Hey guys,
Just wanted everyone to be aware of the bad customer service provided by Hp tuners as of late.

Ive been a customer of Hp Tuners for over 5 years now. Occationally i ll tune a car here and there and usually buy GM credits as needed.

I recently pulled the tune out of a 2014 vette a few weeks ago and in order to save the file, i purchased 2 GM credits ($99) and was given the new key code. I wrote the tune for the customer then saved it. Thinking it was ready to go, i made arrangements for the customer to meet me in a parking lot to tune the vette. Thinking this would be quick as ive done many times before, its just a flash and go. I attempted to flash and was given the error "no license for this file". So i tried to resync the database and even updated the software thinking that was the issue. I couldnt call hp tuners support because they dont offer phone support right now. So the only thing i could do after trying to troubleshoot after an hour in the 90 degree heat was repay for the credits ($99) and get a new key. This worked and the customer was on there way.

I emailed hp tuners trying to get a refund for the $99 after i licensed the same car TWICE. I get an email stating to upload the original tune, the modified tune and to pull the info file from customers car. I explained that i could not get the customers car back as they left already and were not happy about how thibgs went down. So i uploaded the original tune, the modified tune and provided hp tuners both application keys that were provided when i licensed.the same vehicle. Fast forward to today, i ask for an update and was told i didnt provide the required information. This is absolutely ridiculous in so many ways.
1. Clearly i licensed the same vehicle twice and provided seperate key codes (which i was issued by hp tuners) i cant believe theres no process to clearly see what cars ive licensed with the corresponding keys.
2. I was really inconvienienced here with no phone support to address the issue at the time i was having an issue
3. The company is putting the owness on me to get the customers car back to pull the info file for diagnostics when they couldnt be bother to have a support line?
4. The email i received, indicates to me theres no intention of refunding the money. Its $99 really?

Im done with hp tuners and just want to share this negative experience ive received.

Thanks,
Jeff

 

There are free alternatives for tuning the P01 and P59 PCMs (Gen III LS) and people are working on E38, E40, E67 and others.

http://pcmhammer.org/
http://ls-droid.com/

 

Jeff, This is nothing new on their behalf. Several people have had similar issues in the past and in general they have no intention of helping or refunding credits. If you dig deep enough you find experienced tuners and shops that they have done this too over and over.

Its no wonder people cracked their software and use it with out paying. This is why they have attempted to force newer firmware into the older tools try make the old units obsolete and attempt to prevent circumventing the license's on the older cars that don't require connecting to their database.

 

they got bigger fish to fry. EPA is gonna gut them here shortly.

 

Did you read more than 2 modules and save the file?

I accidentally did this on my wife's ‘15 Yukon. You only need to license the the ECM and TCM. They do warn you about this.

I ended up buying more credits to get past it.

 

Yup.

It's just the way it is.

 

I've had my HPTuners for roughly 15 years. It was a serial port version when I bought it from a guy for $150.
It came with 4 UNLIMITED model years...not 4 VIN's. Four unlimited model years...

I updated it to the MPVI PRO (1), when it became available.

That being said, their service has sucked as long as I have had the software.

Their "people" (at least one) on HPTuners own forum are the most condescending ******** of any product I've ever bought over the last 40 years...

It's NEVER "their fault" for anything...never has been. It's ALWAYS 100% operator error, with the generic, put in a service ticket, because I'm an ******* and don't want to actually answer your question...

 

I've never been an HPT fan as their customer service is definitely lacking and support/question response is non-existent unless its something high on their list. Always been an EFI Live fan over HPT and get better support from a company 12 hours away. ive been frustrated with their updates for security and licensing and crap. I can't even view a tune file unless the hardware is plugged into the PC, which is crap.

 

There is NO "customer service" through them unless you really get on them in their own forum. Never has been. Every year at LSFest since 2009, I stop by and ask them questions. All they have to say is, We're just the software developers, we know nothing about tuning cars". But they will try to sell you all they can.

Holley Dominator FTW. I only use HPTuners on my sons car until we get a Dominator system for it and also for doing simple deletes for guys. And Dr Tuneemall will be dialing in my sons car with the Holley.

