Dealer Bricked My ECU

[PerformanceSound]

OK, I'm here. It's BMW/Toyota locking them on purpose. LOL.

Makes even more sense given the current EPA guidelines and parts/inventory shortages. If they can eliminate all tuning and force anyone that wants more power out of their car to purchase a new one... it's win-win.

Honestly, although I doubt the theory is true, I think it's more a problem in the case of Toyota. Half of the dealerships have problems with simple maintenance - on 100% stock Supras. Have a tune? Now updates, trade-ins, and even oil-changes are another potential black eye.

When it comes to sales markups... they act like it's a limited production hypercar. When it comes to service - they treat it like a Corolla. I'm stock till warranty runs out, but the entire reason I'm fine with the lower power is because I plan to retire it from daily driver duty eventually and then tune it to be a weekend monster. If I lose that potential, then it's much less attractive as a longer-term vehicle.

There is a reason all new cars are having their ECU’s locked….and I do believe it is the EPA strong arming manufacturers. Shutdowns of refineries, gas price hikes, the push for EV’s, etc… should raise anyone’s eyebrows on what the bottom line is here. If anyone wants to tinker with their car, they need to get into a 90’s or older car plain and simple.

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[digicidal]

There is a reason all new cars are having their ECU’s locked….and I do believe it is the EPA strong arming manufacturers. Shutdowns of refineries, gas price hikes, the push for EV’s, etc… should raise anyone’s eyebrows on what the bottom line is here. If anyone wants to tinker with their car, they need to get into a 90’s or older car plain and simple.

Which is at least part of the reason that era of vehicles commands such a premium in the used market. Recent enough to benefit from more aerodynamic chassis, better safety, and good power - but old enough to come from a time when an ECU was only tasked with monitoring a few (usually just 3-4) sensors and handling simple ignition adjustments.

Now it's the same as the rest of the IT world... with tight tolerances and synergies between arrays of controllers and sensors required for even basic operation, let alone edge cases. Soon even purely aesthetic changes will start to throw errors based on occupancy sensors not liking that seat cover.

 

[Cptnslo]

Well I was scheduled to have my recall done today and I just put MHD on my car 2 days ago and now I’m thinking I’m going to wait lol I don’t want to have to get the dme unlocked when I got my Supra 2nd hand with an already unlocked ecu.

 

[ViscontiSupport]

If your goal was to tune the car, now that ECU has been bricked, you will more than likely get one of the new Bosch ECU's that are hardware locked, which is the same problem that is plaguing the 2021 owners right now, so, I would probably look into getting out of the contract and possibly finding another 2020 if you had your heart dead set on the Supra. I feel for you, I would be so pissed! I'm one of the very few lucky 2021 owners who's ECU is able to be tuned and now that I've experienced this car with the tune, I don't think I could own it without.

This is not true. You don't need to replace the ECU. We just remotely fixed another customers ECU that the dealer bricked because most dealers arent knowledgable.

i have A 21 with a 2/20 date

so you are saying if I do this recall / update for full screen Apple car play my ecu will be completely locked ? And will not be able to be bench unlocked anymore ? And I will no longer be able to get tuned ?

im reading such mixed information and starting to question this all. Some people are saying as long as your pre dated you will be able to be bench unlocked no matter what some are saying no you will be completely locked …

No. If your ECU date is before 6/20, it can still be unlocked and tuned. No problem.

yes, and the problem is you won’t get a new ECU for months.

No. This isnt true at all. Please do not spread false information.

You WILL be LOCKED out, if you are a 2020, that is the only way to get the recall and still be able to bench flash, all 2021's regardless of ecu date with be locked the same as 6/20+ cars after the recall, if you want to tune ever DO NOT get the recall until they come out with a real unlock for the 2021

This is 100% incorrect. PLEASE stop telling people the wrong information.

Yes he did, if you are a tuned 21 stay away, if you are a 2020, put away an extra couple hundred bucks and you will be fine

It doesnt matter if youre a tuned 21 either. Itll be the exact same process as if youre a tuned 20. You've made multiple comments here when youre unsure what youre talking about and its causing a lot of confusing to others asking questions.

That's what I understand as well and regardless of 2020 or 2021, if you do this and are tuned, you will need to bench unlock so you can re-upload the tune.

Doing the update does not lock the ECU indefinitely. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

You can not re-upload your tune. You will need a new tune file. If you upload your old tune, itll brick the ecu.

Well I was scheduled to have my recall done today and I just put MHD on my car 2 days ago and now I’m thinking I’m going to wait lol I don’t want to have to get the dme unlocked when I got my Supra 2nd hand with an already unlocked ecu.

Itll lock the ECU and youll need a bench unlock. Also MHD nor BM3 support the new calibration ID after the recall so you wont be able to use them.

 

[ViscontiSupport]

Please, if you have no idea what you're talking about and are strictly going based off what you read somewhere on the internet, please do not reply as it does nothing but cause confusions to others that need true information.

