Frequently Asked Questions

You can check the status of your repair using our online tracking software at https://repair.hardwarecare.nl/

Yes, once you receive back your EMM it is plug & play and you can directly use your boat, view this article to see how to re-install the EMM

Currently the repair time is about 7 weeks, this means that once we receive the EMM it takes about 7 weeks until the ECU is repaired.

If you wish to use our repair service, you can submit your EMM here and follow the provided steps. This way, we will have all the necessary information about the repair

The EMM Repair procedure is as follows:

1. Submit your EMM here to provide us with all the necessary information.
2. After submitting your EMM, you will receive an email with further instructions. Please read these instructions carefully to prepare your EMM for shipping. If you are not located within the European Union, contact us to request a pickup via our courier.
3. Once we receive your EMM, we will perform testing and diagnosis, followed by queuing it for repair. We open and repair the EMM, conducting multiple tests to ensure it functions correctly.
4. After completing the repair, we re-vulcanize the EMM and send you the invoice. Once the payment is received, we will send the repaired EMM back to you.

If your EMM can not be repaired, we will contact you to discuss possible options. These options may include canceling the repair under our 'no cure, no pay' policy. Alternatively, we can offer a refurbished EMM that will be reprogrammed to suit your engine. Learn more about our refurbished units here.

Some engines can have more Horse Power but the EMM simply does not allow, we tune the EMM to use the maximum power out of the engine without any major changes.

A refurbished EMM is a repaired EMM from our stock that has been reprogrammed to match your engine. It comes with the same warranty as any other EMM repair. This does however cost an additional 300 Euro (Ex VAT) for the body.

When your EMM is not repairable we can offer you a spare body, this is a broken EMM that we have on stock that will be repaired, we will make sure that it is programmed to your engine and that it is plug & play, this does however come with an extra charge.

If your EMM has already been repaired (not by Hardwarecare) we must first receive some pictures of what the state is of the unit, we can then determine whether we can still repair it. Unfortunately there are many companies who do not perform the repairs correctly resulting in an EMM that is completely broken. Please contact us if you have an EMM that has already been repaired

We can reprogram your EMM free of charge, if you send us an .EDF we will make sure that you receive it back reprogrammed. Learn more about EDFs here.

To be able to upgrade your EMM we do need to have your unit here physically to perform the tuning.

If your EMM is not broken but was still send to us we do charge a 115 EU (Ex VAT) fee for the testing & diagnosing, also the shipping costs will be charged. If you are not sure if your EMM is broken do not hesitate to send us a message and we will try and help diagnose the issue

Not only is a new EMM usually tripple the price of getting an EMM repair, new EMMs have very long delivery times and are usually not stocked by Evinrude Dealers, ordering a new unit at BRP (Global supplier of Evinrude parts) can easily take a few months.

We are always willing to help our customers to try and diagnose the issue with your engine with a strong narrative on diagnosing if the EMM needs to be repaired. If you are not sure whether your EMM is actually broken feel free to contact us.

We have years of experience in repairing ECUs we have done hundreds of repairs and have many satisfied customers, you can read some of these reviews here.

Introduction

FAQ: Understanding Your Shipping Options

Sending your Engine Management Module (EMM) from the USA to the Netherlands for repair involves more than the repair; it's about ensuring the process is as smooth and efficient as possible. While there are multiple shipping options available, choosing the right logistics partner can significantly impact the speed, cost, and overall experience of your service. This guide aims to address common concerns and questions, highlighting why DHL Express stands out as the preferred choice for shipping your EMM to us for repairs.

What are the advantages of using DHL Express for shipping EMMs to the Netherlands?

DHL Express offers a seamless and expedited shipping experience for your EMM repairs. Unlike other carriers, DHL has its own customs hub in the Netherlands, streamlining the import process and significantly reducing waiting times. This direct handling ensures your EMM doesn't need to be transferred to another local carrier, like PostNL, avoiding delays and additional handling.  Moreover, since DHL Express is handled via our customs account there are none import fees being charged from the USA whereas sending with another provider often results in very high import costs.

Why might USPS, UPS, or FedEx not be the best choice for shipping my EMM to the Netherlands?

While USPS, UPS, and FedEx are reputable shipping services, they typically hand over packages to local carriers such as PostNL for the final delivery and import processing in the Netherlands. This handover can introduce delays and complicate the customs clearance process. Additionally, we've observed that shipments not handled by DHL Express can incur unexpectedly high import costs.

How can I calculate the cost of sending my EMM for repair, including shipping?

You can quickly calculate the repair and shipping costs by visiting our online calculator at /en/calculate-costs. This tool provides you with an estimate, helping you make a decision on what to expect.

What makes your Hardware Care the right choice for me?

We have helped hundreds of customers across the globe and keep getting very positive feedback from our customers. We try to make our process as smooth and prevent any unnecessary hassle for our customers.

Conclusion

There is no need to worry when it comes to sending your EMM from the United States to the Netherlands. Using our DHL Express service we make the process as smooth as possible and prevent any unnecessary costs.

