I first want to start out by saying I have not experienced any issues with my car. I am extremely happy with my Corolla and do not regret my purchase.
Well, here is my story. I am a little confused and I was wondering if anyone else experienced something like this...
Last Thursday (March 18) I took my 09 Corolla S to a local Toyota dealership to have the service for the accelerator pedal recall performed. I dropped the car off early in the morning and hitched a ride to work - nothing unusual there.
I get the phone call from the service manager stating that my car is ready and to go pick it up. I get there and I sign the papers stating that the service work was completed. Have a great day...yadda yadda. Seemed like a typical service at Toyota. I was happy.
Yesterday (Monday, March 15), I get a phone call from that same Toyota dealership. The phone call went like this...
Toyota: Hi Aaron, the new computer for your car is in.
Me: New computer? Why?
Toyota: uhhh
Me: I haven’t had any issues with my car
Toyota: Let me open your file…
Toyota: Well, there’s nothing on your file. They may have ordered for the wrong person. I will talk to the guys and call you back.
Me: Ok
45 mins later…
Toyota calls : Aaron, it was your car. When the guys were fixing your gas pedal, they hooked your car up to the scanner and it threw two codes. So, we ordered you a new computer.
Me: What? But I haven’t even had any issues with the car.
Me: Why didn’t anybody tell me about this last week?
Toyota: Did you pick up the car?
Me: Yes.
Toyota: “crickets”
Me: Is this warranty?
Toyota: NO
Me: WHAT? How much is this going to cost?
Toyota: The computer is $441.
Me: And this isn’t warranty?
Toyota: uhhh, wait. Yes, it is warranty. Sorry.
So in any case, the only reason explained to me why I need a new ECU is because my car threw two codes. The engine light has not (yet) come on in my car. I have not experience any symptoms or issues with my Corolla. So, I have questions.
- Why didn't they mention this issue when they called me or when I picked the car up on Thursday? Seems kind of secrative to me.
- What are the codes or issues with the ECU? Is my car safe to drive? If not, why did they let me leave and not tell me?
- Why would they put the scanner on my car during the correction of an accelerator pedal recall? There was zero information related to this on my receipt/statement of the work performed. There was also no information stating that I needed future work done to the car.
As of now, I feel as though they do not have the right person for this ECU replacement. If my car needs it - fine. But this seems a little fishy to me. I am going to hook an OBD2 scanner to my car today to see if I can get these codes as well.
If anyone else needed this part replaced, please feel free to let me know how your story shakes down.
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Beer...now cheaper than gas. Drink - don't drive!
I could make all kinds of conspiracy-theory guesses about your problem. But I'm going to control myself, for once, and not bandy rumors. But we all would like to know where your car was built? What's the letter your VIN number starts with? And if there's any number associated with your new ECU please publish it for us, if it so states on your receipt.
I smell bullcrap, ask them what were the codes, they should have this on paper...look them up online... dont let them pass you a good one
what dealer was it exactly?
edit:
Quote:
Originally Posted by conbo3
I could make all kinds of conspiracy-theory guesses about your problem. But I'm going to control myself, for once, and not bandy rumors. But we all would like to know where your car was built? What's the letter your VIN number starts with? And if there's any number associated with your new ECU please publish it for us, if it so states on your receipt.
I,d say most if not all N.B. corolla's are manufactured in Canada
I could make all kinds of conspiracy-theory guesses about your problem. But I'm going to control myself, for once, and not bandy rumors. But we all would like to know where your car was built? What's the letter your VIN number starts with? And if there's any number associated with your new ECU please publish it for us, if it so states on your receipt.
I haven't had the new ECU installed yet. That's next Tuesday.
I have a few theories as well but they are only theories. I have no basis for these theories other than a few articles I read on the internet...which means they can't event be fully trusted.
I will have any codes and the VIN in a little bit.
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Beer...now cheaper than gas. Drink - don't drive!
