Anyone had problems after a remap?

[Naresh]

I just wanted to get an idea from those of you who have had a stage 1 remap done (or beyond) on a TDi and went on to experience engine related problems. I've had stage 1 ECU map carried out recently only for the engine to develop a knocking noise after only 70 miles of driving. The car is being stripped as we speak and the tuner isn't accepting any responsibility but I'm very dubious considering the car ran perfect before the map and this problem started so soon afterwards. The car was only serviced 2 months ago.

What exactly is altered on the map that could have contributed to the knocking noise? My guess is something related to ignition timing causing the igniters to fail but I'm no expert in that field so would like to hear from anyone else on the matter.

[Transporter]

What brand of the tune do you have?

[Naresh]

What brand of the tune do you have?

I didn't go with any of the big names like Revo and APR but used another company here in the UK who's name I won't mention unless necessary but the fact his my car is still in the workshop almost a week later but they are pointing at the remap for the root cause of the noise.

This is how it sounded 100 miles after the remap...............

Tiguan Knocking - YouTube

[Transporter]

Fair enough.

[Tom87]

Sorry to hear of your woes. This is one of the things that would stop me from getting a tune from a company which doesn't have a name to uphold.

A mate of mine got his R32 GT-R tuned a while ago and blew the bottom end about 100km later. Of course it was an older, higher performance vehicle but it probably would have gone alot longer before it spat everything out if it hadn't have been tuned.

[tigger73]

Bugger. Can you get the tune removed? I'd be doing this and seeing if the sound was still there.

[Naresh]

I did think that but as the tuner was over 50 miles away I didn't want to run the risk of damaging the engine any further. So took it into VW who were 4 miles away. I asked them to reflash the ECU there but was told that any engine update on an ECU that has already been mapped could kill it so I'd be looking at a possible new ECU as well.

[tigger73]

...and are VW saying it was due to the tune?

So what is the tuner saying about it?

[Naresh]

...and are VW saying it was due to the tune? Yes, that's why they won't pay out under warranty. They same for this failure to occur so soon after the map is prime reason for the state of my engine!

So what is the tuner saying about it?

Did not comment on my detailed email earlier outlining the damage for the repair estimate. He just pointed me to his terms and conditions saying that they "do not offer warranty on any modified vehicles". That could be said about ANY tuner on the planet though. It says nothing about screwing up someone's engine and getting away with it! With his response I may as well just lube up and bend over!

[tigger73]

Did not comment on my detailed email earlier outlining the damage for the repair estimate. He just pointed me to his terms and conditions saying that they "do not offer warranty on any modified vehicles". That could be said about ANY tuner on the planet though. It says nothing about screwing up someone's engine and getting away with it! With his response I may as well just lube up and bend over!

Did you point out the fact that he was the one that performed the modification?

So what is the tuner suggesting your course of action is now given your engine is in pieces at VW dealer?

Not sure what sort of consumer law you have in he UK, however there's surely a case for faulty workmanship or something.

Given the reliability of the diesel enginers you'd have to be really unlucky to have an engine failure at 20k miles. And given VW have found you have tuned it this is their out friom warranty repair. You'd have to prove that it wasn't the tune which caused the damage to get it repaired under warranty. Though sounds like there may have been something seriously wrong with the tune - not sure how you would find this out now...

Does the tuner have any log files or record of how the vehicle was running "within spec" once the tune was put on? If he has then you could take this back to VW and ask them how the damage could have occurred. If not then you could ping the tuner for failing his duty of care to ensure the tune was 100% when it left his workshop.

Not sure how much the repair bill at VW dealer is up to at present, however if there's no hope of getting VW to pay up then I'd be looking at options from independent workshops to do the repair work.

Are there no reports of this type of engine failure on non-tuned 140TDI's anywhere? I'd be looking everywhere to try and find if anyone else has had this type of failure so that you could at least get VW to agree that it is possible (although maybe not probable). Even if you can get them to take aprt blame this is better than nothing. Then if you can get the same out of tuner and maybe you will be left having to stump up the difference this may be the best outcome you can get.

Also I'd be asking the tuner what he's going to do so that you don't feeel the urge to shame him on every VW forum you can find... I mean just as a community service kind of thing/warning for other forum members of the tuners lack of response/customer service once there's a problem and after he's got your $.

Most tuners here are very concerned about keeping a squeaky clean image online as they know it could potentially cripple thier business.

I think this is the worst nightmare for anyone with a tune..... VW negative response and tuner wiping hands of responsibility.

Best of luck sorting it out.