The correct way to reset your ECU

[MBK89]

This article explains the correct way to reset your ECU (Engine Control Unit). Please note that this is only for resetting fault codes

Step 1

Go for a quick drive for about 10 minutes to bring your car up to the normal operating temperature. Turn your engine and ignition off.

Step 2

Locate your fusebox. If you are standing at the front of your car facing your windshield, this should be at the top right hand side of your engine bay.

Step 3

On the top of your fusebox, there should be a diagram. Find the 7.5A "back-up" fuse and remove that fuse.

Step 4

After 10 (whole) seconds, replace the fuse.

Step 5

Start your engine. Do not touch the accelerator pedal or anything else, and leave your car idling for a furthur 10 (whole) minutes. (This only applies to newer hondas though, not the M's )

Step 6

Turn your engine off. Wait around 2 minutes, then turn it back on again. This saves the new ECU settings.(Again, only do this for later style hondas, not M's)

Your have now reset your ECU. Please note that doing this procedure will only clear the fault codes

[Mebz]

Maybe a bit of a silly question to most but why would you want to reset your ECU

[MBK89]

some people choose to edit some of the settings on their ECu such as VTEC point or Idle speed...

god knows why!

[Dave]

Hi mate. On the M's especially, but also on other hondas, it is for reseting fault codes on the ems (engine Management system) It can save you money if youve just repaired something on the car that caused a fault code to show, as you'd still have to pay honda to reset the codes even after the part has been replaced/repaired.

Hope this helps

[tontvti]

just to add to this.

After much Googling about resetting the ECU a variety of answers come up. None which seem to fully apply to the MB6 as usual

Some of the literature says that Honda ECU's have a fuse that says "back up" or a fuse that says "ECU" and you should remove these. The MB6 has both

After trial and error today I got a good result from the below.

After getting the car warm I shut her down and took out the "ECU fuse 15A" and the "Back Up fuse 7.5A"

Left it 10min

Started the car and just left her idling, you're supposed to leave it till it settles down to a smooth idle, [i left it idling for 10min as the fan activates after a certain point and it gives a chance for the fuel trims to include this].

Shut the car down and started it back up straight away. [This is supposed to save the new fuel trim settings].

whooooooa, what a difference;

Much much smoother idle,

car feels like it pulls tighter,

I was doing this to try and reduce the emissions for the MOT and from this reset alone the Carbon Monoxide output dropped from 0.84% to 0.73% (still a fail )

it feels like the Vtec point has raised a few hundred rpm but that might just be in my head.

VTEC and IAB opening are both louder and more aggressive

To me it felt like the car picked up 20bhp but this was apparently the first proper reset I've done since:

fresh spark plugs

fresh airfilter

mongoose exhaust

high flow CAT

Ebay manifold

so I probably did pick up 20BHP

[-AL-]

Has anyone else done this as may do this on my days off see if makes a difference as no harm in doing t is there?

[nova2fit4u]

I defo recommend this ... I was bored read this post and i thought might aswell try and the improvements are better acceleration and the vtec sound uff ppl where turning around in al sorts of directions haha vtec sounds louder smoother and not like a distorted sound

[tontvti]

I was genuinely surprised at the difference it made, the car felt completely different. I wish i'd done it months ago

[-AL-]

will try on my days off then as hardly usin civic at the mo

[SteveMB6]

quick question - when you turn the car off and back on again to save the settings, do you remove the key from the ignition completely ?