The car engine computers are often damaged and have to be replaced when the engine is water logged. This is a very painful process as repairs are often delayed because replacements are hard to find. In most cases, you will have to find these spares in the automotive aftermarket where there is no guarantee for quality. The problems which might arise from these inferior parts could range from sensors which check the engine and fuel injection timings.
The best thing, of course, would be to get a new replacement for the engine computer. However, the difficulty is, it is rather hard to get the right engine computer to suit cars which were manufactured a decade ago. Most car manufacturers do not stock the older models of engine computers when newer car models are released into the market.
Engine computers for cars are similar to other computers and are mainly assembly line products which ensure quality and are all identical. These computers normally outlive the vehicle and are built to last unless damaged by water.
The good news is that cars are being recycled these days and second hand engine computers are easy to find at not too steep a price. The new trend of people actually repairing cars instead of replacing them bodes well for those who are looking for good reliable spares for their cars. The cars which were earlier being consigned to the scrap heap are being stripped down and the parts which can be used again are reused. So, if you are on the lookout for a particular part, you might just get lucky.
The parts which have been salvaged from used cars are not to be confused with the aftermarket spares. The first lot is compatible as opposed to the aftermarket parts which at best, almost fit. Most of the parts from the aftermarket have been manufactured without the engineering blueprints- mostly these parts are products of reverse engineering from samples. This is the main reason why these parts may not be compatible.
Nowadays, all cars come with at least one engine computer. There are a number of sensors such as the ones for oxygen, throttle position, air pressure, engine temperature and so on which feed information into the computer.
The information will help the computer manage the everyday running of the car such as the spark plug, fuel injection, idle speed. The computer helps the performance of the vehicle and also keeps emissions under control. The computer also alerts the driver when something in the engine is not okay.
Besides the engine computer, cars have other computers such as the one for control of the automatic transmission; some cars have smart seats and mirrors which can remember settings while most systems such as the cruise control, air bags are also controlled by computers. Cars which can be opened without keys also have computers controlling the security systems. Computers are often found in the advanced climate control systems.
Well, if you do need to replace the engine computer, best to scout around for a used one.