Tuned car throwing Increased Emissions?

[niqui]

hey
my car is catless and running an AA tune, i picked it up from the dealer and on the way home it threw the increased emissions code and seems to be running rough.

my sa knows and was told explicitly not to update the car and says he didnt...he needed to change a steering sensor and said he coded exclusively for that and touched nothing else...i asked him this four times and every time he said he didnt recode the whole car....

the radio presets were gone and the trip was reset when i got the car back, thats all i could tell.

was it recoded and i need a new tune or is it possible that the tune is still there and its throwing increased emissions caused by an actual problem...car is not being driven now


thanks for the input guys

[akh23456]

Originally Posted by niqui

hey
my car is catless and running an AA tune, i picked it up from the dealer and on the way home it threw the increased emissions code and seems to be running rough.

my sa knows and was told explicitly not to update the car and says he didnt...he needed to change a steering sensor and said he coded exclusively for that and touched nothing else...i asked him this four times and every time he said he didnt recode the whole car....

the radio presets were gone and the trip was reset when i got the car back, thats all i could tell.

was it recoded and i need a new tune or is it possible that the tune is still there and its throwing increased emissions caused by an actual problem...car is not being driven now


thanks for the input guys

He might have flashed you back to stock honestly.

[THE TECH]

Originally Posted by akh23456

He might have flashed you back to stock honestly.

Sounds about right to me.

[BMW Fanatic]

No problem before dealer, problem right after? He most likely did re-flash it back to stock, I'm not familiar with this but does AA use a different ECU or they just flash the one already in the vehicle? Regardless of what it is, contact AA and work it out, don't bother causing too much commotion at the stealership because you don't want to void your warranty, especially in Canada.

Side note - I'm actually surprised your warranty is still intact when they know you are using an aftermarket tune.. Let us know what happens!

[M3SQRD]

Originally Posted by THE TECH

Sounds about right to me.

+1

[niqui]

thanks
yeah, i assumed they flashed it. but i told him when i dropped it not too, and he said he went back himself to make sure theyd only code for that sensor, etc...

wtv, nothing i can do know but get it reflashed, i was just concerned that maybe it was something more serious considering that he is so adamant that he did not...

[pbonsalb]

Originally Posted by niqui

hey
my car is catless and running an AA tune, i picked it up from the dealer and on the way home it threw the increased emissions code and seems to be running rough.

my sa knows and was told explicitly not to update the car and says he didnt...he needed to change a steering sensor and said he coded exclusively for that and touched nothing else...i asked him this four times and every time he said he didnt recode the whole car....

the radio presets were gone and the trip was reset when i got the car back, thats all i could tell.

was it recoded and i need a new tune or is it possible that the tune is still there and its throwing increased emissions caused by an actual problem...car is not being driven now


thanks for the input guys

There do not seem to be many tuning options for trackpipes for these cars other than turning off the rear 02 or an OBD2 interface that simply keeps the CEL off. Not sure what you expected with the trackpipe.

[M3SQRD]

Originally Posted by niqui

thanks
yeah, i assumed they flashed it. but i told him when i dropped it not too, and he said he went back himself to make sure theyd only code for that sensor, etc...

wtv, nothing i can do know but get it reflashed, i was just concerned that maybe it was something more serious considering that he is so adamant that he did not...

I know once the car is connected to the network, the network looks at every system to determine which software versions are being used and then automatically updates systems with older/outdated software. On the e46 M3s techs had complete control over what was and wasn't updated by "unclicking" items but I don't think they have the ability to "unclick" items on the e9x M3s. So if your DME software version, even with the AA flash, was outdated it got reflashed with the latest DME software version. It's time to give Omar a call...

[Team Plutonium]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

There do not seem to be many tuning options for trackpipes for these cars other than turning off the rear 02 or an OBD2 interface that simply keeps the CEL off. Not sure what you expected with the trackpipe.

Reading comprehension fail. OP had a tune... dealer re-flashed it to stock.

[niqui]

yeah, sent omar a pm before starting this thread...hopefully he gets back to me soon, or ill call him.

im pretty sure the aa tune, and others, do more than just turn off the o2 sensors...

thanks for the input guys, so i guess i just got written over

[Sean05]

Haha dealer lied... Ur back to stock...

