Replacing a Bricked damaged or faulty ECU with new or used ECU FRS BRZ GT 86
 

Replacing a Bricked or damaged faulty ECU with new or used ECU (engine control Module) BRZ FRS GT 86

As usual this info is provided in good faith ,I accept no responsibility for the accuracy of this information or any loss or damage resulting from the use of this information


Thanks to @FRS Justin for his assistance


ECU - Engine control module (same as ECM engine control module)
ODB Port - near steering wheel also known as DLC port


What you will need


1. A replacement ECU new or used of same type as your current ECU


If you buy a used ECU (note Toyota/Subaru call them ECM engine control modules) make sure its from the same model/year and transmission type ie auto/manual. Unless you have a flash device so you can flash the ecu with the correct rom all ecu up to 2016 appear to be same hardware even auto or manual is same.

If you buying a used ECU be careful as it may have a "tune" written to it by a system such as Ecutek or BRZEdit which lock the ecu to that system and you will not be able to access the ecu to flash it with open-source tools such as OFT or Tactrix/Ecuflash. You will first need to unlock the ECU with whatever system locked it. Or return it for an ECU thats not locked, unfortunately it is not easy to determine if the ecu is locked or to what system it is locked to unless you have that particular system

Info on Tune systems popular with this vehicle.
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=106068


Its possible to reflash an ECU with the correct rom calibration after using this procedure but I am not 100% if it will work as their may be slight hardware differences between ECU from different models or regions or auto/manual. But we have done auto to manual from usa ecu to australian ecu. This should work for 2012 to 2016 ecu, im not 100% on the new MY2017 ecu but its likely the same and compatible. Note that the 2017 ecu ROM's/calid is not compatable with 2016 or earlier cars and earlier ecu rom's/calid is not compatable with 2017 cars, the hardware appears same but something has changes in security communications. This proceedure will still work but you wont get a 2017 car to start on earlier than 2017 rom, and you wont get an early car to work on 2017. ie you need to flash in the correct ecu calid rom.


2. Techstream and a suitable interface cable (optional)



This is not required if you don't want/need to change the VIN number in ECU. The car will start and run fine without matching the vIN in ecu to your car.

Link to Techstream software and info

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35530

you can use a Tactrix cable or an VAG Com or a VCI cable to connect to ECU and use Techstream.

3. A small piece of wire to loop pins 4 and 13 on the Cars OBD port (DLC port)
or if you want to be fancy buy a OBD plug and lop pins 4 and 13



Proceedure to swap in new or used ECU

Make sure cars battery is good and well charged if necessary charge battery well before this procedure then disconnect charger, or replace battery if its suspect.

I'm suspect of most modern switch mode or pulse charging battery chargers (auto shop purchased) being connected during procedures like this or flashing ECU. They tend to introduce electrical noise/spikes into system and may cause problems.

Dealers have specialised battery chargers with filtered/conditioned outputs.

1. Ignition off
2. Remove battery terminal
3. Replace ECU module with the new or used ECU unit from another car
see here for physical replacement procedure http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19590
4. Replace battery terminal
5. Turn ON ignition (full ON position not just accessory position)
6. Use Techstream to enter new vin number on connection screen (its under tab called UTILITY in the Engine ECU screen, setting vin is not necessary to get car to start and run)
7. Turn OFF ignition
8. Loop pins 4 and 13 on OBD port in car (this puts control units in comms mode)
9. Turn ignition to full ON position with working key or for keyless fob in car and two pushes of start button (in park or not pressing clutch) DO NOT TRY TO START car, DO NOT remove FOB from car during the 30 minute period.

To be really safe here make sure everything electrical is off in car radio, fans lights ect have the drivers window down and doors closed. Reach in through window to operate ignition at start and end of 30 minute period. Because when you open door window does the jump/up/down ie electrical load/spikes .

10. Wait at least 30 minutes (the CEL light should flash if loop is on pins 4-13)
11. turn OFF ignition (again reaching through window not opening door)
12. Remove loop on OBD port pins 4 to 13
13. Start car let it run for more than 5 seconds.
14. Enjoy your car.



The new/used ecu can be coded into the security system without the vin number being entered with techstream, but your flashing device and or licencing may not work unless the vin is set in ecu. Or their may be other unknow consequences of not setting VIN number. But i have changed vin in ecu and cars still start and run fine






This procedure can be found in the Toyota/Subaru Service manual around page 4985


Service Manual Download
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12135

Proceedure in Manual
https://techinfo.toyota.com/t3Portal...0Y027X_01_0005






OBD Port layout

Hopefully I will never need to look for this thread!!!
Thanks for your input.

Most excellent post!!!!


