Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Forum banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

GM Dealers Checking for Aftermarket Tuning to Void Warranty

1 reading
113K views 680 replies 104 participants last post by  Wakko  
#1 Ā·
I just noticed a GM Techlink article telling the GM Dealer mechanics to look for Engine Control Module or Transmission Control Module calibration modifications (Aftermarket Tuners-Bullydog/Diablosport/performance chip/Superchips/Hypertech/Jet etc), and if found, to not cover internal engine or transmission component failures. So you are warned if your contemplating or have used an aftermarket tuner. I know some tuners can reverse the calibrations to factor, but apparently there is some sort of history log and they can tell if the OEM calibrations have been restored. If you have tuned your ECM or TCM it sounds like you may be screwed unless your shop doesn't check.

FWIW I didn't see any mileage or performance boost from the last tuner I bought (Diablosport), but I didn't replace the exhaust headers or intake other than a CAI.

See full tech link article here: http://sandyblogs.com/techlink/?p=4248

Quote: "When alterations to GM engine or transmission control module calibrations are made by owners, it may subject powertrain and driveline components (the engine, transmission, transfer case, driveshaft and rear axle) to stresses that were not tested by GM. These unknown stresses have the potential to alter reliability, durability and emissions performance. GM is identifying an increasing number of engine, transmission and catalytic converter part failures due to non-GM aftermarket calibrations.

As a result, GM has adopted a policy that prevents any unauthorized warranty transaction submissions to any remaining warranty coverage to the powertrain and driveline components whenever the presence of a non-GM calibration is confirmed, even if the non-GM control module calibration is subsequently removed.

TIP: GM requires retrieving the calibration information and performing the calibration verification procedure whenever a hard part failure may have occurred on internal engine components before disassembly, repair or replacement of an engine assembly under warranty. It is also strongly recommended that the calibration verification procedure be performed whenever diagnostics indicate that transmission, transfer case, rear axle or catalytic converter replacement is needed.

If a non-GM calibration is found and verification has taken place through GM, the remaining powertrain and driveline warranty may be blocked and notated in Global Warranty Management (GWM) and the dealership will be notified. This block prevents any unauthorized warranty claim submission."
 
#2 Ā·
olllld news...

not an issue with Diablosport tools... ;)
 
Save
#3 Ā·
I know Diablosport can return to factory calibrations, but that doesn't guarantee there isn't a log of calibration changes somewhere in the vehicles computers. If you read the NEW article posted by GM on 5FEB15 it seems to say they can tell even if you return to factory tune. I don't know if I would trust what Diablosport says or what someone who clearly sells them says.
 
#4 Ā·
nope.. diablo's doesn't.. CVN numbers are not changed/affected, etc.. one of the perks of having an actual GM calibration engineer on your programming staff :)
 
Save
#5 Ā·
I don't know if I would trust what Diablosport says or what someone who clearly sells them says.
Chill dude. Everyone is well aware of how the DiabloSport products operate, what they do to your logs, etc. As with ANY aftermarket part you put on your vehicle, you run the risk of voiding any portion of your warranty. We appreciate your effort to try to enlighten all of us on this, but to go as far as incriminating Lew with that last statement is a little much
 
#6 Ā·
yet he believes everything a dealer tells him about something, like that info meant to intimidate/scare people about reprogramming LOL

he's just misinformed/uneducated about the product... needs to do more research, on how since they started in 2000, no one has ever had any warranty issues, a tune has never been detected after restoring back to stock, dealers have tried to detect flashes after back to stock and couldn't, etc etc... but whatever...
 
Save
#7 Ā·
As an engineer, I am just skeptical they have someone who actually works CURRENTLY on GM staff as an electronics engineer, and also works for Diablosport. If they were a GM employee, they probably are not current anymore. I know the topic is old, but this is new tech link guidance from what I can see. Folks on here need to be made aware of the potential of paying big at the dealer if an engine failure occurs regardless of what a tuner vendor claims he knows from tuner companies.

I am sure you mean well however, and I am not incriminating anyone. I am just skeptical a vendor is going to be unbiased. :cool:
 
#8 Ā·
Well, I know for a fact that one of the forum members here brought his truck to our dealer where he installed YOUR product, it bricked the ECM, and it was detected when I subsequently revived the ECM. The history clearly showed the calibration change.
 
