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Old Sep 29, 2022 | 04:57 PM
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Default Borla Atak CEL

Sorry to bug you guys.
So, I'm tired of the check engine light after Borla Atak install. It's been over a month with this CEL stuff. It goes on for a week and then off for a week and then on again. If I paid this much for a premium exhaust, it should have been included or charge me for it and give me the piece of mind and avoid this mess Borla. Now I have to be without a car again and pay a shop to install it, once I figure out which one is higher quality or recommended. By the way most people here that had the relearn at their dealer say it didn't work for the CEL and it came back on.

It wouldn't be a big deal if I had a chill work schedule and could drop off the car, but Im consistently doing 16 hour week days and 8 hour days on the weekends.

Anyway, sorry to vent.

Which AFM Valve Simulator do you guys recommend?
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Old Sep 29, 2022 | 05:25 PM
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Thanks for the red flag post. My Mustang has Borla ATAK and, though it sounds awesome at some RPMs, it doesn't seemed tuned well for resonance at 4k RPM. Similar experience when I had Borla on my MR2 Spyder. Not as polished as, say, Japanese OEM tuning arms such as Toyota's TRD line of exhausts. The premium I've paid for Borla rode heavily on their highly effective branding/marketing more than actual product quality. I'm sure they're up to snuff or better than most aftermarket exhausts. But "aftermarket" does not equate to "upgrade" in this case. Borla is not OEM-level of perfection nor true premium quality such as GReddy by Trust Japan or Akrovopic from Slovenia (mostly bikes but occasionally branches out to cars like the GR Supra or various super/hypercars).

Last edited by switchlanez; Sep 29, 2022 at 05:31 PM.
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Old Sep 29, 2022 | 05:32 PM
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Apparently not all folks have received a CEL after Borla ATAK install.

10K miles and at least 9K of them with Borla ATAK installed. Dealership installed and "relearn" completed....without a single CEL to date and by now, don't expect one. Just my experience. Not included in the group of most people you mention.




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Old Sep 29, 2022 | 06:00 PM
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what year C8 do you have? a problem was discovered with the Borla exhaust which led to the CEL on the 2022 + C8 and about 4-6 months ago redesign was done to correct the issue. i would look to confirm if that is the case for you.
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Old Sep 29, 2022 | 06:15 PM
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Originally Posted by GP37
what year C8 do you have? a problem was discovered with the Borla exhaust which led to the CEL on the 2022 + C8 and about 4-6 months ago redesign was done to correct the issue. i would look to confirm if that is the case for you.
2021 10k miles, daily driver.
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Old Sep 29, 2022 | 06:29 PM
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Originally Posted by LT2/3LT
Apparently not all folks have received a CEL after Borla ATAK install.

10K miles and at least 9K of them with Borla ATAK installed. Dealership installed and "relearn" completed....without a single CEL to date and by now, don't expect one. Just my experience. Not included in the group of most people you mention.
Some people are lucky and Im happy for you and everyone else. But if you came to my office and you paid me for a surgery and you wake up and see that it's fixed but leaking all over because I didn't put in that last stitch. And I tell you a month later, by the way you are losing a lot of blood, go back to the hospital and get some blood IV and then you will be perfect. Then you talk to your friend and he says "my surgery was perfect by the same doc"

When you do something, do it right every single time if you are trained so. Ie. The CEL fix should have been included, like I should have put in that last stitch.

Nothing personal, just explaining my point.
Thanks for replying and I mean it. I also know other companies have the same issue with CEL, but all I'm saying is this is BORLA.
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Old Sep 29, 2022 | 06:53 PM
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I have AFE exhaust on my 2021 C8, and I also get a CEL sometimes. Not always, but sometimes.
If I drive the car in manual, or in Z mode the CEL never comes on. Only once in a while if it is in sport and auto it will come on.
I called AFE and they suggested that I take it to the dealer and have the AFM valves re learned and that should solve the problem.
I have not done that yet to verify if that solves it or not.
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Old Sep 29, 2022 | 07:11 PM
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It's fixable which is good, but still annoying and nobody here can tell me they are jumping up and down from joy to go have it relearned or buy a part later to fix it.

