Installing New ECM, do I need to get it "programmed?"
Thread Starter
|
1st Gear
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2
Installing New ECM, do I need to get it "programmed?"
Hey guys,
I have a 2000 audi a4 1.8t that has not been able to start up for the past few months. I took the car in to a independent repair shop and he said I have a bad ecm and would need it replaced ($1,200). I wanted to get a second opinion before having him install it or getting a remanufactured ecm for less online, so I took it into the audi dealership. After a day of diagnosis, audi said it was just a bad fuel pump relay and it would be $348 to replace. I was relieved and confirmed with him that my ecm was okay and wouldn't need to be replaced. The next day, the service advisor calls me back and says that after replacing my fuel pump relay the car wouldn't start up and that the only problem left is a bad ecm! He said it would be $1,500 to replace! My intuition tells me that I might be getting cheated..
Now onto my question. I have found remanufactured ecms for around $500. According to the service advisor, if i get one of these, I would need to have it programmed for my car. He said the programming and installation would run $290.
If i buy a remanufactured ecm with the correct part number, do I really have to get it "programmed?" I was under the impression from doing some online reading that it would be as easy as plug and play. I know how to replace the ecu myself so if this is the case it would save me a few hundred, which would be nice right about now..
Please helppp! My car has 176k on it and the dealer's fix it prolly half if not more than half the current value of the car!
I have a 2000 audi a4 1.8t that has not been able to start up for the past few months. I took the car in to a independent repair shop and he said I have a bad ecm and would need it replaced ($1,200). I wanted to get a second opinion before having him install it or getting a remanufactured ecm for less online, so I took it into the audi dealership. After a day of diagnosis, audi said it was just a bad fuel pump relay and it would be $348 to replace. I was relieved and confirmed with him that my ecm was okay and wouldn't need to be replaced. The next day, the service advisor calls me back and says that after replacing my fuel pump relay the car wouldn't start up and that the only problem left is a bad ecm! He said it would be $1,500 to replace! My intuition tells me that I might be getting cheated..
Now onto my question. I have found remanufactured ecms for around $500. According to the service advisor, if i get one of these, I would need to have it programmed for my car. He said the programming and installation would run $290.
If i buy a remanufactured ecm with the correct part number, do I really have to get it "programmed?" I was under the impression from doing some online reading that it would be as easy as plug and play. I know how to replace the ecu myself so if this is the case it would save me a few hundred, which would be nice right about now..
Please helppp! My car has 176k on it and the dealer's fix it prolly half if not more than half the current value of the car!
