Ecu replacement

PokeHerKing

Anyone recommend a good auto electrician to replace an ecu in an 09 A4?

biko

Which county?

PokeHerKing

biko wrote:

Which county?

Apologies, Dublin. Typical Dub!

tikkamark

Fiacra Purcell motors if you search for him on google maps he’s about 25min drive outside Dublin but an excellent man with electric’s

Chris_Heilong

If it is just an ECU replacement can you not just get one from a scrap yard, disconnect your battery and clip in the new ECU into the same spot you removed the old one from? I mean that is what I would do on old Toyotas.

rex-x

Chris_Heilong wrote: »

If it is just an ECU replacement can you not just get one from a scrap yard, disconnect your battery and clip in the new ECU into the same spot you removed the old one from? I mean that is what I would do on old Toyotas.

Not on anything but an old toyota..... Needs to be coded to the car and the keys need to be re programmed

Toyotafanboi

rex-x wrote: »

Not on anything but an old toyota..... Needs to be coded to the car and the keys need to be re programmed

Indeed it'll need coding to the car etc.

It's not out of the realms of the day to day duties of a good independent mechanic though, it should be straight forward stuff, particularly on something VAG. I don't think it's worth the OP's bother going out of their way to find an auto electrician.

PokeHerKing

Toyotafanboi wrote:

It's not out of the realms of the day to day duties of a good independent mechanic though, it should be straight forward stuff, particularly on something VAG. I don't think it's worth the OP's bother going out of their way to find an auto electrician.

Ive had the car in with a mechanic and they directed me to ab auto electrician.

Long story short the auto electrician said the ecu needed to be replaced.

Priced up the job and took the car off me, 2 week saga of poor customer service and lack of communication all culminating in being told new ecu was in and now I needed a new rear door crash sensor to fix the fault. More money.

They had to order the part so I took the car back, want a second opinion before I bring my car back as I'm really hesitant to let them near it again.

Toyotafanboi

What problem brought this whole thing about?

PokeHerKing

Toyotafanboi wrote:

What problem brought this whole thing about?

Passenger Airbag light is on. Mechanic originally said it was showing no fault for him so said needs an auto.

Place I went to said the same thing and said it meant the ecu was banjoed and needed replacing and so ensued the saga

bazz26

Might seem like an obvious question but was the air bag connector under the front passenger seat checked? These get kicked by rear passengers all the time and may have come lose or dislodged.

PokeHerKing

bazz26 wrote:

Might seem like an obvious question but was the air bag connector under the front passenger seat checked? These get kicked by rear passengers all the time and may have come lose or dislodged.

Hard to say for certain. I never asked. It's been seen by two mechanics tho, would this be something they'd check or would I have needed to ask them too?

Is this something I can check myself tonight?

TeaBagMania

in addition to what bazz mentioned, most newer cars have an completely separate "ABS module" that handles all SRS functions

rex-x

TeaBagMania wrote: »

in addition to what bazz mentioned, most newer cars have an completely separate "ABS module" that handles all SRS functions

ABS module for SRS? would be its own Airbag module to handle SRS

TeaBagMania

rex-x wrote: »

ABS module for SRS? would be its own Airbag module to handle SRS

rex i have no idea how to comprehend this sentence, please try again

rex-x

TeaBagMania wrote: »

rex i have no idea how to comprehend this sentence, please try again

The ABS module has nothing to do with the airbags, it would be a dedicated Airbag Module that handles all SRS functions

TeaBagMania

ahhh got it, sorry about the typo. Was thinking ACM, AirBag Control Module is what handles all SRS functions.

Neilw

I doubt your car needs a new ecu, have you had it scanned at a main dealer or with vcds to see what codes are logged?

Toyotafanboi

Neilw wrote: »

I doubt your car needs a new ecu, have you had it scanned at a main dealer or with vcds to see what codes are logged?

That was my initial thought.

"there was no faults showing up", generally means one of three things;
i didn't look, i don't know how to look or i don't have the equipment to look.

If there's a light on the dash, there will be faults. Faults will give you a lead and then you can start repairs.

It sounds like everybody to look at it so far is just taking stabs into the dark. It's not unthinkable that it needs an ECU but it's reasonably unlikely.

I'd go main dealer for the second opinion, the diagnostic will be €100~ but then at least you'll know what the fault is. Then you can repair independently if it's cost effective.

PokeHerKing

Toyotafanboi wrote:

I'd go main dealer for the second opinion, the diagnostic will be €100~ but then at least you'll know what the fault is. Then you can repair independently if it's cost effective.

Just to note this has been quite the saga since I got the car off my bro in law.

I had it with audi sandy Ford about 6 months ago. They told me they'd need 450e just to investigate the issue because they said the air bag was completely disconnected from the module. This was around the same time they missed diagnosed an egr cooler issue for a blown turbo. So I paid them their diagnosis fee and left.

Toyotafanboi

Sounds like a Maguire and Paterson type situation to me at this point.

PokeHerKing

Toyotafanboi wrote:

Sounds like a Maguire and Paterson type situation to me at this point.

Not following?

Toyotafanboi

Apologies, not much use. If a dealer didn't nail it in the first hour, there's something unusual going on.

