tuner/programmer, does it leave a foot print?

[hotrodderscott]

I have a 2014 5.7. Been doing all tbe basic bolton stuff, catch can, electric exhaust cut out, vararam intake. Next logical step would be a tuner...
Question...
I am good personal friends with my dealer, very small family owned dealership. They personaly dont care what you do to your vehicle and will try to cover whatever the possibly can under warranty. They said bolt ons are no problem but some programers on the newer truck can leave a foot print on ECM. He said it MUST BE unistalled before they plug it into thediagnostics cocomputer or it will instantly throw a flag on the service record that they can not remove. How ever if deprogramed it does not show up on tbeir computer but if there was ever a catastrophic failer Chrysler if they wanted to search the ESM data and find it?
I ask because I have the unlimited bumper to bumper lifetime warranty on my truck.
I know back in the day SMARTY programmers used to guaranty no foot print on the diesel models?
any advice/info would be great, thanks

Programmer I was mainly interested in is Trinity or possiblely bully dog.

 

[Graygoose]

Yes, I believe they do. I also have a great relationship with mine, he said if you add tuner, they are supposed to log that into the nationwide database...aka, no warranty. So I skipped a tuner.

 

[jbr]

I have a 2014 5.7. Been doing all tbe basic bolton stuff, catch can, electric exhaust cut out, vararam intake. Next logical step would be a tuner...
Question...
I am good personal friends with my dealer, very small family owned dealership. They personaly dont care what you do to your vehicle and will try to cover whatever the possibly can under warranty. They said bolt ons are no problem but some programers on the newer truck can leave a foot print on ECM. He said it MUST BE unistalled before they plug it into thediagnostics cocomputer or it will instantly throw a flag on the service record that they can not remove. How ever if deprogramed it does not show up on tbeir computer but if there was ever a catastrophic failer Chrysler if they wanted to search the ESM data and find it?
I ask because I have the unlimited bumper to bumper lifetime warranty on my truck.
I know back in the day SMARTY programmers used to guaranty no foot print on the diesel models?
any advice/info would be great, thanks

Programmer I was mainly interested in is Trinity or possiblely bully dog.

I know the info is in the forum somewhere......If I remember correctly I read..... before you bring it to the dealer you should return your truck to stock and remove the tune. The computer keeps a log of the amount of total flashes that were performed. If you keep changing your tune (installing and uninstalling) it will bring your flash count up and may throw a red flag. Correct me if I am wrong.

You have a lifetime warranty so you maybe at the mercy of Chrysler if something goes wrong. Most are happy with their tuners and I have not read much about warranty denials. I guess there is always a risk with any change you make.

 

[BlownGP]

I know the info is in the forum somewhere......If I remember correctly I read..... before you bring it to the dealer you should return your truck to stock and remove the tune. The computer keeps a log of the amount of total flashes that were performed. If you keep changing your tune (installing and uninstalling) it will bring your flash count up and may throw a red flag. Correct me if I am wrong.

You have a lifetime warranty so you maybe at the mercy of Chrysler if something goes wrong. Most are happy with their tuners and I have not read much about warranty denials. I guess there is always a risk with any change you make.

Yeah, I've read that too. Although I haven't read many people getting there warranty voided because of a tunes.

 

[jcat]

so then the real question is what other 'normal' conditions would increase the flash counter? Are we talking resetting codes at autozone or with a cheapo scanner or does it have to be tuning the truck and then putting it back to stock?

 

[BlkXpress]

Any time you hook a device to the OBD2 port it increases the flash counter. They can't see that a change was made... although some have argued they can. They are supposed to only be able to tell that something was connected to the port and accessed the computer in one way or another

 

[jcat]

Any time you hook a device to the OBD2 port it increases the flash counter. They can't see that a change was made... although some have argued they can. They are supposed to only be able to tell that something was connected to the port and accessed the computer in one way or another

If that's the case, then a tuner shouldn't be an issue at all since I could run the count up by connecting an obd scanner a bunch of times.

I'd be willing to bet though that there has to be a log file in there somewhere that allows 'someone' to see when things have been messed with like the timing or fuel tables. Whether or not local dealers have access to that in the course and scope of their work is anyone's guess I suppose.

 

[jbr]

Any time you hook a device to the OBD2 port it increases the flash counter. They can't see that a change was made... although some have argued they can. They are supposed to only be able to tell that something was connected to the port and accessed the computer in one way or another

I forgot about that. I have a car insurance chip plugged into the port all the time. With it always plugged in I get a 10-12% (distance, time of day, braking) discount because I don't drive that many miles. I wonder what my flash count is at.

 

[arod412]

I'm with jbr....that blows because I did that for my insurance company. I also have the cheapo reader that I plug in from time to time, just to read information...mpg and engine heat ( I drive a short distance to the train station so I check from time to time if the truck warms up enough).

