Tuning Question

[Blue By You]

Can the dealer see WHEN a tune was previously installed? Or just THAT a tune was previously installed? Can they see what kind of tune (brand) was installed or just signs of the tune?

[4everkidd]

Originally Posted by Blue By You

Can the dealer see WHEN a tune was previously installed? Or just THAT a tune was previously installed? Can they see what kind of tune (brand) was installed or just signs of the tune?

Time stamps are traceable.

They can't see brand as that would require the tuner imprinted a brand somewhere on the ECU… which I haven't heard of.

[Chilled]

Sorry to kinda side track the thread, but what software/hardware does the dealer use to be able to tell.

Just curious as to how they detect it.

[Blue By You]

Originally Posted by 4everkidd

Time stamps are traceable.

They can't see brand as that would require the tuner imprinted a brand somewhere on the ECU… which I haven't heard of.

Can anything be done to reset the flash counter and/or remap the ECU and avoid the dealer/warranty issue?

[4everkidd]

Originally Posted by Blue By You

Can anything be done to reset the flash counter and/or remap the ECU and avoid the dealer/warranty issue?

Originally Posted by Blue By You

Can anything be done to reset the flash counter and/or remap the ECU and avoid the dealer/warranty issue?

Yes and no. Most good tunes include a flash counter freeze/reset however BMW can see adjusted parameters, boost, timing etc if they look into it.

You're toast.

[Blue By You]

Originally Posted by 4everkidd

Yes and no. Most good tunes include a flash counter freeze/reset however BMW can see adjusted parameters, boost, timing etc if they look into it.

You're toast.

My M already had a Dinan tune on it and they CPOed it then sold it to me. (I found out about the tune after the fact...)

My plan was to buy a Carbahn flash tune now, or a Dinan flash tune when they introduce it soon. Was hoping that the new tune would almost "hide behind" the old tune if there were no dates.

But I assume Carbahn or Dinan would be one of the "good tunes" you mentioned? So what would make the dealer look into the adjusted parameters if the counter were frozen or reset?

[4everkidd]

Originally Posted by Blue By You

My M already had a Dinan tune on it and they CPOed it then sold it to me. (I found out about the tune after the fact...)

My plan was to buy a Carbahn flash tune now, or a Dinan flash tune when they introduce it soon. Was hoping that the new tune would almost "hide behind" the old tune if there were no dates.

But I assume Carbahn or Dinan would be one of the "good tunes" you mentioned? So what would make the dealer look into the adjusted parameters if the counter were frozen or reset?

I'm not an expert and every dealer is different.

However it's foolish to believe that a major warranty item, blown engine etc, stays at the local dealer. My understanding is those warranty requests go through a PUMA case to BMW NA which will then verify the parameters previously discussed.

However if you had a Dinan "box" before maybe they would overlook a new tune assuming the flash counter was frozen.

Haha a lot of assumptions in play here.

Modify at your own risk really; if the dinan tune is performing why mess with it.

[Blue By You]

Originally Posted by 4everkidd

I'm not an expert and every dealer is different.

However it's foolish to believe that a major warranty item, blown engine etc, stays at the local dealer. My understanding is those warranty requests go through a PUMA case to BMW NA which will then verify the parameters previously discussed.

However if you had a Dinan "box" before maybe they would overlook a new tune assuming the flash counter was frozen.

Haha a lot of assumptions in play here.

Modify at your own risk really; if the dinan tune is performing why mess with it.

Dinan tune is no longer in the vehicle. It was a Stage I verified by Dinan, but was removed before I purchased the vehicle. The only way I found this out was I went to get the Stage II upgrade and the box wasn't there!

(This thing is a beast in stock mode, I can only imagine what it's like with a tune...)

The rest of what you said makes sense. I'll work with my indy tuner to figure out what might be the best approach.

Thanks!

[m3fuz]

Just an FYI from what I’m going through now - for some unknown reason, I developed a clunking sound that you could feel between 18ish and 22ish MPH anytime the car decelerated. It was loud and sudden, and very obvious that it was a drivetrain issue. I took my car to the dealer, which after a short period of time, saw there was a driveshaft and differential issue. The first thing they said when they called me was that they confirmed there was no tune on the car and then asked if I had tracked or done anything else to the car (car is bone stock, never tracked). They also pulled all the records from the previous owner (dealer serviced lease return when I bought it with 26K miles).

The new diff and all parts are being covered by warranty, even though I’m at 38K miles. Maybe it’s my dealership and/or service advisor and service manager, maybe it’s BMW’s approach now - can’t tell you. God knows when I’ll get my X5M back, but I’m not shelling out ~$11K for the repair. The diff had to be ordered from Germany but they gave me a loaner, ironically a 2021 version of my wife’s X3 (kill me now).

As a separate story, when my E36 M3 developed the infamous 5th gear detent issue, my car had a Dinan Stage II tune and a Stromung exhaust and the DEALER said that those mods caused the detent issue, to which I called bullshit, invoked Magnusson Moss, and called BMWNA. The next day the dealership’s general manager called me with a lengthy apology and put me in a new E39 loaner. Totally different times - early 00s versus 2021 - with totally different technology, but thought I’d throw it out there. This was a dealership where I was before relocating to my current location.