Tuner and Dealer

CptMcSaug · March 26, 2015

Who has actually had an issue with warranty after a tune for either just tire size or full blown speed limiter and fuel trim?

I know there's a risk but has anyone actually been refused?

SMiller · March 27, 2015

Who has actually had an issue with warranty after a tune for either just tire size or full blown speed limiter and fuel trim?

I know there's a risk but has anyone actually been refused?

Remove the tune and flash it back to stock, no worries.

CptMcSaug · March 27, 2015

They can still see that something happened and I'm trying to see if anyone has actually had the issue.

redwngr · March 27, 2015

The alternative question might be 'Who has had significant power train warranty done on a 14 or 15 truck that has been tuned?'

SLESierra · March 27, 2015

they are looking harder for calibrations that are not GM here about half way down the article tells them what to do - I do not believe it is in the dealers hands anymore but GM will examine the claims from the way I read it http://sandyblogs.com/techlink/?m=201502

crushNchowda · March 27, 2015

They don't care - its a truck. I had headers, no cats, 0% torque mgmt, custom tune, full shift torque, baby cam on my GTO and they did tranny work....

crafferty · March 27, 2015

They don't care - its a truck. I had headers, no cats, 0% torque mgmt, custom tune, full shift torque, baby cam on my GTO and they did tranny work....

Same here. My 2012 GT500 had an exhaust, intake, smaller pulley with an added 3-4psi of boost and a custom tune and Ford never gave me any troubles.

Stoddard · March 27, 2015

Those are irrelevant. These new trucks have a flash counter. Yes everyone and their dog has tuned 13 and lower but these are different. I have larger (305/55r20) on stock wheels and have already been harassed by my local dealer (not who I bought it from). I have no tune. I have buddies at another shop I can take it to (2 hours away) for major work but if the counter is tripped then they can't help either. Supposably diablo claims their tune is transparent but so far I haven't seen anyone actually prove it.

crushNchowda · March 27, 2015

Those are irrelevant. These new trucks have a flash counter. Yes everyone and their dog has tuned 13 and lower but these are different. I have larger (305/55r20) on stock wheels and have already been harassed by my local dealer (not who I bought it from). I have no tune. I have buddies at another shop I can take it to (2 hours away) for major work but if the counter is tripped then they can't help either. Supposably diablo claims their tune is transparent but so far I haven't seen anyone actually prove it.

Not irrelevant my 2008 G8 GT had a flash counter too, and that vehicle also had powertrain warranty work performed w/ mods and tunes - google harsh 2-3 shift/flare for the 6L80E tranny - had that done w/ 88,000 miles and same as GTO headers/tune etc

not a peep.

Unless you have some catastrophic failure and they can PROVE without a doubt that the specific mod/tune caused the failure there's really no reason to void it.

I find it hilarious that people on this forum would be concerned about tuning their truck due to a flash counter when it would be pretty damn hard to prove that a tune caused damage to the car, if they even noticed it (the ecm can be flashed by a dealer or even by accident at a independent shop BTW) and YET people don't think twice about putting some POS lift/level kit, big ass tires that rub on their truck and then wonder why GM wouldn't warranty their worn ball joints, steering component, and shocks etc.? laughable really.

Stoddard · March 27, 2015

I have a 6.2 8speed and tried to get the local dealer to relearn the trans and update it via tsb's on gm's website (have buddies password. They hassled me cause I had larger tires on it and said they called gmtac and they said of course it shifts bad from the tires. I had a talk with the service manager and he agreed they wouldn't be the cause. 9 time out of 10 tuning has no effect. But if you have aftermarket anything it puts the ball in their court.

Most independent shops do not have access to flash vehicles. Unless they are actually tuning.

I agree things like ball joints and such are laughable. I used to work for Chrysler and we were constantly doing headgaskets in 6.7's and the customers were pissed when they had to pay because it was chipped. We even had a big customer with deep pockets (24 years old with 7 '07+ truck purchases in 2 years) put h&s max tune and ats trans and the likes try to have us warranty his head on his 08 6.7 when he cracked the head from popping the head gasket and running low coolant.

Now gm is stepping up the game on their end and everyone is worried that IF they have a drive train issue even though unrelated, they could be denied warranty.

crafferty · March 27, 2015

Those are irrelevant. These new trucks have a flash counter. Yes everyone and their dog has tuned 13 and lower but these are different. I have larger (305/55r20) on stock wheels and have already been harassed by my local dealer (not who I bought it from). I have no tune. I have buddies at another shop I can take it to (2 hours away) for major work but if the counter is tripped then they can't help either. Supposably diablo claims their tune is transparent but so far I haven't seen anyone actually prove it.

Flash counters are nothing new, vehicles have had them for years. Dodge cars for instance actually have locked modules and are incredibly hard to tune because of it. A tuner in Texas actually just cracked the module and is the first company to tune the new Hellcat Charger. Diablosport as you mentioned is the only tuner on the market which is not traceable by auto manufactures. I called and spoke with Diablosport about the counter on our trucks and they said there product stays hidden because it does not change parameters that trigger a flash count to be created. My understanding is that the flash counter on our vehicles is not installed to check for 3rd party tuner usage but is there for the service departments. The flash counter is supposed to help the service departments determine what version a truck is on when a new recall or TSB comes out and something like a transmission needs a flashed to the new shift program (whatever it would be called). Also when GM releases an update it does not just flash one particular area of the module. It affects all the whole module and basically erases and rewrites a completely new code on it. I'll be going in soon to have my first oil change and I'll let you guys know if my dealer says anything about my tuner. I have a 6" lift and 35" tires so the dealer knows my truck isn't exactly stock anymore.

Isriam · March 27, 2015

No one here can prove they can see a tune if it is removed. The opposite is also true. However there has not been a single instance reported on these forums of users having an issue with a custom tune installed or not with warranty work thus far.

Bvonscott · March 28, 2015

Dealers that don't warranty a vehicle with a tune are pretty much retarded and you should take your business elsewhere lol. My dealer could care less they are happy for my business.

It takes a whole lot more than a tune to cause major problems with our engines. Running hot cams and over octane fuel or strange additives or nitrous ya maybe.

ccdies · March 29, 2015

I have a Bully Dog GT PN#40417, im not worried about the warrenty, but if i have any problems ill let you know, knock on wood

Gunner99 · March 31, 2015

Can't u just purchase a aftermarket b to b warranty and then tune it? Or will they(fidelity) or whoever the third party insurance company is see a tune?