But if the ECU is cover under warranty, you paid nothing for it. That dealership is not making any money on you. The only debate is why you need a new ECU.
But if the ECU is cover under warranty, you paid nothing for it. That dealership is not making any money on you. The only debate is why you need a new ECU.
Well, you're right. But wouldn't Toyota pay the dealership for the warranty work?
Like I mentioned in my initial post, it is covered under warranty. I'm just a little concerned as to why it needs to be changed and why no one mentioned this to me after they scanned the car.
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Beer...now cheaper than gas. Drink - don't drive!
we bought our 09 corolla S on the same month as yours May 2008. manufactured very similar to your date March 2008.
a few months ago my wife dropped off our car at the dealer to have the usual oil change. she went home to cook lunch because a few friends were coming over to our house. let us just say that an hour has passed since she dropped off the car up to the time that she has been cooking in the kitchen when the phone rang. she read the caller ID and it was the toyota dealership.
the person on the phone told her that the car wil be ready for pick up in half an hour after they had replaced the ECU/ECM. so my wife was surprised to hear that they are replacing that part. needless to say she wont pay anthing because it is under warranty. so my wife goes on by asking why do they have to do that. and the dealer replied about codes being displayed by the ECM/ECU. the dealer even said that if it will not be replaced that day it would be surely replaced on a later date.
the specifics of the codes being displayed was not divulged to my wife.
Last edited by joeylgarcia; 03-16-2010 at 11:08 AM.
The Following User Says Thank You to joeylgarcia For This Useful Post:
we bought our 09 corolla S on the same month as yours May 2008. manufactured very similar to your date March 2008.
This makes me think my theory has some legs. I think our cars were some of the first off the manufacturing line with this version of the ECU. So either the ECU is bad or it has something to do with the "black box" issue.
there are DTC's directly related to issue with ECM, then there are DTC's that have problem areas where ECM is on the list of things that could be the issue. odd though that the DTC's showed up after they did "work" to your vehicle. perhaps they were loading in brake pedal override feature and the ECM didnt like that, something happened, now they need to intall a new one??
before you let them monkey around with it again i would ask for the DTC's that were recorded.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Canadian_Corolla
This makes me think my theory has some legs. I think our cars were some of the first off the manufacturing line with this version of the ECU. So either the ECU is bad or it has something to do with the "black box" issue.
Again...that's just my theory. I could be way off here.
Toyota addresses this EDR issue on their website. i believe they said all 2007+ vehicles have EDR, and from 2002-2007 they were introducing EDR to various makes/models. however, they still do not tell us exactly what the EDR records....
i'm not 100% sure, i have to go look, but most of the data the EDR's capture is available on the CAN, so perhaps some of the diagnostic companies out there will quickly build a small plug-in device that uses ring-buffer to capture pertinent data available off of the CAN, this way owners do not need to fight with Toyota about what's on their EDR devices, etc. however, the CAN is operated by the ECM, so if there is a ECM bug then you cannot be 100% certain that the CAN data is correct (the driver may not actually be doing what the ECM says, etc). a good EDR system needs to record in parallel, etc. but, recording CAN data and then comparing that to the EDR data might be fruitful, etc.
Just got off the phone with the local Toyota dealership. They were really helpful.
My car had codes P0441, and P0455. These are two of the three codes which can be thrown by the ECU. I believe he said P0471 was the other code - don't quote me.
The short version of the conversation is basically this:
These codes are EVAP codes or Vaccume Switch Valve codes. They check the vaccume switch and if it is working correctly, they change the ECU because it is not reading correctly. The codes can also be related to lean fuel or emissions related.
They scanned the car after completing the gas pedal work so they can make sure the throttle position is correct. That is where the two codes were discovered.
The car is safe to drive, there was a lack of communication and they apologized.
I'm glad to say that there are no legs to my theory and I can continue to be happy with my car.
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New ECU Required??
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