1997 SLK ECU - Can a second hand ecu work on my car?

[MJH]

Hi I wonder if anyone can shed some light on weather a Mercedes slk ecu can be re-programmed?

I have a beautiful 1997 slk that I have had for years. Recently the main ecu has stopped working due to corrosion and is possibly beyond repair.

I have been getting quotes for a replacement ECU and was going to proceed and buy one. My car is at garage where they have all the coding equipment to re-programme the new ecu to my car. However today I have been told by an ecu supplier outright that if I bought a replacement ecu it categorically cannot be re-coded to work on my car it can only work on the car that it was put in from new and that I would just be wasting my money doing so. Is this true or was this person just trying to get my business so they can try and repair my ecu?

I seem to get contrasting views from different people so if anyone could clarify on weather if I bought a second hand ecu can it be re-programmed to be used on my car?

One firm has told me that if I bought an ecu from them it would be plug and play and that it wouldn’t need coding etc at all….. is this true?

It is the main control ecu in the slk that im having problems with.
The Mercedes part number is: A 022 545 26 32 The bosch number which is also on the ecu is: 0 261 204 527

I would be extremely grateful if anyone could shed any light on this area before I spend £400+ on an ecu that might be no use to me

Many thanks

 

[Uncle Benz]

As far as I am aware a new ecu locks to the car within a few starts once coded. It is impossible thereafter to use that ecu on another car, even with Mercedes Star machine coding ability.

www.bba-reman.com are capable of 'virginising' some types of ecu's, but I do not think that they can do Mercedes-Benz. I may be wrong and worth giving them a call.

 

[colechelle]

agree with uncle there!!!!!

 

[MJH]

Hi thank you for your reply uncle benz, if that is the case and my ecu is beyond repair, I have been told I cannot buy this ecu ‘new’ anyomore so am I stumped?

 

[television]

Surely if you had the old one repaired the coding would be unaffected

 

[Uncle Benz]

Hi thank you for your reply uncle benz, if that is the case and my ecu is beyond repair, I have been told I cannot buy this ecu ‘new’ anyomore so am I stumped?

I cannot believe that this part has been discontinued. I will ring my pal tomorrow and check...

 

[colechelle]

you can order a new one from mb, agree with uncle you cant re code a 2nd hand one, but a new one will code stright in, did one about 3 months ago before i left the dealers so i know it can be done!!!!