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How to Recycle Automotive Electronics
Vehicle electronics: engine and body control modules, infotainment, sensors, and wiring. Boards carry copper, gold, and silver; harnesses are mostly copper. Modern cars use dozens of modules.
Check local acceptanceCopper wire: scrap copper rates. Boards: small e-waste payouts. Reman cores: often tens to low hundreds of dollars for in-demand ECUs.Last reviewed July 31, 2026
Quick answer
ECUs, radios, navigation units, sensors, and wiring harnesses belong at an auto dismantler, core return, or certified e-waste recycler, not in household trash. Wipe personal data from head units first. Copper harnesses and precious-metal boards have scrap value when sorted. Lithium modules and EV packs are not Call2Recycle SLI drop-offs. Before you go, confirm that a local recycling center accepts the material in its current condition.
- Recycling route
- Check locally
- Typical value
- Copper wire: scrap copper rates. Boards: small e-waste payouts. Reman cores: often tens to low hundreds of dollars for in-demand ECUs.
- Donate / take-back
- Available
How to Prepare
- 1Disconnect the battery before unplugging modules
- 2Factory-reset or wipe navigation / Bluetooth / paired phone data
- 3Keep connectors on modules when a core buyer wants them intact
- 4Coil wiring harnesses separately for copper scrap
- 5Keep mercury switches (older lighting/ABS) out of regular scrap. Use HHW or a dismantler program
- 6Bundle like modules together for the recycler
Where to Recycle
- Certified e-waste recyclers
- Auto dismantlers that pull electronics
- Scrap dealers that buy insulated copper wire and boards
- Parts stores with ECU / module core returns
Special Instructions
Functional ECUs and ABS modules often pay more as cores than as board scrap. Check reman / parts-store core lists first. Lithium coin cells in key fobs and modules go to battery recycling (Battery Network / Call2Recycle for portable cells), not the trash. High-voltage hybrid/EV battery packs are a different material; do not treat them as ordinary car electronics or drop them in retail rechargeable bins.
Environmental Impact
Boards and harnesses hold copper and precious metals that refiners recover. Landfilling e-waste wastes those metals and can leach lead and other residues from older assemblies.
Official guidance and resources
Accepted items and drop-off rules can vary by location. Check the destination before you go.
What’s Accepted
Accepted
- Engine and transmission control modules (ECUs/TCMs)
- ABS, airbag, and body control modules (as cores or e-waste)
- Radios, amplifiers, and navigation / infotainment units
- Sensors and actuators with connectors
- Wiring harnesses and battery cables
- Instrument clusters
Not Accepted
- Intact high-voltage EV / hybrid traction battery packs
- Leaking capacitors or burnt modules with free chemicals (HHW advice)
- Household TVs and computers mixed into a car-electronics load without asking
- Modules still mounted in a full vehicle you intend to scrap whole (let the dismantler pull)
Donation & Take‑Back Options
Estimated value: Copper wire: scrap copper rates. Boards: small e-waste payouts. Reman cores: often tens to low hundreds of dollars for in-demand ECUs.
Manufacturer/Retail Take‑Back
FAQs
Do I need to wipe personal data?
Yes. Clear paired phones, garage codes, navigation history, and accounts from head units before drop-off.
Is an ECU worth more as a core or as scrap?
Check reman and parts-store core prices first. A working module in demand often beats board scrap by a wide margin.
Can wiring harnesses go with household e-waste?
Many e-waste sites take them; scrap yards that buy insulated copper often pay better. Ask which they prefer.
What about key fobs?
Remove the coin cell for battery recycling, then recycle the fob electronics with e-waste if accepted.
Are airbag modules recyclable?
Deployed modules may go as scrap metal/e-waste per the buyer's rules. Live pyrotechnic modules need a dismantler. Do not crush them at home.
Where do mercury convenience switches go?
Older hood/trunk and ABS mercury switches are hazardous. Use a dismantler mercury program or HHW. Washington Ecology documents auto recycler mercury removal requirements.
Related recycling guides
- How to recycle Automotive Air Filters
- How to recycle Car Seats & Interior Textiles
- How to recycle Windshield Washer Fluid
- How to recycle Automotive Glass
- How to recycle Automotive Metal Parts
- How to recycle Transmission Fluid
- How to recycle Automotive Belts & Hoses
- How to recycle Catalytic Converters
- How to recycle Spark Plugs & Engine Components
- How to recycle Brake Fluid
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