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[shell]

Does giving people jump starts damage the ecu?I was camping recently and we ended up giving 7 people jumps over the weekend.

[albitz]

I have heard this said,but its never done my car or bike any harm. :-/

[bigdods]

Its possible that the spikes caused by sparks when putting the leads on could cause a problem.

But I've jump started a lot of cars in my time, the miggy quite a few times when the battery was on the way out and no harm has yet come to any of the cars.

Oh and having a TVR which doesnt get used much means it quite often gets jump started from the Golf . Must have had 30+ over the years and no problems with either motor.

[KillerWatt]

There was a time when it was commonplace for things to break when the back EMF (created by the release of the starter motor) hit the battery of the vehicle giving the jump start.

You can buy jump leads that are designed to stop it, but to be honest, I've yet to see any car actually suffer.

[albitz]

sold a Ducati to a bloke a while ago,when he came to view it it wouldnt start,battery had lost charge. .......I was going to jump it from my bike but he wouldnt hear of it,he insisted that it would damage the ECU.Little did he know that  was how I started it the previous timw it was started.

[shell]

We have given so many jumps when camping that have lost count.It was just when starting a Saab diesel that we started to have some concerns.It really took some starting and the cables were moving noticably.  The guy said " is that buring smell coming from my car?"(his more expensive!)
Its always an ipod or wind up camping light that flattens them.We always give jumps  as we have been in need of one in the past ,and were so gratefull to get one.

[TheBoy]

Potentially it can, but very rare nowadays if down correctly

[Ghost]

Jump starting 12v to 12v should be no problem, but if you get someone to start a 24v ie truck that gives a lot of problems, a friend did this and had to get all the elec in the car sorted out, 

[Rockhampton]

I've seen too many jumps starts spectacularly kill an aftermarket immobiliser on a Hyundai Coupe, but never an ECU.