JB4 passes dealership visit!

[sistom]

So I scheduled my car to be picked up and swapped with a loaner from a dealership an hour away. There weren't supposed to be here until this morning but instead they came yesterday morning before I had a chance to remove the JB4.

I was scared sh*tless. I told the driver to hold on as I got in my car, got on the forums, and looked up how to clear all codes and then I set it to Map 0. The guy drove off and I kept my fingers crossed.

About 2 hours after the guy left, I got a phone call from the dealership and I was like, "uh oh, this is where I lose my warranty." They were just calling to see what I would like looked into while the car was there for service.I told them that I thought it had a few long cranks and maybe there was a HPFP problem, they said they'd check it out.

I just got a call back from them this morning, and again I was like, "oh hell, this is it, they found the JB4." NOPE! They said they checked the codes, ran some diagnositcs, and that the car was in great shape and they'll be bringing it back to me this afternoon!!!

I was so damn excited to hear that the JB4 went through the dealership undetected that I nearly pissed myself.


Anyway, I don't suggest that you leave your JB4 in your car when you take it to the dealership because if they DO find it, you're screwed. But, I just happened to get lucky and not get caught and thought I'd share my story with you all.

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by sistom

because if they DO find it, you're screwed.

You know this isn't true, right? Dealers/manufacturers can decline warranty claims if aftermarket modifications directly impacted the need for the claim, but they won't void your warranty for having aftermarket things.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnuso...s_Warranty_Act

Plenty of folks have good relationships with their SA and leave any or all modifications on for warranty work. You can relax. Plus, like me, what do you have, a year left of warranty at most?

[sistom]

I'm purchasing an extended warrant in a few weeks so I will have another 2 years but currently my factory warrant runs out in Feb.

[NorthernDancer]

I bought my 128 in Brunswick in April. Did a little tour of your island. My son was supposed to go to a Grumman conference at the airport but in the end did not go. Wonderful place you have there.

[Ash83]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

You know this isn't true, right? Dealers/manufacturers can decline warranty claims if aftermarket modifications directly impacted the need for the claim, but they won't void your warranty for having aftermarket things.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnuso...s_Warranty_Act

Plenty of folks have good relationships with their SA and leave any or all modifications on for warranty work. You can relax. Plus, like me, what do you have, a year left of warranty at most?

I still do not understand why people take risk and leave their JB4 during a dealer visit..removing the JB4 is literally 20 minutes!!! Ask your self even if you are a friend of the SA would he cover your a** if the bill to fix a turbo down the road was couple of Gs??? someone will pay for it and it will be you if they knew you have a JB4..A 9 years old can explain how JB4 can be linked with engine failure..

I love my JB4 but I love my car warranty more.. a 20 minutes job to remove the JB4 should be done all the time before any dealer visit.. just my $0.02

[Boxtyp3]

Not to disappoint you buddy, but you might already have a red flag. They just didn't told you that because nothing has gone wrong yet. But then again, I could be wrong.

[mike the snake]

I have a Procede in my 135. Twice now, I have taken the car in for non-engine related service. Once for the third taillight, and recently to the dealership bodyshop for a minor dent (hit and run, van hit my car while parked).

Both times, while my car was in for those issues, they took my car and did other scheduled service work.

First time they did the engine scope and diagnostic and I think added the SW update (not sure, but the car runs differently in Valet mode now, more subdued) and checked everything over, and this last time, while it was in for bodywork, they installed the badly needed brakes, and installed the passenger seatbelt tensioner (The airbag warning light went on mysteriously while the car was in for bodywork).

I didn't remove the Procede because I didn't expect they'd take the car and do other work to it, but they have not mentioned anything to me yet, so I'm assuming they haven't discovered it yet, or maybe they're holding that fact in their back pocket when I do have an engine related warranty issue.

[Ash83]

If the uninstall process is 2 hours then I see why this topic can be discussed...

[Tony135]

That's good to know. Probably still safer to remove it though! You never know.

[TMR013]

Originally Posted by Boxtyp3

Not to disappoint you buddy, but you might already have a red flag. They just didn't told you that because nothing has gone wrong yet. But then again, I could be wrong.

This.

[BFD99]

I left mine on for service, also left on my DCIs, but all they did was flush the brakes, oil change, and other regular maintenance.

[bogart]

I have a CAI, charge pipe, DP, and JB4 Stage 2... not a word... they were too busy drooling over the BBS's

[My135]

For me, it is not a 20 minute job to remove JB4. It may take 20 minute to remove, but it will take me 1 hour to re-install since I do not want to mess up the connection. Either way, it is a 2 hour job total. It is just too much hassle to do it for regular maintenance visit unless Engine related problem than I will. All my dealer visits had JB4 and all my other mods installed, they did not say anything.

