ECU and corrosion

[deSoto]

Can anyone with ECU repair experience comment on whether or not corrosion is a common cause of ECU problems or failure?

 

[shortbus=]

Would you expand on your question? Having worked for Delphi/Packard Electric, they have a pretty good success with sealing both connectors and the wires used in automotive electronics.

 

[deSoto]

Thank you for your reply. My concern relates to moisture, water, or other automotive fluids getting inside the ECU enclosure resulting in corrosion. Is this a common cause of ECU problems/failures when they occur?

 

[shortbus=]

I think your worrying about something that dosen't happen. At least with General motors cars. What make of car have you seen this in? The ECU should be both sealed and internally potted in all that I've seen. The ECU may get corrosion on the outer housing, but there should be no chance of it getting inside. At least none of the cars I've ever worked on have had this problem, and my area uses a lot of salt on the roads to control ice.

 

[jamie_s]

its quite common for capacitors to let go in some older ecu's damaging the copper tracks in the vicinity

 

[shortbus=]

its quite common for capacitors to let go in some older ecu's damaging the copper tracks in the vicinity

But that is due to the caps themselves. Not corrosion. Even under hood ECU's will get corrosion sometimes of the housing, but that is just the housing, and isn't internal.

 

[hyedenny]

I see it in BMWs all the time. Some are located under the carpet, some are located in the spare tire well, etc. ALWAYS when these places have water intrusion, the control units are damaged -- even units that are sealed. I've also seen sensors that go bad in a way which can release coolant into the wiring harness which eventually makes its way all the way to the engine control unit.