Tracing where and when remapping done
Discussion
stevieturbo said:
I would be surprised if you can ?
And I would be surprised if they can state the same ?
Units log when they are reprogrammed, especially VAG, but the Date Time is taken from the infotainment so cannot be guaranteed as it will not be a secure time source.And I would be surprised if they can state the same ?
They will also know the either the expected checksum of the tune or the tune content and will be able to compare to what is expected.
They're supposed to check for tuning as the very first part of the used car check in the workshop.
Run the diag scan then VAG have even helpfully provided a test plan to check for remaps. So it would be a pretty poor show for them to have not done so. Having said that, I've found a couple that have slipped through the net from other sites.
On the system it should tell them the change date when it was registered as not being standard anymore. This isn't the date it was remapped, but when it was noted on the system as being tuned.
So if it was remapped 6 months ago and not been into a dealers since, it would show the change date as the date when the diag log was sent online and the factory has flagged it as a modified vehicle.
Run the diag scan then VAG have even helpfully provided a test plan to check for remaps. So it would be a pretty poor show for them to have not done so. Having said that, I've found a couple that have slipped through the net from other sites.
On the system it should tell them the change date when it was registered as not being standard anymore. This isn't the date it was remapped, but when it was noted on the system as being tuned.
So if it was remapped 6 months ago and not been into a dealers since, it would show the change date as the date when the diag log was sent online and the factory has flagged it as a modified vehicle.
Thanks to everyone for the posts! Ive now got the the bottom of it so anyone with a similar issue...…
I was sold the car by an independent dealer as coming with a remaining 6 month Audi warranty -then the gearbox blew after 3 months. The dealer provided "proof" that it was remapped after I bought it (it wasn't) by quoting that Audi had found it was remapped on Jan 11.
Danskoda was right, that date was proven not to be the remap date but simply the date when Audi's system recognised an ecu change - 7 days after the dealer put it into Audi for an oil service. I went back to Audi and asked them to review the date from the 4 Jan service : applying different software they identified that the code had already changed on the ecu when the service was done - so the remap was done some time between Nov 2016 when it was previously serviced and Jan 18.
It doesn't bring the warranty back but it does mean I can make a claim against the seller for repair or replacement of the vehicle at no cost.
Worth pushing!
I was sold the car by an independent dealer as coming with a remaining 6 month Audi warranty -then the gearbox blew after 3 months. The dealer provided "proof" that it was remapped after I bought it (it wasn't) by quoting that Audi had found it was remapped on Jan 11.
Danskoda was right, that date was proven not to be the remap date but simply the date when Audi's system recognised an ecu change - 7 days after the dealer put it into Audi for an oil service. I went back to Audi and asked them to review the date from the 4 Jan service : applying different software they identified that the code had already changed on the ecu when the service was done - so the remap was done some time between Nov 2016 when it was previously serviced and Jan 18.
It doesn't bring the warranty back but it does mean I can make a claim against the seller for repair or replacement of the vehicle at no cost.
Worth pushing!
DanSkoda said:
They're supposed to check for tuning as the very first part of the used car check in the workshop.
Thanks - very happy to stand corrected on that 
I guess we tend to read more about ones that have slipped through the net and leave the new owner with a headache...Out of interest, what happens if it's found to be mapped or otherwise modded? Simply reverted to standard and resold with full warranty, or something more complicated? Any possible comeback against the previous owner?
For Audi if the code ends in H it’s untouched, X means it’s renapped and there is a third code for those that have been mapped and then reset to again factory (think that’s T99) - in both of the last 2 cases the warranty is invalidated.
If you buy a car on the clear understanding it’s under manufacturer warranty and then find it’s not, that’s in breach of Sec9,10&11 of the Consumers Rights Act 2015 and the seller must repair at no cost or agree to refund and replace.
The seller is within their rights to go up the chain though and seek compensation from whoever sold the car to them if they didn’t declare it when asked.
If you buy a car on the clear understanding it’s under manufacturer warranty and then find it’s not, that’s in breach of Sec9,10&11 of the Consumers Rights Act 2015 and the seller must repair at no cost or agree to refund and replace.
The seller is within their rights to go up the chain though and seek compensation from whoever sold the car to them if they didn’t declare it when asked.
Mylesr said:
A count of what?
How many times it's been changed or reset. Lots of people you say you can put the car back on a standard map but the maps that are provided are never 'OE maps' and there will always be the count of how many times it's been changed.
I think thats what he means anyway.
ashleyman said:
How many times it's been changed or reset.
Lots of people you say you can put the car back on a standard map but the maps that are provided are never 'OE maps' and there will always be the count of how many times it's been changed.
I think thats what he means anyway.
YesLots of people you say you can put the car back on a standard map but the maps that are provided are never 'OE maps' and there will always be the count of how many times it's been changed.
I think thats what he means anyway.
silentbrown said:
Thanks - very happy to stand corrected on that I guess we tend to read more about ones that have slipped through the net and leave the new owner with a headache...
Out of interest, what happens if it's found to be mapped or otherwise modded? Simply reverted to standard and resold with full warranty, or something more complicated? Any possible comeback against the previous owner?
Not sure about come back on the previous owners, but as soon as tuning is discovered all work stops, vehicle is kicked out the workshop and sent to auction. We can't put a stock map back on it, it'll always show as a modified vehicle and the warranty wouldn't be worth a jot. I guess we tend to read more about ones that have slipped through the net and leave the new owner with a headache...Out of interest, what happens if it's found to be mapped or otherwise modded? Simply reverted to standard and resold with full warranty, or something more complicated? Any possible comeback against the previous owner?
We've had it in the past where we've had a car transfered from another site all ready prep'd, the customer has been en-route to pick their new secondhand car up and when I've been to fuel it I've noticed it feeling a bit more lively than it should.
Pulled it into the workshop and discovered it's been played with.
That went down really well as the guy was driving for 3hours to get to us, only to be told when 20mins away he can't have the car as the other dealer hasn't done the proper checks!
It's usually the RS/S models and the TDI lumps that get remapped. No one seems to bother with the smaller petrol engines.
DanSkoda said:
...As tuning is discovered all work stops, vehicle is kicked out the workshop and sent to auction.
That makes complete sense, though. I'm always wary of cars under 3 years old being sold by outside the dealer network, and I guess this reinforces that opinion!
If you're buying a car in or taking a p/ex can you run a check on warranty status from the VIN before making an offer?
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