ECU stands for Engine Control Unit and the part is responsible for controlling key functions of a car engine.

It is critical for measuring the systems operating throughout a car engine a range of sensors feed into the Control Unit.

Therefore, if something is not working correctly with the Engine Control Unit, serious problems could arise.

If you know that you need an ECU repair, you can get a range of free quotes from the best local mechanics for Engine Control Unit repair using WhoCanFixMyCar.

If you think that your ECU is broken but don’t know for sure, we have produced this simple guide to help you understand everything involved with an ECU repair and ECU remapping.

What is an ECU?

An Engine Control Unit is responsible for running engine systems and functions.

Sensors are located throughout a car engine and they all feed into the ECU which processes the information they provide.

For example, there is a sensor in the catalytic converter which monitors the level of oxygen in the exhaust system which is directly connected to the ECU.

The ECU  processes readings provided by the sensors and makes the driver aware that there is a problem by switching on the engine management light.

The ECU will also change how the engine operates if required, for example, if the amount of oxygen getting into the engine is too low, an adjustment will be made to get more into the system by the control unit.

A huge number of sensors are built into a car’s engine which feed into the ECU which acts as the central nervous system.

Engine Control Unit repair

If something has gone wrong with the Control Unit, the problem may be an electrical wiring one.

For example, the Engine Control Unit may be telling you that the DPF is blocked, however, the DPF may be brand new and there is a very low chance the DPF, is in fact, blocked. However, the sensor telling the ECU may be giving a bad reading or the wiring may be worn.

Sensors in the exhaust system can also become blocked and give false readings which affect the Control Unit’s ability to deliver the correct information to a driver.

If there is an issue of this nature, a mechanic will take a reading from the ECU to find out what it thinks the problem is, before checking for themselves. If the Engine Control Unit is not accurate, a repair will be required for the sensor or wiring, if it is correct, the fix will need to be made to the part.

Therefore, it is impossible for a driver to tell whether the problem is real or not until the car is taken to a garage for inspection.

What is ECU remapping?

Having an Engine Control Unit remapped involves changing the settings of the onboard computer. Some drivers request this work to be carried out in order to change the performance of the car engine. Car manufacturers set the computer to be uniform in each model, however, they can be changed to get a different output from an engine.

Remapping is also known as reflashing or chipping.

If you would like to find out if your car’s engine control unit is faulty, you can book it in for inspection with a great local garage using WhoCanFixMyCar.

Simply enter your reg after clicking on any of the linked text above and we’ll get quotes from mechanics in your local area.

Why has my Engine management light come on?

What car warning lights mean

The post What is ECU repair? appeared first on Who Can Fix My Car.