Car thread, regarding ECU

planters

If you take an ECU out of a car and put it in a different car that's exactly the same, would it need reprogramming?

TheFish

Possibly, assuming it's the same car - same make, same model, same engine (check because sometimes manufacturers use a couple of different engines in a model during it's lifetime).

One thing to watch out for though is that some newer cars have the vehicle alarm/immobiliser integrated into the ECU, in which case there might be problems.

YourFatAuntSusan

The ECU is programmed to the VIN of the car. It will not work in another car.

TheFish

YourFatAuntSusan wrote: »

The ECU is programmed to the VIN of the car. It will not work in another car.

Not in any car I've ever worked on it isn't.

Lord Yod

planters wrote: »

If you take an ECU out of a car and put it in a different car that's exactly the same, would it need reprogramming?

Sometimes manufacturers changed ECU programming depending on the date the car was made, but other than that, yes it should work.

Casually Hardcore

There's a lot of variables to take account of, but if those variables match then it'll work.

What kind of car you're talking about?

ImDrawingABlank

I have swapped multiple different ECU's on early to mid 90's ford's with no difficulties, they are not as far as I have ever seen programmed to the VIN

wallabeeX

I work with VW and Audis and I've never had any trouble so long as the engine is the same. Please keep in mind that, to a computer, it's entirely about what it's communicating with. The VIN has nothing to do with that.

illig

YourFatAuntSusan wrote: »

The ECU is programmed to the VIN of the car. It will not work in another car.

i think you're confusing things

VIN mismatch will only cause issues at inspection time, and VIN encoding into the ECU only started a few years ago, so it has to be a pretty new car to cause issues

so:

1. if the OP has a fairly new car, and
2. if the OP lives in an area that requires ECU scanning as part of the inspection
3. and if the location doesn't allow some sort of exceptions for ECU replacement due to failure,

THEN the differing VIN will mean an automatic inspection fail

mechanically, the car will be fine, however

Lord Yod

illig wrote: »

2. if the OP lives in an area that requires ECU scanning as part of the inspection

Is this actually done anywhere?

fuelish

A lot of states are going away from the sniff inspection and going to an OBDII based inspection. So far as I know the scan is only checking to see if the car has coded. If it has an uncleared code it will not pass inspection.

DasUberEdward

So uh what kind of car is it?

Year and model. That'd help things a lot as some systems are much more picky than others.

tinkerinbella14@gmail.com

Please help me inter web peeps. I have a 2011 Nissan jUke base model turbo and need a new ECM. I have already dumped almost a grand into this and turns out my ECM is bad. Can I get another ECM from another juke same make same model same engine. Everything even though the model number is not the same as mine. Nissan wants 850 for a new one. And I just can't afford it. Can reprogramming another ECM from another juke like mine work even if they are 2 different model numbers. My ECM model is 23710-1kc7a. Or does my vin make this impossible to swap. Please any help would be my salvation to my problem right now.