#9 Ā·
obviously it wasn't installed/flashed correctly with that issue, so yeah it could have been...
 
Save
#10 Ā·
I really have a problem with vendors trolling these "Owner" forums. I am happy some actual mechanics and shop owners are on here to level the information out a bit. I am sure the vendors have no ill intentions, but they tend to believe what the aftermarket companies tell them.
 
#11 Ā·
Of course it wasn't done correctly, but it wasn't the customer's fault. It was a fault with the programmer. It was an early 2014 1500.

BTW, we still took care of him and never confronted him about the problem.
 
#12 Ā·
Just keep in mind that we are required to send the required history information to GM prior to doing certain repairs. And there have been times where GM has denied us the ability to do the repair under warranty. Even with Diablo products.
 
#13 Ā·
RagsMatt - just for clarification, is it safe to say that the instances that you are referring to where Diablo product trails are found on the history information, is when the vehicle is brought in and has not been flashed back to stock; due to bricked ECM, or any other reason?
 
#14 Ā·
No, the cases where the warranty was denied the customer had already flashed the vehicle back to stock. The traces of the previous programs were in the ECM and TCM
 
#16 Ā·
Find a good tuner and you'll never have to worry....

Right Lew?

:cool:

I once had a Ford.

The Ford had custom tuning with an SCT device...

A seal in the torque converter went and the truck failed while tuned....

Towed to dealer.... Told them is was tuned....

Tore the tranny out and and was covered under full warranty... Tuning was unrelated the cause. :mrgreen: I heard it come from the lips of the tranny tech at Ford.

Seal failed.
 
#17 Ā·
Even if the Diablo Road was not detectable in the past I am sure gm would alter their ECM to detect and log future changes in different ways in an attempt to keep one step ahead. This would essentially make all previous versions of the tuners detectable. And Diablo would have to update their tuners to get around it once again. This happens all the time in the computer world, think virus and virus protection
 
Save
#18 Ā·
and I've had my guys at my dealer check all 3 of my vehicles, hell they offered to because they wanted to know for themselves - 2006 monte carlo ss, 2012 sierra sle, and my 2014 Camaro 2SS/RS... and nothing could be found on any of them for being previously tuned, heh..
 
Save
#19 Ā·
Is it just your custom tunes you believe are undetectable or are you claiming that both the Diablo canned and your custom tunes are not detectable?

The reason I ask is because I have detected both YOUR tunes (on the 2014 1500) and other Diablo tunes (on other trucks) with no issues at all, heh...
 
#20 Ā·
yes, you can detect when a tune is installed, my dealer techs were able to as well, when it's installed... but after the restore original backup process is done, nothing was detected... if you were able to after that, well then that's a first... first time I ever heard of that... so, good to know..
 
Save
#21 Ā·
In the case of the bricked 2014 1500 ECM, I had to reflash it with the factory tooling to revive the ECM (this was after we already replaced the customer's ECM and sent him on his way). So it was back to stock effectively. Your program had been in there and it showed traces of having been flashed in the history.

In the other cases, the customers had already programmed back to stock. GM requested the history and other data captures and both GM and I were able to see traces the trucks had been programmed.
 
#23 Ā·
so it just showed in the history that a flash was done.. not any particular tune or changes made... so, that history count would increment even with a dealer flash of a GM update, doesn't mean it was tuned with a non-factory calibration.. just shows a flash event...

someone, like me, who has a subscription to GM TIS2WEB could update their own vehicles every time a new GM calibration is updated, to update their vehicles with the new GM stock calibrations, and the history would still show a flash event... but not that it was a non-factory tune installed... The CVN's are not changed...
 
Save
#25 Ā·
06MonteSS said:
so it just showed in the history that a flash was done.. not any particular tune or changes made... so, that history count would increment even with a dealer flash of a GM update, doesn't mean it was tuned with a non-factory calibration.. just shows a flash event...

someone, like me, who has a subscription to GM TIS2WEB could update their own vehicles every time a new GM calibration is updated, to update their vehicles with the new GM stock calibrations, and the history would still show a flash event... but not that it was a non-factory tune installed...
Nope, it showed what calibrations were done and in what order. Also in some cases (Diesels primarily), the traces are not even related to the calibration history, but also the data history.
 
#26 Ā·
right, with the GM stock calibration ID's.. but installing a tune/restoring the original backup does not change the engine calibration ID or the CVN's...
 
Save
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.