DIY ECU removal - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

Hawaiian · 10-12-2012, 01:29 AM

Tools:
10mm crescent wrench (ratcheting preferred)
Needle nose pliers

Time:
About 15m

Difficulty:
Beginner

The hardest part about this job is knowing where the ECU is, as well as working in an inverted position. The first few steps can be bypassed, but they allow a little more access to the ECU and bolts.

The ECU is located on the passenger side of the vehicle, right above the kick panel, behind the dash.

First, to get more light in remove the end piece from the dash. You can take it off by pulling up and away from the bottom. It's held in by a few clips and comes off fairly easily

Once that is off, you can pull this piece off it's pegs. They will slip right out. If you can't get them off easily, you will have another shot at it after the next step.

If getting to the lower peg was hard for you, here's your shot to get it.
To remove the glove box, Open it all the way, and then push the sides in towards the center just enough to get the tongue past the notch it rests in. There is one on either side. Once you get both of them out, the glovebox will pull straight out, off it's hinge.

At this point you will get your first glimpse of the ECU. From here you can use your needle nose pliers to unplug the ECU. Be careful here, I broke a piece of the plug release in the process.

From this point we will move to our back. The ecu is mounted to the firewall at 2 points. Both bolts are 10mm, with a short clearance on the lower screw (circled in the top right of the picture below). If you have a 10mm ratcheting crescent this job is a breeze.

The other screw is mounted higher up, You have a little more room to work here.

Once the bolts are off you can just work the ecu out from around the harness, and Viola!

Reverse the steps to put it back in.

cuddefred · 10-12-2012, 01:59 AM

Thanks for this. Noob question - how and where do we plug into the ECU to flash it in the 1st place? I'm sure I am supposed to know this but I don't

Hawaiian · 10-12-2012, 02:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cuddefred

Thanks for this. Noob question - how and where do we plug into the ECU to flash it in the 1st place? I'm sure I am supposed to know this but I don't

You flash a vehicle by plugging the cable into the ODB2 port (located right above your knee when you're pressing the gas pedal), not the ECU. Replacing the ECU should only be necessary during a catastrophic failure.

Yruyur · 10-12-2012, 02:18 AM

Great writeup.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

lordtakuban · 10-12-2012, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawaiian

Replacing the ECU should only be necessary during a catastrophic failure.

Or if you're going to a complete stand alone aftermarket ECU.

Mr.Jay · 10-18-2012, 11:44 PM

This DIY just saved me.

Finished taking out my ECU about 5 mins in the rain outside. No open doors laying inside upside down in the car haha tight squeeze

Great DIY

Hawaiian · 10-19-2012, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr.Jay

This DIY just saved me.

Finished taking out my ECU about 5 mins in the rain outside. No open doors laying inside upside down in the car haha tight squeeze

Great DIY

I'd give you a thanks, but... Yeah. Having to do this sucks for you.

Obja · 10-21-2012, 02:56 PM

NOOB QUESTION:

whats the point of doing this mate?

cobrabyte · 10-21-2012, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Obja

NOOB QUESTION:

whats the point of doing this mate?

ECUtek was having some issues with tunes and required owners to ship their ECU in to fix.

JDMenrique · 10-21-2012, 11:28 PM

is it me, or the more and more i tear into my car(FR-S) the more i think it was solely made by subaru...?

Hawaiian · 10-23-2012, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Obja

NOOB QUESTION:

whats the point of doing this mate?

Some of us were having a few issues....

Also, as lord takuban said, some people might do a standalone ecu.

RedRocket · 10-23-2012, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JDMenrique

is it me, or the more and more i tear into my car(FR-S) the more i think it was solely made by subaru...?

As far as I know, toyota made the fuel injection system. I think thats about all they made..

Jason@Nameless · 05-23-2013, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawaiian

Tools:

At this point you will get your first glimpse of the ECU. From here you can use your needle nose pliers to unplug the ECU. Be careful here, I broke a piece of the plug release in the process.

One note, there is a bracket in the foreground of this photo above that you can see two weld nuts attached to - there is a secondary bracket on BRZ's that holds another control unit in the way of the ECU. You'll have to remove the bolts attaching through to those weld nuts and also disconnect the three plugs off the bottom of that control unit (which are accessible at the far rear underneath the glove box mounting points to the right) and remove it in order to get to the ECU.

Jason

Astroboy · 01-14-2016, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawaiian

Some of us were having a few issues....

Also, as lord takuban said, some people might do a standalone ecu.

I'm planning on swapping mine out because of the p0018 issue I am having. Also, if I had a custom tune using the ecutek, will I need to recalibrate the tune, or can I just program the tune righ back in?

10-12-2012, 01:29 AM	#1
Hawaiian That guy Join Date: Feb 2012 Drives: Ultramarine mt FR-S Location: chicago Posts: 2,370 Thanks: 692 Thanked 1,389 Times in 730 Posts Mentioned: 71 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	DIY ECU removal Tools: 10mm crescent wrench (ratcheting preferred) Needle nose pliers Time: About 15m Difficulty: Beginner The hardest part about this job is knowing where the ECU is, as well as working in an inverted position. The first few steps can be bypassed, but they allow a little more access to the ECU and bolts. The ECU is located on the passenger side of the vehicle, right above the kick panel, behind the dash. First, to get more light in remove the end piece from the dash. You can take it off by pulling up and away from the bottom. It's held in by a few clips and comes off fairly easily Once that is off, you can pull this piece off it's pegs. They will slip right out. If you can't get them off easily, you will have another shot at it after the next step. If getting to the lower peg was hard for you, here's your shot to get it. To remove the glove box, Open it all the way, and then push the sides in towards the center just enough to get the tongue past the notch it rests in. There is one on either side. Once you get both of them out, the glovebox will pull straight out, off it's hinge. At this point you will get your first glimpse of the ECU. From here you can use your needle nose pliers to unplug the ECU. Be careful here, I broke a piece of the plug release in the process. From this point we will move to our back. The ecu is mounted to the firewall at 2 points. Both bolts are 10mm, with a short clearance on the lower screw (circled in the top right of the picture below). If you have a 10mm ratcheting crescent this job is a breeze. The other screw is mounted higher up, You have a little more room to work here. Once the bolts are off you can just work the ecu out from around the harness, and Viola! Reverse the steps to put it back in. __________________ Ultramarine mt FR-S P&L stage 1 turbo Prime Motoring Flex fuel Jr Tuned 506whp @17psi (e73)

10-12-2012, 02:18 AM	#4
Yruyur Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Drives: Scion fr-s asphalt M/T Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 4,192 Thanks: 1,416 Thanked 1,631 Times in 941 Posts Mentioned: 96 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Great writeup. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2 __________________

10-18-2012, 11:44 PM	#6
Mr.Jay Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Drives: FRS :D Location: Vancouver BC Posts: 2,985 Thanks: 545 Thanked 699 Times in 438 Posts Mentioned: 18 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	This DIY just saved me. Finished taking out my ECU about 5 mins in the rain outside. No open doors laying inside upside down in the car haha tight squeeze Great DIY __________________ Out of the FRS game

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10-12-2012, 01:59 AM	#2
cuddefred Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Drives: Black 86 GT Location: Gold Coast, Australia Posts: 346 Thanks: 266 Thanked 164 Times in 85 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Thanks for this. Noob question - how and where do we plug into the ECU to flash it in the 1st place? I'm sure I am supposed to know this but I don't

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