Problems in your vehicle are never fun and often come when you least expect them. The good thing about modern vehicles is what is known as the ECM, or Engine Control Module. Simply put, this is your car’s brain, the computer that keeps the car running. It is the one that controls your engine and ignition, fuel injectors, and the emissions system too. When your ECM is malfunctioning, the performance of your vehicle will be compromised.
How to find out when the ECM is at fault?
Luckily, some symptoms may indicate that your ECM is not working how it should and may need an ECM Replacement.
- Your vehicle may not start
- The car may stall after starting
- It may not be performing correctly
- The check engine light illuminates with a repair code
Your vehicle will send you notifications in the forms of these codes. If any of the following codes show up during a diagnostic test, the ECM could very well be the culprit.
Further tests should be conducted to ensure whether the ECM is the root cause of the problem. An expert auto mechanic can tell whether it is a problem with the ECM. Therefore, get your car to the right mechanic to get it diagnosed as soon as you encounter any of these issues. Delay in doing so will do more harm than good.
What caused the ECM to malfunction?
It is helpful to determine what caused the damage to your ECM to prevent any further damage. Suppose there was a short circuit in the actuator or solenoid circuit. In that case, this can cause excessive voltage that could damage the ECM. Other causes such as vibration, thermal stress or even water intrusion can cause damage or corrosion to the new unit.
While a burnt or corroded ECM needs a replacement, it is vital to recognize the underlying causes of these failures to ensure they do not happen again. If your previous ECM has burnt out, it is necessary to find out the cause of the short in the circuit board to repair it. Otherwise, you may risk burning out the new ECM as well.
To avoid a faulty ECM from environmental factors, the main thing to avoid is damage caused by water. While engine computers are built to bear with weather elements, some wear and tear are still possible over a long period.
Make sure to get the correct ECM from the right place
It is the key to get the correct ECM for the make and model of your vehicle. There is a wide range of ECMs available, and it can be easy to get puzzled. It is handy to have the ECM number and the year, make, and model of your vehicle while ordering a replacement.
1 Engine Control offers you services related to ECM replacement, repair and installation at an affordable price. Please make sure that you visit our website if you have further queries.
