HOW TO: Recover your EvoX ecu after a failed reflash.

evoscan · Jul 8, 2010

Does your EvoX not start after a failed reflash?
Did you flash a corrupt ROM file to your ECU?

Does your FANS still run after a reflash when you turn the key on?
and the ecu now won't reflash?

Some people call this a "bricked" ECU.
YES, you can "recover" your ecu to a working state again.

Do you get this message when trying to do a reflash?
[23:15:42.343] J2534 API Version: 04.04
[23:15:42.343] J2534 DLL Version: 1.00.3017 Apr 8 2010 14:16:53
[23:15:42.343] Device Firmware Version: 1.10.3038
[23:15:44.000] sending init sequence 1 (0001)
[23:15:47.218] sending init sequence 1 (0003)
[23:15:50.437] sending init sequence 1 (FFFF)
[23:15:53.140] no response to any known code
[23:15:53.140] interface close

This is sometimes a symptom of a faulty cable also. But not very often. (about 1% chance of a faulty cable)
Try your cable on another Mitsubishi just to be sure the cable is good.
Mitsubishi Dealer tools require minimum 9.7 - 9.8 volts for reflashing, I would highly recommend a minimum of 10.5-11.0 volts. Normal voltage on most EvoX during reflash is between 11.9 and 12.2 volts.

STEP 1: You need to pop your hood of the car, and remove your ecu, and wire the ecu direct to your op2 cable.

Connect OpenPort 2.0 USB Cable and Power Supply to EVOX ECU Pins:

Figure 1. EvoX ECU pinouts, looking straight-on at the pins on the ECU when its out of the car.

Figure 2. OpenPort 2.0 USB Cable pinouts, looking straight-on at the pins on the Cable when its out of the car.

Connect the ECU to OpenPort 2.0 and Power Supply using the following wires:

Code:

EvoX ECU Pin    OpenPort 2.0 Cable    12v-15v Power Supply
pin 71           pin 4 or pin 5        Negative/Ground (-) Black
pin 73           pin 16                12v Power Supply (+) Red
pin 82           pin 16                12v Power Supply (+) Red
pin 104          pin 16                12v Power Supply (+) Red
pin 103          pin 12     
pin 80           pin 7

STEP 2:
a) Open ECUFlash
b) Load your last known good ROM file. (try not to use the ROM file you used during the failed flash, because it maybe corrupt.)
c) Select the from the ECUFlash menu: Files->Options

d) Select "Flash Recovery Mode" and tick the box "Use alternative flash recovery mode"

e) Ensure your OpenPort 2.0 cable is connected and the EcuFlash status bar shows "RECOVERY MODE"

f) Press "Write to ECU" as you normally would... If successful, recovery mode will start writing to ECU like this.
If it doesn't, go back and check all your wiring again.

Recovery Reflash completed...

g) Unplug all your bench wires from the ecu and go and put it back in the car. Plug in your OpenPort 2.0 cable to the car and laptop.

h) Turn EvoX Key to ON position (yes you will probably hear the Fans strangely running still.)

i) go back to the EcuFlash software menu: File->Options->Flash Recovery Mode and untick "Use alternate Flash recovery mode"

j) Reflash your last known good ROM to the ecu.

k) once the reflash is successful, turn the key OFF, then back ON and start your car!!!! SUCCESS.

If you find a better way to get the VMFI (ecu pin82) +12 volts enabled from the ETACS ecu. I think when the ecu is bricked the immobilizer code isn't reported from the main ecu, so the VMFI relay isn't activated, hence the need to remove the ecu from the car, and reflash it on the bench.
Let me know if you find a way to force 12v on pin82 without splicing any wires, then we could do it in the car without removing the ecu.

Yxd68 · Jul 8, 2010

Good info!

Thanks!

VGergo · Dec 6, 2010

Hello

I will mad from that evo x. The story was begining with start up issue with DW1000cc.. tried everything, cranking ipw table, latency at low voltage no succes. sometimes the car coundt start up and it get worse.. when under idleing or cruesing the car stopped

Fuel trims were in line always. So we put back the stock injectors flash back everything to oem. The car startup well, but on idleing is was stopped again !?!? and can not startup ?! cranking cranking but nothing ! wait some minutes and start up again. Any idea ? fuel pump or realy problem maybe ? the fuel pump relay was changed to the upgraded oem.

Ok, the main problem after all.. the owner was trying to play with the relays and fuses but unfortunatelly the ignition was turned on and the OP2.0 cable connected to the OBD port, we didnt touch anything on the notebook, just changeing the relays checking the fuses under the hood, when we heard the sound like you see under flashing ?!:freak: Like the flashing method was started with the relay changing ?
than the fan startup, lot of cel codes, can not cranking and ofcourse no response to anycode... like the ecu bricked :O
So I removed the Ecu wired the cable as Evoscan posted here between the Ecu and OP2.0 cable.
The power was a scooter battery, constant 12.05 volt. The power and ground wire was connect on the battery too. Is it should be ok right ?

