A method for fabricating a motor vehicle including an engine and automatic transmission includes generating first data containing information representing a performance characteristic of a solenoid and a serialized solenoid number, affixing to the solenoid a first barcode matrix containing the first data, installing the solenoid and clutch in the transmission generating second data containing information representing a performance characteristic of clutch, using information from the first and second data to produce third data that includes a serialized transmission number and information from the first data and the second data, affixing to the transmission a third barcode matrix containing the third data, using information from the third barcode matrix to produce fourth data that is tied to a vehicle identification number and information from the first data, the second data and the third data, reading information from the fourth data into an electronic memory of a powertrain control module (PCM), and installing the PCM in the vehicle.