Software flash for SQ5

[CARGUYROB]

I have a question that I couldn't find while searching...

I was told that there is a way to get a software flash from one of the manufacturers for the SQ5 that allows one to have the big horsepower boost and then flash the car back to stock using a laptop and the OBDII port....all on your own. This would allow you to bring the car in for service and not display the TD1 code. Is there such a software flash available? If so, who makes it?

I thought all the chip makers required you mail in your whole chip/board and they would mail you one back with the software flash installed. I believe the one exception is being local to one of these software flash providers as you can bring it in with no downtime (most in California).

Thoughts?

Thank you!

[q5 dave]

sounds like you want an EPL tune, they have flash at home service.


FYI- even if you flash back to your stock Audi can and probably will find out.

[poncho@home]

Unitronic offers flash at home as well, but everything I have read, there is no tune, even when returned to stock, that is undetectable by Audi and therefore risk voiding warranty.

There are piggy-back tunes like Chipwerke or others. I went with Chipwerke on my Q5. Results are not as good as a tune, but completely reversible leaving no trace of it, so no warranty issues.

I will go with Unitronic once my warranty expires.

[LINDW4LL]

Unitronic and EPL are the two tuners that allow for home flashing. The other tuners require you to flash at a dealer via OBD2 Port (and you must visit again if you want to flash back to stock prior to dealer visits).

While I suppose you're right about mailing the ECU (if you didn't have a local dealer), I'd guesss that's very rare in reality. Most anyone who lives in a decently sized metro area will have access to APR and/or GIAC- they both have wide dealer networks across the country. GIAC and APR, for example, both have several dealers in the greater Dallas area.

[SQive]

FTW!
And I don't mean for the win.

[CARGUYROB]

Thank you everyone for the speedy feedback.

If you go with a local tuner that can flash via the OBD2 port, could it still be detectable if you flash back before dealer services?

Unitronic and EPL are the two tuners that allow for home flashing. The other tuners require you to flash at a dealer via OBD2 Port (and you must visit again if you want to flash back to stock prior to dealer visits).

While I suppose you're right about mailing the ECU (if you didn't have a local dealer), I'd guesss that's very rare in reality. Most anyone who lives in a decently sized metro area will have access to APR and/or GIAC- they both have wide dealer networks across the country. GIAC and APR, for example, both have several dealers in the greater Dallas area.

[q5 dave]

could it still be detectable if you flash back before dealer services?

Yes

[CARGUYROB]

Well that blows!

Yes

[q5 dave]

It's not that bad. The platform is pretty bulletproof, put some miles on the car to make sure its issue free, then tune and enjoy it

[CARGUYROB]

I have 14K on the car right now. I just figure it could hurt me on trade in value someday with a TD1 code...

It's not that bad. The platform is pretty bulletproof, put some miles on the car to make sure its issue free, then tune and enjoy it

[LW3]

According to Chris at EPL (I am paraphrasing here), when you use their software and flash it to stock, the exact OEM file and stock version is used so it cannot be detected as being altered. Additionally, he said that yes the flash counter may show it has been changed or increased or reset, but the flash counter could be changed anytime any software on the vehicle has been changed or updated, even from an Indy shop so this would not qualify as a flag.

Obviously you should call or email them if you really want to know the details. I am considering their tune, but there doesn't seem to be a lot of people with it on the SQ5 so I am waiting to see how it goes.


You can read more about it here:

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...one-running-it

[LINDW4LL]

I have 14K on the car right now. I just figure it could hurt me on trade in value someday with a TD1 code...

It seems to be quite a rare occurrence that someone would get flagged TD1 after flashing back to stock. But, there are a few cases of it happening to members here on AZ, and Audi is always working on improving detection methods. So, while unlikely, it's not a 100% given that you'll be clear, and you should be prepared to pay if something relevant were to fail.

Personally, I'd still flash back to stock before visiting the dealer, but the flag is not a huge deal if it happens. The 3.0 and ZF are quite reliable anyway. Not much to worry about IMO.

[seanentrust]

I'm not sure why this is so hard for people to understand. Flashing back to stock doesn't help avoid a TD1. The flash counter is 0 from factory. When you tune it shows 1 when you flash back to stock it will still show a 1. This is coming from my frien who runs an APR dealer that there is no way to reset the flash counter to 0. Also the Audi dealer told me that as soon as they plug the car in, even if flashed back to stock and even if they aren't looking, it still knows and can flag it. So you might get lucky and find a dealer who doesn't care but at this point it seems pretty much out of the dealers hands.

[LINDW4LL]

I'm not sure why this is so hard for people to understand. Flashing back to stock doesn't help avoid a TD1. The flash counter is 0 from factory. When you tune it shows 1 when you flash back to stock it will still show a 1. This is coming from my frien who runs an APR dealer that there is no way to reset the flash counter to 0. Also the Audi dealer told me that as soon as they plug the car in, even if flashed back to stock and even if they aren't looking, it still knows and can flag it. So you might get lucky and find a dealer who doesn't care but at this point it seems pretty much out of the dealers hands.

I'll take one out of your playbook- I'm not sure why this is so hard for you to understand, but thousands of people; a large number of which frequent this very forum, have been successfully using the flash back to stock technique for several years without any TD1 flag being added to the car. Audi dealers are required to run the spec/actual ECU check in order for any warranty work to be reimbursed by Audi, so "dealers not caring", or just "not getting scanned" is not a viable possibility.

The fact is, flashing to stock does work in the overwhelming majority of cases. However, nothing is guaranteed, and so you best be prepared to pay to play.

[colby7]

I'm not sure why this is so hard for people to understand. Flashing back to stock doesn't help avoid a TD1. The flash counter is 0 from factory. When you tune it shows 1 when you flash back to stock it will still show a 1. This is coming from my frien who runs an APR dealer that there is no way to reset the flash counter to 0. Also the Audi dealer told me that as soon as they plug the car in, even if flashed back to stock and even if they aren't looking, it still knows and can flag it. So you might get lucky and find a dealer who doesn't care but at this point it seems pretty much out of the dealers hands.

The flash counter has nothing to do with TD1. Tony from EPL explained this a couple months ago.

[S-Fore]

just FYI, per recent conversations and information, not the case anymore...The ECU will apparently record when the engine is operated outside of factory parameters and keeps track etc.... Not from personal experience, just info picked up from reading.

There are piggy-back tunes like Chipwerke or others. I went with Chipwerke on my Q5. Results are not as good as a tune, but completely reversible leaving no trace of it, so no warranty issues.

[sszyma]

Flash and be done with it. Yes, the checksum changes, and certain picky dealers may care. Flash and enjoy all of the new found power!!!! Better yet, get a pulley and spend 2 hours installing it and flash straight to stage 2.

[goblues38]

Unitronic offers flash at home as well, but everything I have read, there is no tune, even when returned to stock, that is undetectable by Audi and therefore risk voiding warranty.

.

just so you know, the way this works is as follows.

There will be a timestamp showing the last time the ECU is flashed. The dealer will look and see, yes....the stock programming is there. But they will know, someone other then them has flashed the ECU. That right there is enough grounds for warranty rejection.

They may or may not look that hard, but that is up to you to take the risk.