When your car has a bad ECU, there’s a lot of issues that can arise. When you are having problems tracking down your car issue, even after taking it to a professional, often times it can be the onboard computer that’s the culprit. Your ECU is primarily responsible for orchestrating your fuel and spark events, so needless to say without a proper functional ECU you are going to have a lot of car issues.
How do you know you have a bad ECU though? That problem can be especially tough to answer, especially if your car wiring is suspect. If you have a car problem that isn’t going away, you can use this ECU guide to help you identify potential issues.
How to Spot a Bad ECU
Often times when your mechanic tells you that you have a bad ECU, you can expect an expensive bill. After all, you are talking about the most sophisticated part of your vehicle, and it’s primary role is to ensure your car operates.
For this simple reason, knowing how to spot bad ECU symptoms can often time help you save money and time. Want to learn how to spot your faulty ECU? Check out these points below, and let us know if you have any questions!
Check Engine Light – One of the most obvious clues to a bad ECU, the check engine light or CEL can be an early warning indicator. Whether or not your components are parts of your engine / sensors are bad or not, a faulty computer is a dead giveaway every time.
If you have your vehicle check engine light on, you can check out our guide on OBDII troubleshooting, or browse through our DTC Doctor articles. Finding your vehicle and specific OBDII trouble code can go a long way in getting your car back on the road.
Poor Performance – Definitely harder to notice, but still every bit as crucial to the longevity of your car or truck. When your ECU goes bad, chances are the delivery of your fuel and spark events are not functioning the right way.
When this happens, poor performance and sluggish gas mileage can result. Instead of allowing this to happen, be proactive and check out your car with a professional mechanic should you feel like your car isn’t functioning as it once did.
Intermittent Issues – Everyone who has ever been frustrated with car problems knows what this feels like. There’s a problem with your car, but it won’t show up when a mechanic is present, or it acts up after you just replaced a component in your vehicle.
Instead of wasting more time in troubleshooting or diagnostics, try having your ECU checked. When you have a bad ECU or a faulty wiring harness, lots of intermittent problems can occur.
Have any questions about our guide on how to spot a bad ECU? Leave us a message below and let us know!