[kellzey]

So, I've read that those installing cold air intakes and custom tunes, can flash the car back to the stock program when bringing the car in for service.

My question is that the Steeda cold air intake REQUIRES a tune.

So those with 2011/2012 GTs and utilizing a STEEDA CAI, how are you handling bringing the car in for service/warranty work without the dealer nailing you for the intake/tune?

 

[Guest]

Take the intake off and reflash to stock.

Changing them out takes less than 30 minutes.

 

[Mustang/Canuck]

You are right, there are a couple intakes that have an insert to place inside the tube so you can run the stock tune... that's why I was between the Airaid and C&L...

Guessing they keep the stock intake assembly and swap them out when they take it to the dealership...

 

[truckbutt]

A CAI that doesn't need a tune isn't worth the trouble of installing or the cost of buying. Reflashing to stock doesn't prevent the dealer from knowing the ECU was reflashed. Anytime you replace computer file, a new date is generated. You just have to accept the fact that if anything goes wrong that can be attributed to the tune, you have to eat the cost. I don't know why people get upset about this. The manufacturer warranties a vehicle that is set up to run well below its limits to limit its warranty claims. If you make modifications that bring it closer to its limits, why should Ford accept the risk?

 

[T.Wayne]

Just wait

I waited until the factory warrenty expired in 2009 just to make sure.
The 06 GT 2nd year for the S197 no recalls no problems then just started to MOD the hell out of it in 09.
Just a thought and gives you time to save up your money.

T Wayne in Iraq

 

[Mustang/Canuck]

But when the ECU is reflashed they don't know what existed before the flash... it could have been a stock file for what the dealer knows, this happens when you disconnect the battery for a couple minutes, does it not?

A CAI that doesn't need a tune isn't worth the trouble of installing or the cost of buying. Reflashing to stock doesn't prevent the dealer from knowing the ECU was reflashed. Anytime you replace computer file, a new date is generated. You just have to accept the fact that if anything goes wrong that can be attributed to the tune, you have to eat the cost. I don't know why people get upset about this. The manufacturer warranties a vehicle that is set up to run well below its limits to limit its warranty claims. If you make modifications that bring it closer to its limits, why should Ford accept the risk?

 

[5.0ben]

A CAI that doesn't need a tune isn't worth the trouble of installing or the cost of buying. Reflashing to stock doesn't prevent the dealer from knowing the ECU was reflashed. Anytime you replace computer file, a new date is generated. You just have to accept the fact that if anything goes wrong that can be attributed to the tune, you have to eat the cost. I don't know why people get upset about this. The manufacturer warranties a vehicle that is set up to run well below its limits to limit its warranty claims. If you make modifications that bring it closer to its limits, why should Ford accept the risk?

I agree that if the tune caused the damage that the owner should be responsible but get angry when I hear about warranties being denied when the tune clearly had nothing to do with the cause of the issue. :nono: A risk I'm not willing to take and unhappily staying with the sluggish stock tune...

 

[Bobby B]

I do not believe that a CAI provides any significant performance benefit over the stock air intake on the 2011 & 2012 Mustangs. It's the tune that yields just about all of the power increase. So skip the aftermarket CAI, and go with the tune so you can avoid removing the CAI for dealer service.

 

[Guest]

Disconnect the battery for 10 minutes after you reflash. Problem solved.

 

[Fastredponycar]

No reflash, removing the battery, etc will not work. There is a flag that gets triggered in the PCM that is only there from the factory and can ONLY be set at the factory or the dealer.

The dealer CAN detect this if they're looking for it but the main question is whether or not the dealership will try to if there is an issue with the car that they suspect an ECU issue was to blame.

The reality is that yes they CAN determine that the ECU was flashed and this has been verified by another member on this or another forum who has worked with the ECU and ford.

What gives me a little peace on the matter though is that I'm not aware of anyone being denied warranty work on the engine due to a tune.

The guys who have blown their motors due to piston 8 failing all were running aftermarket tunes and all of them (as far as I know) got their engines replaced by ford with no trouble.

I honestly don't think that there is any risk of the dealer canning your warranty (remember they would have to actually PROVE that the tune was responsible for it to be valid) but this myth that flashing it back or resetting the battery and fooling the man needs to go away now because it's false.

Tunes are always a risk but I have seen no evidence to indicate that dealerships are blaming them on problems.

Edit: Here

http://www.allfordmustangs.com/forums/2554488-post42.html

 

[bigbird]

It's probably best not to raise an alert when bringing your car in for repair/maintenance. I doubt that the dealers check every Mustang that comes in for evidence of after market tunes in the absence of mods like a CAI. I would like to see a comparison of a tune with and without a Steeda CAI.

 

[JohnRichard]

Reflash to stock, change back to the stock CAI, disconnect the battery for 30+ minutes and drive it around for atleast 50 miles...
Yes they can see that the battery was disconnected about 50 miles ago...