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Can I use the wrong ECU on my Subaru?
I have a 2005 Subaru Impreza TS with the wrong ECU that is for a car with a 2.5l engine and mine has a 1.6l in it. The car surges on idling and has very bad gas mileage because of this and I cannot find the correct ECU for it. Can a ECU of the same size engine but of a different year work?
Our answer:
Hi Jason,
That may well work, but it's notoriously difficult to match used ECUs with engines. The mapping software changes regularly through a car's lifetime and that may be because of different sensors or wiring in the engines, so it's never recommended. Re-programming an ECU might be your best bet if you can't get one that is a perfect match to start with.
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