With ecuflash 1.42.2595 I coudnt achieve the EcuFlash status bar shows "RECOVERY MODE" ?! why ? the 1.42.2595 recovery mode is not working ?

Than I downloaded the ecuflash_1433150_win_beta, with that recovery mode status was ok. I can write in the ecu the stock oem rom but until 74 % !! there it was stopped ! the ecuflash said the flashing was ok everything is succes but same issue no response to any code fans are on. I can not connect with ecu in the car . ( without alternaitve reflash mode)

Ok, than I realized the problem, recovery mode stopping at 74%. So i checked in the picture here Evoscan working with 1.43.3000 beta ecuflash. I got one but same problem the recovery flash stopping at 74% . Why ? what coud be the problem ? Any idea how to solve it, what was happened with that ecu ?

for me the complete stroy is unbeliviable.. without flashing how can we brick the ecu.. why recovery write stopping and like this.

here is the log : http://www.gigasize.com/get.php?d=pvp7b7j481b

zikizira · Dec 7, 2010

Is there a better way to connect the pins to the ecu and openport plug? It seems not too easy to keep wires connected to the OP2 pins, specially 4-5 and 15-16 which are quite close to each other.

Maybe if I get a OBDII extension from Tactrix and cut the female connector in order to use its wire directely into the ecu pins?

Someone could build a kit with the proper connectors, including those for the ECU.

VGergo · Dec 8, 2010

any idea why the recovery write stop at 75% ?

boostin20 · Dec 13, 2010

Sub'd for later

jojobanks · Dec 25, 2010

I'm no genius with this stuff... but if it's just a relay not activating that's causing all of this, why can't you just jump the relay? Then you wouldn't have to take the ecu out of the car. Or am I missing something?

evoscan · Jan 5, 2011

you are correct mr jojo, jumping the relay is the obvious idea. to be honest, I had completed the recovery flash, and therefore had no need to continue try jumping relays

we just wanted to go boosting in the EvoX instead of playing under the hood, lol. if you try it and it works, let us know. If i need to recovery reflash ever again, I'll be sure to try that out first.

Irishman130 · Feb 2, 2012

Okay, so I'm going two months now on this problem, I received a tune on the dyno and during a run the bolts on my turbo backed out breaking a gasket. Besides that when the car came of the dyno everything went crazy, the car would not crank, the fans turned on when the key was in the on position, and the car threw every check engine light there is. To shorten up the story, I'll go to the end result right now. The ecu was benched, and the computer connects and flashes, but once the ecu is put back into the car, you cannot connect to the ecu to load a flash, what's wrong! Please help it's been way to long

Irishman130 · Feb 2, 2012

Oh yea the turbos completely fine now, but I don't think that really matters

gamaliel612 · Feb 2, 2012

subd in case needed

GSRony · Mar 10, 2012

Does this method also work if your fans aren't spinning? I'm not bricked but I definitely locked my self out as I can't read or write anymore. Car run's fine but after writing my stock rom back I'm locked out. Would benching my ECU place it in programming mode so I can flash again? I've tried a different laptop already, reinstalling, etc. Thanks!

- rony

qwertykerr · Mar 10, 2012

I would think it should fix it.... I had to bench my ECU because when I bought my car used the ECU was locked so I couldn't read\write from it. Once I benched it the ECU reset and then i was able to read\write whatever I wanted to it. I benched it with the stock ROM.... not that it may matter?

Golden · Mar 10, 2012

It should. I have the same issue with a car that I'll probably have to bench today.

It runs. But I can't read or write the ECU. Sometimes it gets stuck in the "fans on" state and other times it goes back to normal mode and the car runs.

GSRony · Mar 10, 2012

Thanks for the quick reply's guys, I'm off to radio shack to make this harness. Going to use a powersupply + psu/multimeter tester to make sure I'm getting the right voltages. Will report back later :thumbup:

bravozero · Mar 10, 2012

Sub'ed in case this is needed in the future.

rrkpitt15 · Apr 27, 2014

tried flashing V2 and i got this error when i tried flashing it the second time.