[thebigragu99]

Originally Posted by My135

For me, it is not a 20 minute job to remove JB4. It may take 20 minute to remove, but it will take me 1 hour to re-install since I do not want to mess up the connection. Either way, it is a 2 hour job total. It is just too much hassle to do it for regular maintenance visit unless Engine related problem than I will. All my dealer visits had JB4 and all my other mods installed, they did not say anything.

Heard lots of people cracking the connection ecu clips due to the cold is this true?

[mrow]

Originally Posted by thebigragu99

Heard lots of people cracking the connection ecu clips due to the cold is this true?

Someone in another thread said that was part of how the dealer figured out he had a tune and denied him warranty.

[thebigragu99]

Originally Posted by mrow

Someone in another thread said that was part of how the dealer figured out he had a tune and denied him warranty.

The dealers are scumbags when it comes to the warranty .

[NickyC]

Originally Posted by thebigragu99

The dealers are scumbags when it comes to the warranty .

Hate to be a jerk here, but honestly, how are dealers scumbags when they void the warranty on a car that has had it's ECU tuned? We're talking about engine management software being modified, not voiding your warranty due to having a CAI.
Whoever tunes their car makes a decision to do so, knowing full well it would void the warranty if BMW were to find out. In fact, if something were to go wrong with the engine due to the tune, and you take it into the dealer claiming to not know wtf happened, you're kind of a scumbag. I'm all for taking the tune off for routine work, hell even for the HPFP and injectors as those will fail regardless, but if something goes boom because of a tune, the repair cost should fall squarely on the owner's shoulders, not BMW.

[thebigragu99]

Originally Posted by NickyC

Hate to be a jerk here, but honestly, how are dealers scumbags when they void the warranty on a car that has had it's ECU tuned? We're talking about engine management software being modified, not voiding your warranty due to having a CAI.
Whoever tunes their car makes a decision to do so, knowing full well it would void the warranty if BMW were to find out. In fact, if something were to go wrong with the engine due to the tune, and you take it into the dealer claiming to not know wtf happened, you're kind of a scumbag. I'm all for taking the tune off for routine work, hell even for the HPFP and injectors as those will fail regardless, but if something goes boom because of a tune, the repair cost should fall squarely on the owner's shoulders, not BMW.

From your post, you must work at the dealership!!When there's ever a issue,there always trying to pull fast ones on us when there's a problem.This is the best post that I have seen and read on the form.I like it so much I'm going to make it my new sig.

[Mr Kleen]

Originally Posted by NickyC

Hate to be a jerk here, but honestly, how are dealers scumbags when they void the warranty on a car that has had it's ECU tuned? We're talking about engine management software being modified, not voiding your warranty due to having a CAI.
Whoever tunes their car makes a decision to do so, knowing full well it would void the warranty if BMW were to find out. In fact, if something were to go wrong with the engine due to the tune, and you take it into the dealer claiming to not know wtf happened, you're kind of a scumbag. I'm all for taking the tune off for routine work, hell even for the HPFP and injectors as those will fail regardless, but if something goes boom because of a tune, the repair cost should fall squarely on the owner's shoulders, not BMW.

When I had my WRX my dealer was cool with modified cars. So long as I understood that if I really did cause the problem they wouldn't cover it, but if an issue cropped up that wasn't related to my tuning they would cover it. I understood the risks. So many people want to buy a new car, "tune it" and then expect full coverage for their mods. Sorry, it just doesn't work like that. Pay to play...


Side note: If you're looking for a Subaru (or a Volvo or Kia) in Northern VA give Matt at Don Beyer a call. Good peeps in both sales and service.

[and 1]

Originally Posted by Boxtyp3

Not to disappoint you buddy, but you might already have a red flag. They just didn't told you that because nothing has gone wrong yet. But then again, I could be wrong.

+1

and unfortunately you wouldn't find out till something breaks and they say "well yeah you've had a chip in there for months"

but Box is right, you may very well have sneaked by. just depends on what they looked at

[sjp3003]

Anybody know if there are any issues with a dealer updating a car's programming while the JB4 is installed? My '12 N55 went in to fine adjust the window lifter and I was subsequently informed they want to update the car's programming for pinch control (when the window raises) and in general.

[BFD99]

My JB4'd 135 is back at BMW today for brakes and such, left the JB4 installed on Map 0!