A couple things to add, "of course I think of these after we talked lol"
When in comms mode for 30 minutes you might want to add a battery booster or charger to keep battery up.
Keep door closed during 30 minute coms procedure. I always reach thru the window to turn on ign. None of this is mandatory just things to consider.

Just to add that if you are getting a used ECU make sure they have a good return policy as you might get an ECU that's been flashed with a locked tune and you won't be able to do much with it. I had this issue and luckily had no issues exchanging it but I know some places won't exchange electronic parts

SC10N driver

Hey there, unfortunately I am in the situation where I need to use this information thanks!

You say: "make sure its from the same model/year and transmission type ie auto/manual."

Is there a reason we can't mix between years? I know MT vs AT are different but are the newer years not backwards compatible?

I ask because I am facing the p0018 (vvti cam gear) issues that faced early 2013 models and toyota will swap the ECU, if you are under warranty. I am no longer under warranty so I would rather just purchase a newer model's ECU used and swap it in and not have to find a late 2013 model ecu.

That's not going to fix it, they change the cam gears along with the ECU, how many miles on your car? If it's not too much past 60k then I would call Toyota and see if they can help

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Ya sorry wasn't being complete, was trying to stay mostly ontopic for the ecu stuff. I am having my cam gears changed out early next week (the affected ones at least), by a local shop. But have been going back and forth on the need to change the ECU. Logically I don't see how the cam gear issue effects the ECU but it is a common part of the work dealers do to solve the issue and It seems unlikely toyota would pay for it if it wasn't needed.
At the same time used ECUs are cheap (~$100 on ebay) and if this thread accurately describes the labor to replace them it seems worth just doing it and not worrying.

I am at 59,800. Unfortunately I have burned my bridge with the warranty though. I had a supercharger on the car and left part (oil cooler) on when I brought it in for service because these things seemed unrelated to me. Now they have flagged my car as modified and will not do this service under warranty. Before noticing that though they contacted Toyota who told them to replace the cam gear and ECU under warranty.

Was this from the dealer or directly from Toyota, either way the problem is more that the ECU memory is really hard to reset and will cause the code to reset, the new ecu is more to have a fresh start

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I would still contact Toyota directly

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Yes you can replace the ecu. However the problem is most likely in the mechanical parts like oil control valves, cam sprocket/actuators rarther than the ECU.

The ECU firmware should be updated to B01C or B01D if its an earlier revision like 700C 900C A00C A01C or B00C and correcponding D versions if your auto. Later then that no update required.

The ECU would only need replacing if you have either bricked it software/firmware wise or the ECU has an actual fault internally or with one of its sensor inputs or outputs. The units seem very reliable and it likely toyota/subaru were just being overly cautious saying to replace ECU.

It would be the last thing to replace unless you have a cheap one handy

Re the ECU's its appears that they will all likely be the same hardware.

Ive now dealt with people who have flashed 2013 roms to 2016 cars and all good and people who have flashed roms from different regions ie A01G roms from europe to USA cars.

The only thing im not 100% on is if auto and manual ECU is same hardware but its very likely they are. So you should be ok to get a newer manual or auto ecu for your car and just flash it back to your rom calid


Have found that newer rom calid flashed to older car causes some strange CEL codes with alternator and dash cluster, but strangly a 2016 car flashed with an old 2013 rom is ok.




The ECU is reset and all codes reset if power is removed conpletly from ECU or its flashed or you reset codes with a code scanner. however I have noticed that cheap code scanners only reset the Active codes and often dont reset the dormant or stored codes. but you could just pull the battery.

I would say they are recommending ECU replacement in some CAM TSB to cover the rare possibility that the actual ecu hardware is faulty

@steve99 it's the learned memory that is a factor not the actual code, the ECU learns the actuator response and movement, since Toyota won't let you re-flash an ecu unless there's an update the only way to make sure the vehicle doesn't return with an erroneous code is to replace the ECU

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Whatever narrow minded policies Toyota has are irrelevant at this point.

Buy a tactrix cable for $170, flash B01C/D. Do not tear out a perfectly good ECU. Done.

_
The "brains" of thg ECU is a renasis SH72531 processor

more info see here http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68328

the SH72531 is a single chip microcontroller unit that contains a processor ans some onboard ROM(flash memory) and some RAM, . The rom or flash memory area is where you flash your tune to and this is permanent till reflashed. The ram area is where ecu stores learned knock,fueling and other calibration data, ecu fault codes etc. All that area gets erased if power is removed for a short period.

So unless their is an actual hardware fault in ecu or its on board interface circuitry, then they dont need replacing, this is possible but unlikely.

