Menu
What's new
By:
Advanced search...

ECU repair

S

Sheffaccord

Members
Messages
13
Reaction score
1
Location
Shefford, Bedfordshire
Car
7th Gen Accord Exec
Hi all,
Old git here with very limited technical knowledge but keen Honda driver. Engine management light came on so took car (7th gen Accord Exec on 55 plate - 86k) to main dealer. Fault code related to Baro sensor and code will not clear. As sensor built in to ECU, a new ECU is required. Will only cost £1,094.27 to replace! A tad concerned about this so did some research and sending to somewhere like ECU Doctor seems a reasonable bet. Two questions (but come back with as many answers/recommendations as you can please).
1) Do you know anything about ECU Doctor or would you recommend someone else?
2) Where is the ECU and is it easy to get at and get out?
Thanks in advance.
 
Petrol or diesel? manual or auto?

What's the actual P code you are getting? and what else have they done to eliminate the problem? I.e check the sensor and wiring, fuses etc?
 
Thanks for getting back Fahad. It's a petrol manual. Sorry but I don't have the code. All that happened is that they took the car into the workshop and about a hour later the guy came out to say that a new ECU was needed and gave me a written summary/quote "Engine management light on The fault code related to baro sensor code will not clear, sensor built into ECU. Requires new ECU and testing £1094.27 inc vat to replace ECU"

I don't know if this is anyway relevant but I had a headlamp bulb replaced a fortnight ago when I had the car serviced and it has gone again.
 
Probably not relevant they may have touched the glass when installing.

Personally I would get a second opinion from a decent auto electrician, there's plenty out there now.
 
i agree with f6had

you really need to get that code...

if yours is a 2.4.i have a spare ecu you can try with no imobliser.but you would need to pay a depoist and postage cost...

if it works then buy a second hand ecu (£50-£100) and get honda main dealer to code ecu to your car

pm me if your interested
 
That's a good offer or even I should be able to code a replacement ecu.

Get that second opinion first.
 
It might be worth while doing a quick voltage check with the engine running just in case the alternator has failed and is over charging the electrics. Would only take 5 minutes
 
I took the car back to where I had it serviced and they were able to do a scan which came up with P2228 - Barometric pressure sensor circuit low voltage. The alternator was OK. They were unable to clear the code using their scanner (which they admitted was only a fairly basic bit of kit). After taking the car back home and leaving it for a couple of hours I decided to take it for a run and surprisingly the warning light had disappeared. it was really rough, especially in second gear. Entering a roundabout from a standstill was a heart in the mouth moment on a couple of occasions as it just lost power momentarily. On one occasion the light flashed on and off for a few seconds before disappearing again. The closest I can get to the feel of the drive is that it is similar to when a car has contaminated fuel - although that is from memory and hasn't happened to me for donkeys years.
Does that help in any way?
 
Well p2228 does relate to the barometric sensor which is part of the ecu but I've never seen this happen before.

If you don't want to use an auto electrician for a second opinion then I guess an ecu repairer is your next best bet
 
what about ukcl9's offer ?

seems reasonable idea to me, to check that the ECU is 100% the cause
 
I've seen this fault before, not very often though and from what I remember of the troubleshooting from Honda it says ensure ecu has latest software version / substitute good known ecu. Not a great help really but that's the honda shop manual says.
 
^^ this man is a Honda technician.
 
I thought that I had replied to ukcl9 but my reply hasn't shown up - no disrespect intended. Unfortunately mine is just a 2 ltr.

I'm a little confused over the "good known ecu". How would I recognise such an item if offered to me? How could I be sure that any second hand one had the latest software version? If I get the current one repaired, is it likely that they will have checked the software version as part of the repair? Isn't the only sure way to get a good known ecu is to get a new (and expensive) one?

If there is the option to buy a second hand one and get it coded I will happy ask F6HAD to carry out that work - just wish I still lived in 'uddersfield.
 
It may be possible to buy a second hand ECU (of unknown condition, but even most faulty ones could be used) and then swap over the sensor in that one with yours.

I have no idea how easy this would be (you'd need to take a look at your first) and you may need to get someone who is experienced with soldering to do this for you.

If this can be done then you would have no concerns regarding getting the ECU recoded to the car, plus you wouldn't have to worry about the condition of the ECU that you buy (as the sensor will almost certainly be working).

It might be worth having a quick look inside your existing ECU anyway, as maybe a connection has come loose on the sensor and could be reattached?
 
It's bolted to the floor under your centre console. Held in with 10mm bolts

You can remove the small triangular plastic flaps on either side of the centre console which will reveal the ecu. Bolts are on either side so you will need to work from both passenger and driver side.

Plugs are on the passenger side.

Takes 10 mins easy job
 
Thanks to all of you.

However -

I intended to have a start at this yesterday mid afternoon and got as far as disconnecting the battery before realising that I didn't have a 10mm socket. Went out this morning in partner's Civic (she's another Honda convert) and bought cheap socket set. For some reason I just thought that I would check the running of the engine again before starting off on the removal of the ecu. Re-connected battery and fired her up and the engine sounded sweet. Gave it a few revs and no problems so took it out for a 5 minute run and would you believe it - no problems.
I don't know if this is only a temporary reprieve but am happy not to start faffing in areas outside of my comfort zone if possible. If it reoccurs then I will pick up from here where I left off. In the meantime I'm a few bob better off than I would have been. Thanks again to all of you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top