TL;DR
V8. Tried to install UpRev and car went into limp mode. Software corrupted. Anyone had a similar experience?


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Here is the longer version:
I am posting this on behalf of a friend.
To set the time, these events occured in the January 2023.


Late last year I was working with someone based overseas to get their Q70 5.6 sorted/tastefully modified. Among the topics we covered, was the subject of ECU tuning.

I told him that it would be possible to remote tune his vehicle, and I recommended a name from the forums based on their track record and numerous positive reviews.
So, he made the purchase of the UpRev kit, and when it arrived, he followed the setup instructions to get his ECU data, and then after sending that info back, he got his base tune. The instructions say that this process should be done in a safe area just in case anything goes wrong, the driver isn't left stranded.

Well, things did indeed go wrong. Basically, the car went into some sort of limp-home mode, and wouldn't communicate to the cable any further.

I don't know the full details, but I know there was a back-and-forth between buyer and seller whereby the tuner pointed at the buyer's vehicle/ECU as the problem. This didn't sit very comfortably with me since the car had been performing flawlessly up until the point where the UpRev tune was installed. At this point I'm starting to feel bad because the whole UpRev idea came from me.
Feelings aside, someone has to diagnose this issue and it's not going to be free. I suggested to the buyer that as expensive as this is turning out to be, unfortunately it was his word against the tuner's solid reputation and the best thing to do would be to find a local tuner to check things out.

After getting a someone to look at it, it turns out that the issue is with the software. Apparently the software is unlicensed? Anyone heard of such a thing?
I am not sure how that happens, but I know there was communication about them ceasing support for the VK56VD some time back. I take some responsibility on not being current with the news, but I figured the tuner would be more up-to-date with that kind of stuff.

So what's the resolution? The buyer is going to have to pay for the factory tune to be somehow reinstalled....and then pay again if he still wants to try an aftermarket tune.
I don't know what is in the fine print, but given past reports I am doubtful that UpRev will be willing to pony up the cost to undo the damage their software did to my friend's car. I believe the buyer is in communication with the seller/tuner and I am hopeful he will get all his funds back since he bought something that is unusable due to no fault of his.
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I will keep you guys updated once I touch base with the buyer. Otherwise, I look forward to you guys sharing your experiences on how similar issues were handled by UpRev or their tuners.

Something isn't adding up here. The only way they would have been able to flash the tune to the car is IF the cable was able to unlock the ECU to perform that function to begin with. Working with Seymore4 here on NICO, I actually had to pay a separate fee and he had to work with UpRev directly to unlock my M56x ECU before he could continue with HIS work and provide a tune for me. And it is the cable itself, as far as I remember, that 'stores the license'...so I'm not sure how this user got to a 'software is unlicensed' point. Plus, Seymore provides the default tune in a file to upload at will at any time.

Did they buy the UpRev kit 2nd hand (meaning used cable)? I've heard that UpRev HATES this and definitely does not like it when it is done which is why they have such a strict licensing model. Did the eTuner not work with UpRev to unlock the ECU? How did the ECU even get flashed if it was locked?

Do you mind sharing who this tuner was? I only know of one that works with the M series specifically, one that I have recommended 100's of times because he's tuned my car remotely dozens of times with ZERO issue over many years. In fact, he actually tuned both my M35x and my M56x remotely. Two separate vehicles. Two separate ECUs. Two separate UpRev cables/kits.

As for UpRev helping fix this; I wouldn't hold my breath. The company has GARBAGE customer service. Like one of the worst ever dealt with.

Yeah, I agree something is amiss. If they sent in the ROM to Uprev, and they did their magic, then there's something else wrong here. I haven't heard of a tune that was so bad it put the car in limp mode, but I have heard that if you fudge the VVEL tables enough then it will do that because basically the ecu is afraid the valves will hit the pistons. But any reputable tuner knows this.

My other thought is that the battery voltage took a dive while writing the file to the ecu, which can cause issues too.

But in any way, you should always be able to reinstall the stock rom to factory like nothing ever happened.

Like I said, sounds like there's more going on here than what is on the surface.