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ECU Failed


Guest Lauryn
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the black boc, convenience module, wouldn't affect this.

I'd suggest borrowing one.

find someone with a sport engine for sale, enough rock up on here and see what can be done.

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Guest Lauryn
So you were having trouble with starting the car, you took it to VW and they say you need a new ecu? Is the car running at the minute or have VW botched something?

Well I started it and took it to them, took a few attempts to start it, but it started and I drive to VW which is about 40 mins away, so to me the ECU cant need replaced, cos surely the car wouldnt run full stop? Not just when it felt like it?

Again, I'm not a mechanic or anything of the sort, I'm just sceptical about the whole situation

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Guest Lauryn

I'm phoning tomorrow with a list of questions (feel free to add any I have forgotten!)

What is the exact fault?

What part of ECU is damaged etc?

Can this not be repaired/replaced on its own?

Does the full ECU HAVE to be replaced?

Why does the car run perfect when its going, its just a starting issue, surely it should run at all?

And yeah VW are trying to say it wont start now, funny how I managed to drive it to them eh! Was working (just) before it went in

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All of Lauryn's keys have been tried mate and they've all been recoded by VW too!

I have witness what it was doing before it went into VW to be looked at, the engine will turn over then fire up for half a second (if that) then cut out as if the immobiliser kicks in and the starter will just keep turning. On the odd occasion it will try to fire up a second time if you keep turning it over too but more often than not you'll have to stop turning it over and start again.

You can keep trying to start it and it will do the same thing every time until it actually starts. Sometimes getting it started will take over half an hour of doing this!

Last Sunday we managed to get it started, by bump starting it while turning the key and doing the usual clutch lifting as you would normally bump start a car.

Having seen what it does I would definitely say its an issue with the immobiliser (but then again I'm no mechanic) as the car runs perfectly once it will eventually start, there's no missfiring or spluttering when its running and its capable of doing motorway speeds too so its not gone into any sort of limp mode either.

Edited by treblet
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Guest Lauryn
All of Lauryn's keys have been tried mate and they've all been recoded by VW too!

I have witness what it was doing before it went into VW to be looked at, the engine will turn over then fire up for half a second (if that) then cut out as if the immobiliser kicks in and the starter will just keep turning. On the odd occasion it will try to fire up a second time if you keep turning it over too but more often than not you'll have to stop turning it over and start again.

You can keep trying to start it and it will do the same thing every time until it actually starts. Sometimes getting it started will take over half an hour of doing this!

Last Sunday we managed to get it started, by bump starting it while turning the key and doing the usual clutch lifting as you would normally bump start a car.

Having seen what it does I would definitely say its an issue with the immobiliser (but then again I'm no mechanic) as the car runs perfectly once it will eventually start, there's no missfiring or spluttering when its running and its capable of doing motorway speeds too so its not gone into any sort of limp mode either.

Cheers Jamie. The car has been inspected by various mechanics and garages, and also AA (lol, they didnt have a clue when I called them out) and no one really knew what it was. That fault code came up and I was advised the best thing to do, and the likely issue was to get the keys recoded, which was done by VW nearly 2 weeks ago - main and spare key.

This actually seemed to worsen the problem, and the situation got worse, the car just wouldnt go. Jamie and a few other people off here saw it acting up last Sunday at Knockhill, and it did just what Jamie said.

I PM'd j99y (cheers mate) and he had the same problem, not starting, ECU held in with cable ties, and it was rattling about, not helped by being so low, and some wires came loose and there was a crack. He managed to get his repaired somewhere, so I'm pretty confident its the same kinda problem.

It just seems like the extreme option to want to replace it, I am gonna be on the phone to VW first thing in the morning though. I dont think theyre at it tbh, because they could have charged me for recoding the keys (but they decided to do this, I didnt mention it to them even though I knew it was a possible solution),but I do think that they are taking the easy way out by wanting to replace the whole unit. I'm giving them a serious grilling in the morning, and if necessary I'll drive up to look at it.

