What is the "Brain" of a vehicle called which controls all the electronics?

Alot of people are suggesting the brain of my truck is going out which I am guessing is the ECU. (Electronic Control Unit). Am I correct? Anyways, Its about $75 at advance auto, But I am wondering, Where is it located and what does it look like? Is it easy removal once it is accessed? If you can give me specific details I'll give you a good rating and pick your best answer. Thx.|||its definitely your ECU which is very specific to engine problems. when you're talking about the transmission acting weird, thats the TCU (transmission control unit), it could be caused by the ECU malfunctioning, or it could be something else entirely causing both units to malfunction. if replacing the ECU doesnt fix the shifting problem but does fix the engine, then id say replace the TCU too. if it doesnt help at all, then theres something else causing these two units to malfunction.





what car is it? on my 2000 intrepid the ECU and TCU are under the hood on the driver's side, under the cruise control module. it should be a silver box about the size of a large calculator or half a keyboard, it will have a bunch of wires going into it.





Good Luck!!|||Usually called the 'CPU' (central processing unit) or 'ECM' (electronic control module)|||ECU ECM same thing. Yea 75$ Is cheap. When you buy it get the haynes repair manual or just ask them to point it out. It is easy to remove on most vehicles Mine are bothe under the passenger seat. of the car and truck. Had a little beater that had it under the hood on the passenger side. Romoving the seat may be required to get the ecu out. Big pain. French fry's and loose change galor. Con some teenager into doin it. You cannot hook it up wrong only plugs in one way. Like the printer cable.|||My friend has a 98 Camero with a similar problem. It'll die while she drives it, then it won't start again for several hours. It's her fuel pump. I can get it to start again right away if I pour a little bit of gas into the air intake (DANGEROUS - Be careful). I do this "priming" a few times and then it'll run.





Have your fuel pressure checked.|||You are correct although mine went out on my oldsmobile and it was ECM|||there is no sdt position of them, some are put under the passenger side carpeting, some are under the floorboard, other times under the hood. usually it is a easy fix, but don't let any static electricty get to it, that will kill it|||to the gentlmen about the 98 camaro try the fuel relay swicth this is a very commin problem with camaros of this year had the same problem my self on my 99 camaro|||you have a broken circut board in the ecu . your request for removal is hard because i have know idea what kind of pickup you have and if you replace it don't for get to pull the prom out of you old one and put it in the new one.|||YOU SHOULD GET THE VEHICLES COMPUTER SCANNED AND CHECK FOR ANY PROBLEMS AS WELL AS CODES AND THEN YOU WILL HAVE A GOOD IDEA ON WHAT THE PROBLEM TRULY IS.





TRY FINDING AN INDEPENDENT SHOP INSTEAD OF THE DEALER OR A CHAIN STORE BECAUSE YOU WILL BE OVERALL MORE PLEASED WITH THE FINDINGS AND THE SERVICE.|||In most cars its called the ECM (electronic control module) It is most likley under the windshield in the cowl area.|||best thing is to buy a repair manual secific to your truck, that should specify where and how to get at your ecu. you can get them at any auto parts store.|||helps to know make and model sir?on fords around radiator,gm,s under winshield washer bottles,bolted to fender.