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Honda Civic: How to Reset ECU

The ECU in a vehicle can be manually restored by the driver without the help of a dealer or mechanic. The process is easy and requires no tools. Keep reading to reset the ECU in your Honda Civic.

By Charlie Gaston - March 11, 2015

This article applies to the Honda Civic (1992-2000).

The installation of aftermarket parts or accessories—like performance headers to enhance engine power—could mean you'll need to reset your Civic's Engine Control Unit (ECU). Resetting the ECU will clear the trouble codes and restore the system's memory so it can "learn" the aftermarket parts. The process is straightforward and does not require the help of a professional mechanic or Honda dealership; however, you will want to follow the instructions carefully and make sure you have completed each step correctly.

Materials Needed

  • The Honda Civic owner's manual
  • Fuse puller or tweezers

Step 1 – Remove the ECU fuse

  • Drive a couple of laps around your neighborhood to bring the motor to operating temperature.
  • Once the vehicle is safely parked, you will need to remove the ECU fuse located under the hood.
  • To access the ECU fuse, simply pop the hood of your vehicle and open the fuse box. The ECU fuse should be clearly marked on the outside of the fuse box cover or in the owner's manual.
  • With a fuse puller or tweezers, pull the fuse located in the ECU slot of the fuse box. Wait 15 minutes and reinsert the fuse by hand.
Figure 1. The ECU fuse is located under the hood.

If you are reluctant to remove the fuse, another option is to disconnect the battery (negative, or black, cable first), wait ten minutes, and then reconnect it. This will reset the ECU to "standby mode" where it runs conservatively at first to try and adapt to any changes in airflow or fuel metering, and relearn everything.

Step 2 – Turn on and off the ignition

  • Make sure the car remains in park.
  • Turn on the ignition, and let the engine idle for 15 minutes. Do not step on the gas pedal.
  • Let the vehicle run, and do no operate any accessories or electronics.
  • After 15 minutes, turn the ignition off and immediately back on. This will allow the key to reset the ECU.

Step 3 – Drive the vehicle

Drive the vehicle as normal. It could take up to one tank of gasoline for the system to learn your vehicle's aftermarket parts or accessories, and create a new performance memory. This process will occur in the background, and you do not have to do anything else because the ECU should reset on its own.

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