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Thread: GM to crack down on Aftermarket calibrated vehicles?

  1. #1
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    Default GM to crack down on Aftermarket calibrated vehicles?

    I saw this on Corvetteforum. Has anyone heard about this yet or is it BS? According to this, even if you reflash back to stock, they can still detect if the ECM has been modified.

    A GM bulletin will be distributed to Dealers shortly.

    This post is for those who have 100% bone stock Corvettes and want clarity on the tuning issue.

    GM's New Software:

    GM is rolling out a new procedure that can identify when a non-GM calibration has been installed in a vehicle. The new process checks a log to see what calibrations have been added. If the calibration does not have an official GM part number it, it is instantly identified as a tune or other calibration not supported by GM. If the log contains a GM part number the process digs a little deeper to find a series of numbers buried in other modules. This confirms that the part number is not a mask for a non-GM calibration. If the calibration is found to be a NON-GM calibration, as from a tune, GM is advising dealers that the warranty repair on the powertrain will not be honored. The dealership will need to provide proof if a powertrain failure has occurred that the calibrations are GMs before any repair is performed.

    Furthermore, since GM can not determine what the impact of a non-GM calibration effect will have on the entire powertrain. GM will void the remaining powertrain warranty. This means engine, trans, drive shafts and differential will no longer be covered. This process has been tested on different Corvettes and other GM vehicles including Diesel's. The process correctly identifies cars with non-GM calibrations.

    This also addresses those that think re-flashing the ECU before taking it back to the dealer is not detectable…..it is.
    Owners, if you have not installed a tune or engine modification, don’t do it if you value your warranty. The consequences are giving up the 5 yr 100,000 mile powertrain protection. If you have a tune already installed then be upfront if you encounter a problem.

    NOTE: If anybody has had a true problem with a 100% bone stock car under normal driving conditions and needs further assistance feel free to PM me.


    It goes back to the old saying; if you want to play you have to pay......or be willing to at some later date.


    link: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1979769

  2. #2
    Joe (Moderator) joecar's Avatar
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    It's true...

    but I don't know that they can do this with the LS1/LS2 PCM's since these can't detect reflashes...

    but the later ECM's have builtin mechanisms to detect reflashes.

  3. #3
    Lifetime Member Garry's Avatar
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    Well, seeing what some "Tuners" program into the cars, this step is understandable ... and with the availability and affordability of the tuning tools, anybody can totally mess up their car ... why should such a person be still covered by waranty?

    But then - on a stock car/motor, tuning of PCM parameters make only limited sense ... (OK, I gained 0.5 w/o any other modifications ...) So the message is: either go all the way, or stay stock ...
    Garry Glendown * '17 Fifty 2SS MT * 99 Firehawk Convertible (for sale)

  4. #4
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    Yep, already underway. Been discussed here several times already. Big topic on other sites as well.

    http://forum.efilive.com/showthread.php?t=7460

    http://forum.efilive.com/showthread.php?t=7461

  5. #5
    Lifetime Member Chevy366's Avatar
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    Kind of like , "If they Outlaw tuning only Outlaws will have tunes" , print my wanted poster now then .
    2005 1500 HD , Custom OS3 SD tune .
    2006 Trailblazer
    Dinosaurs and Plants gave their lives so that we may drive , long live fossil fuel .

  6. #6
    EFILive Distributor dfe1's Avatar
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    As is usually, the case, there's a lot of knee-jerk reaction going on. As Joecar has pointed out, there are a number of PCMs/ECMs that don't store reflash data. In those controllers that do, the dealership tech has to be smart enough or care enough to do the necessary detective work. I'm sure GM is tired of replacing engines that were damaged/destroyed because of the handiwork of some of the tuning geniuses who are running around without adult supervision. On the other hand, there's something known as the Magnason-Moss act that makes it illegal for a manufacturer to refuse warranty service because of modifications that are unrelated to a particular failure.

    I just think it's important for everyone concerned about warranty issues to keep things in perspective. It is true that many dealers do whatever they can to avoid honoring legitimate warranty claims, but it is equally true that new car warranties are designed to cover repair costs of problems caused by defects in materials or workmanship-- not those caused by owner stupidity.
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  7. #7
    Junior Member Donovan's Avatar
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    I hate to play the devils advocate here, but if you are loading an aftermarket program and making more power than stock and putting additional wear and tear on the drivetrain, shouldn't they deny the claim? On the other hand if you load an aftermarket tune to change the speedometer calibration because you changed the tire size, that should be a non issue.

    On my truck I wrote off the powertrain warantee the day I started upping the ante with a lift pump and other power adders and higher hp tunes. It's just only reasonable that the cost of problems related to that becomes yours. You got to pay to play.

    Ulitmately the handling of claims will be at the dealer and GMs disgression though so this does give them an avenue to deny claims even if they are legit. Hopefully this change doesn't harm owners who are making minor mods to their vehicles that are unrelated to the problems experienced.
    E35A/A40 + DSP5

  8. #8
    Lifetime Member Chevy366's Avatar
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    The only thing that bothers me about this is if GM starts to send reports to the EPA and then the EPA gets involved (emission issues) .
    Take your Auto in for service and have the EPA knocking at your door for altering emission related specs or worse ticketed .

    At 50 , you have learned to accept that if you do something it is your fault and not whine to much about it , but you also know when you are getting screwed over and what to do about it .
    And this sounds like we are fixing to get screwed over .
    2005 1500 HD , Custom OS3 SD tune .
    2006 Trailblazer
    Dinosaurs and Plants gave their lives so that we may drive , long live fossil fuel .

  9. #9
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    Just buy a second PCM....keep your original...
    Just depends if BCM stores flash counts as well....

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by RetroAus View Post
    Just buy a second PCM....keep your original...
    Just depends if BCM stores flash counts as well....
    Ditto
    Roy 98SSSSSS

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