Still sceptical? Feel free to reach out to us!

These historical faults are faults that occur during testing, in order to test your EMM we need to simulate many things which is why you will see many new historical faults after the repair, this is normal and you can simply ignore those faults.

An .EDF is the Engine Data File that stores all kind of data about your engine such as the injector coefficients and which type of oil the engine runs on. In order to program your EMM we do need the EDF, in most cases we can retrieve this from your EMM. If this is not the case we have to request one for 75 Euro ex VAT.

We always upgrade a EMM that is in for repair to the latest available software map, if for some reason you do not want this software update feel free to contact us.

Yes we can, via our webshop Outboardcare we can help you get the necessary parts for your engine, as a repair customer you will receive a 5% discount on your first order.

We cannot always determine the exact issue with the EMM or its root cause. However, we always try to give you the right advice on what precautions you can take to prevent the EMM to break again.

If the housing of your EMM is damaged we can still repair the unit as long as the inside was not severly damaged, we will provide the EMM with a new housing which does however costs an additional 25 EU Ex VAT

Maintenance is essential to prevent your EMM from breaking (again). Here are some simple steps you can take to maintain your EMM:

1. Ensure your battery connections are securely fastened. Loose connections can cause power interruptions and generate high inductive spikes that may damage the ECU.
2. Inspect your battery terminals and cables for corrosion. Corrosion can disrupt electrical flow and pose a risk to the EMM.
3. Check the condition of your battery switch. A faulty switch can lead to power interruptions, endangering the EMM.
4. Properly connect high-power consumption devices like radios, fridges, or inverters. Poor connections can disrupt the charging circuit, potentially damaging the EMM.
5. Monitor EMM cooling across various RPM ranges. Efficient cooling is crucial for the EMM's lifespan, and water flow may differ at different RPMs.
6. Examine the connectors leading to the EMM for signs of corrosion.
7. Inspect the connectors on the EMM itself.

Sometimes we can give specific advice on what can be done after a repair.

Evinrude has a diagnostic software that can be used to read the engine and view errors that occurred, having the diagnostic software in combination with the diagnostic cable is very useful to diagnose issues with your engine and ECU

An EMM is a very complex electronic device which is safely vulcanized, repairing this yourself is very hard and usually does not solve the issues, we have the right tools to both test the EMM correctly but also to open the EMM and re-vulcanize it. We therefor strongly advice not to repair the unit yourself.

1. Open Evdiagnostic and connect your engine.
2. Go to Diagnostics -> Testing.
3. Select all engine log items with the Check All button.
4. Set the interval type on manual and collection Interval (msecs) on the lowest possible.
5. Click on Save Log Settings.
6. Start the logging process by click Proceed With Logging.
7. Start your engine and try to replicate the problem.
8. Send us the generated file.

Sometimes it is possible that you can use a EMM that has a different part number on your engine, understanding table gives an oversight on which EMMs can be used on which engine.

Evinrude E-TEC EMMs do regularly fail and a replacement can get quite expensive and are often not on stock at BRP leaving you as boat owner with a difficult decision.

A path to consider is repairing your EMM yourself, however there are several challenges which can make the journey quite difficult.

The inside of a E-TEC EMM < 100HP

Complexity of EMMs:

At first glance repairing an EMM might seem easy, just remove the broken components and solder the new components back on the EMM. However, this is easier said than done, due to the complexity of an EMM. An EMM is vulcanized and therefore the circuit board is very hard to access. You could try to remove some of the potting and access the circuit board. But this often leads to unrepairable damage to the circuit board.

Removing the EMM from the housing would require very much care and luck to be sure you will not damage anything without the right tools.

When you manage to remove the EMM from the housing you will need to find the right components. However, due to Evinrude not producing anymore it is very hard to find the parts.

When researching how to repair your EMM you will most likely end up at this Youtube video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcEQe_L36OQ at Hardware Care we would however strongly discourage you to repair your EMM yourself.

We have years of experience repairing E-TEC EMMs and have the right tools and knowledge to repair the units. We often see that people who followed the tutorial above or who tried to repair the unit itself make the damage even worse resulting in a unrepairable EMM which will lead to even higher costs.

Therefor it might be good to consider an EMM repair by Hardware Care given the complexity of repairing the EMM yourself.

• Expertise:  Hardware Care has years of experience and therefor know how to do the repair without damaging any components.
• Access to Parts: We have stock of many components that are in the EMM, we have tested several brands and therefor know which components are most reliable.
• The Right Tools: With the necessary tools and diagnostic equipment, we can accurately assess and repair your EMM, avoiding the risks associated with DIY attempts.
• Guaranteed Service: we offer a 2-year warranty on your EMM repair which removes any potential stress.

There also is no need to worry about sending your EMM overseas, we will make sure that the import goes smooth via our customs contract. Read more about that here.

If you are outside of the European Union (e.g. USA, Canada, United Kingdom, Norway) you can not send the EMM due to import regulations, if this is the case contact us and we will schedule a pickup via our courier. You can calculate the costs of this here.

