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Model specific boards => Golf mk5 => Topic started by: whitegtidriver on 03 September 2007, 23:29

Title: re-flash
Post by: whitegtidriver on 03 September 2007, 23:29
Hi all dropped car at dealers today having all 4 wheels refurbed (yet another warranty claim) whilst booking the car in i was informed that the ecu needed new software and if the car had been chipped i needed to inform then as it could damage the ecu. does anybody know what the update does and if its nessersary, revo people says all will be fine and are going to charge me £40 to re install it. also anyone noticed there vw badge/handle on the boot lid milking and worming (yet another warranty claim) thank you.
Title: Re: re-flash
Post by: Phil mcavity on 04 September 2007, 08:22
Yes ive spotted a worm developing on my vw badge on the boot, i have 20 days remaining on my warranty!!!, best do something about it too!
Title: Re: re-flash
Post by: mike. on 04 September 2007, 10:37
Yep, I have had the boot handle replaced at the last service with the same problem..
Title: Re: re-flash
Post by: RedRobin on 04 September 2007, 10:57
...whilst booking the car in i was informed that the ecu needed new software and if the car had been chipped i needed to inform then as it could damage the ecu. does anybody know what the update does and if its nessersary, revo people says all will be fine and are going to charge me £40 to re install it.

....The VW update is probably 24K6 and is known to trash a remap though not intentionally. If you have Revo then switch to Stock map before the dealer session and then go to your Revo agent afterwards before you switch back to the remap.

NOTE: Revo did NOT charge me for re-installation and neither did their agent, JKM Portsmouth. Something wrong if you've been told otherwise.
Title: Re: re-flash
Post by: deanpoli on 04 September 2007, 13:10
Whats worming on the VW badge? I noticed mine looks liked its has a hairline crack beaneath upper layer, is this what you mean by worming?
Title: Re: re-flash
Post by: Phil mcavity on 04 September 2007, 17:01
yes dean, its white, looks like a crack underneath the top layer, simular to what eventually happens to the edges on the monza II wheels
Title: Re: re-flash
Post by: Teutonic_Tamer on 05 September 2007, 08:32
...whilst booking the car in i was informed that the ecu needed new software and if the car had been chipped i needed to inform then as it could damage the ecu. does anybody know what the update does and if its nessersary, revo people says all will be fine and are going to charge me £40 to re install it.

....The VW update is probably 24K6 and is known to trash a remap though not intentionally.

I think this is all down to the way the new manufacturers map is applied.  If the exisiting map is simply deleted, and a complete new one written to the EEPROM, then there should be no issues of corruption of the data, or damaging the ECU.  However, if, on the other hand, the manufacturers software is merely an upgrade, then that is where the trouble will start.  It would be like trying to update your AVG anti-virus with a database update from say Norton - it ain't gonna work!

If you have Revo then switch to Stock map before the dealer session and then go to your Revo agent afterwards before you switch back to the remap.

Yup, very sound advice Robin.

NOTE: Revo did NOT charge me for re-installation and neither did their agent, JKM Portsmouth. Something wrong if you've been told otherwise.

I personally wouldn't have a problem with paying for a re-installation, because you are afterall using their "commercial" time.  I do think that £40 is a bit steep, though, and would consider around £20 to be a fair price.  If, like Robin's agent, they didn't actually charge a fee at all, then I would bung them a tenner or so, to fill up the office biscuit barrel or coffee jars.
Title: Re: re-flash
Post by: RedRobin on 05 September 2007, 10:23
NOTE: Revo did NOT charge me for re-installation and neither did their agent, JKM Portsmouth. Something wrong if you've been told otherwise.

I personally wouldn't have a problem with paying for a re-installation, because you are afterall using their "commercial" time.  I do think that £40 is a bit steep, though, and would consider around £20 to be a fair price.  If, like Robin's agent, they didn't actually charge a fee at all, then I would bung them a tenner or so, to fill up the office biscuit barrel or coffee jars.

....My Revo agent told me they would be reimbursed by Revo. Revo have a welcome attitude towards aftersales service, as do JKM :smiley:.

I've just had a long phone chat with Revo and some of you here may not know that they have a close working relationship with many VW & Audi dealers (they are a tuner specialising in only VAG and Porsche), such that VW send them their latest updates so that Revo are then able to update their own software accordingly. Revo use the same diagnostic tools as VW. It makes total sense to me to use a tuner such as Revo in order to maintain the best ECU health I can achieve with a remapped car and to do it all above board without hiding the fact.

