Ecu faulty repair or ....?

[Brummie]

Hi,
I am having problems with my ECU. It’s from a corsa 1.3 2008 plate.
The pictures below show the water damage.

I have tried a few companies. The first one said they would not even touch it because it was a corsa 1.3. They told me they already had five calls this monday morning about corsa’s. They do not do that model because the extend of water damage means they are beyond repair and that the second hand one’s are just as bad because they come from owners who have just been told the ECU needs replacing.

The second company I tried wanted me to send the keys and transponder which suggested I was going to be paying for someone else’s ECU which had been repaired.

The third company have quoted me a figure £485. They want me to send them my ECU and they will get the information off it and put it on a replacement machine. No keys, transponders etc involved.

Vauxhall have quoted me £1,500 for a new one.

The fault codes were P060B, P1120, P1122 and P0082.

I was just wondering if anyone had any experience of ECU repairs or could recommend any other options.

 

[Ashley Burton]

Have you tried ECU Testing? They list Corsa 1.3 ECU's, But you would need to confirm ECU part number. Worth a phone call atleast! Also Actronics is another one you could try. Water Damaged units aren't usually salvageable from previous experiences.

 

[Brummie]

Thanks for that, I will give them both a ring tomorrow.
I will take the back off tomorrow and post up a snap of how it looks.

 

[anto44]

I've had a few ecu's repaired over the years but if its water damage it's normally scrap. I think by the sounds of it i think the first company is being honest and straight with you after probably seeing lots of them with the same issue.

 

[Brummie]

I've had a few ecu's repaired over the years but if its water damage it's normally scrap. I think by the sounds of it i think the first company is being honest and straight with you after probably seeing lots of them with the same issue.

Yes I would agree with you on that.

 

[anto44]

Just be careful of places that will do a bodge repair that they know will probably hold out long enough to get out of warranty. Unfortunately once the corrosion starts on the boards it's hard to stop it. You might only have one component thats gone right now but you could have another dozen that are just barely hanging in there ready to fail aswell.

 

[Ruffian]

The corsa ecu is such a common problem,
Almost cheaper to get a second hand ecu and keys and just run the risk.

 

[anto44]

Used to have the same issue with caddy vans. ECU was prone to getting water damaged. I used to try catch them before they were gone and clean and paint them to prevent it.

 

[Brummie]

The corsa ecu is such a common problem,
Almost cheaper to get a second hand ecu and keys and just run the risk.

I don't know why they located it under the windscreen water channel, its almost as though they were building in long term faults

 

[500e]

Peter Remmington
Auto-Tec Diagnostics
Unit 7 Kettlewell Yard
Austin Fields Ind. Est.
King's Lynn
Norfolk
PE30 1FB
Workshop 01553 782929
Mobile 07816 424847
He is a site member as well

 

[Brummie]

With the sort of prices quoted there to repair a 9/10 year old car, would it not be better to consider just replacing the entire car with a waterproof one?

That's definitely an option I am considering. I would have to buy another one in a hurry, it would be second hand and necessity never made a good bargain.

 

[Brummie]

Peter Remmington
Auto-Tec Diagnostics
Unit 7 Kettlewell Yard
Austin Fields Ind. Est.
King's Lynn
Norfolk
PE30 1FB
Workshop 01553 782929
Mobile 07816 424847

Thanks for that. I will give him a ring tomorrow.

 

[Master fettler]

Had the same problem with my sons corsa b after he hosed the engine of after a rebuild. Found a ecu with ignition transponder and 2 keys for £60 on eBay. Guaranteed by the seller or would exchange. Received it plugged it in and it started straight away. So might be worth a look for a second hand one from a reputable source and give it a go. Corsa's are great when running the wife loves hers!

 

[Brummie]

Had the same problem with my sons corsa b after he hosed the engine of after a rebuild. Found a ecu with ignition transponder and 2 keys for £60 on eBay. Guaranteed by the seller or would exchange. Received it plugged it in and it started straight away. So might be worth a look for a second hand one from a reputable source and give it a go. Corsa's are great when running the wife loves hers!

That would be the best option financially. Am I right in thinking the Ecu is coded to the keys and the transponder and I would not have to replace the dashboard because some of what I read talk about changing the whole dashboard as well and to be honest that would be beyond me.

 

[Master fettler]

Keys have small chip inside that is coded to transponder and ecu. Never had to change dashboard,used dashboard from sons car in Wife's car with no problems when he let her have his white dials.

 

[colnerov]

Thanks for that, I will give them both a ring tomorrow.
I will take the back off tomorrow and post up a snap of how it looks.

Hi, Be careful, they may not accept it if it's been opened up, they don't know what has been done to it.

Colin

 

[Master fettler]

As long as it doesn't look tampered with I'd leave well alone and just fit it and see

 

[Brummie]

Hi, Be careful, they may not accept it if it's been opened up, they don't know what has been done to it.

Too late. I was on the way home and I took it in to an independent auto electrican. He did not do anything to it but he took the back off to show me the extent of the water damage. Hopefully that won’t affect the chance of a repair, but I will skip the promised photo.

 

[Master fettler]

I would have thought if it's water damaged it's knackered and unreliable,so replacement is the only option.

 

[anto44]

The guy I used for repairs like that would often get me to open the ecu and send him a pic of the board as sometimes he'd be able to tell enough by the picture to say it's scrap don't bother wasting the postage sending it to him