ECU problem

sheffield chris

New Member
Messages
56
afternoon all,
has anyone ever replaced an ecu with a second hand one ? if so was it o.k. ?
my air bag ecu has burnt out (part no 198674) can only find used ones (at really cheap price) from cars that are being broke for spares,
would like a new one but eurospares tell me that particular one is no longer made,
the super car place in Sheffield have tracked a new one down somewhere in Sweden but it may be silly money as originally were £800
advise I was given was get new but if second hand get one from a car that is same year as mine & not one from a car that the airbags have already gone off from.

thanks.
 

jluis

Member
Messages
1,703
As far as I'm aware, the airbag ecu is interchangeable without issues.
However, if the ecu has deployed an airbag as is usually the case with crashed cars, then you will get a warning light on the dashboard.

Same thing if it was powered on without the airbag
Don't know if it's dealer resettable
 

sheffield chris

New Member
Messages
56
both driver & passenger airbag warning lights are on but no airbags have gone off,
the wife was taking our son to school & both lights just came on. (no collision)

got an ecu coming from :thumb3: soprano stu :clap: & it is just a quick change over
 

jluis

Member
Messages
1,703
There have been some documented cases in this forum of airbag alerts originated by a faulty passenger airbag switch.
Even if you replace the switch, the ECU still needs to be reset at the dealer.

I would advise you take the car to a dealer or an indy with the SD2/SD3 tool to read the fault and attempt a reset before replacing the ECU
 

sheffield chris

New Member
Messages
56
There have been some documented cases in this forum of airbag alerts originated by a faulty passenger airbag switch.
Even if you replace the switch, the ECU still needs to be reset at the dealer.

I would advise you take the car to a dealer or an indy with the SD2/SD3 tool to read the fault and attempt a reset before replacing the ECU
thanks for the advise jlius, already had it hooked up to 3 computers at the super car centre & they assure me it is the ecu that has gone down (not one picked up a fault)
however spoke to shiltech today & they told me about the airbag switch just like you have described,

thanks again. :luvit:
 

jluis

Member
Messages
1,703
There is no replacement for the real Maserati tool (sd2)
unfortunately not being able to communicate with the abs ecu from a non Maserati tool doesn't necessarily mean the ecu is fried.
It could mean that the tool is just not capable of talking to the Maserati bus
 

sheffield chris

New Member
Messages
56
From memory SCC have SD machines

C
andy & the other guy who run SCC both use to work for Ferrari
& most of the work they do is on lambo's masser's & Ferrari's
so there gonna be kitted out with right gear.
speaking to them in a couple of days so will check.
 

Koz

Member
Messages
495
both driver & passenger airbag warning lights are on but no airbags have gone off,
the wife was taking our son to school & both lights just came on. (no collision)

got an ecu coming from :thumb3: soprano stu :clap: & it is just a quick change over

Hi did the second hand ecu work ok? How much was the part please.

Thanks.

Koz
 

hashluck

Member
Messages
1,515
Yes thanks Phil - think I am going to have to get it hooked up to a diganostic tool at an indie or dealer and see what the verdict is. I have a spare airbag deactivation switch but have not tried it yet, but I am doubtful it is that (and will the light go out if I change it and it is that without hooking up to a computer?)

For anyone reading here is sequence iof events

1. All well, stopped for petrol
2. After refuel engine did not fire at first button press.
3. All good on second button press except amber Passenger Airbag Deactivation lamp and red Airbag/Pretensioner Fault lamps did not extinguish.
4. Tried isolating battery for 20 minutes. Lights still permanently on.

1 and 2. above may be red herrings but thought I would mention.

Out of interest where is the airbag ECU located?

I may also try disconnecting and reconnecting the wiring looms under the seats (with battery isolated).
 

hashluck

Member
Messages
1,515
OK a bit more research shows that a faulty switch can indeed throw both warning lights

Spoke to Maverick as he had the same issue on his 4200 but in his case it was dirty connectors in the door shuts needed cleaning

More worrying is the tale of fried ECUs due to heater matrix leaking coolant all over them! My car has had the heater matrix replaced in the past but maybe 6 years ago so I cannot rule this out :(
(footwell carpets are dry though)

One other thought I had is that the other thing I did when I stopped for fuel was adjust the steering wheel and i wonder if I did anything to upset the airbag wiring there?

Anyway a few things to try when I have time. Trouble is you don't know if you have fixed the problem without resetting the lights! If I can get the codes read first then that might help narrow down the issue.
 

maverick

Member
Messages
1,982
Be careful referance codes , I had my car read by dick loveit at Swindon ( main dealer) and was told it was the airbag switch , which it turned out not to be .
 

hashluck

Member
Messages
1,515
Thanks Maverick. I think I will change the switch (for your old good one, thank you) and clean the contacts you suggested and any other related connectors I can easily access and clean and hope for the best. Best put my hand up behind the dash as well and hope I don't feel anything damp in there.
 

maverick

Member
Messages
1,982
If you feel or see a blue sticky ness than it’s the matrix When my matrix had gone my ecu was covered but totally fine .
 

hashluck

Member
Messages
1,515
Glad to say it was as easy as the deactivation switch for me this time! Maverick's old spare fitted and all OK (it needed switching a few times to believe it was off so it may be a short term fix before I have to purchase a new one)