MG MG ZT (2001 - 2005) - Can having inlet manifold replaced wreck the ecu?

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Mon 5 Nov 2007 17:31
Can having inlet manifold replaced wreck the ecu? - narberth
has my garage ripped me off?
I took my MG ZT into the local dealer to have the inlet manifold replaced the car was working perfectly apart from a noise which they told me was the flaps in the inlet manifold hence the need for it to be replaced. The garage then informed me that the ecu unit had burnt out and also required replacement. I had no choice but to agree to the work as I needed the car back but I asked them if it was possible that the damage to the ECU had been caused by them. After an exchange of emails I met the service manager who informed me that a faulty coil (also replaced) had caused the burn out and they were not at fault. I am not convinced but what can i do now?

Any help or advice much appreciated.

{amendment to header to include part of the question being asked, and to make less vague}

Edited by Dynamic Dave on 05/11/2007 at 18:40

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Mon 5 Nov 2007 18:00
has my garage ripped me off - injection doc
common faults I'm afraid & ECU's very common although normally due to water ingress. I have seen them very wet & appear to drive ok & no MIL lamp on but loads of stored codes. You have to thank your lucky starts that they saved you a breakdown on the open road, & also very lucky they were able to get a manifold. If it was rattling around tickover its the manifold.
Doc
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Mon 5 Nov 2007 20:31
has my garage ripped me off - narberth
Even the garage is not suggesting any water damage. They say a fault in the ECU caused a short in the coil pack that blew the ecu. OR a fault in the coil pack blew the ecu. I would probably have accepted a reasonable explanation If the garage had not appeared so confused.
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Mon 5 Nov 2007 21:34
has my garage ripped me off - Screwloose

So the ECU just "burned out" while it was in their hands? Which part of it?

If the coil shorted; was there a reason? Did they turn, or leave, on the ignition [to move the car?] with the ECU earth off?

Did they leave the door open for hours and flatten the battery - a jump start can often be fatal to these ECUs.

Why don't they try to get the ECU repaired if it's only a coil-driver transistor gone - or would that show something embarrassing....?
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Mon 5 Nov 2007 22:09
can having inlet manifold replaced wreck the ecu - narberth
Interesting questions but how do i prove anything?
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Mon 5 Nov 2007 22:22
can having inlet manifold replaced wreck the ecu - Teapot42
Pretty much impossible to *prove* anything. However, the old ECU does still belong to you, so ask for it back, saying you are intending to have it independently inspected. They may change tack at this point if they have anything to hide. If they don't, you can pay to have it looked at and the report may show something up. Otherwise, have it fixed and sell it on or keep as a spare.

If you are pretty sure they have broken it and don't want to shell out on having it looked at properly, find a friend with BEng after their name and get them to write some electronics waffle in an official looking report. Worked for me once when I bought a faulty hard drive and was told I'd broken it installing it... (Although not quite the same as I was sure it wasn't anything I'd done, rather than thinking that it might be someone else's fault)
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