RedZR

I do not mean to beat a dead horse, but I have been awaiting Diablo's release for the 2008 LS3 but after reading this I do not want to risk my warranty over a few more ponies.

http://corvettemechanic.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2066


Dan

DarkMastyr

yeah I'm totally behind GM on this one. no car should still have its warranty after it's had its ecu mucked around with. yes most people get great tunes, but push the tune a bit too far and that's all it takes to pop the engine.

'06 Quicksilver Z06

You are a smart man.

If you don't want to jeopardize your 5 year/100,000 mile powertrain warranty, then stay away from such modifications. Its as simple as that.

SpinMonster

I'm still trying to figure out why warranty-leave-it-stock guys hang out in the tech section preaching not doing mods.

99.9 percent of people run around with mods and get repairs in the rare event of a failure which isnt common. I consider it the cost of owning a modded car. Lamborghini owners have their 7500 dollar tune ups every 15k miles and modded vettes have an ocasional 2k repair item. Get a slush fund going. For the record I had a H/C gear, header, and a nitrous system in my car and the tech's at RAMP chevy in NY did get me a replacement seat heater control module that was installed with me standing there all covered under warranty. The didnt come running out with a TECH2 to see what I did to the car. I was getting all sorts of compliments while the fixed my car under warranty.

Some dealerships install mods. RAMP installs MAG superchargers, headers, tunes with HPtuners, and regears cars while maintaining the factory warranty. Expect Lingenfelter pricing but then again you can sleep nice at night with a copy of your warranty framed on the table next to your bed. For those in range, get the car from a dealer that does such things.

The last issue is that extended warranties have an advantage all their own. I have seen many cars get repairs done with upgrades such as a forged motor to repalce a blown one that had a S/C on it. I have seen rear diffs get replaced with 4.10 rear diffs under warranty. Many tuners can perform warranty repairs like this and you get the upgraded parts. Call arond and see the real deal before bashing things that you dont know about. Modded cars most certtainly do get repairs done under warranty. Plan ahead. The things you get done have a warranty from the tuner that did them. The repairs are done by them and there isnt an issue. If your car is a replacement daily driver for your previous honda and you cant have extended amounts of time to devote to speacial care modded cars get, dont mod. The end result is that no super high performance car can be the most reliable daily driver. A 600hp ferarri wont fair well as a daily driver, nor should it be expected to be. If the car is a weekend toy, dont fear mods.

Dave O

with Spin. I can't believe some people are so afraid of getting a tune from a reputable tuner. I have yet to hear of anyone being denied warranty service because of one (on a stock Vette). If we had rampant GM warranty denials because of a tune, you can be darn sure we would be hearing about it on the forum.

VET4LES

SpinMonster

I have yet to ever hear of anyone losing an engine over a tune on a mildly modded car. The only application would be forced induction where you dont know what you're doing. There isnt some thin line that gets crossed where the next timing degree grenades an engine. You have to be pretty bad at tuning to do any damage at all. Not tuning a/f with a wideband and being too lean at WOT would be one way and handicapping the PCM's ability to pull timing are the only things I can see being an issue but they are the most basic of things to do and really have to be a total screw-up to do so. These arent slight mistakes. They are totally wrong adjustments. 13:1 a/f ratio is as far as you go. I know of no tuner leaning out more than that. The LS2 and LS3 make the best top end power on a dyno at 23-24 degrees timing even though there are people who try to run 26-27 thinking more is better. The car pulls out timing to prevent detonation/pinging far greater that the differences in these amounts.

Im not sure what parameters you mean push a tune too far. Rev limiters? What are you talking about?

C2RMartinez

If My car can e-mail me diagnostic reports via OnStar, would it notify GM if I were to get a Dynotune? Getting a Dyno Tune /headers is what I am planning on spending my tax returns on, but I am not so sure about it since OnStar is wathing my car's everything.

Dvlray6

If you don't want to run with the big dogs, stay on the porch.

Seriously, we have yet to have any real evidence of a tune done by a reputable vendor on an otherwise stock car resulting in damage or loss of warranty. Maybe the warranty police are about to swoop down and do something to kill us all, but I doubt it. With the troubles they are in, they don't have the time, resources, or $$ to take this on - all chicken little preaching to the contrary.

At the end of the day, it is your car. Do whatever makes you happy.

AORoads

So now you've heard both sides of the issue. Are you feeling informed, or lucky?

Jimmyz28

This is EXACTLY what I was thinking as I read the 1st post??!!

Dave O

One other way to look at it.

You could die in an airplane, but the odds of this happening are extremely low. Many of us still fly even though we know there is a risk.

You could get in an accident and die while driving your Vette, but the odds are very low (but not as low as flying). You still drive your Vette even though you know there is a risk.

We take risks every day. Whether it be mowing the lawn or driving your car. But we all judge for ourselves what risks we feel are acceptable. It's not about being lucky, it's about the likelihood and probability of something happening. Voiding your warranty due to a tune on a stock Vette is low risk if you look at the available data. There is no evidence that this is taking place, and no evidence that cars are being harmed because of a tune on a stock C6 by a reputable tuner.

