APR Tune and Pulley removal for service appointment???

[db12]

Approaching my 25,000 service appointment and aside from flashing back to factory settings (so to speak), has anyone also gone to the trouble of re-installing the factory pulley to avoid TD1? Or is it not worth the hassle and just hope for the best.

Thanks!

[GRUMPY-S4]

Not worth the hassle. Only time I would do it is if u had an engine warranty claim

[justr0]

The 25000 service is a joke lol, not worth all this removal work. Basically an oil change. And some fluid/brake inspection. Any obvious bolt on mods would have to be manually flagged as TD1. So if ur service mgr is a dbag, ur screwed...just try a different dealer. I feel it's better to tell them what mods u have, usually they don't bother u if your ECU is untouched.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[DBL R]

The 25000 service is a joke lol, not worth all this removal work. Basically an oil change. And some fluid/brake inspection. Any obvious bolt on mods would have to be manually flagged as TD1. So if ur service mgr is a dbag, ur screwed...just try a different dealer. I feel it's better to tell them what mods u have, usually they don't bother u if your ECU is untouched.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

You can believe in the practices you want, but self incrimination is not something I would do. If they want to look for mods they have every right, but I'm not going to do their job for them. Just like if I were to get pulled over, "hello officer, may I ask why you pulled me over?".... I wouldn't divulge every instance of 1mph over the posted speed limit.....

[creativecody]

Get the ECU flashed back to stock software. Leave the aftermarket pulley in place. There is no way to know that the pulley is aftermarket unless they removed the front grill and bumper and removed the pulley and measured it. It looks identical. Just flash back to stock ECU software and you'll avoid TD1. The ECU flashing gets detected by hooking your car up to their computer....it has nothing to do with the dealer itself. If they hook up your car with the APR software still installed it'll be flagged by Audi Headquarters.

[justr0]

True, but I guess it depends on your relationship with the service manager as well. In my case I do and it works in my favor.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[creativecody]

I think there is a lot of mis-information about this topic. REGARDLESS if your service manager is cool with an ECU tune.....if you go to the dealer with a tune and they plug your car into the computer you WILL be flagged TD1 by Audi North America. Now, if you personally know the service tech and they know your tuned you just have to tell them to not hook up your car to the computer. The TD1 flagging gets done automatically on Audi's end.....not manually by the service tech. The only manual TD1 flagging gets done by dealers that aren't cool with things like exhaust, intake and other bolt ons. In my experience just flash the car back to stock software then take the car in for service. It's a small price to pay for tuning your car. Or, just find a local independent shop to work on your car.

[justr0]

I think there is a lot of mis-information about this topic. REGARDLESS if your service manager is cool with an ECU tune.....if you go to the dealer with a tune and they plug your car into the computer you WILL be flagged TD1 by Audi North America. Now, if you personally know the service tech and they know your tuned you just have to tell them to not hook up your car to the computer. The TD1 flagging gets done automatically on Audi's end.....not manually by the service tech. The only manual TD1 flagging gets done by dealers that aren't cool with things like exhaust, intake and other bolt ons. In my experience just flash the car back to stock software then take the car in for service. It's a small price to pay for tuning your car. Or, just find a local independent shop to work on your car.

+1

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[Scumbucket]

I just had my 15k service done. I have an ODB lock on my car. No one ever called me to ask about a key. So they never even plugged it in. All they do is an oil and filter change. They didn't even fill up my washer fluid.

[roydle]

I think there is a lot of mis-information about this topic. REGARDLESS if your service manager is cool with an ECU tune.....if you go to the dealer with a tune and they plug your car into the computer you WILL be flagged TD1 by Audi North America. Now, if you personally know the service tech and they know your tuned you just have to tell them to not hook up your car to the computer. The TD1 flagging gets done automatically on Audi's end.....not manually by the service tech. The only manual TD1 flagging gets done by dealers that aren't cool with things like exhaust, intake and other bolt ons. In my experience just flash the car back to stock software then take the car in for service. It's a small price to pay for tuning your car. Or, just find a local independent shop to work on your car.

As to my understanding, even if you flash the car back to stock the computer will detect it. So what is the point of flashing back to stock if the computer will still flag you?

[TexasDfwS4]

As to my understanding, even if you flash the car back to stock the computer will detect it. So what is the point of flashing back to stock if the computer will still flag you?

So some idiot car washer/tech joyriding that the point.

[creativecody]

As to my understanding, even if you flash the car back to stock the computer will detect it. So what is the point of flashing back to stock if the computer will still flag you?

Not true. I've flashed back a few times and have never been flagged TD1 and my car was plugged into the computer system at the Audi dealer. Also...another mis-understanding that gets people confused is "flashing back to stock". I don't mean putting the car on the stock map (for those B8 people that have program switching). You must have your tuning shop replace the APR software with the stock software file. If you have a B8 with program switching and simply put the car on the stock map Audi can detect the new software and will flag you TD1.

[14S4GWM]

So some idiot car washer/tech joyriding that the point.

