Citroen Xsara Picasso (2000 - 2010) - yr 2004 - ECU pin corrosion | Technical matters | Back Room Forum

Wed 17 Oct 2007 16:00

yr 2004 - ECU pin corrosion - EricE

Hi,

Car wouldn't start due to an electrical fault. It turned out that one of the pins in the ECU connector had corroded away because water got into it. Got the car towed to the garage, solution sir; new ECU + new wires + labour, total cost = £1400 HELP!
No one has touched these wires since the car left the factory, the connectors to the ECU is protected by a plastic "boot" held in place with a tie wrap, not exactly very water proof. Looks like a design fault to me. I found the following on this website.

Under: Xara Picasso , What to Watch Out For;

"Several reports of terminal corrosion of multipin connector terminals to ECU, requiring new ECU. The connector cannot be sufficiently well waterproofed. Seems to affect Picassos from 2004."

I have contacted Citroen UK but they say, sorry but we can't help since the car is more than 3 years old (it's 3 1/2 year old, 04 reg).

Any ideas where I go from here? I wonder were honestjohn.co.uk got the information about the ECU problems from, would be useful to know?

Thanks

Eric

Edited by Dynamic Dave on 17/10/2007 at 19:40

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Wed 17 Oct 2007 16:18

ECU pin corrosion - Screwloose

Eric

Unfortunately, that's the way that French electrics are; they build them for a short but happy life - and then you have to buy a new car from them.

You don't say what engine this has, but it's common to break some PSA cars at only 4 years as repair costs often exceed the residual. Specialist dismantlers can give you a very good price for a complete car.

Secondhand components from one of those may be an option here; there are security coding issues that may need the dealer to program, but the components [ECU and engine loom] will be a lot cheaper than new.

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Wed 17 Oct 2007 16:54

ECU pin corrosion - EricE

Thanks for your response,

The car is a 1.6 petrol. So if I got a second hand ECU you reckon I would be able to get
a dealer to re-program it?
I'm still reluctant to accept this, it was a fault waiting to happen beyond my control and Citroen should be honest enough and admit this.

Eric

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Wed 17 Oct 2007 17:01

ECU pin corrosion - bell boy

I think you will need more than just the ecu
can you talk to a sensible breaker that can advice all the components you need like the keys for the chip in it etc
i agree with screwloose though it will still need to go to the dealer for this year ,i think

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Wed 17 Oct 2007 17:07

ECU pin corrosion - Screwloose

Eric

Agreed. All the French manufacturers seem to have perfected the "Gallic Shrug" when faced with legitimate complaints. Action seems not to be in their vocabulary. [See some of Renault's responses.]

Their cars seem not to be designed or adapted for our climate and road conditions; their attitude seems to be that - "It works fine en Francais... If le Rost-Biffs want to put salt on their roads...."

Good luck pursuing this; I wouldn't hold your breath though....

You dealer should be able to confirm whether they can re-program a secondhand ECU; I would expect that they could - if they wanted to.....

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Thu 18 Oct 2007 10:56

ECU pin corrosion - dieselnut

Maybee you can get your original ECU repaired.
Try BBA-REMAN, they repair ECU's which must sometimes require replacement pins that have got bent/broken. It might be cheaper than your Citroen dealer {now spelt correctly instead of the slang way! - DD}

Edited by Dynamic Dave on 18/10/2007 at 13:30

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Sat 8 Dec 2007 13:28

yr 2004 - ECU pin corrosion - mikegoodfellow

Hi,

Same thing has now happened to our 2003, 32,000 miles Picasso-£1300 to repair. Car stopped dead in busy traffic. Our view is that these vehicles are inherently dangerous because they could stop at anytime due to water ingress into the ECU. Imagine wife, kids and dog in car in outside lane of a busy motorway when this happens.

All 250,000 Picasso's should be immediately recalled or ECU connectivity checks introduced for all service intervals-it takes 30-60 seconds to disconnect the connectors and check for water ingress. No good repairing as the same thing will happen again unless you undertake a competant DIY job to prevent future water ingress( perhaps using marine grade flexible sealant around the connectors and wire entry points).

We were going to scrap car but will try DIY resolution with assistance of an ECU repair shop.

If you have not had this problem best to check your ECU now.

Regards to all.

Mike.

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Sat 8 Dec 2007 13:38

yr 2004 - ECU pin corrosion - Screwloose

Mike

If you're going for a DIY repair; try and source a matching part number [dry] ECU and plug from a specialist breaker.

Cut off a really good length of loom with the plug attached and get a good autosparks to solder-joint it into yours, wirecode-to-wirecode. Then re-mount the ECU with the plug downwards and a leaky loop in the loom below it.

You'll need to re-match the new ECU's security code to your BSI; but there are many people around with dealer-level scanners that should be able to do that. Your sparks should know one.

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Tue 21 Jun 2011 16:10

yr 2004 - ECU pin corrosion - TrishH

I know its now 2011, but we are having much the same problem. Our Citroen Picasso Exclusive, (1.6HDI) bought new in 2005, refused to start on 8th May, we called our breakdown people who eventually got it started with the help of jump leads. Only trouble was, the fan stayed on permanently! As this was a sunday, we booked it in at a local citroen specialist for the following wednesday. Wednesday came, it wouldn't start at all! We had to phone the breakdown people again who towed it to the garage and there it has remained to this day! (21st June and counting)

After exploring simple things which could have prevented it from starting, the ECU was sent off for specialist testing. Although they can sometimes be repaired, ours can't! (Well it probably could be if we were prepared to wait months) the ECU came back last week and although the car started, it soon stopped, it showed 'high fuel pressure' so now that has to be sent for testing!! After reading loads of forums regarding problems of this type, I found that 'ecu is commonly damaged by a short on the car, causing fan on permanently (yep, thats us!)' together with ' incorrect use of jumper leads, either incorrect polarity or immediate disconnection of leads after engine start-up, resulting in large and sudden power surge from alternator'

So far our bill just for the new ecu and fitting is £1300! thats without all the work the garage has done before sending it for testing and now the fuel pump problem, is it really worth having it done!? The car has only done 40,000 in 6 years from new, so probably it is. We are in the process of taking it up with the breakdown people as it seems they could be responsible, but as for them admitting liability...... don't hold your breath!

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Tue 21 Jun 2011 17:50

yr 2004 - ECU pin corrosion - madf

Your garage appear incompetent who repair things by "guess and replace"...

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Tue 28 Feb 2012 23:39

yr 2004 - ECU pin corrosion - Pobrissima

I have a 54 plate Picasso. The Ecu has decided to not start when warm. It'll start when cold, but is you turn the car on and do a short jouney then it be difficult to start if not impossible. you get a warning that it wont start by the fan starting in the engine compartment. The ECU has decided to tell the fan to start up, then the dashboard tell you the ESP has been disengaged, then the hand brake is faulty, then the engine immobiliser has kicked in. All this started with a worrying stutter that occasionally happened when exellerating from a junction.

Seriously, If anyone should consider recommending such fault ridden vehicles to family or friends - DON'T.

I really wonder how the French have built so many models of what could of been a good car and ended up selling "le Merde". So far with this car i have had the squealing brake sorted, the dual mass flywheel replaced - another common fault! the front speakers connected because some worker forgot to connect them in the first place, rear eaxust unit, vibrating front screen repaired ( most of the car vibrates and rattles) I had to put silicone around the front speakers because of the rattles. and so much more. If I cannot find a cheap ECU then this carwill have cost more than its saleable value. Buy another Citroen???? NO!

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