Electronic control unit limiter with coded release

A method of controlling a vehicle, comprising:

• monitoring, by an electronic control unit housed within the vehicle, engine usage of a vehicle, wherein the engine usage is cumulative and includes a current engine usage combined with prior engine usages;
• permitting, by the electronic control unit, the vehicle to operate without limitation if the cumulative engine usage is below a predetermined threshold;
• and
• when the cumulative engine usage reaches the predetermined threshold, limiting, by the electronic control unit operation of the vehicle;
• withdrawing, by the electronic control unit, limits from the vehicle by inputting a vehicle identifier to a registration component computer system and receiving from the registration component computer system an unlock code that is operable to permit the vehicle to operate the vehicle without limits.

An electronic control unit (“ECU”) for a vehicle, comprising:

• a vehicle monitoring component configured to monitor engine time of the vehicle, wherein the engine time is cumulative and includes a current engine time combined with prior engine times, and compare the cumulative engine time of the vehicle to a predetermined time;
• a limiter coupled to an electronic fuel injection system of the vehicle, wherein the limiter is configured to impose a limit on at least one of revolutions per minute (“RPM”) of the vehicle or a speed of the vehicle in response to the vehicle monitoring component detecting that the cumulative engine time has exceeded the predetermined time, an amount of the limit increasing with increasing of an amount of cumulative engine time in excess of the predetermined time;
• and
• a code receiving component configured to receive a code that deactivates the limiter.