The Electronic Module control went bad on my 2002 Nissan Sentra with 70,000 miles. The dealer said it was no one’s fault and wouldn’t pay for it-it just happens.It cost me $700. Is this acceptable?
Yes it is.
Is it possible that the ECM is still under warranty? Look in your owners manual for the warranty information. The ECM should be covered for at least 7 years/70000 miles.
Did you get a second opinion?
This is like heart surgery. Would you take one doctor’s advice? Probably not. You’d get a second opinion, wouldn’t you? I would.
If you got a second opinion on this car, and it agreed with the dealer, then you did the right thing.
If not, there’s no way to know. The ECM (Electronic Control Module) controls just about EVERYTHING on the vehicle. If the ECM fails, you need a new one. They cost what they cost, and the dealer is just about the only place to get one.
I wouldn’t worry too much. $700 is not much to spend on a car that is 6 years old. I’ll bet you haven’t had any major expenses up until now.
The Engine Control Module is covered for 8 years/80,000 miles. That’s why they’re replacing it for free.
Tester
I went thru the entire manual and could not find anyhting on the ECM or warranties. In any event, I called Nissan and they said it was not covered.
My local mechanic advised me that the ECM should not have failed and should be covered. The car had to be towed from the highway to his shop then to a dealer. I couldn’t tow it again to another dealer 30 miles away. Neither the dealer nor Nissan would cover the failure and there was nothingin the manual on the ECM. They have all the cards and can do whatever they wish. I had no recourse. No suprise.
Here’s what the EPA mandates for emission control component warranties. http://www.epa.gov/oms/consumer/warr95fs.txt Print this out and show it to the dealer. They should refund your money. If not, file a complaint with the EPA.
Tester
Thanks for the link Tester. I didn’t know about that.