Do as you wish, but you are missing out on a significant (night a day difference if you've got an A6) improvement on your car with very little risk. Some people are still afraid to fly even though it is safer than driving.

tjwong

I looked at that thread, and I don't agree with it at all. Not that I am preaching that one should screw GM over in case that they had a catrastrophic engine failure due to some form of mod when they attempt to get it covered under warranty.

I can tell you there is NO WAY they can detect a PCM flash with a TECH2. I own one of these tools and use it nearly every day. I have the very same updates, and access to the same software that the dealers use and there is NOT ONE test that the TECH2 can do to be able to detect a aftermarket cal. The only way that it will and in this case it is a dead give away, and that is IF your tuner or a tuner changes the calibration part numbers that is stored in the PCM, he installs some kind of customer OS into the PCM, LOCKS THE PCM (totaly stupid and useless), changes the fan turn on temps, make obvious changes to the rev limiter or other similar changes. Changes such as these are easily detected. Otherwise the dealer themselves can't really tell if a custom tune was installed unless you tell them, or going to a dealer for service and saying "please don't flash my PCM" is also a give away you got something other than stock in the car.

A locked PCM is also a dead give away. If the dealer attempts to read or reflash your PCM it errors out. If the guy is totally dumb to this, he would just replace your PCM and you end up with a new PCM and a updated flash. GM can read the code in the PCM regardless if its locked or not. I have done so myself, even if its locked, I can go in remove the chip, read it, reflash it to remove any locking mechanism and reinstall it, done it, been there many times, there ARE NO SECRETS, for the most part most of the so called LOCKED tunes I have read was a waste of time and effort to read.

One may as well face it, if you go in and do a cam swap or install a blower or a head and cam package, you will loose your warranty. And in some cases even a hand held or a custom tune will void your warranty.

No matter what the Moss Magnusson act says, GM will say no way, so its left up to you to fight them in court, by the time you do and pay off the lawyers you won't be any cash ahead anyway, it would be a long hard fight, GM has a lot more disposable cash than most of us can even imagine. Most of the dealers are pretty reasonable when it comes to mods, but when and if a engine failure occurs, its a dfferent story, especially if there is a chance that GM comes back, audit them and denies payment for a engine replacement, which has happened when I worked in a dealership years ago.

Wayne O

I think you will hear of warranty denials resulting from a tune having been done on a C6. As the person mentioned, GM is just putting this out to their dealers (or will be soon). I know for a fact my local dealership went after 'tuned' diesel trucks a couple of years ago. I wish they were but the local dealerships where I live are not mod friendly with respects to performing warranty repairs on modified cars. If the mod is even remotely connected to a failure they deny coverage.

I understand why GM is (or will be) doing this. I'm all for modifying one's car but personally, I wouldn't risk warranty coverage for the benefits of a tune alone. If I were doing more significant mods (along with a tune) then I feel the benefits might outweigh the potential risks. For just a tune...no way.

TMyers

I disagree with your posistion but only time will tell. First and foremost refer to your warranty book. In the case of the Duramax they do talk about tunes and that it could void your warranty. But that is the only engine they specifically address. GM can not change your warranty after the fact.

We are not talking about tunes like what can be done on a diesel. At best stock you may get 20hp. Depending on the tuner you get for the diesel you get 300hp. And what do we get for our tune? A better running vehicle that use less fuel.

In the end it is all up to you. Personally I think there is to much hype being made over this issue.

252 of 08

I just confirmed what I read on an earlier post regarding voiding the warranty for having the C-6 tuned. The dealership said if something major breaks the will void the warranty due to the risk of being charged by GM. The dealership also said GM is going through a massive audit process and will visit each dealership within the next two years.

Most tuners though can change your car back to OEM if this is a big concern. Cost for the program is $500.

joe11204

Am I reading this correct?? Ramp Chevy will do a tune, headers, etc., and warranty the mods?

Chevtech

It may be that GM is blowing smoke, but here is what is being said to us. You will have your "Powertrain Warranty" blocked(voided) if your car is found to have a non factory tune. Not only are they going to START looking at Calibration part numbers but there is also a Calibration Verification Number that is unique to the factory tune. If BOTH don't match then you are busted. It is going to be part of the warranty process to attach and confirm factory cal. #'s with the warranty paper work.

At this time it is only going to be for major POWERTRAIN damage. They are NOT saying no warranty on the car, but on the POWERTRAIN it's going to be over.

It is already out on the Diesels.

Now, some of you computer guys may know how all that works, but they are saying you can't fake a part number & verification number.

Craigster05

You live once....and, if you are like me, you waited a long time to get your Vette. My advice? Customize it, make it your very own, and have a blast driving the pants off it.

Craigster05

Yes, and so will Smithtown Chevy.