HOW DID I GET A BENT PIN IN MY ECU?

Tery

I had a new battery, alternator and, at the same time, 2 front shock absorber top mounts fitted and the car wouldn't start when I collected it from the local garage. Big problems starting the car, once warmed up, after that. Ended up, via AA, in Vauxhall garage and having major inspection. Vauxhall found the engine overheating and the cause being the temperature pin in the ecu bent. Anybody know how this pin could have become bent? Vauxhall straightened the pin and had no problems since.

IDI_AMIN

Maybe it was not properly positioned before it was pressed into place

Tery

Thanks for the reply. The pin could not have been bent before it went for the battery etc. as the car was working fine when taken to the garage. What I'm trying to find out is if the ecu should have been opened whilst any of the 3 items of work was being done, or failing that, how does a pin become bent without opening the ecu. Thanks

IDI_AMIN

It should not have been touched while having other parts fitted. Someone has been messing with it when they shouldn't have been . Maybe they could not get car started after battery change and disconnected it or something

Tery

Good one Idi !! I'm not technical but I'm not stupid. I couldn't see why the ecu should have been touched but your answer makes a lot of sense and ties in with why I had to wait ages, after being told my car was ready for collection, before it was brought out of the workshop. I'll bet they couldn't get it started. Many thanks

pottsey

I know how you feel mate ,I had the same trouble when I done my supercharger conversion when I put the mapped ecu on ,as it was getting late at night I put the plug in ,but un known to me I bent one of the pins on the ecu .when I went to start it ,it wouldn't run it was coming up with a throttle body problem on opcom ,so the next day I rung courtenays up and explained and they said something must have gone wrong with the mapping .I even got another ecu kit and put it on in the meantime to check it would run ,which it did .in the meantime I had the ecu in my hand and was looking at it and noticed one of the pins was bent so straightened it up swapped everything back over ,turned the key and hey presto it started
just goes to show how easily a pin can get bent whilst trying to plug it in

Tery

Thanks for your support Pottsey. I understand what you're saying but all my knowledge, regarding cars and engines, is in theory so didn't do any of the work myself. This problem, which I believe to have been caused by the local garage, cost me nearly £300 to be discovered and fixed at Vauxhall. Thanks to you and Idi I now feel confident enough to confront the local garage because nobody else has been under the bonnet for months prior.
I also mentioned at the start of this thread that the local garage also replaced the top mounts. This has also progressed into a waste of money so I am going to start a new thread. Watch this spot !!! Many thanks

corsaZ22se

I never trust garages! luckly I can do most work myself just need to get software for laptop diagnostic's and I will be away! 🙂
if you have any future issuse's post on here before a visit to the garage, chances are some one has had the same fault or can come fix it for you cheeper than any garage!

Tery

Thanks for that Corsaz22se.