325–$1,200, with the position inside the range set by the module type and whether the key list has to be rebuilt. If the owner brought the part number in advance, we could have confirmed compatibility before the purchase.

A Durango whose lights, wipers and fuel pump act up at random. Intermittent power faults on these years often trace to the power distribution module, not the engine computer. Programming the replacement is typically a configuration job, and the cost depends on whether the vehicle also needs the body module or keys re-registered. The diagnosis, not the programming, is the valuable part of this visit.

A Charger recovered after a theft attempt. Several modules may have been replaced or damaged: the engine module, the keyless hub, the body module, and the keys. Programming them in one visit is priced as a bundle after diagnosis, and it is almost always less than handling them as separate jobs. Our post-collision module programming cost guide describes how multi-module visits are organized, and the same logic applies after a theft.

Transmission Modules on Chrysler-Family Vehicles

An automatic transmission on these vehicles has its own controller, which can be inside the transmission, bolted to it, or integrated with the engine module depending on the year. If the transmission controller is replaced, it has to be matched to the vehicle and sometimes to the engine module. That is a separate line item from the engine module price, and a used transmission controller follows the same logic as a used engine module. Our used TCM programming guide covers it in detail. A transmission that is stuck in limp mode may not need a new controller at all, and a scan before purchase saves money.

Dealer, Mobile Programmer or DIY Tool

Three routes exist for this work, and each has a real place.

Dealer: the only route for some newest-model jobs, and a reasonable choice when a manufacturer warranty or recall is paying. It is the most expensive route for everything else, and it can mean a tow and a wait.
Mobile programmer: the right route for most pre-2018 and many later vehicles. You pay a flat rate and the work is done where the vehicle sits.
Consumer scan tools: some can read codes and a few can perform basic functions, but module identity and key programming on this platform generally need the correct manufacturer-level software and, on newer vehicles, authorization. A failed attempt can lock a module, which turns a $150–$500 job into a replacement.

Honest Limits

Some jobs are quotes, not fixed prices, and some are not possible in a driveway. Late-model gateway-protected vehicles can require an authorized online session, and we tell you before we take the job whether your vehicle is on that side of the line. A module with physical damage, such as water-corroded connectors or burned drivers, may need repair or replacement before programming means anything. We would rather tell you that on the phone than after a trip.

How to Keep the Cost Down

Call before you buy a part. Give us the year, model and the part number on the original module and we will tell you whether a candidate unit is compatible.
Buy used only from a seller who lists the part number and accepts returns.
Bring every key. A second visit to add a forgotten key costs more than the first.
Bundle the work. Several modules in one visit cost less than separate visits.
Ask about repair. Some modules can be repaired and keep their original identity, which needs no re-VIN.
Get a diagnosis first. A scan and a ten-minute test settle module, wiring or key before anything is ordered.

Get a Quote

Tell us the year, model, which module was replaced or failed, and what the vehicle does: no start, flashing security light, or stored codes. With that we can place you in the right row of the table and quote before we arrive. Fort Worth Locksmith & Computer Programming is mobile-only and available 24/7 at (817) 668-3801, or use the contact page. The service is described on our Dodge and Chrysler WIN module page and our module programming service page, and VIN transfer work is on the Dodge and Chrysler VIN swap page.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Dodge, Ram or Jeep module programming cost in Fort Worth?

As of October 2026, a mobile specialist in Fort Worth typically charges $150 to $500 for engine or powertrain module programming, $150 to $350 for a body control module, and $325 to $1,200 to program a used engine module to your VIN. Secure-gateway vehicles from 2018 on and multi-module jobs are quoted after diagnosis. The module itself is a separate part cost.

Why is a used engine module more expensive to program than a new one?

A used module arrives carrying another vehicle's VIN, key data and options, and all of that has to be replaced with yours before the engine will start. A new module arrives blank and is simply configured. The extra work is why the used-module-to-VIN range is $325 to $1,200, although the used part itself usually costs far less than a new one.

Does my 2018 or newer Ram, Jeep or Dodge cost more to program?

Often it is quoted rather than priced from a fixed range. Since 2018 a secure gateway sits between the diagnostic port and the modules, and programming through it needs an authorized, logged session. Many of these jobs are possible, not all are, and we tell you which side of the line your vehicle is on before we take the job.

Do I need all my keys for module programming?

Yes, bring every key. On many Chrysler-family vehicles, replacing a module clears the list of programmed keys, so each key must be present and re-registered. A key left at home will stop working until it is added back, and a second visit costs more than including it the first time.

Can a locksmith really program a Dodge or Jeep engine computer?

A programming specialist can on most vehicles, using manufacturer-level software and the right interface. It is different from general lockout work. Late-model gateway vehicles and physically damaged modules can be exceptions, and we say so up front. Our dedicated explainer covers what independent programmers can and cannot do.

Is a dealership cheaper than a mobile programmer for module work?

Usually not. A dealership bills bay labor of roughly $165 to $215 per hour plus parts and software fees, often requires a new part from its own counter, and may require a tow. A mobile specialist charges a flat rate, comes to the vehicle, and can usually work with a sound used module.

How long does module programming take?

Most engine or body module programming takes about one to two hours once the module is installed, including key re-learning and verification. Multi-module jobs and gateway-protected vehicles take longer. We confirm the expected time when we quote.

Dodge, Ram and Jeep Module Programming Cost in Fort Worth (2026)