Mercedes Benz View on Aftermarket Tunes?
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Mercedes Benz View on Aftermarket Tunes?
After owning BMWs for 20 years, this will be my first MB and I’m psych’d. I’ve always had tunes (ECU and piggy) with my BMWs and thoroughly enjoyed the extra boost. 
My previous M4 had an ESS piggy but I found the CELs to be a bit irritating.
I’d like to get feedback from the forum on how MB and the service department views ECU tunes. I know the “official” answer related to warranties but I’m looking to get the real story. For example, BMW will also void your warranty but the reality is you can get Dinan installed at 90% of the BMW dealerships. So while this may not be the case with MB, I’m curious as to whether or not the service advisors look the other way or is it something that never comes up unless you have a CEL. My plan is to get a conservative tune so I can minimize the issues down the road. I know the risk but the upside is also rewarding
I guess I’m looking for input on who has experience with tuned MB and what was your experience during your service visits? Did you have to discuss the tune? Did you uninstall the software and reinstall it? Or did you just leave it and it was like the visit never happened?
Thanks
My previous M4 had an ESS piggy but I found the CELs to be a bit irritating. I’d like to get feedback from the forum on how MB and the service department views ECU tunes. I know the “official” answer related to warranties but I’m looking to get the real story. For example, BMW will also void your warranty but the reality is you can get Dinan installed at 90% of the BMW dealerships. So while this may not be the case with MB, I’m curious as to whether or not the service advisors look the other way or is it something that never comes up unless you have a CEL. My plan is to get a conservative tune so I can minimize the issues down the road. I know the risk but the upside is also rewarding
I guess I’m looking for input on who has experience with tuned MB and what was your experience during your service visits? Did you have to discuss the tune? Did you uninstall the software and reinstall it? Or did you just leave it and it was like the visit never happened?
Thanks
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2017 Porsche 911 C4
Every dealer is different so it will be case by case. Just my opinion, but I would never bring my car in for service with a tune installed. One service advisor might be cool with it, and another might void your factory warranty.
It's not worth the risk and it's minimal effort to uninstall the tune.
For reference, I always uninstalled my Cobb tune in my 335i when it was still under warranty. I had the turbochargers replaced a month prior to my warranty ending - there is no way that work would have been approved if I had the tune installed at the time, given that it was well over $6K in parts/labor.
It's not worth the risk and it's minimal effort to uninstall the tune.
For reference, I always uninstalled my Cobb tune in my 335i when it was still under warranty. I had the turbochargers replaced a month prior to my warranty ending - there is no way that work would have been approved if I had the tune installed at the time, given that it was well over $6K in parts/labor.
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2015 C63S / 2015 BMW M4
Every dealer is different so it will be case by case. Just my opinion, but I would never bring my car in for service with a tune installed. One service advisor might be cool with it, and another might void your factory warranty.
It's not worth the risk and it's minimal effort to uninstall the tune.
For reference, I always uninstalled my Cobb tune in my 335i when it was still under warranty. I had the turbochargers replaced a month prior to my warranty ending - there is no way that work would have been approved if I had the tune installed at the time, given that it was well over $6K in parts/labor.
It's not worth the risk and it's minimal effort to uninstall the tune.
For reference, I always uninstalled my Cobb tune in my 335i when it was still under warranty. I had the turbochargers replaced a month prior to my warranty ending - there is no way that work would have been approved if I had the tune installed at the time, given that it was well over $6K in parts/labor.
Alex, I take it you installed the tune yourself or did you take it back and forth to the vendor for installation?
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2017 Porsche 911 C4
Yea, the Cobb Accessport is a handheld OBD-II flash tool, which made installing and uninstalling the tune super easy. I believe the W204 C63 has several OBD-II flash tunes as well, but I'm not sure what the ECU situation is with the W205 -- hopefully we have them available for this platform as well!
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Yea, the Cobb Accessport is a handheld OBD-II flash tool, which made installing and uninstalling the tune super easy. I believe the W204 C63 has several OBD-II flash tunes as well, but I'm not sure what the ECU situation is with the W205 -- hopefully we have them available for this platform as well!
I'm hoping for hand held this time so I can remove and reinstall before and after dealer visits. Thanks Alex.
