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Modified ECU/Mapping

  • 07-07-2022 9:40pm
    #1
    Falthyron
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,835 ✭✭✭


    Hi all,

    I am looking for some advice here on what I can do. I'll try to keep things brief!

    Two years ago I bought a VW Passat 2017 and within a few weeks the engine light came on the dash. I brought it to my local mechanic, he used his diagnostic tool and a DPF error was coming up. He suggested I take it back to the dealership. They looked at it and made some changes, the light went out - all was well. A few days after that, the light came on again so I returned to the dealership. This time round they took the car for longer and gave me a replacement to drive around in. After a week or more, the car was returned to me and this time the issue was addressed. They said they replaced some pressure sensors in the DPF and completed a forced regeneration. The light never came back on and all is well.

    Fast forward to today and I had the car in a VW Service Garage for some cosmetic fixes. They hooked up the car and noticed the software was out of date and they updated the ECU software as per VW's instructions (I suspect a recall issue was in play here). This, however, has now bricked the car. Their first suspicion was that I had installed my own custom software or had mapping done to the car. I haven't and never have had it done. I wouldn't know where to begin! The engineer contacted VW head office with some details of the read out on the software that was installed on my car and VW head office confirmed it was a non-genuine software installed on my car.

    The dealership I bought from is saying no software changes were made to my car when the DPF issue was being addressed but seeing as they were the only ones who have gone near it in 2 years, I have my doubts. Specifically, the engineer in the VW Service Garage today told me the DPF has not run in 2 years and it has been set to not run for another 100 years! Someone has modified the DPF settings in the car to disable it or something.

    My question is: does a modern Passat store a log for software changes/re-mapping incidents? With a timestamp? Or can I see a record that shows a timestamp for when someone set the DPF to not run for 100 years? If I can get that and the timestamp then I can work out who installed this software and when. Does anyone have any advice on how I should proceed?



Comments

  • #2
    CoBo55
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,618 ✭✭✭CoBo55


    Never mind trying to apportion blame, can they get the car running and at what cost? The ECU could have been doctored by the previous owner trying to hide a problem when it was traded in, no matter what your investigations reveal nobody is going to admit to having remapped the ECU. Maybe the garage who has it now made a mess of the update and are telling you this story to squirm out. I'd be more concerned about getting it back on the road tbh.



  • #3
    Falthyron
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,835 ✭✭✭Falthyron


    That is my primary concern. To be honest, the garage that currently has it needs to explain to me why they installed a software update without asking me first. The car was booked in for cosmetic fixes, nothing else. So why did they go ahead and install an update without asking me?

    How common is it for an official VW garage to mess up a software update? And should they be doing it without asking the owner first?



  • #4
    CoBo55
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,618 ✭✭✭CoBo55


    What have they said about getting you mobile again? Who knows how many updates ever fail as they aren't figures they're going to broadcast. Normally the installed software on the ECU gets removed and the new SW installed during the update process it's heart stoppingly similar to doing a bios flash on your computer, the previous SW shouldn't have any effect on the new SW as it's already wiped. Between when the ECU is wiped and the new SW starts installing is where you need to be extremely careful not to disturb anything and make sure the battery is being kept charged from an external supply for the entire length of the process, it can take a stressfully long time to complete.



  • #5
    Falthyron
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,835 ✭✭✭Falthyron


    They are saying I need to go back to the dealership I bought and find out what they installed on the car. So previous software versions have no impact on new installations? And should I have been consulted on this before they did it?



  • #6
    CoBo55
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 9,618 ✭✭✭CoBo55


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119306793#Comment_119306793

    You know the answer you're going to get when you go back to the dealer. Would you have said no don't do it had you been asked? It isn't an avenue I'd take with them. You'd be better off taking the, you busted it you fix it approach and let I'll give you back the loaner when it's ready.



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