ECU Password Protection

[PLAYA]

this happened to me with my autronic, i ended up sending it back to autronic and got it reset, with the newest software too.

[wlfpac]

How much did that end up costing you?

[kabab]

With the hole IP thing to my understanding if you are paying someone to make you something then you own the IP unless the contract states otherwise.

[meggala]

any way wolf ack your better to start for scrath any way autronic might een have a base map for a gtir but from what I ahve seen its not that hard for a competant person to get a car running.
meggala

[meggala]

also it might help if you mention the shops name who locked it so we are aware they they do this practice
meggala

[wlfpac]

I'm not going to mention which workshop it is until after I have contacted them. If they decide they're not going to play ball, then their name will be available on request.

[mondo2000]

Putting a password on a tune is not about preventing it being copied and used on another vehicle, hence it's not about intellectual property. Any half decent tune is optimised to suit a particular *modified* vehicle, and is almost worthless for any other.

The password is used to make sure the owner has to go back to that particular "tuner" when he/she decides to run a different fuel or makes any changes to his/her engine.

I encourage everybody to ask their "tuner" if they put a password on the tune, before going ahead with it. If the answer is yes, tell the "tuner" to wrap it in sandpaper and jam it sideways.

[wlfpac]

That's lovely. Unfortunately it doesn't help anyone who buys a modified car with a locked ECU. Like me for instance.

I'd like to see the workshop try to make me bring the car back to them to tune it or unlock it. They'll get more than a simple "shove it". Hopefully it won't come to that though.

[oldenholden64]

sure if there kind human beings(not many of them around any more) theyd understand that theres no way in hell your going to take your car to anotehr state to get it tuned by them every time you need a tuneup.... and if they say no.... well the list of obscenities should be very long and loud down the phone.

[Billzilla]

It would make more sense for the owners of cars that have locked computers to sell them with a more generic map, rather than the one they're trying to protect.
And tell the buyer that.
Either that, or add a token amount of money to the sale to hand the unlocking code over.

[Matt]

I know of one VERY respected tuning shop in Sydney that will unlock an ECU tuned by them for free....

The only condition is that the warranty is then voided.

Sounds like a fair deal to me.

[turbo-EA]

be nice if there was some type of master code.

how do the manufacturers get into the ECU to update or repair the unit if its been locked by a distributor?

maby another authorised dealer of that brand knows a back door or has access to info from the manufacturer?, i mean, shit, if another dealer can`t unlock it to tune/update it it defeats the purpose of having a "programmable" ECU to a large extent

[Bulgogi]

I'd say the manufacturers would have special hardware or software or their own built-in back-door that will allow them to update or repair the ECUs as it's their own ECUs that they are dealing with and they will probably have designed the ECUs so that they can get in easily with either way and fix them. I can't see any other reasonable and logical way for them to deal with their own ECUs in terms of repairs and updating them.

[turbo-EA]

***rant on****

wouldn`t it be in BOTH PARTY`S best intrest for the manufacturer to unlock it in cases like this, or provide one of thier authorised dealers/tuners the needed info.

if the word got out they weren`t keen to help out a customer in trouble with one of thier products it couldn`t be good for business.i know if i was in the same situation and nobody gave a crap i`d never never go back to the shop that tuned/locked/ installed it, and if the manufacturer wouldn`t help i`d change brands.

if they didn`t build in an emergency P.I.N. or back door it would be a stupid move.

whats more important?, saving a set of numbers that any tuner worth their salt could achieve in a short time anyway,at the same time inconvieniencing the customer,and FORCING them to return it to that shop only,and probably annoying them quite a lot. meaning they say to thier mates "nah, i`d never go back thier they are a pack of a**holes and sell/make total shit, stay away from them"

or showing that you prefer to recieve repeat customers,meaning they went away happy and would choose your product or service next time the need arises,and they tell their mates "yeah shop X/ brand X are awesome,tuned the car real well and helped me out of a tight spot,i`d deal with them/used brand x anytime"

***rant off*****

[turbo510]

turbo-ea,
From what I understand the p.i.n. or back door around the password resets the maps. At the end of the day it is more important for the manufacturer to look after it's retaillers who are often the tuners than one customer. It probably comes down to a sales/service agreement between the manufacturer and the retailer. I am sure some of the retailers/ tuners wouldn't be happy to use the equipment if they could not lock it. A lot of tuners sell and tune different brands of ECU's so they can give you an option depending on budget.
Matt,
I agree with this practise of unlocking voiding warranty. If someone is inclined to mess with their tune what is to stop them copying the tuners map then playing around with the tune on the street. When or if they lunch their engine they can simply upload the original map and take it back to the tuner claiming the map destroyed their engine.
Personally I beleive in the case of a car sold interstate the seller should fully inform potential buyers that the ecu is locked and check if the password is available or what steps are required to get the password from the tuner.
Jake