ABS control module repair

[bob 6600]

Has anyone used an ABS ECU repair company? I am looking to use a company called https://www.ecutesting.com/ who have the Bosch 5.7 unit as something they can repair and test and their prices seem reasonable.


Looking for recommendations of similar companies members may have used or reviews from the one above please.

 

[LostKiwi]

Try @JohnnySBC perhaps?

 

[EmilysDad]

http://www.bba-reman.com/gb/index.aspx

These were recommended on AN Other forum .... never used them myself, but others seemed to be pleased with them

 

[bob 6600]

To put a close to this thread, this was my experience. I sent it to ECU Testing (free courier to collect) and they tested the unit - unrepairable. I asked what was the fault as I could still communicate with it and they said it was the processor at fault and they can't repair it. I paid the £18..50 to have it couriered back, they waived their test fee as they could not repair it (£45+vat). I then emailed about 5 companies including ACtronics who all said they cannot repair a processor fault or said they would have a look at it. Whilst deciding what to do, I decided to fit it back to the car so I can move it. Unit fitted, car started and PRESTO the ABS lights go off! I drove a few yards and the ESP went off too. I have driven the car half a dozen times since and it is running as it should, no error or lights and the parking brake works again.

I'm not sure what to make of it...was the unit faulty? Fault in the car? Don't think it was the latter especially as they said it was faulty, it would have made more sense to say it had no fault as they could have charged me the test fee. Plus, they couldn't source another unit so no upsell either.

I'm either very lucky with the result or unlucky with the initial problem!

 

[Botus]

Has anyone used an ABS ECU repair company? I am looking to use a company called https://www.ecutesting.com/ who have the Bosch 5.7 unit as something they can repair and test and their prices seem reasonable.


Looking for recommendations of similar companies members may have used or reviews from the one above please.

those guys did my bike ABS unit.... (only one doing the bikes - although exact same designed to fail issue as any other ESP brake unit). seemed very good, but 2 years down the road they had to do it again... (free I might add) but the 5 hours of labour was down to me

they'd upped their game on customer service, which had already been very good.

BBA reman did my Omega ABS years back and seemed OK - since been taken over by a worldwide outfit
http://www.bba-reman.com/gb/index.aspx
Actonics have a good reputation
https://www.actronics.co.uk/

 

[Botus]

I just read the next bit you wrote.....

when my bike one died the second time I said to them "did you fix BOTH the designed in faults when you first repaired it" … and they were a bit funny in their reply, when it came back the second time, clearly they had been at wiper motor / ESP pump brushes which is the standard failure on the bike ones.

on the omega it didn't have ESP, so could only be the link wire failure between the multiplug and the circuit board (which of course comes up as a big fault as it can't communicate - with a wire hanging off !) on these the manufacturer used to put gunge on one of the wires so it would corrode to time and fail... nowadays they just get them to vibrate off the board after a while (just like the Merc turbo boost actuator ones fail).

ECU testing were adamant they would never attempt a repair without you giving the manu diagnostic fault code when you sent it in.... the fact its working now makes me think brushes on the ESP pump.... that's the usual failure and a stiff whack often gets it to work for a bit... and thus maybe they don't have decent diagnostic gear to check !!!!

 

[bob 6600]

Yes their online form asked for the fault code(s) and symptoms. I only sent them the ECU part as it was a lot messier to undo the brake lines and send the complete pump. I was pretty sure the pump was fine (which it was) and that there is just a fault in the ECU. My guess is something upset the software and during testing this has seemed to reset itself. All connections on the car were fine, as was the wiring. Possibly a previous flat battery had something to do with it but it only became 'faulty' a while after (ran fine for days).

 

[Botus]

Yes their online form asked for the fault code(s) and symptoms. I only sent them the ECU part as it was a lot messier to undo the brake lines and send the complete pump. I was pretty sure the pump was fine (which it was) and that there is just a fault in the ECU. My guess is something upset the software and during testing this has seemed to reset itself. All connections on the car were fine, as was the wiring. Possibly a previous flat battery had something to do with it but it only became 'faulty' a while after (ran fine for days).

these days I'd always start the motor brushes… easier for them to dispute in a court case (so they don't get class action law suites) My bike one only played up directly after it had been in the dealership for a different bit of recall work. Magically they handed it back broken... They just check THIER service history and say that's handy, we can see our service records show the brake fluid hasn't been done in two years, plug in the diagnostic kit and run the pump motor to failure

I don't think its possible for a software glitch to cause it to stop working

 

[bob 6600]

I don't think its possible for a software glitch to cause it to stop working

Neither do I, but it has/had me stumped. I can't explain as to why it just started working again and has been fine since.