dz2a8r

I can testify to this definately.....They have just started to do this with all diesel warranty work also... If you rtruck comes in with drivability issues and you currently or preciously tuned the pcm then you get to foot the bill. They just really started to crack down on this about 2 months ago. We received a letter from GM saying they will not be responsible for failed parts due to a"tuned" pcm.

poconojoe

iTrader: (43)

The best thing to do is buy a spare PCM and only flash it, then you can put the factory PCM back in, when you take it in for work

edcmat-l1

iTrader: (10)

I know on the older ones anyways, pre 06 I believe, they can only tell if its a non GM operating system. They cannot "see" the tune. They cannot tell if it's been modded or not. As long as the OS hasn't been changed.
I was just at our local dealer, in their service department, working with their head Vette guy to delete an F55 suspension setup, and got the low down on exactly what they can and cannot see.
Now, it's all going to depend on how "mod freindly" your dealer is, how many cars you've bought from them, etc. This dealership in particular has sent me brand new cars to tune. With under 5000 miles sometimes. Actually got one with about 1200 on it.
As for Dodge, they've never been mod friendly. They don't want people flashing their PCMs, that's why it took so damn long for anyone to crack their code.

Schantin

iTrader: (6)

I think you guys are giving some of these dealers a lot of technical credit......that they don't have.

The dealer that worked on my Camaro last (a TSB roof replacement) asked if I had modified the car.....cause it "sounded funny". At the time I had H/C STS Turbo, and more other changes than I can write in one post. I laughed and told them this was how the car came from the factory. They believed me.............. no $hit.....................

In short, the average dealership mechanic is clueless. Programming a PCM and checking it's program values is way out of the normal mechanic's league and regarded as an engineering "black art" because it's not in a how-to book or labled with a TECHII code.

I would not worry about modding a PCM. If your PCM has a flash code and dealers are now checking this for warranty work, then get another PCM and keep the origonal for "warranty" days. I personally run a 200x truck computer in my Camaro and have the factory origonal in the garage. Neither the car, I, nor the dealer can tell it's a different computer. I'd love to see a "flash" code on that PCM. Sure it's over 200 by now

69LT1Bird

iTrader: (1)

Since you obviously think you are smarter than a dealership technician I guess you already know that the tech doesn't need to know the codes/cal ID's/CVN info for you to get caught. They connect the Tech2 to your car and download your data and then they connect it to their PC which has TIS2000 installed. The TIS2000 software has all of the latest cal data. It will look at you computer information in detail and try to get the latest calibration for your car. That is when you will get caught. A spare PCM is great but if you are heavily modded you are not going to be driving it into the dealer for a repair on a stock tune.
If you want to tune your car, mod the engine, tweak the trans while under warranty just be prepared to pay the bill if your mods cause damage. You can't really expect the manufacturers to pay for a repair that you caused. And yes, the Magnuson Moss act does provide some protection from the dealer or manufacturer voiding your warranty for putting aftermarket parts on your vehicle. But if that part causes the damage they don't have to cover the repair.

MetallicaMatt

iTrader: (19)

What about an 2008 or 2009 HHR SS?

My buddy has a "plug and play" unit that moves the boost from 14-15 to 24-25.

Or lets say I do the same thing with HP Tuners?

If I had an HHR SS, did the tune with HPTuners, and my trans blows up, and I reflash to stock, can they tell?

I mean these cars have the "No Lift Shift" and basically a 2step...it holds the rpm's at 4100rpm with the gas and clutch both down, and then don't expect trans and transaxle failures? Tune or not, they might question it?

69LT1Bird

iTrader: (1)

If they suspect something yes. Just because the trans blows doesn't mean they will scan it. If they suspect abuse, they will catch the reflash.

MetallicaMatt

iTrader: (19)

damn

ZL1Killa

iTrader: (17)

thanks for the replies. yeh my 2006 malibu.. .i'm trying to get it tuned and see what MPG I can get out of it.

I guess I could always buy a factory PCM for cheap and slap it in if I have to. I'm getting it tuned for hardly anythingd, so I guess I cannot complain

MetallicaMatt

iTrader: (19)

could you do this with an 08 or 09 vehicle? buy a new PCM to swap out?

ZL1Killa

iTrader: (17)

I don't know. I don't even know if I could swap in a PCM without something coming up.... who knows. Guess I will find out and see (might take quite a while though, as I don't typically let anyone do work on my car, even dealers)

jimmyblue

iTrader: (11)

This is what I did, bought a pull-out PCM from Valvegod and stored my
stock one unmolested.

slow

iTrader: (7)

Some of the newer pcms may store milage, and hours in them, so driving your 50,000 mike duramax truck into the dealership lot with 5 hours on the ECM, could be questionable

Ryan

poconojoe

iTrader: (43)

I was reading the proceedure on replacing the PCM, down at the dealer the other day, while waiting for the parts guy to get back, and from what I gathered from it, all that tracking data, such miles since last oil change and stuck, can be read, copied or, erased with a tech2. I never finished reading it, but it explained the need to copy that data, if replacing the PCM or it will use some default values. It looked like it was some paper that had been packed with a replacement PCM