Flash handheld like COBB?

[FBO 335i]

Just traded my 335i for B8 S4 and love the car.

Noob question, is there a handheld flash loader for the S4? When I had the 335i, I had a Cobb tune and loved the fact I can flash a tune at the convenience of my home and uninstall at anytime to stock tune before I visit a dealer.

It was nice to datalog as well with the handheld.

Is there anything like that with the S4 platform?

Thanks.

[theswoleguy]

I think GIAC is the only one that does that, or least they use to on the older VW tunes. They had the option to flash stock, 91, 93 and race IIRC but i think it still required you to get the GIAC CHIP installed. I may be wrong.

[essfour]

Revo

[Stubek]

APR loads the ECU with up to four programs and you can use the button on the cruise control stock to change between them. Most people get Stock, Valet, 100 Oct, and 91/93 oct depending on what is available where you live.
Before you get a flash, if your car is under warranty, look up TD1 on this forum

[well_armed]

NOBODY does this exact thing for Audi.

All tuners require you to take it into a shop or send away for a "bench" flash.

<--- Misses his Cobb tuned WRX

[drkstrA4]

GIAC Flashloader. I have it. Works great for switching between pump, race, stock, valet, etc.

[helix139]

No tuners currently offer a handheld tune. All require the ECU to be bench flashed. You can, however, flash back to stock through the OBD port, and switch maps using either a handheld device or the cruise control stalk, depending on the tuner. Note that switching to the stock map is not the same as flashing back to stock and will be detected by AoA if you take your car in for service and it is connected to the computer.

[FBO 335i]

Thanks everyone for the knowledge! I'll have to look at the other tunes available for this car or might have to hit up COBB to see if they can work on our S4's! [;)]

[fezz93]

Lol, I miss my Cobb ap aswell so ask them for me too

[QuattroLife]

I believe the main reason that the tuners of the VW/Audi aftermarket do not want to sell their devices that actually bypass the bank level security found in our ECU's. When a tuner is first to market their tune.. they could monopolize the platform since they would be the only ones available to mess with the DME.

In other words.. knowledge is power (or money).

IIRC, the cars that COBB tunes (Mazda/Mitsubishi/Subaru/Nissan/BMW) do not have very hard security.