[20:26:42.831] checksum is: 10 D2
[20:26:42.832] interface close
[20:35:00.802] J2534 API Version: 04.04
[20:35:00.802] J2534 DLL Version: 1.00.3721 Jan 9 2013 17:24:59
[20:35:00.802] Device Firmware Version: 1.12.3688
[20:35:00.802] Device Serial Number: TAkqKZ4O
[20:35:03.917] -- loading kernel --
[20:35:03.917] -- connecting to kernel --
[20:35:03.917] kernel get version
[20:35:03.968] J2534 error [ERR_TIMEOUT].
[20:35:04.018] J2534 error [ERR_TIMEOUT].
[20:35:04.168] J2534 error [ERR_TIMEOUT].
[20:35:04.219] J2534 error [ERR_TIMEOUT].
[20:35:04.219] interface close
[20:35:04.230] interface close
[20:35:22.612] J2534 API Version: 04.04
[20:35:22.612] J2534 DLL Version: 1.00.3721 Jan 9 2013 17:24:59
[20:35:22.612] Device Firmware Version: 1.12.3688
[20:35:22.612] Device Serial Number: TAkqKZ4O
[20:35:24.656] -- loading kernel --
[20:35:24.656] -- connecting to kernel --
[20:35:24.656] kernel get version

It worked the first time in "recovery mode" but not when i tried doing it in not recovery mode.

ripnet · Apr 27, 2014

Triple check your wiring. Same thing happened to me and it turned out I had a wire connected to an incorrect pin on the ECU.

Pargy · Apr 27, 2014

^^^
Same thing happened to me, it would flash in recovery mode then not work when flashing normally. Like ripnet, I had a wire on the wrong pin. Just re-do your wiring.

rrkpitt15 · Apr 28, 2014

I redid my wiring and talking to tephra about it. This is being quite weird. He even let me try flashing it with the new beta Ecuflash where you dont need to bench it and still no go.

I made new wiring and redid the process. I got it to work now. Now back to V2.

surensm · Apr 27, 2014

Soooo does anybody know if there'll be a 3.0 with failsafe logging capability?

MikeyPSF · Jun 10, 2015

I just want to add clarity for those using this thread as a reference. With any of the last couple versions of EcuFlash, you no longer need to select the alternate recovery mode to do the bench recovery on the Evo X ECU. As long as you have a valid Evo X ROM loaded or have that selected as the vehicle type, there will be an icon on the top level menu that looks like the normal write icon with the addition of a first aid style red cross. If you hover over that icon it will say 'Recovery write using OEM bootload method'.

Also, reading through this thread, sometimes I see where people mention the fans being stuck on. In that case, you're probably just stuck in programming state. Before you do a read or write with this ECU, it first goes in to a programming mode. If you unplugged your Openport after you started the read but before it completed reading, you'd still be in the programming state. Just go to the 'ECU' menu and select 'Exit Programming State'.

-Mike
Tactrix

IGX · Feb 12, 2017

Can this feature be used without "benching" the ecu? Say I bricked the ECU and would like to restore while the ECU is on the car (in cases where I am street tuning)

Emma · Dec 11, 2016

How it works on 2013+ EDM SST

evoscan said:
This is sometimes a symptom of a faulty cable also. But not very often. (about 1% chance of a faulty cable)

I was one of the lucky ones... :wtfsign:
But it wasn't the USB cable, it was the plug soldered on the OP board. It seems to be a known issue that this plug has weak contacts. Anyway...

evoscan said:

Connect the ECU to OpenPort 2.0 and Power Supply using the following wires:

Code:

EvoX ECU Pin    OpenPort 2.0 Cable    12v-15v Power Supply
pin 71           pin 4 or pin 5        Negative/Ground (-) Black
pin 73           pin 16                12v Power Supply (+) Red
pin 82           pin 16                12v Power Supply (+) Red
pin 104          pin 16                12v Power Supply (+) Red
pin 103          pin 12     
pin 80           pin 7

Didn't work for me. I had to use PIN 82, 92 (instead of 73) and 104 for +12V. Rest is perfectly in order.

You have to remove microSD card to bench flash!!!

Used EcuFlash v1.44.4799 for the procedure.
Just bench flash using the red cross "Recovery write..." button.
After bench flash, put the ECU back in the car, flash the same ROM you used to bench flash again, but flash normally. Clear DTCs. And you're back running again.

Further comments:
The 12V Power supply needs to be capable to supply about 1A peak.
Current in "idle" is between 170-190mA. Current gets crazy while flashing and jumps between ~200mA and close to ~1A.
If you use Tephra v2 or v3, you need to toggle between the maps a few times until it syncs and "displays" the correct map.

A million thanks to this wonderful write-up! Saved my day!!! :godance:

MikeyPSF · Dec 12, 2016

If you have a damaged USB connection, feel free to reach out to us at support at tactrix dot com. We're happy to help.

-Mike
Tactrix

MikeyPSF · Feb 13, 2017

No, recovery must be done outside the car. We've spent time on a couple of occasions using local Evo X trying to understand what is preventing the recovery from working while connected to the harness, but no luck yet.

DoubleClutch · Mar 8, 2019

It worked!

I followed the directions except the newer ecuflash has a "recovery" button with a plus sign. Worked perfectly.

I failed a flash and was getting the J2534 error. This made it good as new.

Now I can drive home today!

HOW TO: Recover your EvoX ecu after a failed reflash.

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