Readers, I am one very angry old woman. Over 2 months ago my 2009 HHR was smashed front left by a Caravan. My car was towed only because the crushed body parts were rubbing on the left tire. She was driven on the car hauler. A month ago I authorized the BODY repair. Last week I learned the car had stopped running. It would crank, run a little and then die. They said they had been pushing it around and they had been jumping her off. Maybe the battery had died. I authorized them to install a new battery.
This week I returned to their shop. They had not figured out what happened. They did not know if the car stopped running good before they removed parts. The computer was not throwing out any codes. I wanted to see my car. "Oh, it isn't here." Then I learned they had hooked their laptop to my ECM and reset my computer every time it stopped as they drove it to a shop. This shop has not touched my car.
First, how bad is my car's computer fried?
Second, could this problem have been caused by them missing a ground or three? I know the headlight assembly, left fender and front bumper were replaced.

 

impossible to say based on that information.

 

Then let me try to be more specific...
How many times can the ECM be reset before it is destroyed? Does resetting the ECM multiple times simply because you are too lazy to push the car around, because you don't know how to repair the car (it is a BODY shop after all), because you are too cheap to have the car towed... actually harm the ECM or any other component in the car? Does resetting the computer multiple times do any damage????
The car can be cranked and driven a few feet. Then it dies and cannot be cranked unless the ECM is reset. No codes. Nothing.

 

Your car was running when it was smashed, So it needs to be running when you get it back repaired. So ask the body shop - is all the repairs complete? If not talk to my insurance company.

 

the ecm can be reprogrammed or have codes cleared or even unplugged; none of which will damage a module if done correctly....reset I not sure what you think that is.