plan to tune but have a question

[SuperSport2011]

I plan on doing a full tune including taking afm off. I went to my dealership and told them my plans and asked will this effect my warranty. The head guy told me it's a grey area, my warranty won't be voided but if it's the cause of the damage then it's a different story for most dealerships. He also said that here at the dealership they like business and if you get any problems just take the tune out, bring the vehicle in and we'll turn a shoulder. He also finished by saying go out and enjoy your car get the tune!!! Few hours later I went into a tune shop he gave me a price for a full tune and I asked him can this tune be reversed? He said yea for a small fee. My question is if it does get reversed can the tune be traced somehow? Would you risk it with the situation that I'm in? And why do people say once you get a tune you're warranty is instantly gone when it can be reversed?

[daveagogo1]

Yes it can and will be traced if you have a major powertrain failure. The dealer will have to send a snapshot to GM. GM will see the flash counter and most likely deem your warranty void and blacklist it.

The SS has a flash counter so they know how many times it has been flashed.


Now that doesn't mean the dealer won't make some repairs or honor warranty on some things but, the dealer isn't going to eat the cost of a major repair if GM denies the warranty. GM will most certainly deny a major warranty repair if they find any tune or even that it has been flashed previously with anything other than the stock tune.

[SuperSport2011]

So they'll even blacklist it even if the tune had nothing to do with the damage.

[RollaMo]

Originally Posted by SuperSport2011

So they'll even blacklist it even if the tune had nothing to do with the damage.

It will come down to what is damaged.
If you have an issue with anything to do with the Power Train (engine, tranny, rear differential, etc) then you could have issues.

When something major breaks, GM will "probably" request the data be sent to them.
If your car has been tuned, it will show in this data (even if you return to stock before taking it in).
Once GM sees the tune, they will refuse to pay for any damage.

Reason: A tune "might" allow the car to operate outside the designed parameters for durability. End of case, they will win every time.

If you have a minor issue, the dealer "might" get away with submitting the request for coverage without having to send any computer data.
This is where some of the "good" dealers can be on your side.

But for a major repair bill, that same dealer is not going to be much help if GM requests the computer data. And GM will request that data before authorizing the repair.

Warranty coverage is approved/denied by GM, not your dealer.

[One-Bad-ZL1]

I don't have a tune yet, but I did just come back from the dealer for the A/C Recall and they noticed my non-stock exhaust. Now I got the wink from the service attendant and told me he didn't care, but if I needed to come in for warrantee work, that I should have my original exhaust on it.

Not sure why this would make a difference, since the ZL1 is the same block with beefier exhaust and is warranteed. I don't expect them to warranty the aftermarket exhaust, I have lifetime warranty from the manufacture, but I would still expect the car to be able to easily handle it. Sounds like nonsense.

On the tuning issue, I assume the reprogramming of my car for the A/C issue just forced a flash so I'm plus one now. How would GM know what the car was flashed for? Food for thought.

[daveagogo1]

GM has a much better system in place than everything falls of the rails because your dealer performed a reprogram for A/C. Information is stored in different places and records kept of what was flashed and why.

It isn't the end all be all of things but, basically if you get a tune yes it will be found if major warranty work is needed on the powertrain and GM will most likely deny it. The dealers hands are tied.

Lastly, GM knows exactly what your car was flashed for because the dealer has to get the flash from GM. Example. I order a car with no steering wheel controls. I later buy the part and install it. It won't work because the dealer must reprogram for it to work. You bring it in to dealer. Dealer submits a request to GM. GM supplies the flash for $50. Dealer charges you roughly $90 to flash your car to make it work. $50 for GM fee and $40 for delaer fee.

There is now a record that your car has functioning wheel controls authorized by GM.

Hope this all makes sense.