AEM recieved my EMS, now the bill...

Issue Description: 1311-0378- was working for 8 months or so then one day it started running funny. Now, the car has no fuel or spark. Car starts on the stock ECU. Inspect unit.

Issue Resolution: Inspected unit and found damaged internal circuitry for main relay. Will have to repair and replace components in order for unit to be fully functional again.

The amount due to proceed with Repairs/Labor will cost $654.00. For payment please fill out the attached AEM Credit Card Authorization form. Fax the signed form to 310-484-0152. Your RMA number is B44A36473A.

OMFG!

So, they said the main relay went bad? Said my charger at 15a quick charge can fry ECU's. Didnt know that. So what would cause that to fry the ecu? The trickle charge? I did that to my car whenever its was cold or I
wasnt driving it. I never changed anything electrical. Just the turbo timer.

talked to one of the techs, took off $75 bucks. Said if I pay early tomm, they can have it shipped out tommorrow and possibly be here fri or sat!! Now, where can I scrounge up $579 dollars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


OMFG!!!!!! im sad. I think after I get the box back im gonna sell it. Too expensive and honestly just draining...money and mentally.

That is bullshit! Holy shit for $600 you could almost buy another unit.
I would like to know the theory on the 15a charger frying ECU's.

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Originally Posted by TUFFTR

That is bullshit! Holy shit for $600 you could almost buy another unit.
I would like to know the theory on the 15a charger frying ECU's.

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When i put my car on a charger and it fryed my A/C display and im starting to think it may have messed with my stock ecu also :(

What type of relay is it, might not be hard at all to replace yourself.

Well, I was an auto electrician apprentice for about 18 months, and one of the things I was told is, if charging a battery in the car, disconnect both cables going to the battery and only charge JUST the battery, never have the stocko cables connected + charger.

Guess it's a good piece of advice to tell others :/

Yeah, chargers can fry shit. Sorry to hear. At least you know all your diag was right.

-Chris

Just one more reason I'm staying piggy back. Full rebuild on ECM $200 replace one relay on AEM $654. If it takes them 10 hours ($65 and hour) to fix it I think it 's time they hire a new technician.

They replace the main board for that price. It's not really a rebuild.

Well, anyways, i talked to Ed and henry from AEM and It is a brand new EMS im getting. It will be here Fri as I paid to have it over nighted. They told me not to have any power connected to the main relay. I dont have anything tapped into the main harness. I will go thru the main ecu harness again, (originally had SAFC spliced in) and recheck eversingle wire to make sure in case. i did see a green wire that was open.

And they dont fix boards, they replace them with brand new boards. So, im good to go. I have to make a mount to mount the ems. It was just laying in there because I had no place or way to mount it. I think Ryan will come help me try to mount it.
And yes, from now on i will never charge my car again with the battery cable on.

Wish I would've known this before hand. I did MULTIPLE 15a QUICK CHARGE with my car before. But with my new Battery shouldnt worry, and if I do trickle it I will pull out the ECI fuse.

Do you think even a 1.5A maintainer would fry things like that?

If a charger over voltages by too much it could fry it.

The thing is, electricity can get pulses or even surges and if it is connected to sensitive electronics it CAN fry it. I would just disconnect the eci fuse or battery cables. I will never do this to my car again with the cables connected. We had power outages now that I think about it and that couldve done it and finally it just died. But, $600 for a brand new AEM instead of $1200 is a good price IMO. Especially since it wasnt the fault of the box.

Hmm, good information here actually for my ECU. I had already started designing for jumps and reverse battery connections, but didnt really think of charger related issues. Thank you.

Also thinking about providing a ridiculous warranty to boost sales :)

so, you can't jump start a car with an AEM?

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Originally Posted by vr3.9

Just one more reason I'm staying piggy back. Full rebuild on ECM $200 replace one relay on AEM $654. If it takes them 10 hours ($65 and hour) to fix it I think it 's time they hire a new technician.

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no, this is why you buy an AEM from an authorized dealer so that if you ever have an issue you go through the dealer for repairs which usually dont cost any $$. im betting he just sent it in as a private party.

im sure you "can", but i wouldnt recommend it. if the car is dead, charge the battery then retry. Im not taking any chances anymore

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Originally Posted by Forest Gump

so, you can't jump start a car with an AEM?

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Jump starting is different than using a charger to start. The most your going to get from a jump is about 14.5 volts, who knows what a charger may surge to. The power going out like he mention was likely the problem.

This is surprising that it is so sensitive... My stock ECU is not. I run a Hawker EP16 battery, and when the car is parked (which is 99.9% of the time) my battery tender is connected to it, and plugged into the wall. Never had a problem with any power surges/electrical storms, etc.

I think the problem may lie with whatever battery charger you were using, if it let too much electricity through.

Fack I put a charger on the spyder and vr4 (with AEM EMS) all the time because they are just sitting there. Didnt have much luck with a tender I bought. The optima in the spyder dies every year, I go to autozone and they give me a new one, so thats okay but now I am very worried about the VR4, altough I ahve at least charged it already 10 times since the aem install, hmmm wonder if aem v2 is better protected, or I just got lucky. And I know I have over charged the battery one time, totally forgot about the charger being hooked up.