 

[BlkXpress]

I'd be willing to bet though that there has to be a log file in there somewhere that allows 'someone' to see when things have been messed with like the timing or fuel tables. Whether or not local dealers have access to that in the course and scope of their work is anyone's guess I suppose.

And that's where others argue. Some people say Chrysler has access to see what parameters were changed in the past, but no one has ever been to officially prove this.

As long as you put the stock tune back before you go to the dealer, you shouldn't have any issues. Most service techs just check to make sure it is a stock tune, and if it is they go ahead and let their supervisor know they are good to do the warranty work. I have friends who work for Audi and Cadillac and they both confirmed this is how they do it, as well as their coworkers. Just no friends that work for Ram/jeep/etc


JBR and AROD, I imagine it would be hard for the dealer to void warranty on the flash counter because of reasons like this. I'm sure some dealers try to be ***** and do it if they suspect heavy modding and don't want to honor warranty work, but that law is that they have to prove your mods caused the damage. Whether or not they follow the law and you have a fight on your hands is a different story.

 

[nolimits76]

Yes, I believe they do. I also have a great relationship with mine, he said if you add tuner, they are supposed to log that into the nationwide database...aka, no warranty. So I skipped a tuner.

Who is your dealer?

FYI, I took my Challenger to the dealer and it had a tune installed. Prior to taking in, I reverted back to factory. They did their thing and I never had a problem. When I got it home I put my tune back on it.

I haven’t tried with the Ram yet. But my thoughts are unless you accidentally leave your modified tune on the vehicle and the dealer sees it and has to re-program and/or you leave your Trinity (or other tuner) in the car then it seems unlikely they will get suspicious.

FYI, if you don’t revert back to the factory tune prior to taking it in and the dealer flashes your PCM, then you will also have to send your Trinity to Diablo to have them unlock and refresh it. It used to be $100 for the service. I never had to do this, but heard others talking about it.

At the end of the day, it boils down to this – if you can’t pay to play then you shouldn’t be playing. If you ponied up for the lifetime warranty, is a few extra HP worth the risk to you? Every person has to assess their own risk tolerance.

 

[Lhemi]

Around OKC I have found if you remove your tuner, set your truck back to stock there's no issue.
Other wise it's the first thing they blame.
Oh and don't go to Frontier Dogde in El Reno....

 

[xrsman]

No issue with my dads Bully Dog on his 2013 f 250! They've had diagnostics on it and everything. As long as you remove the tune before you go to the dealer you're good to go.

 

[trikeffex]

A friend with a 12' had his transmission go out and the local dealership wouldn't warranty it because it had a tune.He removed the tune before bringing it but supposedly the Mileage on the PCM freezes whenever you tune the truck so it doesn't match what the odometer reads.He paid the tech on the side and the tech fixed the mileage on the PCM and he brought the truck to another dealer and they warranties it no questions asked!

Charles

 

[RLJ10X]

Great Info. Great thread!

Hey Tri, what gears are you going with?

How'd you buddy toast his tranny. Did he beat on it non stop ?

 

[BlownGP]

A friend with a 12' had his transmission go out and the local dealership wouldn't warranty it because it had a tune.He removed the tune before bringing it but supposedly the Mileage on the PCM freezes whenever you tune the truck so it doesn't match what the odometer reads.He paid the tech on the side and the tech fixed the mileage on the PCM and he brought the truck to another dealer and they warranties it no questions asked!

Charles

That's right. I remember you telling me about that..

Although my trucks out a warranty. I had some recall work done couple months ago. Put the stock tune in and they never said anything.

 

[fivehead1]

This thread is making me regret my recent purchase of a tuner.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

 

[Pull Ya]

I have been told by a good friend and a Dodge/Ram certified mechanic at the dealership I use, that in the case of major(?) drivetrain damage, if there is any question at all, the dealership is required to send the computer to the factory to have a forensic exam done on the computer to look for any trace of a programmer. Under these circumstances, the dealer has no choice if they expected to be paid for the warranty work. I agree with what was said before--If you play you need to be able to pay. IMHO Some owners will go to great lengths to lie about things they have done to their truck in order to have someone else pay for the problems their mods have caused. I may be old but the question I have is--What ever happened to personal responsibility???????
Jay

 

[Graygoose]

Who is your dealer?

I use John Vance in Guthrie.

 

[jadocs]

No issue with my dads Bully Dog on his 2013 f 250! They've had diagnostics on it and everything. As long as you remove the tune before you go to the dealer you're good to go.

Unless he blows a head gasket or there is some other "expensive" damage as mentioned above. When the repair is extensive the dealer is required to notify and have a factory rep conduct a thorough check to make sure a tuner was not involved. Ask me how I know.