[M3SQRD]

Originally Posted by niqui

yeah, sent omar a pm before starting this thread...hopefully he gets back to me soon, or ill call him.

im pretty sure the aa tune, and others, do more than just turn off the o2 sensors...

thanks for the input guys, so i guess i just got written over

Send him an email, instead of a PM...

[MiamiPerformanceInc]

Have you hooked up the car to an ODB II ready to just see what codes it threw?

Its possible the tech forgot to deselect the DME from the programming station if he was told by the SA. Not cool any how. Anytime my customers come in and tell my SA not to flash the DME he puts a sticky note on the hardcopy saying not to program DME and I'm usually the only one who works on it.

[Mike Benvo]

If the car is running rough and the check engine light is on, that's an indication that its NOT the tune and that you were NOT flashed back to stock.

If you were flashed back to stock the CEL would be on for cat efficiency, but the car wouldn't run poorly.

It's quite possible that there is an issue with the car that is not tune related, and the check engine light is on for something than cat efficiency.

First step is to read the codes and determine if the cat efficiency error is there.

If it is, your tune was wiped out. This doesn't explain the poor running.

If cat efficiency isn't there, tune is still there and CEL is there for some other issue (probably o2 sensors/cam sensor) that needs direct attention.

Re coding a steering angel sensor does not require reprogramming any modules (which would be the reason for losing the tune). This would have probably been a seperate operation. As dbarnes said above, if they try to program (not code) a module, it will overwrite the other ones because the dealer doesn't have the tools I use which allow me to selectively update to whatever version I want to load.

[bigjae1976]

I think Omar has left or is leaving AA...that email might go unanswered. At least this is according to a thread that Omar posted in a different forum.

[Mike Benvo]

Originally Posted by bigjae1976

I think Omar has left or is leaving AA...that email might go unanswered. At least this is according to a thread that Omar posted in a different forum.

Link please....

[bigjae1976]

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=885332

[Mike Benvo]

Originally Posted by bigjae1976

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=885332

Very curious if he sold the company / his reasons for leaving...

[pbonsalb]

Originally Posted by SehrSchnell

Reading comprehension fail. OP had a tune... dealer re-flashed it to stock.

No reading comprehension fail on my part. Nothing above says the dealer reflashed to stock. All that is above my original post is the suspicion that maybe the dealer reflashed to stock -- an act the dealer expressly denied when asked. The only reading comprehension fail is on your part.

[Mike Benvo]

be nice boys.. Let's keep it factual. We're all past reading comprehension class at this point

[niqui]

Originally Posted by Mike Benvo

If the car is running rough and the check engine light is on, that's an indication that its NOT the tune and that you were NOT flashed back to stock.

If you were flashed back to stock the CEL would be on for cat efficiency, but the car wouldn't run poorly.

It's quite possible that there is an issue with the car that is not tune related, and the check engine light is on for something than cat efficiency.

First step is to read the codes and determine if the cat efficiency error is there.

If it is, your tune was wiped out. This doesn't explain the poor running.

If cat efficiency isn't there, tune is still there and CEL is there for some other issue (probably o2 sensors/cam sensor) that needs direct attention.

Re coding a steering angel sensor does not require reprogramming any modules (which would be the reason for losing the tune). This would have probably been a seperate operation. As dbarnes said above, if they try to program (not code) a module, it will overwrite the other ones because the dealer doesn't have the tools I use which allow me to selectively update to whatever version I want to load.

honestly, i may be delusional with the running rough part...
i just noticed the idle on start up bouncing around much more than i recall, at least since my tuned days...but this was on first start up, and the shop that did my tune told me its best not to drive the car if the tune was wiped and its catless cause it could cause damage, running too rich etc....what do u think mike? i havent driven it since then, and thats where i am basing my "running rough", possible exaggeration, from....

i havent hooked it up to a scanner, all i get is increased emissions in idrive, i know this means nothing without a scan right?


re omar: yeah, i still havent received any reply, i guess, i ll just call on monday...

thanks guys.

[pbonsalb]

Originally Posted by Mike Benvo

Very curious if he sold the company / his reasons for leaving...

If he sold the company? Omar does not own Active Autowerk. The Hughes own Active Autowerks. Mike and Karl are the sons who do most of the work. Omar is just an employee, though he has been there for several years and done some nice project cars for himself and to help advertise for AA.