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

[steve99]

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

[keen as]

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

[FRS Justin]

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.

[StegaDragon]

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

[etc]

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.

[StegaDragon]

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

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

[etc]

Originally Posted by StegaDragon

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

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

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.

[StegaDragon]

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

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

[StegaDragon]

I would still contact Toyota directly

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

[steve99]

Originally Posted by etc

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.

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.

Originally Posted by StegaDragon

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

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

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

[StegaDragon]

@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

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

[Wayno]

Originally Posted by StegaDragon

@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

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

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.

[steve99]

_

Originally Posted by StegaDragon

@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

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

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

[etc]

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).