ECU warranty replacement

[Harlequin]

Hi all,

Where does it tell you what number ecu is on the bike please?

[porter]

Underside of the ecu and its under the battery below the seat. Easy way to tell is on start up. Does bike rev to 2000rpm for ten seconds (new ecu) r just 1500 for a few seconds then straight to tick over (old ecu)

[SuMo]

My ECU is the original version, bike is from May 2015. Will definitely push for a J002. Might have overlooked it as kind of got used to the lumpy low end, but now it's seriously lacking power.

[Harlequin]

Thanks that very useful

[snapper1000]

Hi there

Can I just ask any members on this thread if they could update me as at Sept 2016.. Wether or not Suzuki have actually updated dealer network on this ecu replacement issue. I've owned a 2015
Vstrom1000 for about a month. It's only done 3k and am noticing the stalling issue and cough through the air box when pulling away at low revs. Have just started dialogue with my local dealer in the Manchester area. Their initial reaction was " never come across the problem" so could just do with some ammunition from other owners.
Thanks

[UK_Vstrom650]

Suzuki is aware of the problem... Suzuki haven't issued a recall but have been replacing ECUs. Signpost your dealer to this topic if they haven't spoken to Suzuki.

[snapper1000]

Cheers
Dealer (Road and Racing motorcycles) contacting Suzuki. Will be interesting to hear what they say.

[kiciol]

Service bloke told me  they have some kind of informal forum where associated dealers have accounts.
They describe the issue and then if Suzuki sees there is numerous examples of such case, they start to investigate and then give a silent green light to remove the failure at SMC cost.

This is pretty simple process in order to avoid huge costs of recall and replace the ECU's (in this case) on all of the affected bikes.

He also told me (as the dealer has both Suzuki and BMW) that on the new GS1200(2016) there is some issue with a faulty material used in shaft located in a cylinder head. On a cold engine the manufacturer tolerance is OK, but once it warms up it goes over the tolerance.
So BMW in their system called "PuMA" are approving the replacement of BOTH CYLINDER HEADS!!
which you might imagine what could be a cost doing that for all the bikes FOC.

[426hemi]

Snapper 1000,
Take a look at some of my posts from a previous thread - TRE for V2

Re: TRE for Vee2 (solves the throttle problem?)
« Reply #83 on: August 17, 2015, 13:05:11 »

I had a Vstrom Desert 1000 from 'Road & Racing' from March 2014 to Sept 2014
Speak to Mark Samuals the sales manager - he knows about the problems I had !

[UK_Vstrom650]

I still think any stalling issues relating to the ECU (or any manufacturing defect) should be subject to a recall, not some form of secretive replacement process if and only if a customer complains. It's downright dangerous,  and we've had members drop and damage their bikes as a result. You can tell a lot about a manufacturer by how they handle issues.

Good luck getting the issue resolved 

[snapper1000]

definitely should be a recall.

Found a dealer who's put in a replacement claim for me without even seeing the bike.  Will name the dealer when I'm all sorted. Don't want to jinx it!!!!

Just think how many 14/15 plate bikes are out there and owners don't realise. Soon they'll all be out of warranty!!!!!

Happy days, thanks to this forum.
Good old interweb 

[thatbloke]

I posted earlier in this thread asking what references to give a dealer who was skeptical of the problem.

I accidentally found the best solution in the end was just to ring up another dealer, which I should have tried sooner. The conversation went like:

"oh, and my bikes got the J00 ECU which has the Suzuki advisory out for it and an updated J02 unit available, are you able to sort that at the same time?"
"yep, no problem"

[...me absolutely speechless... no argument, nothing, dealer fully aware of problem]

About 2 days to order and then fit on the spot.

I'd got pretty miserable about the bike prior to this and was getting nowhere with the other dealer. New dealer fixed everything including the ECU.