 

Just to give an update, after 3 days of going back and forth with hp tuners (more trouble than the $99 is actually worth) they agreed to give me a one time $99 credit towards 2 GM credits....no refund...and the coupon expires in 2 weeks. Did they make it right after all the struggle? I suppose but i just wanted a refund. Ive been a loyal customer for over 5 years and purchased a ton of credits in the process and as someone mentioned previously, they were very condescending and customer service really sucked. Guess i need to consider EFI live in the future but the whole process really deters me from ever wanting to tune anyone elses car with this software.

 

I did a read only on a 2014 vette as i do with every vehicle i tune, the same way everytime, and when it came to save the modified tune, had to license it. Went onto hp tuners, paid for the credits and then back to vcm editor, put in the new key code and licensed the file. Thought i was good to go then the "no license for this file" error when i went to write the tune. Ive done it the same way so many times maybe it was my error but still, the customer service for help was no existent.

 

The coupon expires in 2 weeks? What kind of BS is that?!

 

I have had nothing but great customer service from hpt even before I was a dealer. I have used the customer support email and got help the same day. Been a dealer for years and they have been great to work with. I can see both sides to it though. I can only guess how people contact hpt daily wanted refunds on credits for one reason or another. They have no way to know if you used them or not on what you said. Over the years I have burned credits in hpt by licensing the wrong file or reading out to many modules and not paying attention. It wasnt there fault in my case. When I still used the mpvi1 I had to license the same car twice once but somehow the credits were back on the device when I added more credits, almost like it was a glitch. It does seem with the mpvi2 the licensing works better and is usually instant after re-syncing. We sell alot of hpt and credits, I always tell anyone tuning for money its a wise investment to always keep 4 credits on your device so your never in a bind. Everyone once in a while hpt website will be down for 2-4 hours for updates and you cant buy credits and everytime I see people online complaining they couldn't tune a car even though hpt posts the downtime ahead of time.

 

This…We haven’t seen anything yet.

 

In my opinion it really comes down to the customer service aspect of things. Do people make mistakes? Sure, myself included. But it wasnt like ive ever had issues in the past and im asking for a refund on one occation in 5 years that could be argued was at the very least shared responsibility on the part of hp tuners (for a process that doesnt normally take place when licensing a read only file) and on my part for not realizing it. Is that how you treat a customer that has been a customer for five years? With a bad attitude and unwilling to help out someone and drag them through a ridiculous ordeal over $99? The whole process was frustrating and with the customer there to boot. If anything ive sung the praises of hp tuners for years to people i came in contact with along the way. So, yeah im disappointed and there is something to be said about how you treat customers.

 

These experiences are one of the reasons why I think anything I'm doing going forward, will probably be Holley based. Granted, I don't have the luxury of building a newer Vette or Camaro, so my junk doesn't need a OBD2 port anyway, but I was over HP Tuners when they introduced their newer interface before they even knew how they were going to be able to log a wideband against it.

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again.. Hp Tuners will be forgotten as quickly as "My Space" as soon as a competitor comes onto the scene. I'm about to purchase my first Holley Terminator X system.. if it goes easier than the HPT route... Buh-bye HPT...

As posters above have mentioned.. The scythe of the EPA is coming.. and the neck of HPT is squarely in it's sights..

 

long live EFI Live.....not made or owned here.

 

One thing that really sucks about their "credit" program. Some models you cant build up year/model license. A few years back I was tuning the Caprices for a certain law enforcement agency. Was hoping to be able to count it to the full credit license. Apparently it has something to do with it being a Holden based car and using the Camaros OS.
Sucked I still had to buy credits and lose profit, But the cars were fast as hell and proved to be an game changer during pursuits.
Can't wait to afford the Dominator. Have the Terminator X on my wifes LS2 swapped 94 Impala SS. But still working on it.

 

Hopefully WHEN the EPA jacks them up,, some person seeking infinite Karma at HP tuners will "leak" the code or a version with no license required, and send it to the entire universe.. You can feel the eco friendly electric black helicopters with 5 minutes flight time max about to land..