ECU repair and cloning in Manchester and the North West
A failed engine ECU can leave you with a car that won't start, cuts out or throws up faults that won't clear. Our ECU repair service finds the fault, repairs or reflashes the unit where possible, and clones the data to a replacement when it can't be saved.
- ECU fault-finding, repair and cloning
- Ford SID212 unlocking for Transit, Custom and Ranger
- Cars and vans of most makes
- Priced for each job
Signs of ECU trouble
- The engine cranks but won't start, with no obvious fuel or ignition fault
- A scanner can't communicate with the ECU at all
- Random warning lights, or faults that come straight back after clearing
- The engine cuts out or goes into limp mode for no clear reason
- Immobiliser problems after a battery change or a replacement ECU
- Water damage after a leak around the windscreen scuttle or a flood
ECU services we offer
ECU repair
Board-level faults, such as failed output circuits or water damage, can often be repaired. Send us the details and we'll tell you whether yours can be repaired and where the work will be done.
ECU cloning
If the original unit can't be saved, its data is copied to a matching replacement ECU so it works with the car's immobiliser.
ECU flashing
Corrupted software, often after a failed update or an interrupted flash, is rewritten so the ECU boots and runs normally again.
ECU unlocking
Newer ECUs are locked against reading and writing. Our ECU unlocking covers many of them, including the Ford SID212 fitted to Transit, Transit Custom and Ranger models.
Why repair or clone your ECU?
A brand-new ECU from a dealer has to be bought, fitted and coded to the car, and on some makes that means a long wait for parts.
Repairing the original unit, or cloning it to a matching replacement, keeps the car's existing immobiliser and coding data. That usually gets it running again sooner and for less.
How an ECU repair job works
Tell us the symptoms
Call or ask for a price with the registration and what the car is doing.
We confirm the ECU is at fault
Fuses, wiring and power supplies are checked first, as they can all mimic a failed unit.
Repair, flash or clone
Depending on the fault, the unit is repaired, its software rewritten, or its data cloned to a replacement. We'll give you a timescale before any work starts.
Fitted and tested
The ECU goes back in, the engine is started and the fault codes are read again.
ECU work and remapping
Reading and unlocking an ECU is the same first step as a remap. If your ECU is being repaired or replaced, it's a good moment to have it remapped too. See ECU remapping and how much a remap costs.
Still weighing it up? Read Is remapping worth it? and Does a remap affect insurance or warranty?
Ford SID212 unlocking
The SID212 ECU on 2018-on Ford Transit, Transit Custom and Ranger models is locked against standard tools. We remove the ECU and send it by tracked, insured shipping to be unlocked and programmed with our sister business 117Speed, then refit it. It takes 7 days and costs £1,200 + VAT all in, covering remaps and AdBlue, DPF and EGR deletes.
What our customers say
How much does ECU repair cost?
It depends on the fault and the ECU, so we price each job once we know what's wrong. Call 0161 694 7331 or use the Get a price button.
What is ECU cloning?
Cloning copies the software, immobiliser and coding data from your original ECU onto a matching replacement. The car then treats the new unit as its own.
What is ECU flashing?
Flashing means writing software to the ECU. It's used to recover a unit with corrupted software, and it's the same process used to load a remap.
Can a water-damaged ECU be repaired?
Sometimes. It depends how long the water was in and how much corrosion has built up on the board. Tell us what happened and we'll say whether it's worth looking at.
What is ECU unlocking?
Many newer ECUs are protected so standard tools can't read or write their software. Unlocking removes that barrier, so the unit can be read, repaired, cloned or remapped.
Do you work on van ECUs?
Yes. We work on ECUs from Transits, Sprinters, Vivaros, Transporters and most other vans, which matters when a failed unit has taken a work vehicle off the road.
Do I need a dealer to replace my ECU?
In most cases, no. Cloning the data to a replacement unit avoids the dealer coding a brand-new ECU would need.
Get your ECU working again
Tell us what the car is doing and we'll work out whether the ECU can be repaired, reflashed or cloned. You'll get a price before any work goes ahead.
Prefer email? Write to sales@sgrautomotive.co.uk
Eccles, Manchester M30 0SF