Will my ECU fail me when I need it most ?
Dear Neto,
I once had the engine computer on my Nissan Wingroad repaired after a fault blew out one of its internal components. The car runs well several months after the repair. Do you trust repaired Engine Control Units or might it just fail at an inconvenient time because I did not replace it? David.
Dear David,
Yes I trust repaired Engine Control Units (ECUs) and I believe they can work properly. I have seen many cars operating on repaired ECUs. Some of the problems that call for repairs are as simple as broken diodes, capacitors or resistors.
In most situations, there are integrated circuits that are changed and still work fine. If the parts are changed with genuine ones and the control board is properly handled, the computer will still work.
I trust the repairs because they are tested first before the car is given to you. In developed nations where some expensive ECUs are sent for repair, they are re-manufactured and placed on testers that simulate engine driving conditions, even picking out intermittent ECU faults.