Emissions station having hard time accessing ECU

[TXwrxWagon]

long story short:

* bought my '04 WRX Wagon with an AP1 stage 2 installed. Previous owner had removed all parts (DP and cat back, SPT CAI) to take to the '05-06 STi he bought.

* spun engine bearings (under warranty) dealer had car for 98 days

* car was broken into by employee of dealership (proven) and AP1 stolen.

* now emissions station cannot access ECU for basic OBD II test.

* the car has not been touched, engine/ECU wise since the dealer replaced the engine. Car sat for 2 years due to suspension damage. No electrical damage to any part of the car.

So my question: is there a way to lock up the OE ECU by improperly unmarrying an AP1 or AP2?

Any other thoughts as to why the OBDII port would be dead? All fuses are fine, no cut or disturbed wires.

I am about to run out of extension from the state to get this corrected.

Rob

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[Cobb Tuning]

Originally Posted by TXwrxWagon

long story short:

* bought my '04 WRX Wagon with an AP1 stage 2 installed. Previous owner had removed all parts (DP and cat back, SPT CAI) to take to the '05-06 STi he bought.

* spun engine bearings (under warranty) dealer had car for 98 days

* car was broken into by employee of dealership (proven) and AP1 stolen.

* now emissions station cannot access ECU for basic OBD II test.

* the car has not been touched, engine/ECU wise since the dealer replaced the engine. Car sat for 2 years due to suspension damage. No electrical damage to any part of the car.

So my question: is there a way to lock up the OE ECU by improperly unmarrying an AP1 or AP2?

Any other thoughts as to why the OBDII port would be dead? All fuses are fine, no cut or disturbed wires.

I am about to run out of extension from the state to get this corrected.

Rob

Interrupting an uninstall of AP can cause problems, but usually it is bad enough for the car to not even start. Does the car run? If so, there's not much else to check/try that you haven't already.

First I would make sure there is actually a problem and it is not just that the emissions station was having problems of their own. Borrow an obdii scanner and see if you can connect on your own.

To rule out the ECU, you could purchase a used ECU on ebay for your car. They aren't too expensive ($150-$200) and the car would start right up after you install the used ECU if the original ECU was corrupted somehow. Even if that is not it, you would have a back-up ECU in the future in case something happened (and could probably get what you paid for it on ebay anyway).

Likely though, this is an issue with the obdii port/wiring. If so, you'll need to have someone experienced in that type of work to see what's up.

Bil

[TXwrxWagon]

1. car runs fine. Has never missed a beat since getting it back from dealer.

2. I have been to 4 different Emissions stations, they all have the same error: "unable to connect to device"....

3. the wiring HAS been traced by me personally, since automotive wiring is what I do for a living... there should be no reason for an OBD II disconnect/unavailable unless the unmarry process caused an issue. I have checked every fuse, every connection. I have checked continuity between the OBDII port and the ECM side of the connector. Everything is clear and open.

Is there a way to reset the Subaru ECU outside the vehicle? IE at the dealer on a bench?

I am not opposed to buying another ECU if that is my ONLY option.

Rob

[Cobb Tuning]

Originally Posted by TXwrxWagon

1. car runs fine. Has never missed a beat since getting it back from dealer.

2. I have been to 4 different Emissions stations, they all have the same error: "unable to connect to device"....

3. the wiring HAS been traced by me personally, since automotive wiring is what I do for a living... there should be no reason for an OBD II disconnect/unavailable unless the unmarry process caused an issue. I have checked every fuse, every connection. I have checked continuity between the OBDII port and the ECM side of the connector. Everything is clear and open.

Is there a way to reset the Subaru ECU outside the vehicle? IE at the dealer on a bench?

I am not opposed to buying another ECU if that is my ONLY option.

Rob

If you haven't done so already, you can try disconnecting the battery (for about 10 seconds) and then re-connect, but I doubt that will fix your problem.

You can try reflashing the ECU with an AP v2. If you know someone with an AP v2 SUB-001 (for 02-05 WRX), they can unmarry it from their car, and you can attempt to install it to your car. If successful, then you can unmarry it and the AP should restore a factory map (might not be exactly the same revision as your old one but that is OK). The other option is to use open source software (Ecuflash) and a compatible cable to attempt to flash a stock ROM on the ECU.

Replacing the ECU would probably be your best bet. It would rule out the ECU as factor for sure and it is relatively cheap for these cars as well as easy to replace.

Bill

[legacy05gtsti]

have a same problem! want to know should i duy a new ECU?

[Cobb Tuning]

Originally Posted by legacy05gtsti

have a same problem! want to know should i duy a new ECU?

We'll need a little more detail to attempt to help. Is an AccessPORT currently married to the car? Was there one previously? What is the emissions station telling you is wrong?

Keep in mind that the AccessPORT does not prevent any obdii scanner function (what the emissions station would use).

Bill