Even "bricked" ecu is not actually physically damaged, it just had bad rom code written to it that has sent the processor into a loop or indeterminate state that is not easily recovered as it will no longer talk to the car obd port, unless you access the boot MAT area of the ecu by making physical connections direct to ecu circuit board and force boot mode .

Im not sure why toyota\subaru were blindly replacing ecu in early days, it may have been because the dealers , especially toyota did not have a flash tool to reflash ecu so they just replaced ecu with a new ubit with updated rom calibration

Their is still a TSB out that says replace ecu after extensive testing of other cam componentry, i suspect this is done as if all else has been checked then they suspect a fault in ecu hardware, but it does appear that in 99% of cases reflashing ecu to latest fimware will sort ecu problem, but quite often expensive cam actuator\sproket assembly needs replaceing and\or oil control valves , rarther than ecu

If you get cam codes rough idle outside warantee i would

1. Ensure ecu is flashed with latest compatable factory update in before 2014 this will be B01C or B01D

2. Do the cam sensor tsb re adjusting sensor clearance

Both of the above are quite cheap and easy.

3. If still no good do the other cam tsb which involves extensive testing and replacement of oil control valves, cam actuator\sprokets and if all else fails ectire ecu. This will be expensive and timeconsuming work

Thank you for the info, it is very helpful. Sorry this got derailed a bit into a p001{6-9} thread.

I just wanted to mention that Toyota is still recommending replacing the ECU to this day. My experience was I brought my car in, they called the next day said they called Toyota corporate and were told to replace the cam gear and ECU, ordered the parts then called back two days later when they went to work on it and said they wouldn't cover it because they just found the oil cooler. So whatever is issue is (maybe just a known defect in the early production ecus) they still replace them, maybe it is just being over cautious on their part.

I have a general knowledge of MCU/embedded development as well and what you are describing is what I would have thought as well. If you overwrite all of the flash and remove power to kill the ram you should have a completely fresh ECU.

I will take your advice though and just leave the old one in there with the new firmware B01C after getting the cam work done and see if it works. That will be easier because I have an ecutek license on it anyway.

I ordered a ECU from a '15 off eBay earlier though. So if I do end up using that should I flash to the '13 firmware (B01C) or just leave it at the '15 firmware (whatever that is, but I think I noticed it was different in ecutek).

Their being pretty nasty denying warantee claim due oil cooler for a known defect that has numerious tsb covering it. and denying you a new ecu if the old one is faulty well id ask them to explain how the oil cooler damaged the ecu.

Yes it will be best to put the original b01C firware back in the new ecu, with ecutek you going to need to get the tuner to renew your ecutek licience for new ecu.

Definitely contact Toyota directly and not the dealer you'll have a better chance

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The only reason they say to replace the ECU is because it's easier and less risk for them to ship a new one with the parts than train some apprentice to flash it and include instructions in the TSB which said apprentice could easily forget to do.

If you just want to reset learned data, then disconnect the battery for 10 sec.

Just some more info for those that are curious. I was unable to find the procedure in the service manuals available on the site (http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12135) Mostly because they are insanely hard to navigate, the good news is that apparently toyota doesn't have any access control on the actual pages of the techstream docs only on the indexes so you can follow links from the downloaded service manual to the live docs.

So the procedure is outlined here straight from the horse's mouth, but is what @steve99 stated in the original post. https://techinfo.toyota.com/t3Portal...0Y027X_01_0005

It is the last one "10)" procedure "G".

Also the OP notes that there may be unknown consequences to not setting the VIN with techstream. According to the Manual you will get a MIL (check engine light) if you don't: https://techinfo.toyota.com/t3Portal...0315Z04XX.html

So to follow up. I had my cam gears replaced a week or so ago but still had the CEL. I tried flashing b01c again and leaving the battery off for about 15min. The CEL came back.

I swapped in a new (to me) ECU from a '15 flashed that back to b01c and followed the instructions in this thread. Procedure is as simple as it sounds, I had to do the 30min learning twice though, the first time the car would not even try to start, only one loud click. My jumper wire may not have had a good contact the first time. It is easy though the hardest part of the whole thing is removing the connectors out of the old ECU.

CEL is off now and car is running great! So thank you very much for these instructions they were very helpful and it looks like there are some hardware issues with '12 ecus that do require replacement.

Car should also start with different vin in ecu, tried this and it seems to have no effect the vin just seems to do nothing related to security or starting of car.

Quick question... is the replacement ECU pairing to the other controllers or are the other controllers pairing to the replacement ECU? In other words... If I pick up a used ECU and go through this procedure do I have to repeat the procedure again to go back to the original ECU I removed?

