Porsche ECU Flash Detection

[MoBoost]

I've always wondered whether a flashed ECU can be detected by Porsche to void warranty if it was flashed back to stock. Softronic claims their OBDII flash method allows customers to restore the original OEM file so that the dealer (PCNA or Stuttgart) would not be able to detect any prior flashing therefore your warranty would be safe. Is this really true?

[Mike]

If one can manufacturer their own tuning the dealer can not read/detect a tune that is currently there. ie it reads out as a oem tune on the dealerships software.

From my understanding if you go through the odbII port the dealer will be able to tell. I may not have all the facts though.

[MoBoost]

Thanks. Let's say you flashed your car and blew your engine. Obviously that would not be covered under warranty. So you flash it back with stock programming. The flash counter does not change with Softronic flash (I know this for sure). My question is with a blown engine, Porsche is going to do some serious investigation before they will replace your motor under warranty. They will want to examine the ECU. I'm wondering if there is some electronic signature that is secretly left behind on some chip somewhere that Porsche or Bosch folks can detect whether it was ever flashed.

[Mike]

In case of a blown motor as opposed to just say a cracked head, the motor and or the ecu will probably be shipped back to corporate where they will determine the cause. If this is the case they will find what is changed or has been changed. There is simply no way around this problem if corporate gets involved.

With piece of the motor/drivetrain not working properly lets say cracked head or even tranny, the manufacturer would most likely not take this drastic action. The dealer would not be able to see what corporate can see. They just dont have the equipment/software. Having said this hiding electronic mods needs some level of encryption in the software.

[MoBoost]

There's a lot of controversy whether flashing leaves any electronic traces behind. Softronic says no, others have a different opinion. Below is an interesting link.
http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/9...ticism-10.html

[Mike]

Posted by Sharkster

Don’t shoot the messenger guys but as we tell everyone that calls in asking about software (whether it’s what we sell or what someone else sells) you need to be honest/up front and realize the potential risk. The rewards with software on the 997TT are obvious but if you think that Porsche cannot tell whether your ECU has ever had software on it you’ve been sadly misinformed.

This is correct. However the software/hardware to find everything that may have changed on the ecu itself is not going to be available at every dealer. It will be available at corporate though. Also keep in mind that Porsche Dealers will have the software/hardware to find most of the could be changes.

[MHP LLC]

I can't speak for others but will say we leave no signs behind, no flash counters triggered, no "signatures" left behind. Dealer's don't have the ability to see the tuned file but they can log some maps and see if they are out of the stock parameters, but again if the ecu was flashed back to stock at this point it wouldn't matter (to us).