Does anybody know for sure whether a Remap to an Ecu is likely to be altered or deleted during a service? I have heard a story about a remap being altered when the dealership applied some updates to the ecu. I have convinced my dad that he would see benefits to his fuel economy not to mention a rise in power/torque if he had a Evolution chips remap, but if there was a chance that this could be deleted the next time he had the car serviced then this would not be viable option. Can anybody offer any advice?

 

It would help if you said what car it is.

Steve

 

I am 99.9% on ANY car that would not happen, they don't flash the ECU and they woulden't modify any maps, should think the only think they would do is reset the service light.

Martin

 

Does it? 2009 Jaguar Xf 2.7D V6 Twin Turbo

 

speck to stu on here he will give you the correct answer i would think

 

If it does get deleted during a sevice at a main dealer (if they upgrade the ECU software with the latest stuff) then just go back to the dealer who you bought the Evolution chip from and they should re-upload the modified map to your vehicle - All part of the lifetime garantee service IIRC

 

Thanks for the replies .

I'll try and send a PM to Stu and see if he responds.

 

They can update the ECU firmware etc during servicing, that's why we advise they are told about the map so unless it's really needed they don't do the recreate asany of them are not relevant to us at all, and msybe for example a cold start issue abroad.

If ut us done and they re write the ECU, Yrs we can write the old file back again at a cost , but obviously the update will be deleted as you will have the same software you had before the dealer re write, of this update is needed we would have to fo the whole remap again and build the map into the new updated file.

 

This is from Stu's website:

 

Sorry for the typos I'm on my iPhone eating lunch in toast lol

 

They may not see the remap gracy, but they can over write it.

 

As james says a dealer cant see the alterations on there diagnostic software
But we had a corsa vxr in earlier last week that has had alsorts done to it ( NOT an evolution chips remap) some other firm had mapped it and it wouldnt even let are tech2 go into ecu

 

So in summary, a remap could be written over inadvertently by a dealership applying updates for example.

Is there any way around this?

If the dealer put updates onto the ecu, would these then be undone by putting the remap back onto the ecu?

???

 

Can you just not tell them but I guess that voids your warranty?

At a guestimate I should think the update WOULD be erased, as your flashing the ECU with the MSD map.

Martin

 

That's exactly my concern.

Pay out for the remap. Next time car gets serviced at dealership they apply new updates to ecu and remap is overwritten.
Remap now replaced with standard map plus updates and cost of remap now also lost along with economy/performance gains.

 

I will write a comprehensive answer to this when I get chance.

 

Thanks Stu, I look forward to it.

 

i would like the answer to this also

 

Sorry chaps, I forgot about this topic...

Ok,
When we recalibrate an ECU via the OBD port we leave the port open to all diagnostics and dealer level tools, some companies dont and it can cause you a real headache when it comes to having a simple fault diagnosed on your car.
Ok, onto the questions raised.

The problem:
You take your vehicle to be serviced at a main dealer and are worried that they will overwrite your remap with a factory update.

The solution:
Tell them not to.
It is your car and your remap, so simply tell them not to overwrite it.


The alternative:
We realise that many people are worried about having warranties cancelled etc and choose not to tell the dealer its been remapped. In this case lets assume they will overwrite your recalibration with a factory one again. There are two potential outcomes.

1) There is a simple byte change here and there for some reason and the basic calibration is 99% the same as the old original one.
In this case most Evolution Chips installers will ask us to replace your modified file again and they will do it either free of charge or for a small labour fee to cover their time.

2) The whole firmware has changed. (Think of an upgrade from win 98 to XP)
In this case, we will have to treat the car as a new job and start again from scratch as it will take us the same amount of time to remap it again as it did in the first place and you will be charged accordingly. Whether your local installer offers you any discount for this second recalibration is totally up to them.

Please remember, in either case it is not our fault that you allowed another company to delete our product from your vehicle and it is in fact no different to you asking halfords for a new radio for free because your knowingly let your mate take it out and fit it to his car so you no longer have possession of it. Whilst we do appreciate your warranty worries, they are not of course of concern. We help where we can if labour time required to do so is minimal.

 

As Stu said, you just need to ask them not to do so, you dont even need to tell them why.

Just say when you book it in for a service something like:

"I believe there may have been some ECU revisions for my model of car, if that is the case please can you talk to me first BEFORE applying them as I am very happy with the way the car drives now and unless its something absolutely vital I would prefer the car not to be messed around with as in the past I have had "updates" to ECU's on other cars and the car has driven worse afterwards, so I dont want it just assumed that any update is in my benefit and applied without my knowledge, if an update is required I want to know what it changes and be given the choice if I accept it or not"

 

I would put a sticker over the OBD connector warning of a remap even after informing the garage.

My Focus ST went in for a service at a Ford dealer and had the map overwritten even after I told them not to do so.
They failed to pass on the info to the technician who promplty followed the service procedure as normal.

Luckily, I had the ability myself to reprogram the ecu so didnt cause me a problem !

 

Yes thats a good idea as well, in fact Stu, would it make sense if you got some made and sent out to your dealers simply saying "Do not update the software on this car without explicit permission from the owner" or similar?

Then at the time of installing onto a customer car they could give the customer the choice of having the sticker put on the plug or not?

 

Maybe not a bad idea, although on most cars the connector is in such a pathetic plaace they couldnt possible read it anyway.

 

if it's literally stuck over the socket (or even a blank plug with it written on), they would have to read it or remove to be able to get their plug on

 

Sorry but I hadn't received a notification to this post of the replies

Thanks to all those who have replied

I fully understand what the explanation is, but another question has now occurred to me.

When a manufacturer has an update for the Ecu, if this update likely to make changes to the Engine Ecu only or could it also make changes to other systems perhaps controlled partially or exclusively by the engine ecu as well i.e. Braking systems, traction control etc.

I just got to thinking that could there be a case whereby an update it to do more than just an engine mapping change?

If Ecu updates only affect the engine mapping then the suggested route as detailed above by both Chip and Nick would surely mean that once a remap had been carried out any changes made by the manufacturer most probably wouldn't be an improvement on the custom map therefore not necessary.
And a notification to the dealer 'Not' to make changes to the map would a wise move and hopefully prevent any changes being made.