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ECM Replacement

Tiny
JDSUMMERS
  • MEMBER
  • 2000 SATURN
  • V6
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 155,000 MILES
A few weeks ago my car that is a LW2 started losing acceleration for no reason. When this would happen l had to pull over and turn the car off sit for roughly five minutes and then the car would drive fine. This problem only progressed and got worse over time with the service light and check engine soon light both coming on. I would find l could drive either five miles or five feet and l would lose acceleration. My mechanic said he could not find any reason for this as no codes would show up, but that he researched the problem and all he was told is it was the ECM was bad and needed replacing. I was finally able to locate an ECM but now he says it will cost hundreds to get it celebrated.

I am not experienced in cars so does this sound right? If so, what is involved in getting the ECM celebrated to my car? I reside in Las Vegas and know nobody reliable here so any help would be appreciated.
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Tuesday, October 25th, 2016 AT 6:44 PM

7 Replies

Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
To get a new ECM programmed should only be a hours labor at the GM dealer at what ever there labor rate is. Does not sound like a rum issue. I worked at the Saturn dealer for over sixteen years and the only reason I remember replacing the ECM on those cars was for no starts and you could not talk the ECM with a scan tool. The problem your describing is a bad throttle body and the throttle body harness. Very common on those cars. Is the reduced performance light coming on the dash when it loses power?
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Tuesday, October 25th, 2016 AT 10:25 PM
Tiny
JDSUMMERS
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  • 4 POSTS
No, but twice before this issue happened when l would start the car first thing in the morning the reduced power light came on, but l turned ignition off and restarted immediately and no light.
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Wednesday, October 26th, 2016 AT 4:56 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
Yeah, that really sounds like a throttle body with a throttle body harness they even had a bulletin for it. It only stays in reduced performance for that key cycle if it does not see that problem when you cycle the key it will drive normal until it sees the problem. There should be codes setting in the computer. I would not be replacing the ECM unless he has a really good explanation why. Because all the ones I have seen like that were the throttle body and harness.
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Wednesday, October 26th, 2016 AT 12:24 PM
Tiny
JDSUMMERS
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Okay thanks, I will have the throttle checked out before anything else.

The only question l have is that the reduced power light has not come on in the past month which is when the loss of acceleration problem started. If the two are connected would the reduced power light come on more often?

I will definitely have the throttle checked out before having the ECM done though and hopefully the parts are easily available and not too expensive. I cannot afford a new car yet. Lol

Thanks for your help and advice.
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Wednesday, October 26th, 2016 AT 1:37 PM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
So are you going into reduced performance mode without the reduced performance light coming on?Also the throttle body and harness can be intermittent. Also you really can't just check out the throttle body and see its bad. You have certain codes set one the ecm and with the symptoms you would replace the throttle body and harness. The throttle body is expensive on those I would buy a used one ether. The ecm is the last thing I would think is wrong with those symptoms.
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Wednesday, October 26th, 2016 AT 8:31 PM
Tiny
JDSUMMERS
  • MEMBER
  • 4 POSTS
Just wanting to thank you for your help. I found a mechanic and he did a diagnostic on my car and the first issue was when I had the EGR replaced the guy broke off one of the bolts and didn't fix it so that wasn't sealed properly, 2nd the codes then came up reading throttle body (as you stated.L thank you for that). They then discovered that there were wires that had not been secured properly and some had melted so they fixed that issue first before replacing the actual throttle body. Its only been a few days but so far she seems to be driving ok and if the issue starts again then they want to take it to the next level but they wanted to do one thing at a time first.

Again thank you for all your help and advice you've probably saved me a lot of money and some major headaches and I appreciate that very much.
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Monday, November 14th, 2016 AT 5:51 AM
Tiny
SATURNTECH9
  • MECHANIC
  • 30,870 POSTS
Your welcome glass I could help you out that's what we're here for. Please tell all your friends about us. We always like to hear a positive outcome.
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Monday, November 14th, 2016 AT 8:04 AM

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