This happened to me. I put on HKS intake for my Z. Right after that the car had troubled idling and kept stalling after 4k rpm( put in neutral). It also stalled when i started the car w/ warm engine.

I did some researches. I found a way to reset ecu at technosquare website. I reset the ECU. Same problem. I put back stock intake. Same problem. I pulled negative terminal over night. Same problem.

I brought to dealer and they said that my Z needed a new ECU. ECU kept throwing some weird codes and they even called Nissan engineers. Those smart guys still had no idea what those codes were. They replaced a new ECU and the car is working fine now.

Is it possible to ruin the ECU in the process of resetting it?

 

It's more likely you messed something up during the installation.

The technosquare reset method can not ruin the ECU. It is a function that was built into the ECU.

Messing with the battery/electrical system would be more likely than the technosquare method, but even then it's unlikely since the problem was already present and occured directly after installation.

Did you mess up any wires?

 

Let's just say I messed up the installation. How did that ruin the ECU?
How does taking out negative battery wire result in destroying ECU?
Or let's just say I didn't follow instruction from TS correctly. ECU malfunctions due to this??

 

I did hear about couple of people throwing an engine code after TS reset... don't think it can break it, though.

 

Anything is possible, but no, its not probable to kill the ECU with self-reset methods. Too many 350Z owners have reset the ECU with successful results.

Also consider how difficult it is to change no volatile memory (not certain if the term is correct but ECU memory such as redline). Companies such as Technosquare work diligently to prefect software capable of making these alterations.

On the other hand keep in mind that electronic controls (such as engine management) are delicate instruments and susceptible to DC damage such as shorting the battery.

BTW who paid for the new ECU?

 

Right now I guess you are figuring Damn my fist mod and I destroyed the ECU! Don't be put-off. 9 in 10 bolt on mods will not result in a SES light. And those which do are primarily the result of failing to reconnect something (yes I speak from experience).

 

I'm sure your original ecu was probably flawed coming from the nissan. the ts reset and battery reset has been done countless times without issues. at leas t you have a new ecu now, so mod away.