Dutch, just be careful. from now on take off the batt cable. I will always do this now.

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Originally Posted by Gene

no, this is why you buy an AEM from an authorized dealer so that if you ever have an issue you go through the dealer for repairs which usually dont cost any $$. im betting he just sent it in as a private party.

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He did buy from an authorized dealer. The box was used, advertised as new, and the tampering seals on the EMS had been severed.

Raw deals on performane parts and getting less than advertised deals seems to be a hot topic amongst the Colorado 3/S Community this year.

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Originally Posted by J. Fast

He did buy from an authorized dealer. The box was used, advertised as new, and the tampering seals on the EMS had been severed.

Raw deals on performane parts and getting less than advertised deals seems to be a hot topic amongst the Colorado 3/S Community this year.

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he should take that issue up with the authorized dealer then. sounds like he got screwed.

I did, but doesnt matter since it was out of warranty regardless. It was sold thru the "authorized dealer" as a new never installed still new in box but second owner. Said it sat on his shelf for 2 yrs, couldnt finish his stroker build due to lack of money, so brought all his parts to the dealer again to have them resell them. I took their word as being a brand new never installed or used AEM EMS that sat on the guys shelf. So, i will inspect everything from now on.

Moral to the story, buy new, or you get what you pay for.

What "shop" was it?

-Chris

not gonna name any names. Just learn from my (many) mistakes

was it don?

lol, no not Don. damn havent even thought about him. Thankfully he never messed up my car. The head work he did to my car actually was good. But, no not Diamond Don

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Originally Posted by Sin'sVr4

not gonna name any names. Just learn from my (many) mistakes

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Quit tap dancin' and grab your sack!

lol. Sry, but I do alot of business and i know it wasnt to screw me.

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Originally Posted by DuTTch

Fack I put a charger on the spyder and vr4 (with AEM EMS) all the time because they are just sitting there. Didnt have much luck with a tender I bought. The optima in the spyder dies every year, I go to autozone and they give me a new one, so thats okay but now I am very worried about the VR4, altough I ahve at least charged it already 10 times since the aem install, hmmm wonder if aem v2 is better protected, or I just got lucky. And I know I have over charged the battery one time, totally forgot about the charger being hooked up.

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I'm in the same boat with Advanced Auto. I get a new warrantied battery every year.

With my other 2 Stealths, I never had this problem. I ran the same battery and did identical winter storage / run time / charging.

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Originally Posted by Gene

was it don?

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LOL... No! Just talked to him yesterday actually. He's doin' really good. He's finally done with "tuner" shit and doin the real deal. Crew chief for Chip Herr and being sponsored by Mazda Speed. He has two RX-8's in the World Challenge. No more bs from that guy. I'm happy he turned for the better, I always knew he had it in em'. He's happy when he's racin'. As long as people quit wrecking into his cars he might actually win the whole deal too! You should give him a buzz Gene.

Back on topic... No worries Sin. I know where you got it. I was just bustin your chops like always :p .

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Originally Posted by J. Fast

LOL... No! Just talked to him yesterday actually. He's doin' really good. He's finally done with "tuner" shit and doin the real deal. Crew chief for Chip Herr and being sponsored by Mazda Speed. He has two RX-8's in the World Challenge. No more bs from that guy. I'm happy he turned for the better, I always knew he had it in em'. He's happy when he's racin'. As long as people quit wrecking into his cars he might actually win the whole deal too! You should give him a buzz Gene.

Back on topic... No worries Sin. I know where you got it. I was just bustin your chops like always :p .

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i know, i was with him in St. Pete helping with the #07 car ;)

That was the word on the street. I wasn't going to say anything but hey, that's Sweet! Is that your new ditty? You headin out for the next one or was that a one time thing? You need to get your head straight too! Being around winners will do that :). Good luck with #7 and #8. Make sure you take care of the folks you owe Gene. It's no fun sharing things alone. A lot of people are wanting to believe in you. Show em something.

Cheers, Jeremy

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Originally Posted by J. Fast

That was the word on the street. I wasn't going to say anything but hey, that's Sweet! Is that your new ditty? You headin out for the next one or was that a one time thing? You need to get your head straight too! Being around winners will do that :). Good luck with #7 and #8. Make sure you take care of the folks you owe Gene. It's no fun sharing things alone. A lot of people are wanting to believe in you. Show em something.

Cheers, Jeremy

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i dont believe im going to the next race as Don isnt going to long beach either. so far from what i know it was a one time thing.
i have 3 different job opportunities lined up right now, once i start a stable job i can pay people back.

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Originally Posted by Sin'sVr4

not gonna name any names. Just learn from my (many) mistakes

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That's too bad. It could save others from getting screwed.

-Chris

It technically wasn't the dealers fault, they believed it was NIB also. live and learn right? Don is doing mazda speed now not porsche anymore?

Correcto. He's always been all about RX's. That's what his hill climb, drift, and two World Challenge cars are.

ya I remember his miatas too