Lexus ES300 Engine Computers
The Lexus ES300’s engine computer controls its motor’s operation to ensure it runs smoothly. When you need to replace a component as critical as this, you need it as soon as possible. You can find the engine computer that best fits your Lexus ES300 if you are armed with some basic knowledge about this part.
What do engine computers do in a car?The Lexus ES300’s engine computer controls various parameters of the engine’s operation and adjusts them as needed in response to demands such as acceleration, braking, and cruise control settings. Early engine computers used a pre-calculated lookup table to determine the adjustments to make under certain conditions. Modern computers have microprocessors that can calculate these adjustments in real time. The computer controls motor parameters, such as:
- Air-to-fuel mixture.
- Security alarms.
- Cruise control response.
- Electronic valve positions.
- Idling speeds.
- Fuel injection and ignition timing.
The computer in your Lexus can control these factors using sensors throughout the engine that monitor things like:
- Intake air flow.
- Engine pressure.
- Coolant temperature.
- Engine RPM.
- Vehicle speed.
- Oxygen.
- Crank angle positio.n
All of this means the ES300’s engine will respond quickly to a driver’s actions and do so as efficiently as possible.
What happens when the engine computer stops working correctly?A faulty engine computer can be the last thing diagnosed because it causes so many different parts of the engine to malfunction. After ensuring that nothing mechanical or electrical is wrong, however, the engine computer is the next logical component to check. Here are some things that a faulty computer can cause:
- Stalling: Unexplained stalling problems can be caused by the computer.
- Unable to start: If your ES300 has difficulty starting or running for long after starting, it could be the engine computer operating the fuel or ignition system incorrectly. Check the engine for any obvious issues, then test the computer if nothing else appears to be faulty.
- Fuel pump problems: A fuel pump that refuses to run despite being checked out both mechanically and electrically may be getting the wrong signals from a malfunctioning engine computer.
- Poor fuel economy: A malfunctioning engine computer can cause the fuel system to run inefficiently and waste fuel.
- Unreachable engine computer: The most direct clue that the computer is not working properly is that it does not communicate with a diagnostic scanner.
It’s not advisable to continue driving a vehicle with a malfunctioning engine computer, because it can cause damage to the engine’s components. Have the vehicle inspected and repaired as soon as possible.