I just want to know which CEL killer/brand is the best in your opinion for the AFM?
thanks for the input
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Old Sep 29, 2022 | 07:17 PM
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I did purchase the AFM Simulators from Paragon Performance, but then was told I do not need them (still have them, never installed them) and just have it re learned.
your right, not a great thing to have to go back to the dealer, but I guess that is the downside of aftermarket modifications.
I am a slow learner. Lol.
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Old Sep 29, 2022 | 07:23 PM
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Originally Posted by Fast Boat Guy
I did purchase the AFM Simulators from Paragon Performance, but then was told I do not need them (still have them, never installed them) and just have it re learned.
your right, not a great thing to have to go back to the dealer, but I guess that is the downside of aftermarket modifications.
I am a slow learner. Lol.
It's the little things, like driving and a check engine light pops up, and already stressed out as it is from work. I mean it just contributes to heart attack risk :-)
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Old Sep 29, 2022 | 07:26 PM
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Have you tried clearing the CEL then driving the car in manual or Z mode?
just curious if your problem is the exact same as mine, or different?
Again, mine only comes on once in a while, maybe about 5 times, but yes, still very annoying
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Old Sep 29, 2022 | 07:32 PM
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Originally Posted by Fast Boat Guy
Have you tried clearing the CEL then driving the car in manual or Z mode?
just curious if your problem is the exact same as mine, or different?
Again, mine only comes on once in a while, maybe about 5 times, but yes, still very annoying
Yes, i bought a bluetooth version that clears it. Same thing like yours. Gives me a week or so break and then comes back on. I instantly clear it while driving because i dont want to look at it.
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Old Sep 29, 2022 | 08:56 PM
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Originally Posted by DPMC8
Sorry to bug you guys.
So, I'm tired of the check engine light after Borla Atak install. It's been over a month with this CEL stuff. It goes on for a week and then off for a week and then on again. If I paid this much for a premium exhaust, it should have been included or charge me for it and give me the piece of mind and avoid this mess Borla. Now I have to be without a car again and pay a shop to install it, once I figure out which one is higher quality or recommended. By the way most people here that had the relearn at their dealer say it didn't work for the CEL and it came back on.

It wouldn't be a big deal if I had a chill work schedule and could drop off the car, but Im consistently doing 16 hour week days and 8 hour days on the weekends.

Anyway, sorry to vent.

Which AFM Valve Simulator do you guys recommend?
So are you saying that you had the relearn done at a dealership and the CEL came on anyway? Or that you didn't even bother to do the relearn because people told you it doesn't work? Curious because I have a Borla Atak being installed in November.
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Old Sep 29, 2022 | 09:24 PM
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Originally Posted by muscle96ss
So are you saying that you had the relearn done at a dealership and the CEL came on anyway? Or that you didn't even bother to do the relearn because people told you it doesn't work? Curious because I have a Borla Atak being installed in November.
I want to bypass all that intermediate stuff if some others had no result. So to bypass it, I am looking to figure out which brand is good for the module it self.

module works 100% according to others and the shop. I just dont want to have to do a 3rd step. I see over 60 patients per day in 2 practices and run the entire call by myself at a hospital plus my outpatient surgeries. In other words I ain't got no time to mess around with this CEL stuff. Just need a good module and be done with it. You know what I mean?
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Old Sep 29, 2022 | 10:29 PM
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Originally Posted by DPMC8
I want to bypass all that intermediate stuff if some others had no result. So to bypass it, I am looking to figure out which brand is good for the module it self.

module works 100% according to others and the shop. I just dont want to have to do a 3rd step. I see over 60 patients per day in 2 practices and run the entire call by myself at a hospital plus my outpatient surgeries. In other words I ain't got no time to mess around with this CEL stuff. Just need a good module and be done with it. You know what I mean?
The shop that is going to do mine(a very reputable one) said that I could either keep the AFM valves operational and do the relearn at a dealer or go with the simulators that delete the AFM valves; thus keeping them open all the time. I was told that with the simulators, you want to drive in a mode that keeps it in V8 mode. Otherwise supposedly it will not sound real good when it goes into V4 mode. I have not heard of anyone getting a CEL after the relearn. You may want to talk to Borla(they have a rep named Ian on this forum). I can't imagine that if people were having problems after the relearn that they would still be selling the system with the instructions that you have to get a relearn at the dealer(would be a lawsuit waiting to happen). Anbd I can't imagine if there was a problem, they wouldn't help resolve it. But if you don't drive in V4 mode, than just go with the sims.
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Old Sep 29, 2022 | 11:29 PM
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So I just purchased paragon performance touring exhaust with options AFM + NPP simulator, according to their website it said no CEL.
Has anyone experience with Paragons?
Thanks
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Old Sep 29, 2022 | 11:31 PM
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What does Borla say about it? And, have you considered renting something else to drive while getting fixed correctly (hopefully)? Good luck.
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Old Sep 29, 2022 | 11:48 PM
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Originally Posted by gavinvr4
So I just purchased paragon performance touring exhaust with options AFM + NPP simulator, according to their website it said no CEL.
Has anyone experience with Paragons?
Thanks
I have Paragon Titanium exhaust and use the simulators with no CELs. You'll be fine and so impressed with the sound.
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Old Sep 30, 2022 | 12:20 AM
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Originally Posted by Avanti
What does Borla say about it? And, have you considered renting something else to drive while getting fixed correctly (hopefully)? Good luck.
They put the disclamer up on their website after I had my Borla installed. And yes, I have a dad car if needed. However, I hate that car after I got the c8. See Paragon is smart. They give you the option to buy it all at the same time.
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Old Sep 30, 2022 | 12:46 AM
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Did the dealer do the valve relearn procedure when the exhaust was installed? Did they do it properly? I have a Borla S-type on my 2022 Z51 C8. I was installed by a dealer, got a CEL a short time later, and I took it back and asked that they do the valve relearn again. The second time took and I haven't had any problems since.

Borla customer service is excellent. You should contact them. Either the exhaust is defective or the installation/relearn procedure wasn't performed correctly (I'm betting on the latter).
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