We use DHL Express for all shipments, a reliable courier that typically delivers most parcels within a few workdays. Shipping time may however vary depending on your location, if you want to get an exact time feel free to contact us.

It is important to safely package your EMM when sending it to us for a repair or for a EMM upgrade, we advice to package it in a secure box and surround it with either foam or plastic make sure your submission form in the box so we are able to identify the EMM.

Shipping costs vary per country, we do not have one fixed shipping fee. With the help of our calculate shipping costs tool you can calculate the costs. You can find the tool here.

We ship all EMMs with DHL Express, they do handle the parcels with great care and offer a fast transit time. In our experience we have never had any issues with DHL.

If you are inside the European Union and wish to send the ECU yourself we advise to use your local shipping company and send the parcel insured to prevent any issues. When you are not in the European Union please refer to this article.

We will not send the invoice until the EMM has been repaired to ensure our 'no cure, no pay' service. Once the EMM is repaired, you will receive an invoice, and upon payment, we will proceed with shipping.

To get an rough estimation of the costs of the EMM repair you can use our tool to calculate the costs, this will give a rough estimation of the repair including shipping costs, you can find the tool here.

We do offer fixed repair prices, however in certain cases due to severe damage or bad ownership we do need to charge additional costs. We do however always first inform you on potential extra costs.

We offer various payment methods for the full convenience of our customers, we offer PayPal which offers customer protection but also accept creditcard to allow extensive customer protection. Read more about our payment methods here.

When shipping outside of the European Union DHL does sometimes charge an amount for VAT, even though sending via DHL will safe lots of money on import costs we do sometimes see that DHL charges an amount. We see this happen for the United Kingdom, Norway and for Iceland.

For every country that is part of the European Union we are obligated to charge VAT, but we do not charge VAT to countries that are not in the EU (Just like the countries mentioned above). Instead those countries choose to charge import tax which is an equivalent for the VAT that we charge within the EU. So those costs are usually an replacement for VAT.

Still have questions on possible shipping costs, feel free to reach out.

Paying via western union can be an interesting option when it comes to overseas payments, they do have lower transaction fees in comparison to Credit card.

To transfer the money you must go to: https://www.westernunion.com/web/send-money/start

Set the receiver's country to the Netherlands and set the correct amount to the invoice amount in EUR.
Select Bank Account for how the receiver wants the money and select the desired payment method.
To finalize the payment you must fill in the receivers information. Which can be found on the invoice.

Creditcard transaction between USA and Europe failed:

In an increasingly interconnected world, cross-border e-commerce has become commonplace, enabling consumers to purchase goods and services from different countries with ease. However, this global marketplace also brings challenges, especially in terms of payment security. One such challenge involves transactions between U.S. consumers and European companies, particularly concerning the security protocol known as 3D Secure.

Understanding 3D Secure

3D Secure (3DS) is a security protocol designed to be an additional layer of security for online credit and debit card transactions. It is a mechanism that ensures that transactions are authenticated by the cardholder before they can be processed, thereby reducing the likelihood of fraud. 3D Secure is known by various brand names, such as Verified by Visa, MasterCard SecureCode, and American Express SafeKey.

When a cardholder makes a purchase online, they are often redirected to their bank’s secure website, where they are asked to enter a password or a code sent to their phone to verify their identity. Only after this verification is the transaction allowed to proceed. This process helps protect both the consumer and the retailer against unauthorized transactions.

Issues with 3D Secure in US-Dutch Transactions

Limited Adoption in the US

While 3D Secure is widely adopted in Europe, including the Netherlands, its adoption in the United States has been more sporadic. Many U.S. banks and credit card issuers have been slow to adopt 3D Secure due to concerns about creating friction in the checkout process, which could lead to abandoned transactions. This disparity in adoption can lead to issues when U.S. Cards when trying to pay for your Hardware Care EMM.

Compatibility and Technical Issues

Another problem arises from compatibility issues. If a merchant strictly requires 3D Secure for all transactions, and the U.S. credit card does not support it, the transaction will fail outright. These failures can occur because the merchant’s payment gateway cannot complete the required security checks imposed by 3D Secure, leading to an automatic rejection of the payment. This is what is most likely making your creditcard transaction fail.

Solution:

The best course of action is to contact your credit card issuer's customer service. Explain the issue you're facing with 3D Secure during the transaction process. If the representative is unfamiliar with 3D Secure or cannot assist, request to be transferred to the security and fraud department. This department is typically more knowledgeable about security protocols like 3D Secure and can provide more specific guidance or solutions to facilitate your transaction.

If your EMM experiences issues after a repair and is still under warranty, please contact us first for diagnosis before sending it back. If the EMM is found to be faulty and still under warranty, we will provide free repair services, including covering the shipping costs. We prioritize warranty repairs, but please note that during the summer, which is our high season, there may be slight delays in processing.

Unfortunately we can not simply accept all warranty cases, there are a few situations in which warranty can not be given. Warranty cannot be provided if the EMM is damaged due to factors such as falls, fires, water damage, lightning strikes, or any form of misuse.