ECU needs replacing?
02-14-2006, 08:42 PM
#1
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 38
ECU needs replacing?
My car wouldn't start last weekend. It cranked but would not turn over. The security light stayed on as I tried to start it, so I found out that it was perhaps the keys that needed to be recoded to work with the ECU. Evidently the ECU can forget about the keys' codes sometimes. So I had the car towed to the dealer. They recoded the keys, and the car started. Unfortunately, the ECU seemed to forget my keys' codes again after a couple of hours. Now the dealer thinks that I need a new ECU.
So ... a few questions:
1.
The dealer quoted $900 for a new ECU, and $300 for "diagnostics and labor". Is the ECU really that expensive? Also, installing a new ECU seems simple enough, but I don't have the machine to do the recodes, so I may have to fork over the dough for that.
2.
Does this even sound right? I searched for ECU problems, but all I got were a bunch of threads about ECU swaps. Is this something that happens to '99 Maximas, or am I just really unlucky, or am I being ripped a new one? Is there anything else that could be wrong, before I fork over $1200?
Thanks in advance.
So ... a few questions:
1.
The dealer quoted $900 for a new ECU, and $300 for "diagnostics and labor". Is the ECU really that expensive? Also, installing a new ECU seems simple enough, but I don't have the machine to do the recodes, so I may have to fork over the dough for that.
2.
Does this even sound right? I searched for ECU problems, but all I got were a bunch of threads about ECU swaps. Is this something that happens to '99 Maximas, or am I just really unlucky, or am I being ripped a new one? Is there anything else that could be wrong, before I fork over $1200?
Thanks in advance.
02-15-2006, 05:22 AM
#2
Im almost in the same boat......my ECU is recieving power, but not sending out power...
www.car-part.com has ECU's listed btwn $75 - $200
Im not certain on if a different production date will make a difference in cranking or not.
My car is at a shop, they want $400 for a remanufactured ECU...
So Im probly just gona tow it back to my house and figure something else out.
Is yours a 99?
www.car-part.com has ECU's listed btwn $75 - $200
Im not certain on if a different production date will make a difference in cranking or not.
My car is at a shop, they want $400 for a remanufactured ECU...
So Im probly just gona tow it back to my house and figure something else out.Is yours a 99?
02-15-2006, 05:39 AM
#3
Moderator who thinks he is better than us with his I30
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Posts: 9,335
DO NOT BUY AN ECU FROM THE DEALERSHIP!!!!
You have two options.
1) If you don't care about CEL's and don't need to worry about CEL's for emission reasons then any 95-98 ECU will work. Auto or 5spd. But getting an ECU with at least the same tranny type will cut down on a lot of CEL's.
2) If you want an ECU that is the exact same as the one you have and don't want any CEL's then you need to get the PN off your ECU. The number you want is the large oneon a colored sticker on the face of the ECU. it is a letter and number comination. Use this # to find a match on www.car-parts.com, most of the listings have this number in them. If they don't you can call the salvage yard and get it. It will take some time looking through them all and making some calls but you should be able to find the one you need for around $100.
I have been through this many times. I have had multiple differnt ECU's in my I30 and all have worked fine. I currently have an auto ECU from a 98 maxima in my 96 I30 5pd. I get a lot of CEL's but it works perfectly fine.
You have two options.
1) If you don't care about CEL's and don't need to worry about CEL's for emission reasons then any 95-98 ECU will work. Auto or 5spd. But getting an ECU with at least the same tranny type will cut down on a lot of CEL's.
2) If you want an ECU that is the exact same as the one you have and don't want any CEL's then you need to get the PN off your ECU. The number you want is the large oneon a colored sticker on the face of the ECU. it is a letter and number comination. Use this # to find a match on www.car-parts.com, most of the listings have this number in them. If they don't you can call the salvage yard and get it. It will take some time looking through them all and making some calls but you should be able to find the one you need for around $100.
I have been through this many times. I have had multiple differnt ECU's in my I30 and all have worked fine. I currently have an auto ECU from a 98 maxima in my 96 I30 5pd. I get a lot of CEL's but it works perfectly fine.
