Tuner Won't Release License
 

I have a turbo with a custom EcuTek tune on my car. I paid my tuner for the license and base tune then his time for the custom tune.

Afterwards I bought a cable and dongle for Data Logging and asked for my license. He wouldn't give it up and told me to just load a map with the same ECU codes and log that way. It worked fine for logging but I want access to my license.

I wasn't happy with how my tuner conducted himself in our interactions and would like to go with a different source for my tune, but I'm not really willing to buy another license.

I had EcuTek customer service send me the steps required for him to send me a copy that would protect his work but give me control over future tuning.

Any thoughts on how I can proceed?

The license is tied to your ECU. It goes with the ECU, the tuner shouldn't matter. All they are denying you is access to the tune itself and many tuners do this.

Just go to a new tuner and get a new tune. You should be able to reflash over the top of the existing tune with the dongle.

I was under the impression the ECU is locked and without the license being tied to the dongle (mine isn't because I can't get the key from the tuner) that I couldn't tune the ECU further.

I really hope my understanding is off. I'm a nuts and bolts kind of guy, not a fan of software lol

The tune is locked, but the license is just chillin' in your ECU. You don't need to do anything with the license anymore.

You won't be able to edit the tune yourself, if that's what you're asking. However, you can get a tune from any ECUtek tuner; you just have to give them your dongle ID.

So to make sure I'm understanding you. You 1st bought a license only? Then bought a cable and dongle later? So the cable and dongle the tuner used were his when he did the original tune?

Yes that is correct.

Should not have a issue then it will be locked to the ecu like other people stated so you can flash new maps and what not.

That's good to know. Thanks guys.

As others above have stated, the license is permanent once applied to the ECU and is not tied to any tune, dongle ID, or otherwise. A tune can be applied to any Dongle ID as completely locked, or open to view/edit. The vast majority of quality tuners out there will choose to lock their tunes to protect their intellectual property, as well as reduce the potential of those without the necessary experience from damaging their own motors.

For future use, any EcuTek tuner can always send you a tune for your new dongle ID. It will not require any special steps to apply this new tune over your old tuners' tune. EcuTek does have a version of ProECU that allows you to make basic adjustments with your own maps, however, this will still not allow editing of the map a professional tuner has previously provided.

Hope this helps, and best of luck!

-Zach

Ecutek system wont allow you to READ a ecutek based tune from any ecu, it will allow read of an unknown new STOCK rom calid to send to ecutek but likely in encrypted format.


So basically you cannot read out the contents of an ecu with ecutek if its already been tuned and has ecutek features added.




Your tuner should send you a locked copy of your tune licienced to your ecutek dongle id so you can flash it your self. That you should be entitled to get, but you will not be able to modify or look at the tune just flash it.


Their is two "liciences" with ecutek.


you need an ecu flash licience, this is initially assigned to a ecutek dongle id, then its permanently transferred to your ecu to allow you to flash with the ecutek system.


Once this licence is in ecu then any ecutek brz/86 cable/dongle kit can flash thet ecu with embedded licience. No licience in ecu means no flash with ecutek.


Tunes are then licienced to a particular dongle id to protect tuner and so you cannot share tunes. Tunes are also in most cases locked by tuner.


However your tuner should send you a locked copy of your tune, but licienced to your dongle id so only you can flash it, but you wont be able to look at tune parameters or edit it.


Unfortunatly as I said before is not possible for you to read out your tune from ecu.


ohh, and buying the extra "racerom" extension addon only allows you to edit more racerom features it does not "unlock" tunes

That's not entirely accurate. You can edit/create your own tune (if unlocked) with the free ProECU software. The RaceROM upgrade only gives you access to modes 2-4 and custom maps. All other map access is the same.

Huh, guess they changed that then! I must not be up with the times. :thumbsup:

-Zach

Sasha?

It's always been that way. End users get access to all Advanced, Intermediate and Beginner maps.