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jannikdark1

Ford Explorer ECU Defective

Having a terrible time with my 2005 Ford Explorer gasoline engine. Engine power is way down. I took it to get diagnosed, and there's an error stored about the engine control unit being defective. Anyone seen this before? I'm at 225269 km.

Summary of the thread

The conversation revolves around a 2005 Ford Explorer experiencing reduced engine power, with a diagnostic report indicating a defective engine control unit (ECU). Initial advice suggested trying a battery disconnect to reset the system, as sometimes a failing sensor or relay can mimic ECU issues. After the reset didn't resolve the problem, further diagnostics at a workshop revealed the issue was a defective main relay, not the ECU itself, leading to a much simpler and less costly repair.

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4 comment(s)

friedrichwagner4

Whoa, ECU problems are never fun. Did the diagnostics report mention anything specific about why the ECU is defective? Sometimes a failing sensor can trigger ECU errors, even though the ECU itself is fine. Have you tried a simple system reset by disconnecting the battery for about 30 minutes? Also, what's the exact error code?

jannikdark1 (community.author)

The report just said "ECU defective". No specific error code that I saw. Disconnecting the battery sounds easy enough, I'll try that. But if that doesn't work, does that mean I need a whole new ECU? That sounds crazy expensive!

friedrichwagner4

Yeah, 'ECU defective' without a code is pretty vague. The battery disconnect is worth a shot. If that doesn't do it, unfortunately, it probably points to an internal ECU issue. Before you panic and buy a new one, I'd strongly suggest taking it to a trusted workshop. They can run more in-depth diagnostics to pinpoint the problem. It might be something as simple as a defective main relay causing the ECU to act up, which would be a much cheaper fix than replacing the entire unit.

jannikdark1 (community.author)

Disconnecting the battery didn't work, so I took it to the workshop like you suggested. Turns out it was just a defective main relay! They replaced it, cleared the error, and the Explorer is running great again. The repair cost me 120€, much better than a new ECU. Thanks again for the great advice!

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FORD

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EXPLORER