Xref: utzoo sci.electronics:19514 rec.autos.tech:23523 Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!uwm.edu!ux1.cso.uiuc.edu!usenet From: tmkk@uiuc.edu (Scott Coleman) Newsgroups: sci.electronics,rec.autos.tech Subject: Re: Hacking Car ECUs Message-ID: <1991Apr22.160753.943@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> Date: 22 Apr 91 16:07:53 GMT References: <51335@rphroy.UUCP> <47590@ut-emx.uucp> <1991Apr14.224844.3126@coral.bucknell.edu> <02~_0R|@warwick.ac.uk> <1991Apr22.131521.2622@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu> Sender: usenet@ux1.cso.uiuc.edu (News) Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana Lines: 25 In article <51335@rphroy.UUCP> rhaar@albert.cs.gmr.com (Robert L. Haar CS50) writes: >|> >|> That's interesting - does the same hold true for the computers found in >|> most cars these days, or are there general exceptions (i.e. Fords have the >|> RS232 port, GM cars don't)? > >In general, the answer is no. Many original equipment engine controllers >have serial ports for diagnostics, but, as far as I know, none are RS232. >And they won't do what you want anyway, since they don't allow modifying >the code - that is in ROM. Well, part of what I want to do *is* the diagnostics - no point in paying a mechanic if I can do it myself - but another reason for having a custom ROM in the ECU is security. An earlier post suggested modifying the ROM code to disable the engine unless a security code was entered. This is the last thing a thief will expect, and unless he has a spare ECU ROM chip of the correct type handy AND he takes everything apart to replace it, there's not much he can do to counter it (except tow the car away, which virtually nothing can prevent). >If there is sufficient interest, I can put together some articles on >these communcations protocols. Let me know. I, for one, would be interested in articles of this nature.