Tune

chris28912 · Jun 25, 2012

I know this has probably been talked about before but I haven't read it. From all the talk i hear the dealers have a new computer that they plug into your ecu to check for tunes correct? And from what i heard they can tell when you tune and detune your car. So when you go into the dealer for check ups or possible problems is it better to just leave the tune in there rather than looking like a sneaky person and detuning?

SpartaPerformance · Jun 25, 2012

Well if the reason you bring it to dealer is for service that doesn't require diagnostic then you can leave it in there. A tech is not going to hook up an IDS when you bring your car in for brakes because he wont get paid for time spent.

bigb427 · Jun 25, 2012

If you take your car in for something like an oil change, or maintenance, they are not going to check for a tune. If you however take it into the dealer for a concern that would ordinarily be covered by warranty and you have some type of drivetrain failure they will almost certainly check it for a tune.

Ronin38 · Jun 25, 2012

bigb427 said:
If you take your car in for something like an oil change, or maintenance, they are not going to check for a tune.

BE CAREFUL WITH THAT! I have known folks who had a tune on their cars, who took them to the dealer for regular maintenance. The service mangler comes out and says, "Oh, there was a program update for your PCM, so we loaded that for you. (smiling)"

Now your tune is toast, the car might not run (depending on what mods it had), and you might not even be able to reload the stock tune back on when you get home!

bigb427 · Jun 26, 2012

That sounds like a crock to me. The only reason a dealer would ever do something like that without telling the customer before hand is if the car had a recall on it in which the recall involved reprogramming the PCM. There are no recalls of any such kind on Mustangs.

If the car is under warranty, the ONLY time Ford will reimburse the dealership to reprogram a PCM is if it is called to do so in a recall, a technical service bulletin, or by specific directions from a Ford engineer. I don't know of any technician who would reprogram a PCM for the hell of it without getting paid to do so, which is pretty much what you have indirectly suggested.

Harold Haynes · Jun 26, 2012

I think all this about warranty that I have read here depends on the shop. I had a GTO with a tune, cat back, and CAI installed and the rear end started whinning. They replaced the rear end under warranty no problem. My Ford Lightning Pickup has a tune, pulley, CAI, high flow cats, and cat back and my dealer never gave me a problem with any warranty work.

bigb427 · Jun 26, 2012

I have no idea what GM does, they might be different, they might not.

If however you took your Lightning in for a warranty repair with an engine knock, trans or clutch slips, major rear end failure, any aftermarket performance mods including a tune would be inspected for and taken into consideration as to whether or not the repair would be covered or not. If your rear end was making a whining noise on the Lightning, it most likely would have been covered even with the mods as that is not a major failure.

95Nelson · Jun 28, 2012

I had an 06 GT Mustang and had a tune installed by a local tuner the dealer recommended. Ford had a recall on Mustang for airbag deployment so a small girl would not get hurt (so I was told). When I took it in for an oil change, I told them NOT to reflash my PCM because of my tune and they didn't. The next time I took it in for an oil change, the recall was not discussed, and they went ahead and reflashed my PCM and didn't ask or tell me until after the fact. I just let it go as I was selling the car soon anyway. When I had the car sold the car the deal was without the SCT tuner, so I wanted to reset my tuner for sale. I had to hook it up to the 'stang and reset it to the stock tune. When I tried to do that it screwed up my Mustang, it wouldn't start. I had to have it towed to the closest dealer who charged me $80 to reset the PCM & clear the codes.

Lesson I learned - ALWAYS SET YOUR PCM TO STOCK WHEN TAKING YOU CAR TO THE DEALER FOR ANY REASON.

fullthrtle · Aug 16, 2012

chris28912 said:
I know this has probably been talked about before but I haven't read it. From all the talk i hear the dealers have a new computer that they plug into your ecu to check for tunes correct? And from what i heard they can tell when you tune and detune your car. So when you go into the dealer for check ups or possible problems is it better to just leave the tune in there rather than looking like a sneaky person and detuning?

When the IDS is hooked up to the car it cannot see you had a tune in the car as long as you return the car to stock tune before taking it in... I work at a ford dealership in the shop. As far as I know there is no way to see that there was a tune in the car because when you install the original tune back in the car you are reflashing the pcm, there is no way to see what was on it prior to that.... Some dealerships wouldnt like you to know this information. Always return the car to stock tune before taking it in to the dealership because if they hook it up and see it in there. They can be a prick and void your warranty.. It really depends on the dealership some are cool about stuff and some are pricks...

a shop will not reprogram your pcm unless there is a recall for that.... as someone stated above...

Harold Haynes · Aug 17, 2012

fullthrtle said:
When the IDS is hooked up to the car it cannot see you had a tune in the car as long as you return the car to stock tune before taking it in... I work at a ford dealership in the shop. As far as I know there is no way to see that there was a tune in the car because when you install the original tune back in the car you are reflashing the pcm, there is no way to see what was on it prior to that.... Some dealerships wouldnt like you to know this information. Always return the car to stock tune before taking it in to the dealership because if they hook it up and see it in there. They can be a prick and void your warranty.. It really depends on the dealership some are cool about stuff and some are pricks...

a shop will not reprogram your pcm unless there is a recall for that.... as someone stated above...

I agree with you I have had several cars with tunes installed and the dealer never has done anything to the PCM. they don't get paid to do things not requested by the customer unless it was a recall because of he PCM which is very rare. As you said when you reflash the PCM it overwrites everything again that was part of the program.

TT5.0ca · Aug 18, 2012

Well, there is a flash counter and you can see the # of drive cycles on the car. If you bring it in with the comp reflashed 5 times on a 6 month old car and 2 drive cycles since last reflash, that might tip them off if you're claiming, "I don't know what happened, my engine's broke".

fullthrtle · Aug 18, 2012

I would still return it to stock tune before bringing it in that way they cant see what was there.

durtjunkee · Aug 22, 2012

The mechanic at my dealer said to return it to stock, and then drive it for 100 miles. The PCM will show a "reflash" but that isn't grounds for voiding the warranty. Good luck driving that 100 miles with broken motor though....

I'm going with a Steeta tune. I plan to install the tune and leave it until i sell the car. It's coming today....can't wait. =)

fullthrtle · Aug 22, 2012

I just ordered a sct x3 from brenspeed with their tunes should be here friday....

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