ECU on it's way out?

[PM0077]

Hi Folks, I've just had quite a scary experience on my way back from the shops. I was turning off the main road nearby to come up the single track home when the electrics and engine just stopped! Curiously the brakes worked but I had no steering (hate to think what might have happened had I been going faster or on an A road!) After this I turned the key and the engine fired up, it sounds fine and all the electrics are working, could my ecu be on it's way out and if so how much would I be looking at to replace it?

As a side note one of my connectors on the offside battery is loose could it just be this?

Cheers
Paul

[Tallyman]

If you have two batteries then having a loose connection on only one is unlikely to cause many problems whilst the engine is running, more likely to cause problems in starting, especially in rather chillier weather than we're having at the mnoment.

Did the lights go out on the dash when it cut out? If so, it could be the ECU or possibly another loose connection somewhere in the circuit. Also, electrics going out don't have any effect on the steering itself, only on the power steering pump which would cease to work because the engine cut out.

[PM0077]

If you have two batteries then having a loose connection on only one is unlikely to cause many problems whilst the engine is running, more likely to cause problems in starting, especially in rather chillier weather than we're having at the mnoment.

Did the lights go out on the dash when it cut out? If so, it could be the ECU or possibly another loose connection somewhere in the circuit. Also, electrics going out don't have any effect on the steering itself, only on the power steering pump which would cease to work because the engine cut out.

Yes, the lights on the dash all went out. Quite scary as there was also some plum right up my jacksie in a qashqai too, reckon he would have come off worst though.

[Albannach]

Curiously the brakes worked but I had no steering

That's not curious, that's normal. The power steering is engine dependant (you still had steering, it was just stiff), whereas the brakes are not (after a couple of presses they will lose assistance and like the steering will still be there, just will need a lot more effort to work).

[PM0077]

Cheers Andy, I think i've got to the bottom of the problem though. The loose battery connection has been touching the metal bar that's supposed to hold the battery in place and the rubber sheath that's supposed to cover it had slipped causing loads of sparks which in turn must be shorting the electrics (I did turn the corner rather vigorously so reckon the batteries slid and made contact. Oops!) I've insulated it today so hopefully it shouldn't happen again

Paul

[dieselboy]

Yes, the lights on the dash all went out. Quite scary as there was also some plum right up my jacksie in a qashqai too, reckon he would have come off worst though.

This happend to me after I turned in a road once. Turned out some div had not secured one of the batteries down. The battery tilted over and shorted on the power steering resevoir. Luckily, it just touched and then come off again or else that could have been the end of that Surf in a firey puff of smoke! Check the connections, and follow the live feeds to where they go. Make sure they are not split and make sure the batteries are secure!

[dieselboy]

I really should read the whole thread before posting... Excitement gets the better of me. Sorry.