My buddy was just telling me that Audi is starting to flag cars with ecu tunes and other performance upgrades into an audi database and void warranties on power train components. All tunes can be detected. Tunes, piggybacks, flash, even short throw shifter?

 

pretty sure tunes, regardless of the company, void powertrain warranties. From what i understand, the second the ecu is touched it leaves a "scar." even if the ecu is set back to stock engine map before bringing the car to the dealer, they'll still be able to tell.

 

I believe your right, but Audi is now actually looking for it whenever the car is brought in for service, even an oil change, and flagging your car if it's tuned. There are numerous leased and tuned audi's out there. If you get flagged, your probably going to get hit with some fees at the end of a lease?

 

Meanwhile the boys over at BMW forum are overly excited about the new turbocharged N20 engine being so tunable...hmm...

 

Not a clue if that's true, but it really doesn't sound too far off. It seems a bit excessive on Audi's part, but if a tune leads to more wear on parts leaving them more prone to breaking or working improperly then I guess it makes sense (especially given than Audi has tons of FI cars). Being hit with a fee or surcharge probably comes down to whatever is in the fine print of the contract.

 

Before getting my G, I thought about getting an APR-tuned A4 or TT. Good thing I didn't.

 

This is the kind of thing that in my opinion will make them lose business. As long as the modifications that you do to your car don't cause an issue with whatever breaks, there should be no reason a warranty should be voided. I used to pull into my Pontiac dealer with my 06 GTO with SLP longtubes, SLP loudmouth catback, and a decent cam. This thing sounded like a damn nascar and my dealer would give me a thumbs up and then fix whatever i needed fixed under warranty. Thats how it should be.

 

I had a 2009 GTI before the G with tunes and mods. I was stage 2+. My solution was I just never went to the dealer. Since there are no piggybacks or plug and play tuning for the Audi/VW, you'd have to go back to the tune shop and have them flash it back to stock completely (there are switches, but they only switch between stock and stage tunes, doesn't completely get rid of the tune).

This really varies by dealer. Also, some VW/Audi dealers actually support tuning and sell them at the dealer. It would very hard for the dealer to prove you were tuned and that's what caused any damage. They can only see how many times the ECU was flashed and make assumptions, but they cannot see that's it an actual aftermarket tune and look at the tables, only someone at a real VAG HQ with the proper access and equipment could do that. But seeing downpipes, etc. are a different story.

You have to pay to play. IMO, it's always overrated about thinking you'll lose your warranty, etc. In all my years of modding cars, I've not once had anything go bad and put into that situation. If you're really that worried, don't mod your car. And don't go to the dealer.

 

Everyone needs to know the risks of doing mods and 99% of the time everything will work out just fine. Sometimes its tough to avoid the dealership if the maintenance in included. I just kinda crazy Audi is on the offensive.

 

Only a matter of time before some company figures out a workaround for this "auto-detect code" thingy done by Audi.

 

^^^ THIS!^^^

It amazes me that people feel that a company should have to honor a warranty that they knowingly violated by significantly changing the warrantied product. I'm not talking about using a non OEM brand air or oil filter. I'm talking about changing ECU parameters, engine mapping. non OEM parts in the exhaust, engine, or suspension system, etc. If you are not using the product (your car) with the parts it was built with you have significantly changed the product. Why should Infiniti have to warranty something that breaks if you intentionally changed it beyond the warranty parameters? If they build a suspension to certain specs and you put different parts in to lower the car and it stresses the components of the suspension system beyond their designed capabilities and they break, why should they fix it for free? Ditto for an aftermarket exhaust modification that causes it to throw a code. Or tuning to increase the boost of an OEM FI system beyond how it was set from the factory. It's only common sense and fairness that if you changed something, they shouldn't have to warranty that particular thing anymore. Some people have a ton to learn about modding.

 

Well from my understanding Audi has combined with a tuning company, stasis, where if you went with stasis you're still able to retain your factory warranty.

 

kind of like Dinan and BMW's. Stillen I guess is our "dealer approved" modifier, or so mine claims. As long as I get the dealership to install the parts my warranty is supposedly fine. I'd rather not pay them to do something I can easily do in my garage, but if you're that worried about the warranty and still want to mod, you could always go that route and just pay more $$$ for the install.

 

Very good point...I just don't understand why people don't get it

It's no different than any warranty on any kind of product you buy. If you alter it, they can void the warranty and have every right to.

If you sold a product with a warranty, would you want someone to alter it and YOU have to provide the warranty cost out of your pocket if something happens?

 

This topic all started because a S4 owner with a ecu tune went to the dealership for a TSB on the DCT and Audi said no because of his tune.