Anyone here have a tune from ECU Tuning Group?

I'm thinking about getting my car tuned and was considering VelocityAP, but then I found ETG and the fact that they claim that their tune is undetectable is quite intriguing, however with the discussions here on other tuning threads, I have my doubts about it.

Can anyone verify if they have taken their car in for service and its gone through just fine without any red flags?

I'm leasing my base and would love the serious hp boost from the tune, but, the warranty situation scares the bejezus out of me.

Thanks!

 

I've had my car in for a number of warranty related issues while the VAP tune has been in place and have never had a warranty problem. Of course, none of those issues were engine related.

 

I had my 12 XK vert tuned with and ETG tune and a Mina exhaust and never had any blowback from the dealer on warranty issues. That is true even when my waterpump failed on the 12 vert. Hope this helps.

 

I wouldnt trust that claim. It sounds like no matter what you do the flash counter is tripped, and a code set. Until someone figures out how to reset that, it could be traced.

 

Do none of the tuners reset the counter upon flashback? That is pretty much SOP with Audi tuners.

 

https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/j...e-68305/page2/

Read my experience when I had my ecu bricked by my dealer. VAP offers advantage of you owning a tuner to place stock tune Back in your ecu when going to dealer. ALL ecu mods are logged but having your car with the expected tune for dealer testbook should prevent your car from locking up if you have an dealer ecu flash that conflicts with your modified tune. If you have questions I can speak more directly through a pm.

 

Every manufacturer locks down their ECUs differently. What is possible on some cars isn't on others. If you take a look at FCA vehicles, you can't tune those at all without a stand alone.

 

Everything you guys said makes sense and pretty much is in line with they was I see the situation to be.


But then we have this. Their site makes it sound like there is no way for anyone to know that the ecu has been tuned:

Q: Will it affect my warranty?

A: Our software is completely undetectable. Most of our customers are actually factory supported dealerships.

I'm really curious on how they can claim this? From a legal standpoint couldn't a customer pursue legal action against them if their warranty claim was denied by JLR due to them finding out the car has been tuned??!

If they are willing to back up their statement with a guarantee that if JLR denies a warranty claim due to tuning (meaning that they have indeed detected the tune) that they would cover the cost for said claim, it would put my mind at ease and I would proceed with the tune!!!

It would be nice if someone from ETG would chime in on this thread to help clarify.

ALSO...

I'm curious if something like this would be possible..... Lets say I buy a used ECU, and program the tune on the used ecu. Then, if I have a need for service, couldn't I just switch out the tuned ecu with the original factory ecu and take it in? Could something like that work???

 

ECUs are non-transferrable. They are keyed to the VIN and would need to be set up by the factory to be compatible with your car.

 

I've gone through ETG for my '14 BMW 650i Gran Coupe. Recently, I had to replace a fuel pump, still covered under factory warranty. The dealership didn't mention anything about my flash so MAYBE it is undetectable.

 

Can't really compare between makes, as I assume they have different techniques of locking down/encrypting the firmware and stored parameters.

 

The flash on JLR is 100% detectable. Whether it be by a dealer scanner of by just looking at pry marks on the PCM cover.

Some tuners are only bench flashing, which if your flashing tool did not trip the flash count and didn't set the aftermarket software code...it's undetectable by a dealer scan tool. BUT it also does not give the dealer a heads up if they decide to do an available recall update when you bring the car in for a service or simple rattle noise bugging the **** out of you. When recalls or service actions are open for your car, and it's a simple flash..the dealer will not let your car leave until it's done or else if that car is flagged in an audit..the only way the dealer will not do the flash is if they claim a good reason for not doing the flash at that present time but will have to reschedule when it will be done.

So say your tuner bench flashes and it's not seen by a dealer scan tool! Awesome right!? Well the dealer does the recall update and SMACK! Your PCM is bricked because your file is not stock, which no longer matches the checksum(calculation of the file..kind of like saying checksum = 4, calculation is 2+2=4 so it matches and allows engine to start. Change to a mod file , checksum calculation is still = 4, mod file is reworked to 1+1+2=4. Flash a dealer file into this and don't update the checksum now 1+2+2=5 yet checksum is supposed to =4, because of this mismatch, your PCM becomes unresponsive, it no longer talks to the dealer tool and no longer starts your engine).

The dealer tries to flash the PCM again, but can no longer communicate with the PCM, so the dealer opens a hotline request. Hotline gives the OK to replace the PCM but wants the PCM back for a core/warranty claim. The tech accesses the PCM but notices it was opened by someone...

Your claim now gets refused because the dealer does not want to have this part shoved back to them..so you now get charged for all the labor to diagnose the issue and along with a new PCM to correct the problem of a tune file being hidden.

So that "undetectable" flash just put you knee's deep into a situation, a situation you never knew could even rise up.

This's one of the reasons we don't claim our flash is not detectable, basically if someone wants to find it..they will!! Whether it be a tripped fault code, pry marks on the PCM cover or even a simple file extraction of whats on the PCM..There's always a way to find out.

If a tuner gives you this claim, all I can say is make sure to get it in writing that also includes what they will cover in result of damage. (like the example mentioned above of a bricked PCM)

 

Thanks for the great post. Of course, if you leave your tune on it will be detected. However, if one were to take advantage of your handheld programmer and remove the tune and flash back to stock before a dealer visit, would it be detectable? Is the flash counter adjusted down when flashing back to stock? Some tuners, for example, upload your vehicle specific programming to their sever when you first tune and then download that exact program back, including flash count, when you flash as to stock.

 

This is exactly what VAP does with their handheld tuner; and yes, it still is detectable, even when the stock tune is installed. The general understanding is that when you flash a new tune onto the vehicle, it sets a fault that is permanent.

 

What does "bench flash" mean?
CRS

 

Remove the ECU from the car (and place it on a bench!), open it up, attach some wires, then modify the tune file(s) using a hand held or laptop, close it back up, then put it back in the car.
Until recently this was pretty much the only way to tune the AJ126 and AJ133 motors as the OBD2 port was "locked down" for tuning that way, but firms like VAP have now figured out how to apply a tune via the OBD2 port.