Did I brick my ECU?

[FiSTY]

Got the Cobb tuner on yesterday... she ran great. Went to the gym this morning, also ran great. Go to crank her up this afternoon. "Click, click, click, click...". lights and gauges flash (erratically, like it's an extra in a new Poltergeist movie... hear virtually every electric component try to do something) and it won't turn over. Tried disconnecting the battery (in hopes it would reset). Same result. Cobb is not communicating with the car (thinks it's off) Any ideas what this might be? Or any steps I might take to correct on my own? *sigh*

 

[Jabbit]

Charge your battery maybe?

 

[FiSTY]

Charge your battery maybe?

Added a little more info (it's acting way too crazy to be a dead battery). Granted, I'm sure I'll run it dead soon trying to get it going... cause everything (but the motor) is trying to run. 😢

 

[FJ16]

it's acting way too crazy to be a dead battery

You could be right, but low-charge or failing batteries cause some crazy stuff in these cars. I don't see it being a bricked ECU caused by flashing a tune if it ran fine after the switch... I'd agree with Jabbit, try addressing the battery first?

 

[Dpro]

Car can act all crazy when battery is going dead. When you Flash a tune Cobb even suggests hooking it up to battery charger in case your battery is weak or low on a charge. If you bought your car used and its a 2014 or 2015 it could easily be due for a new battery and the Cobb pushed it over the edge.

 

[Fiestig]

I concur with all others. Battery. When the battery starts to go its like the car hired a terrible DJ.

 

[FiSTY]

Thanks guys! When I left the door open in my 17... everything was just real dim (and the battery light went off). Sounds like I have a lot to learn. Got a buddy en route to give me a jump... will report back shortly.

 

[FiSTY]

Y'all were right! Thanks for giving the dummy some learning. 🤣

 

[GreenenvyFiST]

Thanks guys! When I left the door open in my 17... everything was just real dim (and the battery light went off). Sounds like I have a lot to learn. Got a buddy en route to give me a jump... will report back shortly.

Most likely culprit is battery. I had a new battery that was faulty, and my old SVT Focus went nuts with all the gauges going crazy and lights flickering on and off.

 

[FiSTY]

Most likely culprit is battery. I had a new battery that was faulty, and my old SVT Focus went nuts with all the gauges going crazy and lights flickering on and off.

Never experienced anything like it before. I just put a few spirited miles on her after the jump. Idk what killed the battery flashing the tune... leaving the AP plugged in... some bonehead move like leaving a door ajar. It's a 2019 with 17k miles never had any issue prior.

 

[Fiestig]

Never experienced anything like it before. I just put a few spirited miles on her after the jump. Idk what killed the battery flashing the tune... leaving the AP plugged in... some bonehead move like leaving a door ajar. It's a 2019 with 17k miles never had any issue prior.

Get an el-cheapo $7 voltmeter from harbor freight. Comes in handy in these situations

 

[FiSTY]

Get an el-cheapo $7 voltmeter from harbor freight. Comes in handy in these situations

I have one of those floating in my sad excuse for a tool box (read: tupperware). Never even thought to pull it out.

 

[CanyonJim028]

Y'all were right! Thanks for giving the dummy some learning. 🤣

Phew! I bet that was scary.

 

[Dpro]

Never experienced anything like it before. I just put a few spirited miles on her after the jump. Idk what killed the battery flashing the tune... leaving the AP plugged in... some bonehead move like leaving a door ajar. It's a 2019 with 17k miles never had any issue prior.

in the past leaving the AP plugged in was a known problem as it sometimes did not turn off. That was supposed to have been fixed with firmware updates .

 

[FiSTY]

Phew! I bet that was scary.

Indeed... I'm currently erasing the whole experience with heavy beer consumption. To begin this fiasco, we're out running Saturday errands and the wife's car got a flat. We dropped it off at the tire shop, ubered back home, only to find my car wouldn't start. On the plus side... I don't have to run errands now 🤣

 

[FiSTY]

in the past leaving the AP plugged in was a known problem as it sometimes did not turn off. That was supposed to have been fixed with firmware updates .

This appears to be the culprit. Come to find out, there's an auto on/off feature (disabled by default). Fingers crossed I don't run into this again. I probably won't leave it installed indefinitely, but it's a new toy and I'll I want to get acquainted with all the functionality.