Thanks for the help everyone, I'm just trying to stay positive, at the end of the day I'm a student so pretty skint, and I adore the car, and this couldnt have came at a worse time because of UD next weekend :(

Lauryn

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defcon's right, can't you take the ecu somewhere, get the immobiliser removed via the canbus modules ?

potentially, this could sort it.

Lauryn if you do go down this route make sure you tell the insurance company, as otherwise im sure your policy will be void. Good luck getting it fixed :(

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Guest Lauryn
Lauryn if you do go down this route make sure you tell the insurance company, as otherwise im sure your policy will be void. Good luck getting it fixed :(

Never thought about that. Argh looks like another sleepless night for me, got so much uni work to do and I can't concentrate :(

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Guest Lauryn

OK so I phoned VW this morning, and asked them what exactly is wrong with the ECU, this was the reply:

"Theres a breakdown in communication between the ECU and the immobiliser". So I asked, is it the wiring, is it cracked etc, and the guy repeated himself. Next question, why cant it be repaired? The reply:

"it can be repaired but its not something we do, you would need to take it to a specialist and price it up with them".

So basically, its repairable, but VW dont have the know how to do it?! How does that help me! They want me to wait for this part to turn up got knows when, and pay £555 to have it supplied and fitted, ****ing useless knobends!

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My ECU failed a couple of years ago. Never really got to the bottom of why it did it, but I started having problems after the radio was changed (at a VW dealership). After this I had problems with the car running - it would stall, and it was 'hunting' at about 2K revs. The worst problem was the exhaust was throwing out black soot, but no one would believe there was a problem until it failed the MOT with catastrophic emissions. Then an independent dealer suspected the ECU, found a second hand one, changed it, and voila, all is well again. Lots of things were changed in between times to try and fix it - cost a fortune!

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest Lauryn

*Update* if you like.

I let VW order a new ECU, waited and waited, a week and a half later (by this point the Lupo had missed UD) the ECU still hadnt been dispatched, so I lost patience, got the ECU off them, and sent it away to a specialist. Heard from them today and the ECU has been tested and is fine, feck all wrong with it!

My Lupo is now with VW, I have their courtesy car which they seem to have forgotten about, I'm waiting on the ECU coming back...and I dont know what to do!!!

I think I'm going to get it taken off them on Monday morning, taken to a local garage, and theyre gonna strip it down and check it, they suspect its the wiring to the ECU ie power supply, which was always a suspect, and hopefully go from there.

I bet VW want paid now, but I'm gonna argue it cos they quoted for a new ECU and 2 hours labour to fit, and the current one works perfect so never needed replaced, so tbh I think theyre entitled to feck all, but theyll argue otherwise. I'll need to give the fox back too, aww!

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Guest Lauryn
Im impressed with your patience Lauryn!! Hope it's sorted soon.. :(

I'm so stressed its unbelievable. Its something so small, I know it, and its just draining the life out of me. Couldnt have happened at a worse time really, it missed Ultimate Dubs, and 2 other local shows/cruises, and I have a garage full of new parts to fit which were meant to be done in time for UD, I'm trying not to cry!

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I'm so stressed its unbelievable. Its something so small, I know it, and its just draining the life out of me. Couldnt have happened at a worse time really, it missed Ultimate Dubs, and 2 other local shows/cruises, and I have a garage full of new parts to fit which were meant to be done in time for UD, I'm trying not to cry!

:( Just think about how cool and happy your gonna feel when its fixed and all your new bits are on!!!

Have an e-hug haha. :)

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Just think positive and when you get your back all fixed and then you can put all bits on you need for it and get it ready for the next show/meet. Be worth the wait in the end. Hope it all gets sorted soon :)

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yeah lauryn...stop being so greedy!!! think about what you told me you got last night!! thats well worth my car missing shows and being off the road... just means the car will be even better for edition ;)

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Guest Lauryn

I have now returned the ECU to VW, which has been tested and theres bloody well nothing wrong with it, theyre going to "refit it and retest it". What friggin good is that going to do, its not the ECU which is faulty! Arghhh! Nearly 3 weeks they have had my car at their place, and 4 and a half weeks since I first took it to them. :angry2::angry2:

I WANT MY ****ING CAR BACK!!!

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