Unlocking autocal

[Blacky]

If the original tuner is no longer around is there another way to unlock an auto cal so I can link it to my flash scan?

Not without the consent of the original tuner.

Regards
Paul

[Mitco39]

I have been running into an issue after this latest release. I have been drop shipping the odd autocal and using the self link option where it would link to the first file that it was flashed with. Did this option get removed when adding this new unlocking and locking method? If at all possible I would love to have it back as it just makes it so much easier than manually logging into their computers and linking up the autocals as they get them.

[cindy@efilive]

Hi Mitch, it's a feature change that was documented in the release notes and was in the last newsletter. The details can be found here. https://www.efilive.com/latest/cat/n...-and-unlinking

Tune files providing the link won't be coming back. The change is designed to reduce the unauthorised sharing of tune files. Tuners have reported unscrupulous people/tuners purchasing blank AutoCals and adding another tuners tune files without permission. With the tune file providing the hardware link, the tuner wasn't being paid for their work. Under the new scenario, the tuners FlashScan needs to provide the link.

You'll either need to link FlashScan to AutoCal physically before despatch or provide the remote link code.

Cheers
Cindy


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Mitco39]

Hi Mitch, it's a feature change that was documented in the release notes and was in the last newsletter. The details can be found here. https://www.efilive.com/latest/cat/n...-and-unlinking

Tune files providing the link won't be coming back. The change is designed to reduce the unauthorised sharing of tune files. Tuners have reported unscrupulous people/tuners purchasing blank AutoCals and adding another tuners tune files without permission. With the tune file providing the hardware link, the tuner wasn't being paid for their work. Under the new scenario, the tuners FlashScan needs to provide the link.

You'll either need to link FlashScan to AutoCal physically before despatch or provide the remote link code.

Cheers
Cindy


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

But wouldn't a VIN or serial lock keep this from happening? IE if the tune is linked to a set serial number it doesnt matter how many autocals the customer would buy it would only be good for that one truck? If not then what am I missing, trying to think of how you would get around that at all.

Or is this simply to force the sale of the autocal to the dealer? And thus the dealer wont use an autocal they didn't themselves sell the customer, at least not without their permission?

Thanks

Mitch

[Blacky]

But wouldn't a VIN or serial lock keep this from happening? IE if the tune is linked to a set serial number it doesnt matter how many autocals the customer would buy it would only be good for that one truck? If not then what am I missing, trying to think of how you would get around that at all.

Or is this simply to force the sale of the autocal to the dealer? And thus the dealer wont use an autocal they didn't themselves sell the customer, at least not without their permission?

Thanks

Mitch

Yes a VIN or serial lock would "solve" the problem. However, that is not practical for large tuners that send tunes to hundreds if not thousands of customers. It is difficult and time consuming to create hundreds of tune files, one for each specific customer's vehicle. I.e. the tuner would need to collect each customer's controller's serial number, enter that into the tune file and then load that specific tune on to the customer's AutoCal. Then if the tuner updates his tune, he then has to go and update hundreds of tune files (one for each customer) before sending out the updated tune to all his customers.

A bit of history:
The original design for AutoCal was that they must always be linked before shipping them to a customer to prevent the problem described below. Some tuners accidentally shipped un-linked AutoCals and it was time consuming and costly to recall the AutoCals to have them linked correctly. So for convenience we added the option to allow the tune file (which already had the link information embedded in it) to be used to remotely link the AutoCal.

The problem:
Unfortunately (but in hindsight, inevitably) some "enterprising" tuners realized they could copy another tuner's tune files (which were already linked to the original tuner's AutoCals) and deliver them to new customers with a blank AutoCal and the AutoCal would link to that tune file and tune the customers' vehicles. The original tuner was cut out of the loop. That is not fair on the original tuner.

The Solution:
So we've moved to a new system for remote linking. Now an AutoCal can still be shipped in an un-linked state. However the only way to remotely link it back to the tuner's FlashScan is for the tuner to generate a remote link code and email that to the customer. The customer then enters that code into his AutoCal and the AutoCal is linked to the original tuner's FlashScan. No other "enterprising" tuner can generate the correct link code and so the original tuner's tune files cannot be on-sold by those other tuners.

Regards
Paul

[GMC-2002-Dmax]

If the remote linked files are specific to that autocal sn only then it's only good for that autocal, correct??

[Blacky]

If the remote linked files are specific to that autocal sn only then it's only good for that autocal, correct??

If you secure the file using the remote AutoCal's serial number using the "serial number" security option then yes, the file can only be flashed using that single AutoCal.

But the normal/automated AutoCal linking is based on the license number which is shared between all the tuner's linked AutoCals.

Regards
Paul

[GMC-2002-Dmax]

If you secure the file using the remote AutoCal's serial number using the "serial number" security option then yes, the file can only be flashed using that single AutoCal.

But the normal/automated AutoCal linking is based on the license number which is shared between all the tuner's linked AutoCals.

Regards
Paul

I never just send anything out to remote link without Serial Number restrictions, so I guess I am not too worried about relinking without my consent.

Thanks.

I put as many restrictions on as possible, especially ecm SN#, that one is KING !!

[Mitco39]

I do as well Tony.

I dont fully understand how dealers can market mass amounts of tunes without at least correcting the vin on each and every tune, and if they have to correct the vin arent they doing this on a truck by truck basis and if so wouldnt it be just as easy to add the SN number in at the same time?

Its not the end of the world though, remote linking works just fine, just adds another step to go through, plus we get the added convenience of remote unlocking.

[Blacky]

I do as well Tony.

I dont fully understand how dealers can market mass amounts of tunes without at least correcting the vin on each and every tune, and if they have to correct the vin arent they doing this on a truck by truck basis and if so wouldnt it be just as easy to add the SN number in at the same time?

Its not the end of the world though, remote linking works just fine, just adds another step to go through, plus we get the added convenience of remote unlocking.

The VIN does not need to be changed in the file for each target controller. Most tuners would set the VIN to something generic, like with 6 zeros at the end.
The VIN is not updated in the ECM as part of the reflash process.

Regards
Paul