Importantly, Revo are very conscious of the quality of their agents and prefer to avoid any that don't meet their standards of service. If I sound like a commercial advert for Revo it's only because I trust and genuinely highly rate them.

ADDENDA: If you need your Revo remap reinstalled, you should go back to the agent who installed it originally. Otherwise you will be asked to pay.
Title: Re: re-flash
Post by: RedRobin on 05 September 2007, 10:34
...whilst booking the car in i was informed that the ecu needed new software and if the car had been chipped i needed to inform then as it could damage the ecu. does anybody know what the update does and if its nessersary, revo people says all will be fine and are going to charge me £40 to re install it.

....The VW update is probably 24K6 and is known to trash a remap though not intentionally.

I think this is all down to the way the new manufacturers map is applied.  If the exisiting map is simply deleted, and a complete new one written to the EEPROM, then there should be no issues of corruption of the data, or damaging the ECU.  However, if, on the other hand, the manufacturers software is merely an upgrade, then that is where the trouble will start.  It would be like trying to update your AVG anti-virus with a database update from say Norton - it ain't gonna work!

If you have Revo then switch to Stock map before the dealer session and then go to your Revo agent afterwards before you switch back to the remap.

Yup, very sound advice Robin.

....Revo inform me that switching back to their remap after VW have re-flashed won't damage the ECU - It simply will stay on the stock map until the latest Revo software is installed which is based on the VW update supplied to them. If I understand T_T's post correctly, this info confirms his posted info.

So, I would revise my "very sound advice" :smiley: to only needing to revisit your Revo agent if you don't succeed in switching back yourself.
Title: Re: re-flash
Post by: Teutonic_Tamer on 05 September 2007, 11:10
NOTE: Revo did NOT charge me for re-installation and neither did their agent, JKM Portsmouth. Something wrong if you've been told otherwise.

I personally wouldn't have a problem with paying for a re-installation, because you are afterall using their "commercial" time.  I do think that £40 is a bit steep, though, and would consider around £20 to be a fair price.  If, like Robin's agent, they didn't actually charge a fee at all, then I would bung them a tenner or so, to fill up the office biscuit barrel or coffee jars.

....My Revo agent told me they would be reimbursed by Revo. Revo have a welcome attitude towards aftersales service, as do JKM :smiley:.

Oh, that's interesting.

I'm sure a jar of Gold Blend, and a packet of garibaldis would still be appreciated though!  :wink:  :grin:

I've just had a long phone chat with Revo and some of you here may not know that they have a close working relationship with many VW & Audi dealers (they are a tuner specialising in only VAG and Porsche), such that VW send them their latest updates so that Revo are then able to update their own software accordingly. Revo use the same diagnostic tools as VW. It makes total sense to me to use a tuner such as Revo in order to maintain the best ECU health I can achieve with a remapped car and to do it all above board without hiding the fact.

Importantly, Revo are very conscious of the quality of their agents and prefer to avoid any that don't meet their standards of service. If I sound like a commercial advert for Revo it's only because I trust and genuinely highly rate them.

Good comments, thanks for sharing them.

I think it really is vital to avoid any kind of "dodgy" traders, and it should be warmly welcomed that Revo vet their agents in this manner.

ADDENDA: If you need your Revo remap reinstalled, you should go back to the agent who installed it originally. Otherwise you will be asked to pay.

Ahhh, sound.  Makes sense, really!  :smiley:


Oh, BTW, just to add some balance - there are a couple of other dedicated VAG-only tuners too!  :wink:  :smiley:
Title: Re: re-flash
Post by: Teutonic_Tamer on 05 September 2007, 11:18
....Revo inform me that switching back to their remap after VW have re-flashed won't damage the ECU - It simply will stay on the stock map until the latest Revo software is installed which is based on the VW update supplied to them. If I understand T_T's post correctly, this info confirms his posted info.

So, I would revise my "very sound advice" :smiley: to only needing to revisit your Revo agent if you don't succeed in switching back yourself.

Yes, the point you are clarifying is that a Revo map won't cause any damage when written over the manufacturers map (which should be common practice, as no one would be able to do flash re-mapping  :nerd:).

My area of caution is from the reciprocal angle.  Are the manufacturers revised/updated maps able to cope ONLY with OEM maps, or are they able to also cope with overwriting third party maps, such as Revo?  I personally doubt VW would be able, nor have the inclination to assess every third party map available, and create their own updates to cope with such scenarios.  Hence the very real need to be able to switch back to an OEM map before any main dealer updates.
Title: Re: re-flash
Post by: RedRobin on 05 September 2007, 11:36
Yes, the point you are clarifying is that a Revo map won't cause any damage when written over the manufacturers map (which should be common practice, as no one would be able to do flash re-mapping  :nerd:).

