1. Contact before posting
Customers and garages must contact ECU Repair & Tuning before sending an ECU by post. Do not send an ECU without first sharing the vehicle and ECU details so suitability, packaging and likely options can be discussed.
Contact us before posting an ECU. The correct postal instructions and job reference will be provided after the enquiry is reviewed.
Contact before posting helps reduce wasted postage, unsuitable donor purchases and unnecessary delays.
2. Information required
Before an ECU is posted, please send as much of the following information as possible:
- vehicle registration
- make, model and year
- engine and fuel type
- fault codes
- vehicle symptoms
- ECU part number
- clear ECU label photographs
- whether the ECU is original or donor
- whether the vehicle starts
- work already carried out, including previous ECU repair attempts, module swaps or diagnostic checks
Incorrect or incomplete information can affect inspection, compatibility checks, pricing and turnaround.
3. Packaging
The sender should make sure the ECU is packed carefully before shipping. The ECU should be:
- dry before packaging
- clean enough to handle safely
- protected from moisture
- wrapped with suitable anti-static or protective material where possible
- placed in a strong box
- cushioned against impact so it cannot move around inside the box
- clearly labelled with customer contact details and any agreed job reference
Connectors and exposed parts should be protected from impact. Avoid sending an ECU loose in a bag or weak box.
4. Shipping responsibility
Tracked and adequately insured shipping is recommended for outward and return shipping.
The sender is responsible for packaging the ECU correctly and choosing the outward courier or postal service. ECU Repair & Tuning is not responsible for damage that occurred before delivery to us, including damage caused by poor packaging or the outward courier.
Return shipping arrangements and charges are confirmed with the customer. Nothing in this section excludes responsibility for damage caused by ECU Repair & Tuning itself.
5. Inspection charge
A €60 bench inspection charge normally applies when an ECU is inspected on the bench.
This charge covers assessment, communication checks and reasonable attempts to inspect the ECU or read/recover ECU data where possible. It is an inspection charge, not a repair fee.
The inspection charge remains payable even if the ECU is not repairable, data cannot be recovered, or cloning cannot proceed. Further chargeable work is not carried out without confirmation.
Inspection charges are normally due once the ECU is accepted for bench inspection, or before the ECU is released or returned.
6. Donor ECUs, postage and payment
Donor ECU compatibility must be confirmed before money is spent where possible. Customers should send clear ECU label photographs before buying a donor ECU.
Donor ECU sourcing requires advance payment of the agreed donor cost. No donor ECU will be ordered until the customer has approved the donor details and price in writing. If the customer cancels before the order is placed, the payment will be refunded. If cancellation occurs after ordering, any refund will depend on genuine non-recoverable supplier, postage or restocking costs. Any recoverable balance will be refunded.
Return postage is separate unless it is specifically included in writing. Return shipping arrangements, tracking and charges are confirmed with the customer before the ECU is returned.
Programming, repair, cloning, donor ECU, return postage and balance payments become due as agreed for the specific job. No further chargeable repair, cloning, donor purchase or programming work begins until the options and price have been confirmed.
7. Damaged and unreadable ECUs
Water damage, burning, corrosion, impact damage and previous repair attempts may prevent successful reading, repair or cloning.
The full extent of damage may not be visible before the ECU is opened, powered safely and tested. Data recovery cannot be guaranteed. In some cases, a matching donor ECU may be required before repair or cloning options can be confirmed.
Options are confirmed after inspection wherever possible.
8. ECU cloning
ECU cloning depends on readable original data and donor ECU compatibility. The original ECU and donor ECU may both be required.
Immobiliser or security data transfer is only undertaken for legitimate repair work. ECU Repair & Tuning may refuse work where the purpose is unclear or unsuitable.
A successful bench read or write does not always prove that all unrelated vehicle systems are fault-free. Vehicle-side wiring, power supplies, grounds, immobiliser systems, sensors, actuators and other modules can still affect operation after the ECU is refitted.
9. Turnaround
Initial assessment begins after the ECU is received. Straightforward jobs may be completed quickly, but damaged, protected or unreadable ECUs may take longer.
Donor sourcing, parts delivery, previous repair attempts, water damage, unreadable data and extra testing can affect timing. No guaranteed turnaround is stated unless it is individually confirmed for a specific job.
10. 90-day workmanship warranty
A 90-day workmanship warranty applies to the specific repair, cloning or programming work completed by ECU Repair & Tuning, starting from the date the ECU is collected or delivered back to the customer.
The warranty applies only to the workmanship and specific ECU work completed. It does not guarantee that every ECU can be repaired, that data can always be recovered, or that unrelated vehicle systems are fault-free.
It does not cover unrelated vehicle faults, future water ingress, incorrect fitting, reverse polarity, incorrect jump-starting, voltage damage, damaged wiring, poor grounds, tampering, impact damage or other physical damage after return.
A warranty claim requires the ECU to be returned for assessment. Liability or remedy is confirmed only after inspection of the ECU and review of the reported issue.
Nothing in this warranty section affects statutory rights that cannot legally be excluded or limited under Irish consumer law.
11. Unsuccessful work
Some ECUs cannot be repaired, read or cloned. If no communication is possible, original data cannot be recovered, the ECU is beyond economic repair, the donor is incompatible, or the customer decides not to proceed after inspection, ECU Repair & Tuning will explain the available options where possible.
The normal bench inspection charge remains payable for inspection work already carried out. Any further charges, donor costs, return postage or balance payments are confirmed with the customer before further work proceeds.
12. Uncollected or unpaid units
Completed ECUs will not be released or dispatched until the agreed payment has been received. Customers should arrange payment and collection or return delivery within 30 days of being notified that the work is complete. We may send reminders where an ECU remains unpaid or uncollected. No storage charge currently applies. An uncollected ECU does not automatically become our property and will not be sold, disposed of, used for parts or used for training without the customer’s written permission or an appropriate lawful process.
13. Contact before posting
Contact us before posting an ECU so compatibility, packaging and likely options can be confirmed.
Contact us before posting an ECU. The correct postal instructions and job reference will be provided after the enquiry is reviewed.