Engine management light

Ratboy

Hardupandfedup wrote: »

Thanks, Im hoping to remove the ecu and send it back to be checked.

When it was removed by the garage, they showed it to me before sending it off and although I know nothing about it I could see that in the row of pins two were rusted away.

As far as I have been told, it was remapped, ie rebuilt? I was told this was cheaper than a new one.

If I do take it out does it just unclip or are there screws/plugs etc to remove

Thanks for your help

Remapped is VERY different to being REPROGRAMMED. So the company involved is lying to you.

You can only REMAP an ECU when it is attached to a car, you put it on a rolling road, and remap it, for better power output.

If the ECU had rusty connectors, sue the company that allegedly 'remapped' it, without your car being present, as they have committed a fraud!

A replacement ECU from a scrapper, would need you to replace the alarm system/key, unless you get the chassis codes and keys from the doner vehicle. Depending on age.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

heres the setup i would go for.

second hand ECU KIT from a local scrap yard that way if the second hand unit is bust then you can return sameday no fuss for another and your not waiting on a refind ticket with ebay etc. t replace the ECU and have no need for a recode you will need the set of 2 keys that come with the SH ECU on certain year KA fiesta's with certain engine codes.

what if i only find an ecu with 2 keys no barrels, well youll have a set of keys for the door locks, and will have to have a key made with a chipped fob and coded to the ecu/immobiliser for the ignistion!

so this is why i say get a ECU KIT with locks and ignition.

i have called fellows in the know about this situation, and have been informed to tell you now, from x reg to 2003 endura 1.3 and the duratecs have 9 different ecu fitments with 4 different outputs and engine codes to match the ecu, so you will have to find an ecu with the same part number, batch code or serial number that matches the output and engine code of your car it may sound a hard task, but think of how many KA are out there in scrappers up and down the country and even local chances are high that youll get a match, once you have this and 2 keys that very important you get 2 keys with the ECU you will need to pay a local autolocksmith to code the new keys to the immobiliser cost is minimal been told not much more than £50.00 so shop around.

ECU's are sometime not repairable and thhrowing cash after a cost repair what if the cant repair it then your looking at buying a new one and back to square one.

i dealt with many ECU repairers through my old job, you simply removed ecu and handed the keys over, they would then test the ecu on a bench with a laptop and some other gear that simulates your cars setup, the firmware is then reflashed (with ford etc firmware and subsequent updates there after),then tested again for consistancy and stability this happens after a visual check of componants, if the motherboard needs replacing they replace with a generic part not official ford parts, reload firmware and updates and retest, its a 4-7 day turn around from shipping out repair and shipping back. some ECU's on some vehicles are completely sealed such as the siemens ECU unit in a pug most BMW from 2006, and most mercs have sealed ECU units wich mean when they break the get replaced at cost becuase they cannot be opened and no parts to replace broken ones.

ECU kit 50-60 in scrapper, key coded 50.00 and a days worth of work on the drive, once repaired and gets back to normal and you drive it for a couple more years its paid for itself in nothing goes wrong.

i believe it is worth repairing, you could auction it on ebay but only expect just above scrap value for it, or repair it and sell it private for going rate i know what i would do.

elliesmemory1

missing_link wrote: »

Hmm....How long was the warranty for,12 months? It seems the fault reoccurred within the warranty period. Which company is it,that you would send it back to?

Warranty ran out in nov was 12 mths, Started playing up in jan, but after being plugged in to dignostics was ok again even though it could not read.
Ecu dr is the company and so far they have been helpful

atrixblue.-MFR-.

Hardupandfedup wrote: »

Warranty ran out in nov was 12 mths, Started playing up in jan, but after being plugged in to dignostics was ok again even though it could not read.
Ecu dr is the company and so far they have been helpful

ECU DR are pretty good, but as stated they use a processor (with no fee charge) one can assume this processor chip is not OEM or from a another ECU.

elliesmemory1

Thanks for all your replys and help, Car playing up again, after new coil pack being fitted last week, engine light went off and was running better, but now light came back on and running as before.

Having spoken to ecu dr again they feel it would be best for me to send ecu back to them to be tested. They say a second hand ecu may have other problems. 2nd garage still insist that you have to take dash off to get at ecu!

Told them Id been told otherwise but they say its the only way to get it out, However ecu dr dont agree and say as other posters on here said, you can get it out by removing kick panel in passenger footwell as said on here.

Have searched internet for instructions on how to remove it with no luck,and also joined two ford forums as advised on here but with no result so going to get a haynes manual as advised and try to get a friend to help me take it off and then send to ecu dr. I know people on here have said its simple, but i really have no knowledge of cars and not sure where to start without some sort of instruction. If I cant get it off then i think I will have to scrap it as im not paying a garage £200 to do it.

Ecu dr and garage say if not the ecu it could be a wiring problem? but untill ecu has been tested we wont know if thats at fault. If it proves to be a big problem I will have to scrap it and buy something cheap untill I can afford something better.Im not going to spend much more on it.

