How dangerous is it to actually get a tune?

[ZBoater]

Would it even be worth going back to the stock tune if the dealership can so easily tell it's been changed? And thank you all, have there been any serious problems with our engines or transmissions where they would need to be fixed so extensively?

Yes, there is always a chance the dealer may need to reflash your ECU for some reason, and you don't want to be tuned when that happens. It causes all manner of problem with your tuner. It can be corrected, but its a pain.

Best to put it back to stock when you take it back in. Do it a few days before you need to take it in, so a few regular drive cycles between the time you reflash stock and you take it in.

I bought a "Do not flash" cover for my OBD port that I intend to use soon. As soon as I don't care anymore whether they find out or not I will leave it tuned and cover the OBD port with that. If they ask, then we can have the conversation. For now I will play along and revert back to stock like a good boy. Not that it matters, I just want to avoid that conversation right now.

 

[spirit]

Its been said before --- I just can't imagine driving my truck without the tuner, mid--perch, exhaust and CAI. I had those mods done at one time and when I stepped into my truck afterwards, it was a new and better truck. The truck really should have been designed this way from the start, in my opinion.

 

[Chris's FX4]

Would it even be worth going back to the stock tune if the dealership can so easily tell it's been changed? And thank you all, have there been any serious problems with our engines or transmissions where they would need to be fixed so extensively?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just to be safe, I would set it to back to stock when the truck goes into the dealer. I do that with mine and they haven't said a thing about, granted my dealer does deal with a lot of heavily modified vehicles.

Different motor for me but I've been running 5 Star tunes for about 1.5 years, or 18,000 miles, with no issues on my 5.0L. I also have an extended warranty and I am worried just a little should something happen, but its just a hell of lot more fun to drive the truck with a tune.

 

[Deleted member 12951]

Well if you think about it, for those that get the Roush Raptor brand new from the dealer, it is tuned and the dealer knows it (well should know). It provides the 3yr/36k mile warranty with no affect to your bumper-to-bumper warranty. And the dealer during your visit with the finance guy will try to sell you a Ford ESP warranty to add on to that to cover you for 100k+ miles. So if a tune was so bad and dangerous with the concept that a tune could cost you dearly down the road, then shouldn't a dealer not be selling ESP's on Roush packages?

I was concerned about the same thing and even asked my dealer how they were about tunes. Got the canned response that anything that alters the factory settings can or cannot void the warranty to what that change affected. I purchased a tuner anyways and just like others will deal with it later.

 

[pat247]

ZBoater hit the nail on the head in his response, the main reason to return the tune to stock is to avoid being locked out of the tuner in the event the dealer performs an update to the PCM or BCM. I tuned my truck knowing it could possibly void parts of my warranty and I will cross that bridge when I come to it. I have no regrets thus far for tuning my truck.

 

[suprspinner]

does it really change the truck that dramatically?

 

[OrangeAddict]

does it really change the truck that dramatically?

In one short word. Yes. The truck behaves much differently with a tune.

 

[suprspinner]

Does it actually make the truck quicker or just feel quicker?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Deleted member 12951]

HP and Torque is off because can't change weight. I believe this is the 87 Performance (5Star). Currently running the 93 but haven't tested it yet.

 

[skyscraper]

Fwiw... I have a dodge that had a tune on it for 3 years, I brought it into the dealership for reflash due to some smog issues and the diesel tech said that even though he knows there's a tune (it's way out of warranty plus the tuner is visible in the cab, I had no reason to hide it) his computer did not show any evidence of it. Weird. So unless something happens and they are looking for reasons to deny warranty, I don't think they will always automatically see it right away if you reverted back to stock.