Can an ecu be "bricked"?

rossl · **Posted:** Thu Aug 27, 2009 1:18 pm

So I sold a WRX ECU to this guy: http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?p=26687181#post26687181

And almost four months later he PM's me with a message saying:

Quote:

I brought it to my tuner and he said he couldn't access it for a tune he said it was locked out it possibly had a prior tune on it and apperentaly it work'es with later production 03-04 models

I don't mind refunding his money, I just wanted to make sure this is something that can legitimately happen before I give him a refund.

Bones · **Posted:** Thu Aug 27, 2009 2:43 pm

well if you tuned it with said cobb ap or turbo xs they lock the ecu up so it can't be changed. although I have seen some jeeps and dodge trucks lock up for no reason so they can't be flashed at all.

rossl · **Posted:** Thu Aug 27, 2009 3:47 pm

It was probably tuned with TurboXS UTEC then, because that is the current tune on my car and this came with the car as a spare.

Bones · **Posted:** Thu Aug 27, 2009 9:27 pm

Well then I think that solves this one! Sorry man!

pumpkyn · **Posted:** Fri Aug 28, 2009 3:44 am

yes they can become bricked and locked. stock subaru ECUs only allow sooo many flashes, IIRC.

WRXNFX · **Posted:** Sat Aug 29, 2009 3:05 pm

They can brick. Mine did last week. COBB fixed it.

Pulling the cord mid flash is the easiest way.

The tuner got the blue screen of death mid flash on mine.

Bones · **Posted:** Sat Aug 29, 2009 5:40 pm

I have had that happen to me so many times! Kinda annoying....

rossl · **Posted:** Sat Aug 29, 2009 8:45 pm

It was four months ago that I sold it to him. The only thing I worry about is that his tuner bricked it and now he's trying to get his money back. But oh well I guess I'll take his word for it.

Bones · **Posted:** Sun Aug 30, 2009 8:55 am

That is a long time ago..... Sounds kinda iffy to me.

add is fun · **Posted:** Sun Aug 30, 2009 9:07 am

+1 it was too long ago and im guessing you sold the car to him as is. just tell him everything you know about the car and try to help him out. who knows how many times hes tried tuning it since then he might have been tuning it every other week or something like that. theres my opinion.

ChriS · **Posted:** Fri Sep 18, 2009 10:59 am

ahhh, locked ECU's, thats the story of my life. My subie and Evo both had locked ECU's. Cobb couldn't unlock mine on the subie or evo. I sold the wrx cause i couldn't tune it. Then i bought that 35r evo that couldn't be tuned luckily they have a awesome tuner in KC that was able to unlock it for me.

slcsubaru.com

Can an ecu be "bricked"?

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