I appreciate the advise given on his thread its been usefull Thanks

atrixblue.-MFR-.

an ecu from a scrappy will carry a limited 14 or 30 day warranty you could ask for a better warranty wich they may charge your for.

i would NOT repeat NOT give Ecu DR any more money.

You DO NOT have to remove the dash once the ECU has been taken previously, seriously you need to take a male with you or have a male ring them up and ask that has base line knowladge about cars, even ring a autolecky and ask they do them quite often and will tell you instantly that the glovebox need dropping and kick panel removed in order to locate and remove an ecu that has previously been removed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gd0YnEvneE
in this vid i will pont out the location! see glove box off-- under dash there will be the ecu (its removed in this video already) held on by three bolts the cage is also missing in vid this will give you an idea of location and removal.

hell if you dont want to go through this much trouble ill buy the car off you for scrap value.

in the firsttime removal of ecu in the fiesta and KA you will need to remove the sheered bolt, second time round this has been done and a normal bolt fitted, hence the no need of a dash removal.

elliesmemory1

Its not that I dont want to go to the trouble, its more not knowing how to do it! Im trying to get a family member to help me and I am taking on board the advise given. Ecu dr said they would do it at cost price but as you say it may still have a fault.
I would rather do it as you suggest and get it back on the road for a bit but Im worried about my lack of knowledge.
Thanks for the link, I found that too but it made no sense to me. I have looked in my car and found the port where diagnostics is plugged in and looked under the trim etc.

I get conflicting advise from the garage and ecu place so my head is spinning with it all!

I completely believe you about not removing the dash, but two garages have told me you do so it just goes to show how garages rip people off.
Going to make a few phone calls today to scrapyard and auto electrician. Will Ecu dr be able to give me the part number from the ecu I wonder? if so I could see if scrapyard has a match?
Also racking my brains for a friend who may be able to help. Thanks for your help and I know im being annoying but its all going round in circles in my head and I just dont know what to do for the best.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

Hardupandfedup wrote: »

Its not that I dont want to go to the trouble, its more not knowing how to do it! Im trying to get a family member to help me and I am taking on board the advise given. Ecu dr said they would do it at cost price but as you say it may still have a fault.
I would rather do it as you suggest and get it back on the road for a bit but Im worried about my lack of knowledge.
Thanks for the link, I found that too but it made no sense to me. I have looked in my car and found the port where diagnostics is plugged in and looked under the trim etc.

I get conflicting advise from the garage and ecu place so my head is spinning with it all!

I completely believe you about not removing the dash, but two garages have told me you do so it just goes to show how garages rip people off.
Going to make a few phone calls today to scrapyard and auto electrician. Will Ecu dr be able to give me the part number from the ecu I wonder? if so I could see if scrapyard has a match?
Also racking my brains for a friend who may be able to help. Thanks for your help and I know im being annoying but its all going round in circles in my head and I just dont know what to do for the best.

ok take baby steps and look at from a fresh perspective.

what do you need list them out on paper to keep track.
tools, screw driver, cross head and a flat head.
socket set with additional accessories like torx (allen key type head) bits and a torch, freezer bags or money bags .

1. remove trim, and lift up rubber door seal along the bottom of the door and trim then lift upto dash hight (dont worry it will push back on tightly to seal it when refitting).

2. slide passenger seat all the way back for room, even put the seat right back with the twist lever so the seat is flat so that if you need to lie down and reach under dash you can do so without being a contortionist or spraining you kneck and back.

3. empty and remove glovebox look for the screws retaining the glovebox in, write down on a bag how many screws and then remove screws from glove box place in that bag and store the bags in a safe place for refit later.

now you have more space and more room look up under the dash and locate the silver tinbox that is about half inch thick via 5 inches long with a big black connecter on its side, the connector is bolted in so feel by the wires, and think what you need to remove it then feel around the side of the euc for the retaining clip or bolts, this is where you will need to fiddle with fingers and go by touch feely (now now guys i know what your thinking and this aint that kind of tutorial :rotfl:).

take you time plan it out and have extra pair of hand to hold torch and pass you drivers and screws and etc.


NOTE: bag all clips and label bags where the clips and screws belong.

elliesmemory1

Thanks for the replys car will not even start now. Spoke to auto elec who confirmed you dont have to remove dash.

Ratboy

Go back to basics, and write the issues down, on what went wrong and where. So you can clearly see what is the problem.

You are clearly upset and stressed by this happening; it could happen to anyone, so don't worry, together we will get it sorted!

So for that reason, get a fresh pair of eyes to look at this; there is a 'thing' apparently, that everyone in the world knows someone by associatiation by 6 degrees.

So, if nobody you immediately know, ask them who they know, who might be technically minded, and if not, for them to ask their friends. Apparently by this rule, everyone knows everyone on the Planet(?) !

If you ever went to one of those illegal pyramid selling schemes lectures, the rule is true apparently, but the selling schemes illegal.