DervTech remote tuning review

[jammapic]

Drop us an email through... Chris will tell you exactly which channels to log; and whether (based on those logs) there's any tweaking needs doing.

Thanks

[luke7110]

Ok thanks

[ninja_geezer]

i though Dervtech had a warranty patch to stop BMW knowing it had been tuned ??? just been reading it does not work !!

[jammapic]

Hi,

Most flash tools out there will patch the CVN and reset the flash counter. This is really all the dealer diagnostic tool looks at.

If BMW want to dig into the ECU further, they may well be able to see the tune... but everyone who has been in with a tuned car so far has been fine.

You should see further above previous customers who have this tune, have had their car in with no issues...

What I should say though, is that by modifying the car you have to accept that your warranty SHOULD be null and void whether BMW can detect it or not.

What you were probably reading on the Facebook group is people that have no experience, or knowledge of what is changed and how it’s changed.

Don’t forget, the remote tuning package lets you flash back to stock...

However... If you are nervous about your warranty, don’t tune it... simples

[ninja_geezer]

Hi,

Most flash tools out there will patch the CVN and reset the flash counter. This is really all the dealer diagnostic tool looks at.

If BMW want to dig into the ECU further, they may well be able to see the tune... but everyone who has been in with a tuned car so far has been fine.

You should see further above previous customers who have this tune, have had their car in with no issues...

What I should say though, is that by modifying the car you have to accept that your warranty SHOULD be null and void whether BMW can detect it or not.

What you were probably reading on the Facebook group is people that have no experience, or knowledge of what is changed and how it’s changed.

Don’t forget, the remote tuning package lets you flash back to stock...

However... If you are nervous about your warranty, don’t tune it... simples

Hi thanks for prompt reply ,yes it was a facebook thread i read .bmw denied a warranty claim recently .

[jammapic]

I’ve not heard of BMW denying any warranty claim, but if the car had any drivetrain modifications, be that a remap, a tuning box or any exhaust / filter modifications then I guess they would be completely in their rights to do so...

As said, if you tune a car, your warranty is void whether they can detect the changes or not!

Anyone concerned about the dealer knowing that the car has been mapped.

Mine was in today for the software update recall. Diagnostic test and software update completed without anything being flagged up.

I'd flashed it back to stock a couple days ago.

As above, this guys car has been in - no issues from the dealer... there have been plenty of people who have either been in for servicing, and warranty work without issue.

I wouldn’t believe everything you read online!

[racey1979]

My guess would be that it would depend on the severity of issue you are taking the car in for ? Faults that aren't that major with engine ancillaries, sensors, injectors etc probably wouldn't prompt a major in depth investigation. Neither would taking it in for a service or a software update for that matter. The fact a tune hasn't been flagged up during a service/update means nothing as they probably wouldn't have been looking for it in the first place. However, if the engine has a catastrophic failure and has thrown a rod through the casing or similar, I'm sure BMW would want the DME and would then be looking much deeper. And why wouldnt they ? They would want to know why the engine has failed. For me though, if maintaining warranty is of any kind of importance then remapping is just plain silly, just leave it stock.

[jammapic]

My guess would be that it would depend on the severity of issue you are taking the car in for ? Faults that aren't that major with engine ancillaries, sensors, injectors etc probably wouldn't prompt a major in depth investigation. Neither would taking it in for a service or a software update for that matter. The fact a tune hasn't been flagged up during a service/update means nothing as they probably wouldn't have been looking for it in the first place. However, if the engine has a catastrophic failure and has thrown a rod through the casing or similar, I'm sure BMW would want the DME and would then be looking much deeper. And why wouldnt they ? They would want to know why the engine has failed. For me though, if maintaining warranty is of any kind of importance then remapping is just plain silly, just leave it stock.

That’s exactly it.

For day to day, with the patches etc that we put in, they won’t see it. This has been proven time and time again...

As you rightly say, if something is suspect to them and they dig deeper..!

With a full “back to stock” on the car, this is all reverted including all the log data that’s held etc - so even more unlikely to find it even with more investigation. The car IS stock again.

As said time and time again though, there’s always a risk. If that’s a concern to you, don’t do any modifications to the vehicle.

Thanks.

[Stueys]

With a full “back to stock” on the car, this is all reverted including all the log data that’s held etc - so even more unlikely to find it even with more investigation. The car IS stock again.

As said time and time again though, there’s always a risk. If that’s a concern to you, don’t do any modifications to the vehicle.

Thanks.

Thanks for the honest advice. Just curious, if the car is flashed back to stock then there is no trace of a map? All logs, error codes, etc, are cleared with that flashing? I've always assumed that fault codes would stay logged.

[jammapic]

With a full “back to stock” on the car, this is all reverted including all the log data that’s held etc - so even more unlikely to find it even with more investigation. The car IS stock again.

As said time and time again though, there’s always a risk. If that’s a concern to you, don’t do any modifications to the vehicle.

Thanks.

Thanks for the honest advice. Just curious, if the car is flashed back to stock then there is no trace of a map? All logs, error codes, etc, are cleared with that flashing? I've always assumed that fault codes would stay logged.

I have to be really careful what I say; as I don't want to give mis-information... However...

When you do a full vehicle factory reset, DME, gearbox, return codings to stock etc then yes - there should be no trace of the map.

There are a couple of different places that the DME will store codes; these are all cleared...

BUT, and it is a but... Don't underestimate the fact that the manufacturer does NOT want you tuning the car; they are always adding new features to pick up on this sort of stuff (for example the TD1 flag in VAG vehicles) and we as tuners are always one step behind.

I know of a vehicle had it's warranty void because it had a resonator deleted... it was blacklisted on the BMW system because of this!

I keep saying it - and I'm sorry if I sound like a broken record... if you aren't willing to accept the risks; don't tune it!

[Stueys]

With a full “back to stock” on the car, this is all reverted including all the log data that’s held etc - so even more unlikely to find it even with more investigation. The car IS stock again.

As said time and time again though, there’s always a risk. If that’s a concern to you, don’t do any modifications to the vehicle.

Thanks.

Thanks for the honest advice. Just curious, if the car is flashed back to stock then there is no trace of a map? All logs, error codes, etc, are cleared with that flashing? I've always assumed that fault codes would stay logged.

I have to be really careful what I say; as I don't want to give mis-information... However...

When you do a full vehicle factory reset, DME, gearbox, return codings to stock etc then yes - there should be no trace of the map.

There are a couple of different places that the DME will store codes; these are all cleared...

BUT, and it is a but... Don't underestimate the fact that the manufacturer does NOT want you tuning the car; they are always adding new features to pick up on this sort of stuff (for example the TD1 flag in VAG vehicles) and we as tuners are always one step behind.

I know of a vehicle had it's warranty void because it had a resonator deleted... it was blacklisted on the BMW system because of this!

I keep saying it - and I'm sorry if I sound like a broken record... if you aren't willing to accept the risks; don't tune it!

Thanks for that - good, candid advice

[jammapic]

Candid it may be, but some people don’t want to hear it.

If you aren’t willing to take the risks then either live with the performance you’ve got, or buy a faster car.

My dad for example will not accept that on his Fiesta, a tune will void his warranty. He likes the car, and wants it to go a bit better so is swapping his Zetec S for an ST.

You can’t have your cake and eat it!

[Pellepirat]

Little update

I will update my car next week ( DME update ) at BMW. I write back to stock yesterday, everything works great. Now the car feels a bit slow..I did not expect so big different.

[harkes]

Hi

Can you work with MHD?