Is It Really the Computer?

Jeff Elder, marketing manager for Blue Streak Electronics, has considerable hands-on experience with automotive computer technology, and has seen many units returned that test O.K. Like all quality reman companies, those good units are remanufactured by Blue Streak anyway, but the number suggests that technicians are still replacing good units as a stopgap troubleshooting technique. According to Elder, “There are a high percentage of people who try ECMs because they’ve tried everything else. Sometimes that solves the problem, but there is a percentage that is grasping at straws. There are a huge percentage of warranty returns that check out O.K. Percentage wise, we see a higher percentage (of good units returned under warranty) than for any other engine management components, because it’s an unknown. When in doubt, blame the ECM. I terms of true warranty replacements, the total number is very small. Single digit small.”