If anyone has any questions, please email me at [email protected]

1. If you have a tuned 2020 or 2021. You can have the recall done. Itll still be tunable, but youre going to need a bench unlock.

2. If youre already tuned and have the recall done, you cannot use your old tune file. You'll need a new one. If you flash your old tune file, itll brick the ECU.

3. Multiple dealers have bricked ECUs already because they don't know what theyre doing and we've recovered them for people because the dealer didnt know how to fix it.

Thanks,

Marshall

 

[zrk]

Please, if you have no idea what you're talking about and are strictly going based off what you read somewhere on the internet, please do not reply as it does nothing but cause confusions to others that need true information.

If anyone has any questions, please email me at [email protected]

1. If you have a tuned 2020 or 2021. You can have the recall done. Itll still be tunable, but youre going to need a bench unlock.

2. If youre already tuned and have the recall done, you cannot use your old tune file. You'll need a new one. If you flash your old tune file, itll brick the ECU.

3. Multiple dealers have bricked ECUs already because they don't know what theyre doing and we've recovered them for people because the dealer didnt know how to fix it.

Thanks,

Marshall

Can you speak to 'Not tuned, have a tunable car' and get the recall done? Just to be extra clear?

 

[Zupra1776]

Please, if you have no idea what you're talking about and are strictly going based off what you read somewhere on the internet, please do not reply as it does nothing but cause confusions to others that need true information.

If anyone has any questions, please email me at [email protected]

1. If you have a tuned 2020 or 2021. You can have the recall done. Itll still be tunable, but youre going to need a bench unlock.

2. If youre already tuned and have the recall done, you cannot use your old tune file. You'll need a new one. If you flash your old tune file, itll brick the ECU.

3. Multiple dealers have bricked ECUs already because they don't know what theyre doing and we've recovered them for people because the dealer didnt know how to fix it.

Thanks,

Marshall

Thank God for the experts.

 

[Zupra1776]

Can you speak to 'Not tuned, have a tunable car' and get the recall done? Just to be extra clear?

He addressed that. Tunable 21, can get update, will need bench unlock afterwards.

 

[ViscontiSupport]

Can you speak to 'Not tuned, have a tunable car' and get the recall done? Just to be extra clear?

If you have a tunable 21, it doesnt matter if its currently tuned or not. It can be tuned again after the recall. Youre just going to need a bench unlock again along with a new tune file as youre going to have a new calibration id.

 

[zrk]

He addressed that. Tunable 21, can get update, will need bench unlock afterwards.

He did earlier somewhere, FB or something - and I know the answer, lol. But in the post I quoted, he only used "tuned" in the past tense. I just wanted to make sure it was brain-dead clear for everyone.

 

[Nojz]

Please, if you have no idea what you're talking about and are strictly going based off what you read somewhere on the internet, please do not reply as it does nothing but cause confusions to others that need true information.

If anyone has any questions, please email me at [email protected]

1. If you have a tuned 2020 or 2021. You can have the recall done. Itll still be tunable, but youre going to need a bench unlock.

2. If youre already tuned and have the recall done, you cannot use your old tune file. You'll need a new one. If you flash your old tune file, itll brick the ECU.

3. Multiple dealers have bricked ECUs already because they don't know what theyre doing and we've recovered them for people because the dealer didnt know how to fix it.

Thanks,

Marshall

This is comforting news...I still haven't heard anything from the dealership regarding my bricked ecu though... ?

 

[ViscontiSupport]

This is comforting news...I still haven't heard anything from the dealership regarding my bricked ecu though... ?

Other people had their car towed to their house and paid us to recover it. Lol.

 

[Nojz]

Other people had their car towed to their house and paid us to recover it. Lol.

Did you have to have the ecu in hand or were you able to recover remotely?

 

[NitroYellowMKV]

My mistake, everyone I have heard has said opposite about tuned 21's that after the recall you will be locked. I know all 2020's will just need a bench flash! thank you @Marshall@ViscontiTuning for clearing up

 

[Cptnslo]

This is not true. You don't need to replace the ECU. We just remotely fixed another customers ECU that the dealer bricked because most dealers arent knowledgable.



No. If your ECU date is before 6/20, it can still be unlocked and tuned. No problem.


No. This isnt true at all. Please do not spread false information.



This is 100% incorrect. PLEASE stop telling people the wrong information.



It doesnt matter if youre a tuned 21 either. Itll be the exact same process as if youre a tuned 20. You've made multiple comments here when youre unsure what youre talking about and its causing a lot of confusing to others asking questions.



You can not re-upload your tune. You will need a new tune file. If you upload your old tune, itll brick the ecu.


Itll lock the ECU and youll need a bench unlock. Also MHD nor BM3 support the new calibration ID after the recall so you wont be able to use them.

Ooof thank you for the heads up! So what will options be once a bench unlock happens then?

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