My area of caution is from the reciprocal angle.  Are the manufacturers revised/updated maps able to cope ONLY with OEM maps, or are they able to also cope with overwriting third party maps, such as Revo?  I personally doubt VW would be able, nor have the inclination to assess every third party map available, and create their own updates to cope with such scenarios.  Hence the very real need to be able to switch back to an OEM map before any main dealer updates.

....Exactly! Not only does switching to stock then provide a known datum for the VW technicians to work from - for the car's and hence your benefit - but it also gives you peace of mind.

To the best of my knowledge I am confident that VW do NOT create their updates with third party tuners in mind. This is supported by the fact that VW supply Revo (and possibly some others I don't know about?) with their updates soon after the VW dealer recieves them, with the intention of helping the tuner to revise their remap software accordingly.

There's simply no good reason to hide a remap from your dealer is there [Thinking of posts in another thread in this forum!]
Title: Re: re-flash
Post by: whitegtidriver on 06 September 2007, 23:58
Hi up-date time went back to the dealer i had to sign a form to say that if the re flash goes wrong its new ecu time thats chargeable to me. Told them to hold off i will have it de- chipped,then when they reflash its not chipped,will revo charge for that?, also neither lumber supports work now,the warranty claim is getting longer.(4 wormed wheels  rear vw badge 4 wheel centre caps, paint blemish on the bonnet that chips away did, spongy clutch) Im begining to dislike this car so many niggles. offered service manager my spare key as its there so often  :sad: :sad:
Title: Re: re-flash
Post by: RedRobin on 07 September 2007, 07:31
Hi up-date time went back to the dealer i had to sign a form to say that if the re flash goes wrong its new ecu time thats chargeable to me. Told them to hold off i will have it de- chipped,then when they reflash its not chipped,will revo charge for that?, also neither lumber supports work now,the warranty claim is getting longer.(4 wormed wheels  rear vw badge 4 wheel centre caps, paint blemish on the bonnet that chips away did, spongy clutch) Im begining to dislike this car so many niggles. offered service manager my spare key as its there so often  :sad: :sad:

....You should be able to "de-chip" the ECU yourself by simply using your Revo SP box to switch to "Stock". Your dealer sounds heavy-handed - Probably the worse that can happen is that a VW update to your ECU might corrupt the third party remap, but someone else here might know more than me about this. If you go to the same Revo agent who originally installed, then you should find that you won't be charged to reinstall the remap. But you can first try using the switch box again yourself when your car is returned to you.

Insist that your VW dealer informs you whether your car is re-flashed or ECU updated on every single occasion it's with them, and also specifically what any update is - 24K6 for example.
Title: Re: re-flash
Post by: Peskarik on 07 September 2007, 07:41
Oh, BTW, just to add some balance - there are a couple of other dedicated VAG-only tuners too!  :wink:  :smiley:

I have my money on ÖTTINGER.  :nerd:
Title: Re: re-flash
Post by: RedRobin on 07 September 2007, 09:21
Oh, BTW, just to add some balance - there are a couple of other dedicated VAG-only tuners too!  :wink:  :smiley:

I have my money on ÖTTINGER.  :nerd:

....Unfortunately not too well represented in the UK.
Title: Re: re-flash
Post by: Teutonic_Tamer on 07 September 2007, 09:50
Oh, BTW, just to add some balance - there are a couple of other dedicated VAG-only tuners too!  :wink:  :smiley:

I have my money on ÖTTINGER.  :nerd:

....Unfortunately not too well represented in the UK.

Road and Sport Developments - http://www.rsdcars-uk.co.uk/, http://www.roadandsport.co.uk/ - a very reliable and trustworthy company.
Title: Re: re-flash
Post by: RedRobin on 07 September 2007, 14:27
Oh, BTW, just to add some balance - there are a couple of other dedicated VAG-only tuners too!  :wink:  :smiley:

I have my money on ÖTTINGER.  :nerd:

....Unfortunately not too well represented in the UK.

Road and Sport Developments - http://www.rsdcars-uk.co.uk/, http://www.roadandsport.co.uk/ - a very reliable and trustworthy company.

....Good to know. Am committed to Revo for the present and very happy with them so far.