Quick Questiong About First 5,000mi Servicing
02-22-2008, 02:17 PM
#1
1st Gear Member
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Florida
Posts: 75
Quick Questiong About First 5,000mi Servicing
Hey guys I have a quick question that hopefully one of you have had experience with and was wondering if you could enlighten me and help me out. Now although I read this infomation... I am still not sure.
Basically my pony has just reached the 5,000 miles mark and its now time to bring it in for the first check up as mentioned in the ford service manual, which is supposed to only Rotate and inspect tires; check wheel end play and turning noise, Perform multi-point inspection, and Change engine oil and replace oil filter (up to 5 quarts of oil).
Now since I currently have a C&L CAI and my car is tuned with an Xcal3, does that mean that even for this simple checkup at the first 5k miles that they still may try to read my computer and that I should return my engine to stock, and that I will have to also be forced to replace my C&L with the stock box and do all that work just for a simple inspection and oil change? Also, let's say I dont return my computer to stock and they decide to look at the computer info and find that it is aftermarket, what possible could happen to my warranty?
Thanks for all the help guys it's really appreciated.
A tuner (reflashing) will change the program that your car runs on. To avoid warranty issues just "Flash" back to stock before having it serviced. It's really a case by case basis depending on your dealer. Read this post by scrming:
"If you flash your car can the dealership tell? Yes, they can... No, they can't.... The debate has raged on long enough!!!
Here is the answer I got back from my sources inside of Ford engineering... I even had multiple sources confirm this... I'm sure someone is going to disagree with me... however I basically went to the horse's mouth on this one...
As it stands TODAY, all the dealership can tell is the last time the computer has been reset. Notice I said reset, not reflashed. Yes, reflashing does set this reset "date". But guess what... so does disconnecting the battery! LOL! So the dealership has no way of know what caused the reset... Simply tell them you left your lights on! LOL! Or in my case the bottle heaters! Ok, so maybe not the bottle heaters! LOL!
Now Ford does have a way to download the programming in the computer... if you did not reflash the car to stock then they will obviously see the differences and no you reflashed the car... however if you put the computer back to stock then all they will be able to tell is that the comptuer was reset... again... oops... i killed my battery... LOL!
Hopefully this will put an end to the debate...."
-scrming
"If you flash your car can the dealership tell? Yes, they can... No, they can't.... The debate has raged on long enough!!!
Here is the answer I got back from my sources inside of Ford engineering... I even had multiple sources confirm this... I'm sure someone is going to disagree with me... however I basically went to the horse's mouth on this one...
As it stands TODAY, all the dealership can tell is the last time the computer has been reset. Notice I said reset, not reflashed. Yes, reflashing does set this reset "date". But guess what... so does disconnecting the battery! LOL! So the dealership has no way of know what caused the reset... Simply tell them you left your lights on! LOL! Or in my case the bottle heaters! Ok, so maybe not the bottle heaters! LOL!
Now Ford does have a way to download the programming in the computer... if you did not reflash the car to stock then they will obviously see the differences and no you reflashed the car... however if you put the computer back to stock then all they will be able to tell is that the comptuer was reset... again... oops... i killed my battery... LOL!
Hopefully this will put an end to the debate...."
-scrming
Now since I currently have a C&L CAI and my car is tuned with an Xcal3, does that mean that even for this simple checkup at the first 5k miles that they still may try to read my computer and that I should return my engine to stock, and that I will have to also be forced to replace my C&L with the stock box and do all that work just for a simple inspection and oil change? Also, let's say I dont return my computer to stock and they decide to look at the computer info and find that it is aftermarket, what possible could happen to my warranty?
Thanks for all the help guys it's really appreciated.
02-22-2008, 02:26 PM
#2
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Dallas, TX area
Posts: 941
RE: Quick Questiong About First 5,000mi Servicing
Depends on the dealer. Supposedly some dealers will flash you back to stock without asking, which will be a problem when you try to reload your tune since it's locked to the old program, so to speak. There are also stories of warranties being voided, but this is not legal. Brenspeed suggests that you find out and write down your strategy code before you take your car to the dealer. That makes it easier for them to straighten things out if they reflash your computer. However, they say that they can get it back regardless, just with more trouble.
If it bothers you, maybe you could call the dealership you're considering taking your car to and talk to the service department. Don't tell them your name, but ask them about aftermarket tunes and what their policy is. My guess is that they won't have any problems with changing your oil and leaving your tune alone. But if you're not happy with their answer, just call another dealer.
