Can I buy a second ECU?

[Geno Castellano]

So... Does anyone do this? Has anyone done this? Where do you buy an ECU for a new car?

[b6Hate4]

I had bought a second ECU for my 2002 a4. Best way is search www.car-part.com, get an ecu out of a local junk yark for a fraction of the dealer cost.

Then, contact your local tuner to have it virginized (immobilizer defeated) and your good to go.

[sciblades]

short answer: no, not yet.

[Geno Castellano]

I see, I see... Can anyone predict when ECUs may be available? I'm really curious. I think this is pretty important considering this new coding system the dealers have that automatically kill your warranty (or so I hear) without even anything breaking...

[kiku]

You can order one just like you can order any part of any car. Problem is that you'll be paying a hefty price.

[sciblades]

You can order one just like you can order any part of any car. Problem is that you'll be paying a hefty price.

It is not that expensive, the issue as stated before is the only one who can code it to your car is the dealer unless some one comes with an immobizer defeat.



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[TheChef]

this new coding system the dealers have that automatically kill your warranty (or so I hear) without even anything breaking...

...this is flat out WRONG. Do some research on the "TD1" code and how a car is flagged with it....its NOT automatic and anyone telling you this is flat out lying or doesn't know what they are talking about.

[Geno Castellano]

...this is flat out WRONG. Do some research on the "TD1" code and how a car is flagged with it....its NOT automatic and anyone telling you this is flat out lying or doesn't know what they are talking about.

I've read that every Audi taken to an Audi dealership is scanned for ECU changes automatically and marked TD1 accordingly...

[gatorguy]

I've read that every Audi taken to an Audi dealership is scanned for ECU changes automatically and marked TD1 accordingly...

If the ECU is scanned then it will be marked TD1 but not every car is scanned. Most of the time my car has not been scanned.

[TheChef]

I've read that every Audi taken to an Audi dealership is scanned for ECU changes automatically and marked TD1 accordingly...

Wrong.

[Dr Chill]

Anyone can order a new ECU from the dealer and have them code it to your car. If you do this before the car gets flashed, you can get one ECU flashed and have it to swap back in the car when it goes to the dealer for service or warranty work.

The real question is can APR/GIAC/Unitronic clone the ECU in the car onto the new one and then put their tune on one of them, and avoid the dealer completely.

Best price I see online is $1200.

[$lick]

also wondering if GIAC tune can be flashed on and flashed off at will (meaning at home or w/o having to visit authorized dealer/tuner) using the Flashloader with out the dealer being able to know...?

[Dr Chill]

also wondering if GIAC tune can be flashed on and flashed off at will (meaning at home or w/o having to visit authorized dealer/tuner) using the Flashloader with out the dealer being able to know...?

No.

[$lick]

No.

damn it.... there's gotta be a way around this... there's gotta be a way to out smart the dealer and not let them void warranties for a simple tune. hopefully someone out there much smarter than me can figure out a solution

ps, your avatar is extremely distracting

[Dr Chill]

This will get you back on track.

[sciblades]

damn it.... there's gotta be a way around this... there's gotta be a way to out smart the dealer and not let them void warranties for a simple tune. hopefully someone out there much smarter than me can figure out a solution

ps, your avatar is extremely distracting

That is not 100 percent true you can be flashed to stock and be fine, for all updates (the updates flag you td1) the issue is if you have had a catastrophic failure Audi would know the main culprit will be the mechatronic which stores tq info so if they dig a bit deeper they will know your car made more power then it should.

With all that said a stage 1 or stage 2 tune will 98% of the time have a catastrophic failure due to the lack of stress it puts on the car. So long story short if you got flashed back to stock you would then have to bench flash again every time to get reflashed, your shop will not love you but it can be done back to stock every time you went to the dealer and with a basic read they will never know you were tuned. If they dig deeper aka connecting to aoa for something bigger they will see.

Hope that isn't too confusing. Also a td1 car still is entitled to audi care maintenance, they just won't fix your tranny if it pops. Once again no one is putting down enough power to pop a clutch pack yet.

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[$lick]

That is not 100 percent true you can be flashed to stock and be fine, for all updates (the updates flag you td1) the issue is if you have had a catastrophic failure Audi would know the main culprit will be the mechatronic which stores tq info so if they dig a bit deeper they will know your car made more power then it should.

With all that said a stage 1 or stage 2 tune will 98% of the time have a catastrophic failure due to the lack of stress it puts on the car. So long story short if you got flashed back to stock you would then have to bench flash again every time to get reflashed, your shop will not love you but it can be done back to stock every time you went to the dealer and with a basic read they will never know you were tuned. If they dig deeper aka connecting to aoa for something bigger they will see.

Hope that isn't too confusing. Also a td1 car still is entitled to audi care maintenance, they just won't fix your tranny if it pops. Once again no one is putting down enough power to pop a clutch pack yet.

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Is the data for the mechatronic unit stored in the ecu or a separate unit? reason im asking is if someone eventually figures out how to successfully swap ecus, will the dealer be able to see mechatronic unit data for the entire life span of the car or just what is on the ecu (stock or tuned)

[sciblades]

Is the data for the mechatronic unit stored in the ecu or a separate unit? reason im asking is if someone eventually figures out how to successfully swap ecus, will the dealer be able to see mechatronic unit data for the entire life span of the car or just what is on the ecu (stock or tuned)

Each module stores data, when you hook up vag com to 02 trans that is the mechatronic unit you are talking to.

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