For me I found the TRE fixed the stalling and some behaviour problems, but now replacing the ECU just felt like someone had replaced the engine with something a whole lot stronger. Feels strong low down and is now fine in slow traffic whereas it was a right pain initially and was still a bit of a grump even with the TRE. Also under hard acceleration it just feels like you're riding a big smooth acceleration curve. Feels to me like you noticably don't have to rev it as much to pull away fast. I think someone else mentioned it no longer felt like it was accelerating out of a hole and I didn't really get what they were describing until riding with the replacement ECU and realising what had been missing.

Anyway, short version: if a dealer is being a pain, try ringing another one, it might save you a lot of time.

[Simmo24]

phone number for Suzuki uk customer service direct is 0500 011 959 , and if you wish to inform mcn it is , advice@motorcyclenews.com the person taking interest in these problems is ,chris.

I took your advice after getting nowhere with the dealer I called the No. you gave and a lovely lady called Michelle told me there is an ECM replacement and has phoned the dealer to replace it for me.  Hoo-bloody-Ray !! Perhaps soon I'll be able to ride at slow speeds without the feeling of being on a bucking bronco in danger of being thrown into orbit at any second.   

[snapper1000]

So it seems the Consumer Rules at last on this issue. I'm sorted as posted 2 messages ago.
We've bullied Suzuki into submission. Here's my advice for what it's worth .
If you own a 14/15,plate 1000 with the shit fuelling. JUST GET IT CHANGED NOW.
Before it's too late.

[veeferme]

Just phoned Suzuki, spoke with Vikki who flatly refused to do anything re my shit ECU. I explained that my dealer suggested 98 octane which hasn't worked. The line was we can't do anything unless your dealer contacts us. We cannot diagnose any potential fault so cannot help.

A bit pissed off now. Especially when other riders claim to have bike sorted by phoning Suzuki. What am I doing wrong?

[SimonW]

Did you ask your dealer for a replacement ECU? If they refused you could try mentioning that the bike isn't safe and pointing them to this thread. Failing that, change dealers! :-)

[Megashorts]

I've had the odd stall and misfire through the airbox at slow speed. Its never been more frequent than once per ride and I just managed a month and nearly 400 miles without one but then it happened again a couple of times.

I phoned Suzuki after having no luck earlier in the year with my dealer. Initially it was "you need to go through your dealer". I mentioned that other people had contacted them etc. I was put on hold for a while and then all of a sudden the person I spoke to knew everything. I was asked for my reg number, yes my bike was one of those affected. Dealers were informed about the ECU problem in January by Suzuki posting it on their service portal. Unless they actually look for it they won't be aware of the issue. They put me through to my dealer who now knew about the problem with a similar one affecting GSX-S1000s.

A new ECU has been ordered for me :-)

I was expecting a bit of a battle but Suzuki and my dealer were great!

[UK_Vstrom650]

That's interesting about the GSX-S1000 I test rode one and thought the fuelling was off & I'm sure when I read reviews on it Suzuki said it was intentional at low speed to improve fuelling at higher revs  put me off the bike though as felt like being on a bucking bronco on rolling off/on the throttle...

[Simmo24]

Just phoned Suzuki, spoke with Vikki who flatly refused to do anything re my shit ECU. I explained that my dealer suggested 98 octane which hasn't worked. The line was we can't do anything unless your dealer contacts us. We cannot diagnose any potential fault so cannot help.

A bit pissed off now. Especially when other riders claim to have bike sorted by phoning Suzuki. What am I doing wrong?

Initially the person I spoke to said the same thing. I said, "my dealer doesn't seem interested when I mention ECU problems, there are no recalls, yada yada.....", and asked if there was someone I could speak to in the tech department, she said no they aren't customer facing. Then she said hang on I'll speak to one of my colleagues. Then I was put through to someone else and she said "Hello, yes I know all about this.... etc " .
So seems to depend on who you speak to.

[JesterRich]

I followed the advise given by others on this site and explained to the dealer that the bike coughed and farted at junctions and seeing as they know there is a problem and I have made them aware of it, they are now involved in my safety.  Streetbike Halesowen sorted mine.