And if you're really worried, put your old air box back and reflash to stock. Even if you're a klutz like me, it should take you less than a half an hour to do.
If it bothers you, maybe you could call the dealership you're considering taking your car to and talk to the service department. Don't tell them your name, but ask them about aftermarket tunes and what their policy is. My guess is that they won't have any problems with changing your oil and leaving your tune alone. But if you're not happy with their answer, just call another dealer.
And if you're really worried, put your old air box back and reflash to stock. Even if you're a klutz like me, it should take you less than a half an hour to do.
02-22-2008, 02:29 PM
#3
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Dallas, TX area
Posts: 941
RE: Quick Questiong About First 5,000mi Servicing
BTW, here's a video that shows you how to read the strategy code using an XCalibrator.
http://www.brenspeed.com/tech/readstrategy.wmv
http://www.brenspeed.com/tech/readstrategy.wmv
02-22-2008, 02:29 PM
#4
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Florida
Posts: 75
RE: Quick Questiong About First 5,000mi Servicing
Thanks for the quick response, yea it didnt really take me too long to do but it just seems like such a hassle considering IMO that the dealership should'nt even be looking at the computer for such a simple checkup as an oil change @ 5k miles, etc. But yea thanks for the idea about calling up the dealership, I'll do that and see what they have to say. Thanks again.
02-22-2008, 02:34 PM
#5
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RE: Quick Questiong About First 5,000mi Servicing
ORIGINAL: wthalliii
Brenspeed suggests that you find out and write down your strategy code before you take your car to the dealer. That makes it easier for them to straighten things out if they reflash your computer. However, they say that they can get it back regardless, just with more trouble.
Brenspeed suggests that you find out and write down your strategy code before you take your car to the dealer. That makes it easier for them to straighten things out if they reflash your computer. However, they say that they can get it back regardless, just with more trouble.
02-22-2008, 02:42 PM
#6
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 2,181
RE: Quick Questiong About First 5,000mi Servicing
I just had my 5k service. I left my C&L intake and bama tune installed. no reason for them to be plugging into the computer for an oil change and tire rotation. Even if they do, your car isn't there for warranty work, so it won't affect anything anyway. I say leave it at is. If they give you a hard time, find another dealer.
02-22-2008, 02:54 PM
#7
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Join Date: May 2007
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RE: Quick Questiong About First 5,000mi Servicing
Yea thanks for the help guys, yea I just called the service department of my dealership and talked to the guy that was head of the service department, anyways pretty much laguhed (made me feel like an idiot to an extent, but better safe than sorry) and said "it aint rocket science, its just an oil change and tire rotation, theres no reason for us to even think of bothering at looking at the computer" also when I asked if there could ever be any problems with warranty he simply said "unless you messed with the drivetrain theres no reason for us to void your warranty period" anyway he said no reason to worry about it and if there were any problems to contact him, and he gave me his exention so all looks good, seems like im in the clear, thanks again guys, looks like I have a down to earth dealership at least in the service department, there are a lot of modded mustangs around here that go there so I am guessing they are used to it.
02-23-2008, 07:46 AM
#9
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Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: NC
Posts: 1,138
RE: Quick Questiong About First 5,000mi Servicing
I wouldn't trust anything a dealer says. They may say that now, but lets' see what happens if you actually need major repair work. All dealers are under pressure form Ford to limit their warranty work to only what is 100% covered - I got that directly from my service advisor. Ford is in some serious money trouble. They're gonna do whatever they can NOT to do warranty work. Let's say you have tranny trouble and need a major repair. It would be very easy for Ford to say that your tune caused the problem and not cover it. You'd have to spend a lot of time and probably money to prove them wrong. IMO, it's worth the 20 minutes to re-install stock airbox and flash to stock.
02-23-2008, 07:56 AM
#10
6th Gear Member
RE: Quick Questiong About First 5,000mi Servicing
I put wider tires on so I guess I voided my suspension warranty. And I put different bulbs in my headlights so I must have voided my electrical system warranty. I put qtr window louvers and side scoops on so I must have voided my glass and body warranty. I have a CAI & tune so, since everyone knows that voids EVERYYTHING... Let's see, what else... OOPS! Almost forgot... I really don't GIVE a ratz butt about warranty after 13,000 miles and nothings wrong. But if I did I'd probably have to wear those glasses with the fake nose and eyebrows and mustache so they don't recognize me.
Geeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...
Geeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...