Chip Tuning and Warranty FAQs
These FAQ's about chipping will help to clarify
some of the myths and misconceptions about chipping your Audi/VW
Turbo car. These are the most commonly asked questions by people
wishing to chip their car:
Will it void my warranty?
Yes and No: according to the Magnuson-Moss Warranty
Act:
"No warrantor of a consumer product may condition
his written or implied warranty of such product on the consumers
using, in connection with such product, any article or service
(other than article or service provided without charge under the
terms of the warranty) which is identified by brand, trade or
corporate name..." (15 U.S.C. 2302©)
So basically, if you have a warranty claim, the
dealer (or warrantor) must prove that the part that you modified
directly caused the failure. For example, if you chipped your
car and the exhaust falls off, then the car is still under warranty.
Of all of the chips that Audi Performance and Racing
has sold, as well as pretty much all other chip manufacturers,
there just really aren't any problems in chipping the car. Your
Audi/VW was so well engineered, that you really are not stressing
anything that was not designed to take the changes that a chip
produces.
Won't my dealer know that
my car is chipped?
Not unless he is specifically looking for it. All
APR chips are undetectable to a dealers VAG diagnostic scan tool.
The only way they will know that the car is chipped is if the
physically open up the ECU itself (which they have no reason to),
or drive the car (it makes that big a difference). Likewise, the
dealer cannot "flash" reprogram an APR chip, so you need not be
worried about losing your precious investment.
Why should I choose APR?
Because we are the best at what we do. There are
several reasons to GO APR over other companies. First, we are
the only Audi/VW aftermarket design firm in the US with engineers
on staff (we have three of them). Second, we only tune Audis and
Volkswagens (not Volvos, BMW's, Hondas, etc...). Third, we have
completely reverse-engineered the entire Bosch Motronic system.
We can safely say that we probably know the system better than
anyone in the world (except Bosch, of course). Finally, we always
strive to provide the best customer service and support possible.
What all is included with
the chip?
All chips that we sell here at APR include the
following:
- Lifetime Warranty against defects in the software/soldering
- 30-Day Money Back Guarantee Free Upgrades
You offer free upgrades,
what are they?
Like Audi (or any software company for that matter),
new software versions are occasionally released by APR. The APR
software upgrades are based on the latest version of the factory
software, and represent the latest iteration of our continually
improving software.
How do I go about getting
a chip?
There are two ways you can get an APR chip in your
car. The first method is to send your ECU to us, and we will send
it back to you the same day that we receive it. If you choose
this method, you need to either call APR just before you send
your ECU or include the following information in the same box
as the ECU.
The second method is to purchase a spare ECU for
your car. APR buys factory ECU's (the same you would get at your
dealer) in bulk, hence allowing us to sell them relatively cheaply.
APR does not profit from these spare ECU's, so if you can find
them cheaper, don't hesitate to buy them yourself and send them
to us. Usually APR keeps an adequate supply of spare ECU's; however,
due to the many variations in cars, we may not have yours in stock.
Can I get my chip socketed?
Sorry, no. Since sockets cannot be made as reliable
as a soldered chip, APR will not sell an ECU with one. All APR
chip upgrades use soldered encryption boards, which serve several
purposes. First, it keeps prying eyes out of our software and
prevents lesser companies from copying the chip and degredating
the product. Secondly, the encryption board prevents the dealer
from flash programming the ECU. Also, encryption boards help keep
APR software from being undetectable to a dealers VAG diagnostic
tool.
How do I send my ECU to
you?
Factory ECU's are pretty durable. Just wrap them
in bubble wrap and put them in a good sturdy box, and they will
be fine. There isn't a need for over packing them.
