Cowboy engine remappers wreck vehicles and cost owners in repair bills by using fake cloned tuning tools.
Cloned tuning tools are becoming more and more accessible within the UK – these tuning tools are very cheap but cause very expensive issues for vehicle owners.
To ensure an engine tuner is reputable, has the appropriate back-up and genuine tools, Viezu is recommending drivers ask these five simple questions before handing over their car keys.
Also Tuners need to be careful too, believing you have found a bargain priced tool is not always great news; so check out these easy tips too as you may not realise what it is you have purchased and you should check with the tool manufacturer if in doubt. With the cost of a replacement ECU anywhere from £1000 and upward it is a significant risk for you and the vehicle owner.
Having said that, many rouge tuners see it as a quick way to make a quick buck on unsuspecting drivers and these fake tuning tools are causing real problems for drivers looking to modify their car.
While cloned or fake tuning tools can look identical to genuine tools, under the surface there can be a considerable difference. Below is an example of a cloned Kessv2 Tuning Tool compared to a genuine one.
Cloned tools often run on very old, out of date or hacked software causing instability or incompatibility issues for the user. However, perhaps more importantly this can result in the tool crashing (or ‘bricking’) where it locks up during the tuning process and the car simply will not start again.
Sadly when things go wrong, it’s not unusual for rogue tuners to vanish and not take responsibility for sorting the driver out. This really is the sort of thing that gives our industry a very bad reputation.
In some instances it is possible to recover an ECU that has lost communication but if the ECU has been bricked it is often not possible. In many cases like this, the only option is to take the vehicle to a garage or main dealer. A replacement ECU will probably be recommended as the most economical solution as trying to identify specific software issues can take a considerable amount of time leaving the vehicle unusable in the meantime.
There are some simple steps that can be taken and here are five simple tips to help drivers and tuners avoid costly tuning mistakes.
- What tuning tool is being used and is it genuine? Ask for proof – this can be from their tools software ‘about’ page or ‘information’ page. If in doubt take a photo of the screen and send it to info@viezu.com. We can verify if it’s a genuine tool and very importantly, who it’s registered to.
- Is the tuning tool still in licence? There will be an expiry date in the software. Out of license software can cause potential compatibility issues – don’t risk it.
- Ask to see the insurance policy that covers not only the workmanship and the tuning service. If there’s no insurance, quite simply, don’t book. If you’re in doubt about the insurance policy, call the insurer to check that the policy number is real.
- If your tuner claims to have a warranty ask to see proof of this. Don’t be fooled by a fake glossy booklet. Ask to see the details of the real warranty policy underwriter and again, call them directly if you are in any doubt.
- Finally, ask to see the training certificates of whoever will be carrying out the tuning service to ensure they have been appropriately trained by a reputable Company with the right credentials.
Responsible engine remapping is a fantastic way for drivers to modify the performance of their vehicle so that they can lower their fuel costs, reduce their emissions or enhance its driveability.
Viezu Technologies has successfully tuned tens of thousands of vehicles in the UK and overseas.
By taking just a few careful precautions and asking some simple questions it’s actually quite easy to avoid this potentially costly mistake and safely get the modified performance you were hoping for.”
To ensure an engine tuner is reputable, has the appropriate back-up and genuine tools, Viezu is recommending drivers ask the five simple questions before handing over their car keys.
Viezu is committed to responsible remapping and with all of its top UK dealers trained to IMI standards, equipped with genuine tools running licenced software and full insurance backup,
Drivers wishing to get more genuine advice on how to avoid rogue operators or to know more about its remapping services can contact Viezu on 01789 77444 or visit www.viezu.com.