-Nathan
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2016 C63S
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a UFO
I've read in our forums where someone actually forced the manufacturer to prove that the mod was the culprit of the failure. And if they can't, they are on the hook for repair still.
Imagine if you put an air freshener in the car, but a week later the car smells like leaking gasoline. Will you let them tell you to go away because of your freshener?
"Sir, due to your air fresher, it reacted with the off gas of the car interior plastic, it smells like gasoline, but your car is actually fine." LOL
But, if your engine tune causes engine, or related failure caused by a tuned engine, then yes, you are on the hook, and they will easily prove it if they caught you with it.
Imagine if you put an air freshener in the car, but a week later the car smells like leaking gasoline. Will you let them tell you to go away because of your freshener?
"Sir, due to your air fresher, it reacted with the off gas of the car interior plastic, it smells like gasoline, but your car is actually fine." LOL
But, if your engine tune causes engine, or related failure caused by a tuned engine, then yes, you are on the hook, and they will easily prove it if they caught you with it.
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2015 E63S AMG & 2013 GLK350
On my old C63 flashing back to stock for service was easy, till I did headers then didn't even bother - never had a problem with the dealer though. On the M157 in my E63S the ECU gets bench flashed so not as easy to revert to stock, so far so good with dealer service and warranty work.
As for as how MB feels about tunes, big no-no… but if the M177 picks up anywhere near the M157 does (100+hp/200+tq) then it would be a must for me.
As for as how MB feels about tunes, big no-no… but if the M177 picks up anywhere near the M157 does (100+hp/200+tq) then it would be a must for me.
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re moding via a tune..... use a reputable tuner...... we had a bad experience with a dinan stage II tune on a BMW X5....... was never the same after the tune. Procede with careful dilligence.
GL>
GL>
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C204 C250-CDI
After owning BMWs for 20 years, this will be my first MB and I’m psych’d. I’ve always had tunes (ECU and piggy) with my BMWs and thoroughly enjoyed the extra boost. My previous M4 had an ESS piggy but I found the CELs to be a bit irritating.
I’d like to get feedback from the forum on how MB and the service department views ECU tunes. I know the “official” answer related to warranties but I’m looking to get the real story. For example, BMW will also void your warranty but the reality is you can get Dinan installed at 90% of the BMW dealerships. So while this may not be the case with MB, I’m curious as to whether or not the service advisors look the other way or is it something that never comes up unless you have a CEL. My plan is to get a conservative tune so I can minimize the issues down the road. I know the risk but the upside is also rewarding
I guess I’m looking for input on who has experience with tuned MB and what was your experience during your service visits? Did you have to discuss the tune? Did you uninstall the software and reinstall it? Or did you just leave it and it was like the visit never happened?
Thanks
My previous M4 had an ESS piggy but I found the CELs to be a bit irritating. I’d like to get feedback from the forum on how MB and the service department views ECU tunes. I know the “official” answer related to warranties but I’m looking to get the real story. For example, BMW will also void your warranty but the reality is you can get Dinan installed at 90% of the BMW dealerships. So while this may not be the case with MB, I’m curious as to whether or not the service advisors look the other way or is it something that never comes up unless you have a CEL. My plan is to get a conservative tune so I can minimize the issues down the road. I know the risk but the upside is also rewarding
I guess I’m looking for input on who has experience with tuned MB and what was your experience during your service visits? Did you have to discuss the tune? Did you uninstall the software and reinstall it? Or did you just leave it and it was like the visit never happened?
Thanks
As others have said it will depend on where your located (Country) and also dealer by dealer specific.
Here in Australia not all but some MB dealers will allow for example a Brabus tune to be installed on your MB vehicle with no issues affecting the mechanical warranty of the vehicle - I actually had this done to my current C Coupe.
Most if not all manufacturers of aftermarket tunes and/or hardware will state if their products do not affect factory warranties as this will only add to their sales effort, however you should also do your own due diligence and make sure to check with your specific dealership that they are ok with it.
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I agree. I think my approach will be go with the most conservative tune that offers a handheld tool so I can uninstall / reinstall before and after service visits. I know the vendors are working on tunes for this engine but if its anything like the BMW, we might be in for a long wait.