Might be worth looking at someone like George Daltons who is familiar with VAG stuff.

I dont think I'd be taking it anywhere without a first hand recommendation at this stage. Sounds like it's a head scratcher and you dont want the wrong fellas throwing parts at it, nor is it financially practical with that car to pay 150+ VAT an hour to investigate it at Audi South.

George Dalton

Neilw wrote: »

I doubt your car needs a new ecu, have you had it scanned at a main dealer or with vcds to see what codes are logged?

Sounds like it needs an airbag ecu. They are a known issue on the B8 A4. Not common as such but certainly can fail. Not many places can code them. They have component protection which means they have to be coded either with ODIS or certain aftermarket tools that have the capability to copy the info from the old unit and flash it onto the replacement.

Peanut2011

I would recommend AutoKey on Naas Road. I've had my car with them few years ago when the CPU got fried and they were able to fix, not just replace for new one.

PokeHerKing

George Dalton wrote:

Sounds like it needs an airbag ecu. They are a known issue on the B8 A4. Not common as such but certainly can fail. Not many places can code them. They have component protection which means they have to be coded either with ODIS or certain aftermarket tools that have the capability to copy the info from the old unit and flash it onto the replacement.

A quick synopsis of what the current crowd have said/done:

Took the car on the Monday morning, I rang them Tuesday afternoon. Update not available. Said they'd ring me wednesday, never did. I rang them Wednesday evening.

Mechanic said the ecu is not talking to the computer, diagnosis ecu is bust needs replacing. Said theyd refurb it rather than replace. Said he'd have it done by Friday.

Ring Friday, ecu was refurbed and fitted, got it talking to the computer but then he reckons it burnt out? Said he now needed to order an ecu as mine is now gone past refurbishable. Said he get the part Monday or Tuesday.

Ring them Tuesday morning, yeah going to fit that today. Long story short we get to the Friday when I say I need the car regardless. He says they've fitted it and it's taking to the computer and there's a fault with the rear door crash sensor. Part needs to be ordered and its 150e, he'd fit it free of charge.

I say grand but I need the car so be up at lunch. All the above has been a 2 week saga of me constantly ringing them. So the initial price was 400e plus vat for the ecu. New part is 150 and he never mentioned vat. I gave them a 100e deposit on the Friday to take the car. He initially said 250e but the look I shot him he dropped to 100e straight away and said its more for the part he has to order.

So took the car back, 100e lighter and the car in the exact same state as it was 2 weeks ago. He said he'd ring me when he got the part. That was last week have heard nothing.

Is the above plausible? I'm presuming I don't have a new ecu in my car because I seriously doubt they'd let me drive out with a new part with only 100e paid?

Sorry for the long post but I really just want this fixed and am not sure if its more a case of poor customer service or poor mechanic?

Farfromhome02

Were in Dublin are you,could scan the car with vag myself
See if it will read codes
No harm done if it does not
I'm sceptical when it comes to what I am told myself by mechanics

11wingnut

https://www.donedeal.ie/carparts-for-sale/ecu-plug-play-ready-to-start-car-/14210689
Just seen the add. Know nothing about them but might be worth a call.

Neilw

PokeHerKing wrote: »

A quick synopsis of what the current crowd have said/done:

Took the car on the Monday morning, I rang them Tuesday afternoon. Update not available. Said they'd ring me wednesday, never did. I rang them Wednesday evening.

Mechanic said the ecu is not talking to the computer, diagnosis ecu is bust needs replacing. Said theyd refurb it rather than replace. Said he'd have it done by Friday.

Ring Friday, ecu was refurbed and fitted, got it talking to the computer but then he reckons it burnt out? Said he now needed to order an ecu as mine is now gone past refurbishable. Said he get the part Monday or Tuesday.

Ring them Tuesday morning, yeah going to fit that today. Long story short we get to the Friday when I say I need the car regardless. He says they've fitted it and it's taking to the computer and there's a fault with the rear door crash sensor. Part needs to be ordered and its 150e, he'd fit it free of charge.

I say grand but I need the car so be up at lunch. All the above has been a 2 week saga of me constantly ringing them. So the initial price was 400e plus vat for the ecu. New part is 150 and he never mentioned vat. I gave them a 100e deposit on the Friday to take the car. He initially said 250e but the look I shot him he dropped to 100e straight away and said its more for the part he has to order.

So took the car back, 100e lighter and the car in the exact same state as it was 2 weeks ago. He said he'd ring me when he got the part. That was last week have heard nothing.

Is the above plausible? I'm presuming I don't have a new ecu in my car because I seriously doubt they'd let me drive out with a new part with only 100e paid?

Sorry for the long post but I really just want this fixed and am not sure if its more a case of poor customer service or poor mechanic?

I wonder have they done anything at all?

PokeHerKing

Peanut2011 wrote: »

I would recommend AutoKey on Naas Road. I've had my car with them few years ago when the CPU got fried and they were able to fix, not just replace for new one.

Funny enough, that's who the car was with!:o

PokeHerKing

Got a phone call off them yesterday evening to say the part was delayed and they'd hopefully have it in tomorrow or Friday. Might just cross everything and drop it back into them.

browneire

How did you close out with this crowd?