I just finished diagnosing a problem I had that I wanted to share with everybody so you dont run in to the same thing. Heres what happened. I pulled in to the clubhouse of my apartment shut the car off and went inside for maybe a minute, very small amount of time. Came back out and the car wouldn't start. I started checking the basics, spark plugs and wires, loose connections, couldn't find anything except the nut had fallen off the bracket that holds the intake inplace and what looked like a burn mark on my rrm short ram heat shield but I didn't really notice anything around it. So I check for fuel, and the pump was not turning on, then I checked to see if I was getting a spark, nothing there either. So I figured it was electrical or a sensor, but the check engine light was not coming on. Come to find out when mitsu replaced my instrument cluster they left out half the bulbs, including the check engine. I was thinking it could be one of two things, camshaft position sensor, or ecm. So I borrowed a OBDII scanner praying for a code, but instead I got "Link Error". So I know my ecm is done so I start looking around the intake where the heat shield was burnt cause I figured there had to be a short somewhere. On kind of the underside of a wire loom running up to the fuse box right next to the heat shield I can see a hole worn in the protective sleeve, and two exposed burnt looking wires. I am guessing that the nut was vibrated off the bolt securing the intake and heat shield, then the shield began hitting the wire loom until it shorted out, and destroyed the ecm. I did purchase a longer bolt like your supposed to but I guess I didn't tighten it down good enough. Let me say though I am NOT BLAMING RRM AT ALL, I take complete responsibility so please don't tell me how dumb I am I just wanted to let everyone know. So even though I am probably the only person this will ever happen too, make sure you got that heat shield secured good and tight. O yea if anybody has an extra ecm (since its a pretty common item to have laying around) let me know.

 

wow now that is random and sucks. Talk about a little thing turning into a big thing quickly. Youre lucky you werent driving when it went.

 

I don't think anyone is going to say you are stupid esspecially since you checked all the right things in order when your car wouldn't start. You couldn't patch it up with some solder and get some metal mesh wire protector?

 

Actually I think the wires had touched while driving because a couple days before I noticed my EBrake light and battery light come on just for a quick second. Should have checked it out then.

I tried to splice the wires, even though it would very slightly alter the resistance I was hoping it would atleast get me going. Unfortunately it had already done its damage.

Also what may be a good idea because the edges are a little sharp on the heat shield, Im gonna get some tubing and put that all around the edges of the heat shield. Its kind of hard to explain. Also checked last night with mitsu, they want $929.09 for a new ecm, I found a lot at the junkyards for an auto ($100), but no luck for a manual yet.

 

Thanks! I'll make sure to check mine...

 

well my good luck continues, yesterday I found an ecm at a junkyard for 100 went home, swapped it out, I should be ready to go. I get down to class and as I hit the lock button on the remote, I notice that the turn signals did not flash. I start looking at it and find I have no turn signals or brake lights. Apparently there is an ecu that controls the timing of the flashes, so either I need another ecu, or the fuse leading to the ecu. I think its just a fuse, but who knows.

 

the ecu under the hood in the fuse box controls everything relayed to the lights. it will be the big green box, you can use one from an 02-06 RA included, if its red it will also work, you will now have daytime running lights. it could also be a fuse, "keep it simple"

 

the ecu I was talkin about is called the ETAC ecu, and that is actually right behind the passenger compartment fuse box, but your right the FRONT ECU under the hood does have something to do with the lights, I had just narrowed it down to the etac ecu. As for keeping it simple, that was all I needed to do. In my frustrustion with the first problem I was pulling every single fuse to check them and I put one back in to a blank slot, and that was the etac ecu fuse. So I found that yesterday and switched it around, now the car runs perfect. PROBLEM SOLVED finally.