Bad PCM?

First time ever on the dodge forum, but here we go. I'm posting for a friend who has a Dakota. I can't remember the year right off, sorry, but it probably doesn't matter. It's new enough it shouldn't have this kind of problem, but old enough the warranty is gone.

Anyway, he has a dummy light on and when scanned the code is something like PCM 001. The autozone guy said it is a PCM error and reset it. Cranks truck and it comes right back. He carried it to the stealership, and after being convinced that he is not making it up, they said the entire PCM module is bad and needs to be replaced at ~$800. Are these things not reprogrammable in a dodge or is it likely not a programming error? The dealership mechanic said it may run forever, or it may just suddenly stop, but for now it runs perfect. The problem is it won't pass inspection of course, so what kind of ideas do you dodge guys have? Thanks for any help you may have. If you need, I can try to find out the year.

year would help and im pretty shure theirs a way you can reset them and the dealership would probally be the worst place to be askin questions about things if ur really stumped phone the dodge head office place they will help you because they want you to keep with dodge unlike with a dealer that wants you to spend as much as they can get from ya and id ya do need to replace it dont do it thru a dealer get a aftermarket one much cheaper or just pull the part off a truck at a junkyard it would be the cheapers way to go but your best bet is a new one

So, if it needs replacing, how hard is that to do? Can a backyard mechanic do it?

i would highly recomend against installing the computer ur self get a mechanic that knows what hes doing if ya got a canadian tire or ok tire near ya they could probally do it

depending on the year and options the pcm may need programing installed and may need skim key info installed if the truck is equipped with a skim key and can only be done at the dealer probably have code p0601

The computer is easy to install remove the bad one and take to a few junkyards match the number the yard knows how to do this. Save the old one. The yard should give you 10 days warranty. Get the emission test the first few days.
Dsconnect the battery negative first. Then remove the computer older trucks check right kick panel.