I'm considering buying a used ecu to apply my Ecutek tuning to so that if I ever do have to go into the dealer for something or eventually want to return the car to stock to sell I will have my "virgin" factory ECU ready to go. For the ~$100 or so it costs to get a used ECU it seems worth it.
-Matt

You will need to do the 30 minute proceedure ach time you change ecu. Thats the easy part, crawling uner the dash to physically swap out the ecu is the harder part :-)

if your doing the ecu swap remember to put in you vin to the new ecu, its not necessary to start or run car but dealer may pick vin doesnt match, you only need to do that once to new ecu though

p0016
 

So I had the dreaded p0016 code and took it to the dealership. They said the cam gear and ECU needed to be replaced and it was covered under warranty. When I got my vehicle back, I drove it for a while and then installed my previous OFT tune. Questions 1: my stereo still had all of my previous settings which lead me to believe they never disconnected the battery. Doesn't that need to be done to install a new ECU? Question 2: I thought if a new ECU is installed, my OFT wouldn't work because it was locked on the previous one. Am I wrong?

What I'm getting at is I wonder if they actually replaced the ECU.

1. delaers often plug in a temporary voltage supply into caragette lighter socket so stereo does not loose setting of need security code re-entering.

2. OFT will be fine as long a dealer set the vehicle VIN number in the new ECU.

thanks
 

Thanks! Good to know. I was getting a little worried. Thanks for your input and knowledge on this site. You have been a huge help for me regarding OFT issues.

Once a year I disconnect my carbattery for a full week when I'm on a holiday.
When I reconnect all settings are restored, it even remembers which song I was listening to on my USB stick. The only thing he doesn't remember are the names of the radio stations.

I have an aftermarket Pioneer stereo so every time the battery is disconnected, it loses all of the settings. It also requires you to enter the code in case someone steals it. That was why I thought it was odd.

Hi,

I am new here. sorry if i ask any wrong question.I have Toyota GT86 2012 car. Bought it from japan , it got Greddy T518z turbo setup and tuned the ECU by Greddy and locked.
Code - ZA1JA01A
Now ,I need to Reflash the ECU and back it on stock ROM and Map. How can I do it. PLease suggest .
Thanks

If it was setup and tuned by Greddy then its probably got an ecutek tune in ecu which locks ecu to ecutek.

You would need to find someone with an ecutek cable kit or any ecutek tuner wil be able to flash you back a stock rom, ecutek system comes with all stock roms. This only takes a few minutes if you find someone with ecutek cable kit.

Alternativly you could get an ecu from a similar car ie a 2012-2013 car with same transmission type ie auto\manual from a wrecked car or their are some on ebay. If its not same car you would need to reflash ecu with correct rom calid using say Tactrix see links below.

ZA1JA02A is also compatable with your car

But if you get ecu from same car then you can jist swap it in using proceedure in forst post in this thread, no special tols or flashing system required

you might also be able to sell the old ecu as it has a $350 usd ecutek licience in it

The procedure after installing the ECU is used to make sure the immobilizer doesn't stop the car from starting? I was a little confused about that part. Could anyone clarify? I purchased a new ECU, and don't want to install it and not have my car be able to start due to the immobilizer.

Thanks!

100% sure that car will not start if you just swap in the ecu, you definitly have to use this proceedure to sync new ecu into security system.

Just helped a friend install a ecm yesterday.
entered a new vin jumped the data port 4-13 loaded a tune, car starts no problem.
Just take your time and ask questions if you get stuck, but believe me it's not voodoo and anyone can do it.

+1 engine ECU is probably the easiest module to swap out

you dont even need to set the VIN if you dont have the software tools, car will still start and run without vin change

May be a silly question but when looping the Pins together, could anything be used? Example: Paperclip? Copper Wire?

Also, I ordered the ECU based off my VIN, but is my VIN logged into the ECU? Or would I still need to use TechStream? I plan on installing the new ECU tomorrow and then run over to my Tuner, so don't want to mess it up prior to!

Yes a paper clip or piece of wire will do, just has to connect the pins for the entire 30 mins.


Changing the vin is not required to get car to start and run. Yes the vin is stored in ECU

Hey Steve, I turned my ignition to Full ON and noticed the CEL is flashing from the get go. I thought it's supposed to be flashing once the procedure is complete in 30 minutes... Should I just wait it out anyways?

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I did procedure and when I went to start the car, it fired up then immediately cut off. Does that mean I didn't do it properly?

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yeas wait it out, the cel flashing means the pins looped

If you have key start and it shuts off after 5 sec it probably means it didn't complete correctly.


Read the codes from ecu you will probably get some security mismatch codes. Clear them and see if they re-appear next start.


if so repeat procedure, make sure you leave pins looped for at least 30 mins

if the ecu is usdm, can i reflash it with a jdm rom with a different calid? will the ecu accept the reflash?