You shouldn't let them wash your car. The tech is a different story though.

[db12]

Not true. I've flashed back a few times and have never been flagged TD1 and my car was plugged into the computer system at the Audi dealer. Also...another mis-understanding that gets people confused is "flashing back to stock". I don't mean putting the car on the stock map (for those B8 people that have program switching). You must have your tuning shop replace the APR software with the stock software file. If you have a B8 with program switching and simply put the car on the stock map Audi can detect the new software and will flag you TD1.

Even program switching never got flagged on my previous A5. Had it in for service appointments multiple times and was never flagged.

[Jimmy ny]

I just had my 15k service done. I have an ODB lock on my car. No one ever called me to ask about a key. So they never even plugged it in. All they do is an oil and filter change. They didn't even fill up my washer fluid.

Where do you get this OBD lock?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[slowbmw]

I think there is a lot of mis-information about this topic. REGARDLESS if your service manager is cool with an ECU tune.....if you go to the dealer with a tune and they plug your car into the computer you WILL be flagged TD1 by Audi North America. Now, if you personally know the service tech and they know your tuned you just have to tell them to not hook up your car to the computer. The TD1 flagging gets done automatically on Audi's end.....not manually by the service tech. The only manual TD1 flagging gets done by dealers that aren't cool with things like exhaust, intake and other bolt ons. In my experience just flash the car back to stock software then take the car in for service. It's a small price to pay for tuning your car. Or, just find a local independent shop to work on your car.

I do not believe that your comment of "you WILL be flagged TDI" is accurate. There are many members on here that get their service done at an Audi dealer with STG1 &2 tunes on their car with no issues. I, myself am one of those people. Car has been in for 15k and 25k services with APR STG1, and other mods. Haven't had one single issue.

[bhvrdr]

I do not believe that your comment of "you WILL be flagged TDI" is accurate. There are many members on here that get their service done at an Audi dealer with STG1 &2 tunes on their car with no issues. I, myself am one of those people. Car has been in for 15k and 25k services with APR STG1, and other mods. Haven't had one single issue.

The car has to be plugged into the diagnostic computer and a GFF needs to be initialized for the spec vs actual scan to be run as far as I know. Many routine service appointments would not call for this. Even some warranty repairs may not necessarily call for this (im thinking dash squeak or something). The problem is, you never know when they may plug the car into the computer. AofA sent out a letter to dealerships asking that they do this at ALL visits...even routine maintenance. Now I imagine the compliance rate is dismal for that. Most importantly, it takes extra time and in the auto service industry, time is really money. Some dealerships are also very customer service oriented and claim to not plug the car in without letting the customer know. The issue is that you just never know when some single tech is going to plug it in. If your car is in their hands, it could happen. One forum member brought his car in for some benign service and they ended up finding cylinder scoring and replacing his engine. If he had just figured on leaving the program on the car because it was a routine maintenance, he may have been SOL. Just flash the car back to stock :)

Mike

[klquattro]

Not to hijack the thread but I am pretty cautious on playing warranty roulette on a brand new car but if you flashed to STG1 or 2 and then flashed back to stock before an appointment, to flash back to STG1 or 2 (whatever you were initially) would you have to pay the full price again or just the labor cost?

[14S4GWM]

Not to hijack the thread but I am pretty cautious on playing warranty roulette on a brand new car but if you flashed to STG1 or 2 and then flashed back to stock before an appointment, to flash back to STG1 or 2 (whatever you were initially) would you have to pay the full price again or just the labor cost?

Just the labor rate but some places don't charge at all. You could flash from home for free with some vendors.

[creativecody]

The car has to be plugged into the diagnostic computer and a GFF needs to be initialized for the spec vs actual scan to be run as far as I know. Many routine service appointments would not call for this. Even some warranty repairs may not necessarily call for this (im thinking dash squeak or something). The problem is, you never know when they may plug the car into the computer. AofA sent out a letter to dealerships asking that they do this at ALL visits...even routine maintenance. Now I imagine the compliance rate is dismal for that. Most importantly, it takes extra time and in the auto service industry, time is really money. Some dealerships are also very customer service oriented and claim to not plug the car in without letting the customer know. The issue is that you just never know when some single tech is going to plug it in. If your car is in their hands, it could happen. One forum member brought his car in for some benign service and they ended up finding cylinder scoring and replacing his engine. If he had just figured on leaving the program on the car because it was a routine maintenance, he may have been SOL. Just flash the car back to stock :)

Mike

+1 to all of this. It's a roll of the dice if you take your car to the dealer with the tune on the car. They may or may not hook it up to the diagnostic computer. If they do then the tune is detected. If they don't hook your car up to the computer then you'd be fine.

[GRUMPY-S4]

I just had my 15k service done. I have an ODB lock on my car. No one ever called me to ask about a key. So they never even plugged it in. All they do is an oil and filter change. They didn't even fill up my washer fluid.

Where did you get the lock?

[dyl0n]

Do the car feel any different when the car is driven with the pulley but no tune? Or does the car just simply open the bypass more?