02-15-2006, 07:32 AM
#4
Your dealer is correct. They need to look at the TSB number NTB00-019, titled "1999 Maxima No Start and Security Lamp On".
Sorry that I don't have a link to this one, but the dealership should of course be able to find it.
The summary of this bulletin is that the ECM could need to be replaced, as well as the NATS immoblizer unit.
A new different ECM from another vehicle could possibly fix it, but the keys would still need to be re-registered.
Sorry that I don't have a link to this one, but the dealership should of course be able to find it.
The summary of this bulletin is that the ECM could need to be replaced, as well as the NATS immoblizer unit.
A new different ECM from another vehicle could possibly fix it, but the keys would still need to be re-registered.
02-24-2006, 07:52 AM
#7
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 38
Thanks for all the replies. I ended up shelling out for the new ECM. It's a 99, and I live in California, so I have to pass smog. I couldn't find a 99 GLE ECM on car-parts.com. 
It ended up being $750 or so for the part, and $135 for "labor" + recoding the keys. My wallet is not too happy, but that's the price I pay for not having enough time to comb through all the junkyards around here to find a 99 GLE.
It ended up being $750 or so for the part, and $135 for "labor" + recoding the keys. My wallet is not too happy, but that's the price I pay for not having enough time to comb through all the junkyards around here to find a 99 GLE.
02-24-2006, 08:36 AM
#8
Originally Posted by I30tMikeD
DO NOT BUY AN ECU FROM THE DEALERSHIP!!!!
You have two options.
1) If you don't care about CEL's and don't need to worry about CEL's for emission reasons then any 95-98 ECU will work. Auto or 5spd. But getting an ECU with at least the same tranny type will cut down on a lot of CEL's.
2) If you want an ECU that is the exact same as the one you have and don't want any CEL's then you need to get the PN off your ECU. The number you want is the large oneon a colored sticker on the face of the ECU. it is a letter and number comination. Use this # to find a match on www.car-parts.com, most of the listings have this number in them. If they don't you can call the salvage yard and get it. It will take some time looking through them all and making some calls but you should be able to find the one you need for around $100.
I have been through this many times. I have had multiple differnt ECU's in my I30 and all have worked fine. I currently have an auto ECU from a 98 maxima in my 96 I30 5pd. I get a lot of CEL's but it works perfectly fine.
You have two options.
1) If you don't care about CEL's and don't need to worry about CEL's for emission reasons then any 95-98 ECU will work. Auto or 5spd. But getting an ECU with at least the same tranny type will cut down on a lot of CEL's.
2) If you want an ECU that is the exact same as the one you have and don't want any CEL's then you need to get the PN off your ECU. The number you want is the large oneon a colored sticker on the face of the ECU. it is a letter and number comination. Use this # to find a match on www.car-parts.com, most of the listings have this number in them. If they don't you can call the salvage yard and get it. It will take some time looking through them all and making some calls but you should be able to find the one you need for around $100.
I have been through this many times. I have had multiple differnt ECU's in my I30 and all have worked fine. I currently have an auto ECU from a 98 maxima in my 96 I30 5pd. I get a lot of CEL's but it works perfectly fine.
02-24-2006, 12:33 PM
#9
Moderator who thinks he is better than us with his I30
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Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 9,335
Originally Posted by Tim96I30t
How then can you tell an actual CEL from one(s) you get all the time? You won't know until you scan it for codes if they are just the ones you always get or a new code that could cause damage.
02-24-2006, 12:35 PM
#10
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Originally Posted by nethack4ever
Thanks for all the replies. I ended up shelling out for the new ECM. It's a 99, and I live in California, so I have to pass smog. I couldn't find a 99 GLE ECM on car-parts.com. It ended up being $750 or so for the part, and $135 for "labor" + recoding the keys. My wallet is not too happy, but that's the price I pay for not having enough time to comb through all the junkyards around here to find a 99 GLE.
It ended up being $750 or so for the part, and $135 for "labor" + recoding the keys. My wallet is not too happy, but that's the price I pay for not having enough time to comb through all the junkyards around here to find a 99 GLE.
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