For all those with an extra ECU, come inside please...
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 37
Likes: 1
From: Elon, NC
Kleemann S55 AMG
For all those with an extra ECU, come inside please...
How did you guys go about getting an extra ECU married to your 55 cars?
1.) Buy it new, have the dealer marry it
2.) Buy it used, have the dealer marry it
3.) Some other means...
For whatever the respective method, what kind of pricing was involved (mostly interested in the labor charges involved and if it's possible to marry a used ECU).
1.) Buy it new, have the dealer marry it
2.) Buy it used, have the dealer marry it
3.) Some other means...
For whatever the respective method, what kind of pricing was involved (mostly interested in the labor charges involved and if it's possible to marry a used ECU).
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Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Salt Lake City (but not Morm)
2003 E55 & 2014 GL550
I guess I am the ECU collector here (many tunes etc)
When you order an ECU from the dealer, they need to send your VIN to Germany. They the ECU arrives and I believe it is coded to your VIN. We've had speculation throughout the years whether the ECU could still be mated to another car but the majority of tuners say you can't once Germany enters your VIN on it.
Then you need to have the dealer flash it/mate it to your car. Which any nice dealer can do for you quickly.
What we know right now: ECU's cannot be bought used as they are coded with your VIN from Germany. (well, you can BUY them, they just won't work no matter what you try)
ECU's new from dealer run right around the 2k mark. Reason for differences are they are clearing out some older ones and bringing in newer versions which are more expensive. Think most of the old versions are gone now but ya never know.
Labor should only be one hour as it's just CAKE to flash it. Tech plugs in star, requests SCN coding from Germany, once it comes back, car is flashed and you are done.
Hopes for the future: Hoping for a tuner to come out with a "pocket flasher". A unit that could carry 2-3 tunes on it and you just select one, plug it into OBDII and flash away. Other brand cars use products like this but LOTS of roadblocks from those Germans programming wise.
Keep your fingers crossed. Someone will do it.
When you order an ECU from the dealer, they need to send your VIN to Germany. They the ECU arrives and I believe it is coded to your VIN. We've had speculation throughout the years whether the ECU could still be mated to another car but the majority of tuners say you can't once Germany enters your VIN on it.
Then you need to have the dealer flash it/mate it to your car. Which any nice dealer can do for you quickly.
What we know right now: ECU's cannot be bought used as they are coded with your VIN from Germany. (well, you can BUY them, they just won't work no matter what you try)
ECU's new from dealer run right around the 2k mark. Reason for differences are they are clearing out some older ones and bringing in newer versions which are more expensive. Think most of the old versions are gone now but ya never know.
Labor should only be one hour as it's just CAKE to flash it. Tech plugs in star, requests SCN coding from Germany, once it comes back, car is flashed and you are done.
Hopes for the future: Hoping for a tuner to come out with a "pocket flasher". A unit that could carry 2-3 tunes on it and you just select one, plug it into OBDII and flash away. Other brand cars use products like this but LOTS of roadblocks from those Germans programming wise.
Keep your fingers crossed. Someone will do it.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 37
Likes: 1
From: Elon, NC
Kleemann S55 AMG
Very useful information, thanks! I was asking because I found that part.com had an S55 ECM listed for $1345 and I was wondering if I bought that what I would need to do. I would assume that it comes blank and then the dealer would probably have to send it off to Germany to get it coded, but I'm not exactly sure because I hear Merc is really **** about ECUs these days. I shot an e-mail to parts.com but I expect some $8/hr. salesperson to reply back that they don't know, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
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From: Houston
2003 W211 E55, 2003 W220 S600
If I am not mistaken renntech has a product which holds a couple of tunes. You can connect it to you OBDII port and transfer the tune over to your ecu.
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From: Bay Area
'10 Porsche Turbo PDK, 500e, GL450
Hopes for the future: Hoping for a tuner to come out with a "pocket flasher". A unit that could carry 2-3 tunes on it and you just select one, plug it into OBDII and flash away. Other brand cars use products like this but LOTS of roadblocks from those Germans programming wise.
Keep your fingers crossed. Someone will do it.
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Joined: Feb 2002
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John Deere
I guess I am the ECU collector here (many tunes etc)
When you order an ECU from the dealer, they need to send your VIN to Germany. They the ECU arrives and I believe it is coded to your VIN. We've had speculation throughout the years whether the ECU could still be mated to another car but the majority of tuners say you can't once Germany enters your VIN on it.
Then you need to have the dealer flash it/mate it to your car. Which any nice dealer can do for you quickly.
What we know right now: ECU's cannot be bought used as they are coded with your VIN from Germany. (well, you can BUY them, they just won't work no matter what you try)
ECU's new from dealer run right around the 2k mark. Reason for differences are they are clearing out some older ones and bringing in newer versions which are more expensive. Think most of the old versions are gone now but ya never know.
Labor should only be one hour as it's just CAKE to flash it. Tech plugs in star, requests SCN coding from Germany, once it comes back, car is flashed and you are done.
Hopes for the future: Hoping for a tuner to come out with a "pocket flasher". A unit that could carry 2-3 tunes on it and you just select one, plug it into OBDII and flash away. Other brand cars use products like this but LOTS of roadblocks from those Germans programming wise.
Keep your fingers crossed. Someone will do it.
When you order an ECU from the dealer, they need to send your VIN to Germany. They the ECU arrives and I believe it is coded to your VIN. We've had speculation throughout the years whether the ECU could still be mated to another car but the majority of tuners say you can't once Germany enters your VIN on it.
Then you need to have the dealer flash it/mate it to your car. Which any nice dealer can do for you quickly.
What we know right now: ECU's cannot be bought used as they are coded with your VIN from Germany. (well, you can BUY them, they just won't work no matter what you try)
ECU's new from dealer run right around the 2k mark. Reason for differences are they are clearing out some older ones and bringing in newer versions which are more expensive. Think most of the old versions are gone now but ya never know.
Labor should only be one hour as it's just CAKE to flash it. Tech plugs in star, requests SCN coding from Germany, once it comes back, car is flashed and you are done.
Hopes for the future: Hoping for a tuner to come out with a "pocket flasher". A unit that could carry 2-3 tunes on it and you just select one, plug it into OBDII and flash away. Other brand cars use products like this but LOTS of roadblocks from those Germans programming wise.
Keep your fingers crossed. Someone will do it.
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From: S.D Cali
CLS63
oH, and I have three ECU's
Last edited by rarfinancial; Apr 4, 2009 at 01:09 AM.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: S.D Cali
CLS63
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Bay Area
'10 Porsche Turbo PDK, 500e, GL450
good for you!
Your wish come true... I have the tunning block... Renntech sent it to me. Besides holding tunes it also data logs. You should see the data you can see on your laptop... It's amazing.. I was just on the phone with James from ACG going over a few runs I have recorded on it.. there is nothing you cant see.. FANTASTIC UNIT.. oH, and I have three ECU's
oH, and I have three ECU's
They don't have a time frame for the older ecus ... sort of sounded like never to me.
Oh thats easy to fix, Just get a 63 
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 37
Likes: 1
From: Elon, NC
Kleemann S55 AMG
Really? Did you buy the ECU from the dealer or from somewhere else? If you bought it from them are you sure that they didn't order it in specifically for your car/VIN?
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From: S.D Cali
CLS63
