I'm going to be selling my car shortly and I'm worried about security while I'm advertising the car. Is anything reset if the ecu is removed and later replaced? Any ill effects at all?

Some other precautions I'm thinking of: I won't meet any potential buyers at my house - dont' want to give anyone my address. I'll screen buyers heavily over the phone and probably won't allow a test drive.

Paranoia is good!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Kagy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'm going to be selling my car shortly and I'm worried about security while I'm advertising the car. Is anything reset if the ecu is removed and later replaced? Any ill effects at all?

Some other precautions I'm thinking of: I won't meet any potential buyers at my house - dont' want to give anyone my address. I'll screen buyers heavily over the phone and probably won't allow a test drive.

Paranoia is good!</TD></TR></TABLE>

If you drive them around, bring a friend (have them follow). Someone can always rob you when you are on the road (it's happened to at least one member here before).

Anyways, nothing would be reset. If you disconnect the battery first then obviously the radio presets will be but who cares about that. And you'll need the code to use the radio again (should be in the owners manual booklet Acura gave you).

Not sure if people suggest unplugging the battery before unplugging the ECU.. I've removed the ECU with and without the battery unplugged

 

No ill effects...actually better the Ecu reprograms itself according to the air outside(temp,humidity,etc...)...only leave phone number and ask for everyones drivers license right when they get there...and tell them why...the legit ones will have no probs. w/ that

 

IF your nervous about a buyer, cover your Vin plate and put tape over your plates (maybe) and door jamb stickers, for that matter cover any Vin #s that the buyer might see...

 

****, i take my ecu harness and hondata everynight i park my car.

-sander

Nothing happens, the ecu will re-learn itself in a short period of time after you replug it in, i think its 20 miles or something to that effect.

 

if its a imobi ecu i would not recomend remoing it. as most thief would have to replace the ecu to start the car. so by removing it you did half the job for them.

but to answer your question. just make sure the ignition is off and that you touch the frame first.(so you don't accidentally spike it with static) and you would be fine. the ecu would recet each time but would not hurt anything.

its hard not to let peole test drive it. but i would say cover your vin, if you can keep it at a friends house. (garaged of course) as they could get your adress by some of the info, like plates, phone #. go ahead and get a carfax for the car, and cover the last 4 digit of the vin in the report. this way you could provide them a carfax report and not have to give them your vin. if they are really serious then you could let them see the original report with the vin.

 

Unplugging the ECU is fine.

A better plan is to just avoid giving them your home address. This means using a mobile or work number and meeting all potential buyers at a remote location to view the car.

 

I did this while my car was not registered, now that I have full coverage, I don't bother...of course I did set my car on fire when I put it back in though