[nrasubaru]

Hey everyone,
I had recently flashed my ECU with the Cobb AP Stage 1 OTS map.
I'm still running bone stock though (stock intake, stock exhaust, stock filters, stock etc.)
However, I don't have the Cobb AP in proximity, and I have an oil change service scheduled soon.
Should I go through the hassle of driving and retrieving my AP and then return the ECU to stock?
Or it wouldn't be a big deal at the Dealership for my scheduled oil change with the Stage 1 Tune?
Has anyone else been in this situation?

 

[MainFrame]

It's highly unlikely that they would look at the ECU while doing an oil change, and it wouldn't matter if they did.

You're probably concerned about potential warranty issues.. rest assured, if your engine fails it won't matter if you flash it back to stock or not, they will still deny the warranty claim since the ECU has already been tampered with at this point.

 

[1badtie]

following, as i am in this situation as well.

 

[1badtie]

It's highly unlikely that they would look at the ECU while doing an oil change, and it wouldn't matter if they did.

You're probably concerned about potential warranty issues.. rest assured, if your engine fails it won't matter if you flash it back to stock or not, they will still deny the warranty claim since the ECU has already been tampered with at this point.

also, thats not really true. Read a thread on here yesterday, a guys motor went at 70k miles right after he installed AP and he had the extended warranty. They covered it 100%. But a lot of times they will deny it. just depends on the dealership.

 

[XJman]

also, thats not really true. Read a thread on here yesterday, a guys motor went at 70k miles right after he installed AP and he had the extended warranty. They covered it 100%. But a lot of times they will deny it. just depends on the dealership.

I hate to break it to you but that is a rare situation, and likely embellished.

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[cwo1984]

Hey everyone,
I had recently flashed my ECU with the Cobb AP Stage 1 OTS map.
I'm still running bone stock though (stock intake, stock exhaust, stock filters, stock etc.)
However, I don't have the Cobb AP in proximity, and I have an oil change service scheduled soon.
Should I go through the hassle of driving and retrieving my AP and then return the ECU to stock?
Or it wouldn't be a big deal at the Dealership for my scheduled oil change with the Stage 1 Tune?
Has anyone else been in this situation?

Oil change at the dealer would freak me out more than them seeing a staged tune.

In other news you're not bringing the car in for anything other than an oil change right? So there is no need for them to figure out if you're tuned or not.

On that other post, it's up to the dealer to determine if your warranty is voided after you've added performance modifications, you may get some that are iffy about a drop in filter and others that void the parts you've changed, it's hit or miss.




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[MainFrame]

just depends on the dealership.

All large claims have to be sent to SOA for approval these days, so the dealership doesn't really have any say in the matter. You will on occasion run across a dealership who will "good will" a repair even though it isn't technically under warranty (I had a clutch replaced for free at 66k miles.. it was the second time I had them replace the clutch in that car, it was a wear item, AND the warranty had expired). Then there are times where you can work out a deal under the table (blew up a clutch launching a different WRX, this one heavily modified.. dealership quoted me $1200, then I met with the tech out in the parking lot and he told me he'd do it off the books for $300. The other possibility is that someone at the dealership simply doesn't do their job and it just slips through.

None of those situations are something I would count on.. if it works out, great! But that's not what is supposed to happen.

 

[rexxx0486]

also, thats not really true. Read a thread on here yesterday, a guys motor went at 70k miles right after he installed AP and he had the extended warranty. They covered it 100%. But a lot of times they will deny it. just depends on the dealership.

It is a lot easier for them to tell if it was flashed on 2016+ model years FYI.

 

[ghost chili]

I knew a flash would possibly deny me any warranty claims. That's just the risk you take when modifying a car under warranty. I knew the risks and accepted them when I bought the AP. I really hated the on-off switch gas pedal and the 91 octane tune I got from MAPerformance tune fixed that so that I feel I drive the car a lot more smoothly now. Honestly, I feel the tune probably is better for the car than the stock map.

I drive my car rather conservatively and can count on one hand how many times I get above 4000RPM in a month. Over the past 3 Subarus my family has owned, not once have we ever taken a car in for drivetrain warranty work (although, this is my first turbo Subaru, so who knows...). I had to take my car in once for warranty on the driver side air vent which didn't adjust properly, but so long as it isn't something that could be remotely associated with the drivetrain, they won't have a reason to check the ECU.

 

[BigTash]

It is a lot easier for them to tell if it was flashed on 2016+ model years FYI.

Just out of curiousity, what is the reason for this being easier in 2016+? Did they add some type of extra logging to better track changes to the ECU?

 

[why2kmax]

I think the biggest worry is there being a TSB update to flash the ECU and they dont tell you and just go in and try to flash while you have your AP program still in there.

 

[MainFrame]

I think the biggest worry is there being a TSB update to flash the ECU and they dont tell you and just go in and try to flash while you have your AP program still in there.

Eh.. that shouldn't hurt anything.

 

[Stanley Yahtzee]

just buy a tazer and zap the computer, tell the dealer you were struck by lightning they will never know you had an accessport installed.

 

[Blk17WRX]

just buy a tazer and zap the computer, tell the dealer you were struck by lightning they will never know you had an accessport installed.

Why would Subaru cover an act of nature? If anything they would make you go through your insurance company.

How about people have ethics? If you flash your ECU you take the risk of engine failure running out of factory spec. The factory warranties the car when it is ran at the specs it left the dealership with. If you change things that end up causing something to fail that is something you took a risk on and lost. Man up.

 

[Stanley Yahtzee]

Why would Subaru cover an act of nature? If anything they would make you go through your insurance company.

How about people have ethics? If you flash your ECU you take the risk of engine failure running out of factory spec. The factory warranties the car when it is ran at the specs it left the dealership with. If you change things that end up causing something to fail that is something you took a risk on and lost. Man up.

good point that wasnt even a good joke

 

[flg2010]

Great Thread. My opinion on engine issues:

I have yet to hear about non tuned FA engines blowing up. I realize all WRX models are a lot more delicate then the naturally aspirated Mustangs I used to dive but my simple expectation is that if i don't mod I will get 86kish out of my WRX and be able to trade it in for around 11 - 14k and get a new WRX if I so choose. I do not expect having to replace my engine on my dime.

Now if I don't experience the above I won't be buying another WRX.

 

[zax]

There have been a number of bone stock WRXs that have thrown a rod.

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[zax]

Why would Subaru cover an act of nature? If anything they would make you go through your insurance company.

How about people have ethics? If you flash your ECU you take the risk of engine failure running out of factory spec. The factory warranties the car when it is ran at the specs it left the dealership with. If you change things that end up causing something to fail that is something you took a risk on and lost. Man up.

THANK YOU

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