Signs that Indicate Your ECM is Malfunctioning

Most vehicles these days have an engine controlled by an electronic control module. An ECM controls various functions in a car, like its ignition, mileage, throttle position, and more. Consequently, when an ECM malfunctions or fails, a car’s performance drops noticeably.

Many people don’t realize their ECM has failed or is malfunctioning because they are unaware of the signs. Let’s take a look at the signs that indicate ECM failure in this blog.

Battery Draining

If your battery keeps draining without any cause, your ECM might be malfunctioning. This is because in modern cars when you turn off the ignition and the car’s switch, the ECM sends a signal to all electrical components to shut down. This takes around 5-10 seconds after switching the car off.

However, if your ECM is malfunctioning, it may send the signal to shut the electrical systems off late or not send it at all. When the electrical system keeps running despite you shutting off the engine, the battery drains.

Bad Mileage

Bad mileage is another sign that your ECM is malfunctioning. This is because the ECM controls fuel injection into the engine’s combustion chamber. The injectors inject the required amount of fuel to balance the air-to-fuel ratio as per the signals received.

If your ECM fails to send the right signal to the injectors, excessive fuel is injected into the chambers, and the car uses excessive fuel.

Poor Acceleration / Engine Misfiring

If you’re pressing the pedal, but your car isn’t accelerating like it used to, it may be a sign of ECM failure. This is because the ECM controls the ratio of acceleration to the press of the pedal and indicates how much output is required from the engine to adjust according to the press of the pedal.

If the ECM sends the wrong signals, your car may not accelerate properly or maintain speed as the engine may misfire.

The only way to know if your ECM has failed is to get it inspected by an ECM expert. If you’re looking for one, look no further.

CATECM is a renowned ECM repair and reprogramming company. Our ECM experts can inspect your ECMs and determine the problem. We offer ECM repairs or reprogramming services. Furthermore, we also have remanufactured ECMs available. All of our products and services come with a one-year warranty.

Get in touch with us now for more details.