[nuzey]

Originally Posted by Mike Benvo

Mike @ Powerchip here - let me answer some questions:

The tune is 100% transparent. Meaning it is impossible for the dealer to determine that you have a tune. To them it looks like 100% factory software. In my 7+ years in this field, I have NEVER had a customer declined warranty service with our tune. And this includes more serious repairs that were always covered under warranty without a hitch. I've seen engines replaced, turbos replaced, etc.. all with the tune still in there, and after the repair work is done the dealer has delivered the car back to the customer with the tune still there!

As far as the CEL light coming on while the tech was in the car - Our tune does not turn off the CEL light. If the customer request the CEL be removed for high flow cats, we ONLY remove checking for that particular function. This means that any other faults will cause a check engine light. The check engine light coming on in front of the tech was factory programming and is not due to the tune. Not to mention, if you had the Stage I tune your emissions programming was left stock, as only the Stage II variant removes the cat checking functions.

In fact, before the E9x M3's came out, there was a problem with FACTORY software where the CEL would be illuminated at random points, and no faults were stored. This happened to my car twice, and was fixed in subsequent BMW software revisions. I brought it to the dealer and complained about it and of course they said that no faults were found.

ISTA/P xx.x is the software level of BMW's packaged installations. It in a sense matches up with the software integration level. The latest ISTA/P dealer software is ISTA 42.2.0.0 to my knowledge. This should being your integration level to E89X-11-03-511. The integration level my car came with (called plant integration level) was E89X-07-12-515. Although I was already at E89X-09-06-510 due to previous updates between my purchase and the latest update.

The newest ECU program number is 7846396 which is part of ISTA/P 42.2.0.0

You have no reason to fear the the dealer will detect you have a tune, even with your CEL illuminated. It will interface with the dealer/BMW systems in the exact way as a factory stock tune, and there are no hints or tips that would indicate you have software other than you verbally admitting it to them (Which you should never do!).

If in fact you wanted your CEL to be turned off all together, we can do that. However, I strongly caution against this programming as there is no reason to mask problems that may arise other than the cat efficiency checking.

A couple other things to note:
1) The tune DOES NOT raise fuel pressure! Nothing in our code changes that. Tuners simply alter "maps" such as fueling maps, timing maps, vanos control maps, throttle response maps, etc.. Nothing in there would have a direct influence on fuel pressure. Chances are your sensor went bad, which caused an incorrect reading to be sent to the ECU, and this is why the pressures were off.

2) Everyone that says "you're lucky the dealer didn't find out about the tune": Not to be rude, but you have NO IDEA what you are talking about. Please chime in when you know more about the technical aspects of this situation.

3) Flashing cars back to stock (unless you use factory dealer equipment or the equipment that I have from BMW AG), even with evolve, ESS, whoever - STILL LEAVES TRACES! There are patches that are applied to be able to write to the factory ECU. When you flash back to stock all off the mapping goes back to stock, but there are still changes present. However, this isn't an issue as I mentioned as there is no way for them to "check" your code. This is WAY over the dealers head. I flashed my sunroof module with the latest software version, and it literally crippled the dealers computer. It said my module was failed and had to be replaced. The dealers systems are by no means expert systems. In fact, they work within a very small framework that doesn't allow them to do ten percent of what I can do with my factory tools from Germany.

4) You can have a tune and your warranty. Every BMW I've owned has had software (E36 M3, E46 M3, E60 M5, E90 M3, even my E32 7 back in the day) - all dealer maintained without any issues whatsoever. I have never had even ONE customer denied coverage. I don't see any reason to put the car back to stock before warranty service. It's a waste of time since there is nothing they can see anyway. Now if they are raising a fuss or are suspicious of you, then that might be a good reason to go back. But regardless, it will still leave traces that are also undetectable by the dealers.

Hope this helps, and please feel free to ask any clarifying questions.

Of course I denied when they asked me if I tuned the car, because I believe they will never find out. Yeah I have no clue about the technical issues, I just know they did program the car and it felt slightly different than before. So you think my car's sensor was the one causing the CEL right? I am not sure on this so please by no means I am blaming you Mike. I had always believed that the tune will not cause a CEL because it never happened before to me. It happened right when I was in the dealership and they popped the "Do you tune your car?" question. That was why I became curious. I know lots of people have both the tune and warranty and I know I can have them too but I just think I am the unlucky guy. Do you think those codes they put in the car removed the tune? In your opinion, is the tune still in the car?

Originally Posted by J08M3

the interesting thing is the only way you say you knew it was detuned was by engine idle sound and doors not unlocking. nothing mentioned about performance or driving feel

Yes. I don't go to track nor speed. I drive normally like other cars on the street within speed limits. Of course I do let the beast in my car out once in a while but the last time I did that was months ago. All I know was that the exhaust note changed. My car always had this loud and aggressive tone after reaching 3k rpm (that's when I usually shift). After I got the car back from the dealership, I shifted normally by listening to the exhaust note but to find it was way above 3k rpm, like about 5k rpm when I shifted to next gear. So now I have to adapt to a different tone from the exhaust at 3k rpm in order to shift like how I used to.

Originally Posted by ///M Ryder

Ask your tuner to re-flash your car or find a Dinan dealer......problem solved............Phil

I might just go to Dinan