Technical Doblo 04 plate 1.9 cargo van ECU PROBLEM

[Petestar]

Hi all, hopefully this is the right forum to post a question?
I believe my ECU is playing up, engine turns over the little key with code won't extinguish on dash, I've tried both keys still no joy, a garage we use at work said that it needs replacing at a costly £1100.00. I've removed said ECU what numbers on rear do I need to use to search for a replacement poss on Ebay, any help greatly appreciated.

 

[bugsymike]

Hi all, hopefully this is the right forum to post a question?
I believe my ECU is playing up, engine turns over the little key with code won't extinguish on dash, I've tried both keys still no joy, a garage we use at work said that it needs replacing at a costly £1100.00. I've removed said ECU what numbers on rear do I need to use to search for a replacement poss on Ebay, any help greatly appreciated.

I would check with good locksmith first as he may be able to recode it cheaper. Did it always start with either key, what is the history, has someone messed with the keys and chips?
If all else fails and nothing else is wrong, you can buy a "kit" from a scrapyard, usually the correct model of ECU, the immobilser ECU, the keys with chips and sometimes the aerial antennae ring which sits around the key hole. Then if all your old keys still work mechanically on ignition and door locks you can just change the chips over in the ignition keys for it to start.
Five minute job, NOT.!!!
Try auto locksmith first.

 

[Petestar]

I would check with good locksmith first as he may be able to recode it cheaper. Did it always start with either key, what is the history, has someone messed with the keys and chips?
If all else fails and nothing else is wrong, you can buy a "kit" from a scrapyard, usually the correct model of ECU, the immobilser ECU, the keys with chips and sometimes the aerial antennae ring which sits around the key hole. Then if all your old keys still work mechanically on ignition and door locks you can just change the chips over in the ignition keys for it to start.
Five minute job, NOT.!!!
Try auto locksmith first.

Thanks for that info, yes it used to start with both keys no problem just started playing for no reason, it used to be our Estates van so only done 31k miles and I've bought it from work and no-one has messed with keys or anything else, we had it regularly serviced by a garage we use all the time so not sure what's happened I'll do a bit of search about for an auto locksmith local to me thanks again

 

[varesecrazy]

Worth adding a 2nd earth cable from battery negative to engine and body...

The originals can break down internally

Its a cheap and easy test with a jumplead

 

[Petestar]

Worth adding a 2nd earth cable from battery negative to engine and body...

The originals can break down internally

Its a cheap and easy test with a jumplead

Oo yep true worth a shot, do you know if it would still turn over if earth was dodgy?

 

[varesecrazy]

People have experienced many different things working..and not

Its a cheap and easy thing to try..or rule out

 

[bugsymike]

People have experienced many different things working..and not

Its a cheap and easy thing to try..or rule out

I am basing my suggestions on the original posting of key light flashing.
I assume all other easy options have been tested.

 

[Petestar]

People have experienced many different things working..and not

Its a cheap and easy thing to try..or rule out

Thanks for suggestion will give it a go ECR is at home at min and van parked up at work so I'll bring back in on Monday and try.

 

[Petestar]

I am basing my suggestions on the original posting of key light flashing.
I assume all other easy options have been tested.

I've tried the obvious ie each key connections etc am going to try earth as varesecrazy suggested, all I know is when van belonged to school our usual garage we use said it was shot and was going to charge £1100.00 to fix so school financially wrote off and bought a new van, so I've bought it for £50 to use.

 

[bugsymike]

I've tried the obvious ie each key connections etc am going to try earth as varesecrazy suggested, all I know is when van belonged to school our usual garage we use said it was shot and was going to charge £1100.00 to fix so school financially wrote off and bought a new van, so I've bought it for £50 to use.

Not going to break the bank then, you could weigh it in for more than that.

 

[Petestar]

Not going to break the bank then, you could weigh it in for more than that.

Yep they just wanted rid so I offered them £50 and they accepted, I've managed to get hold of the number of the autolocksmith who came and looked at it in Oct last year I've messaged him to see if he remembers the actual issue so fingers crossed

 

[bugsymike]

Yep they just wanted rid so I offered them £50 and they accepted, I've managed to get hold of the number of the autolocksmith who came and looked at it in Oct last year I've messaged him to see if he remembers the actual issue so fingers crossed

OK as long as he doesn't remember his quote!!!
I had an Iveco that the chip in the key got "lost" (long story) but Dealers wanted over £1000 if I took the immobilsed 3.5 tonne pickup 30 miles to them! In the end I posted the ECU to a guy in Bradford who disabled the immobilser inside the Bosch ECU, I had to follow his advise regarding refitting and had no further problem all for £135 including return postage.

 

[Petestar]

OK as long as he doesn't remember his quote!!!
I had an Iveco that the chip in the key got "lost" (long story) but Dealers wanted over £1000 if I took the immobilsed 3.5 tonne pickup 30 miles to them! In the end I posted the ECU to a guy in Bradford who disabled the immobilser inside the Bosch ECU, I had to follow his advise regarding refitting and had no further problem all for £135 including return postage.

Yeah this is a bosch one hopefully he'll be able to help

 

[Petestar]

Yeah this is a bosch one hopefully he'll be able to help

Just looked again at ECU I lied its a Lucas one not Bosch oops

 

[bugsymike]

Just looked at my books, it seems the Lucas Epic system was one of the least popular ones, just to cheer you up .
I seem to recall having a 03 Doblo van 1868cc non turbo, pre common rail , gutless as fuxx? Ring a bell?
Mine had spent ages at a garage and a diagnostic speciaist before sold to me for £300 (cheap at the time as still quite new) always cutting out if you could even get it going!
The two faults I found which sorted it were a poor battery connection (12 volts at the posts and 10 at the terminals) and the main one was air being drawn into the Lucas pump (there was no low pressure pump in the fuel tank as it was non turbo) so "sucking fuel to the pump" the plastic dual fuel flow and return pipe was drawing air at the tank connector. I proved this by running a tank on the wing gravity feeding the horrible Lucas High pressure pump as I suspected air bubbles going to the pump.
Fiat wanted £200 odd for the dual plastic pipes, so I ran a new rubber one and solved the issue. Don't ask me what the error codes were, sometimes I have trouble remembering all my grand children's names

 

[Petestar]

Just looked at my books, it seems the Lucas Epic system was one of the least popular ones, just to cheer you up .
I seem to recall having a 03 Doblo van 1868cc non turbo, pre common rail , gutless as fuxx? Ring a bell?
Mine had spent ages at a garage and a diagnostic speciaist before sold to me for £300 (cheap at the time as still quite new) always cutting out if you could even get it going!
The two faults I found which sorted it were a poor battery connection (12 volts at the posts and 10 at the terminals) and the main one was air being drawn into the Lucas pump (there was no low pressure pump in the fuel tank as it was non turbo) so "sucking fuel to the pump" the plastic dual fuel flow and return pipe was drawing air at the tank connector. I proved this by running a tank on the wing gravity feeding the horrible Lucas High pressure pump as I suspected air bubbles going to the pump.
Fiat wanted £200 odd for the dual plastic pipes, so I ran a new rubber one and solved the issue. Don't ask me what the error codes were, sometimes I have trouble remembering all my grand children's names

Ahh cheers for the info, when this was running last Oct it was as quick as a bit revvy but went really well I've driven it a few times in the past as it was our Estates van so I'm hopeful, I'm still waiting on the guy from Keys 2 you to call or message back as he looked at it when the school decided on getting a new bigger van rather than get the Doblo going. It's only done 31k on 04 plate had loads of work done over the years timing belts etc.