ECU Remapping FAQ's

There are a couple of ways for a remap to be detected. The most cost effective and most commonly used method by manufacturers is to check the CVN with diagnostics tools. CVN stands for ‘calibration verification number’. In short, this number shows the number of times an ECU has been flashed. If an ECU has a higher CVN than it should, a manufacturer’s diagnostic tools will be able to detect this.

With most modern vehicles, our industry-leading remapping software can successfully flash an ECU whilst keeping the original CVN. Meaning diagnostic tools would not be able to detect the remap.

That said, a remap is NEVER undetectable. If someone wants to dig deep enough, they will eventually find it.

A good workaround for this which covers most instances is to have the vehicle returned to stock which we are able to do.

A very common question with very common misconceptions. Ultimately, there is no such thing as a generic map. ‘Generic’ implies that we could use any tune file on any vehicle. Every tune we apply has been custom calibrated for your vehicle make, model and drivetrain.

For stage 1 and most stage 2 files, we can use pretested, safe and proven solutions. Why? Because we know it’s safe. 

What people mean to ask is ‘is it a live remap?’. Short answer, no. But why would you need a live remap?

Typically, a live map, undertaken whilst the vehicle is dyno tested is only really required for vehicles with heavy modifications (excluding breathing mods).

A common misconception, no doubt born in a ‘know-it-all forum’ somewhere, is that for some reason, a map that isn’t a live map, completed on the dyno is bad. This is simply untrue. A 50p map from ebay, on the other hand won’t be doing your car much good.

As mentioned, all of our files are custom calibrated for specific vehicles and have been dyno developed and road tested in the first place to ensure safety, prove gains and result in a reliable tune. Take forum talk with a pinch of salt.

Some manufacturer’s diagnostic equipment may detect a remap.

Many forward-thinking manufacturers turn a blind eye to a quality remapping service, knowing that a properly enhanced vehicle can only ever benefit them. The official line from most manufacturers is that if a modification causes a problem with the vehicle, then the part of the vehicle affected will not be covered under warranty, this does not mean a unilateral cancellation of the whole warranty.

Our best practice and advise is that if you ever need to take your vehicle in for warranty work, bring it back to us to flash on an original file. This way we can mitigate the chances of the remap being discovered.

Whether a manufacturer voids your warranty or not due to a remap is usually at the discretion of the dealership. For vehicles with aftermarket warranties, it is incredibly unlikely that a remap will be looked at or investigated.

At Phantom Tuning, we cover stage 1 ECU tunes and occasionally Stage 2 remaps. When it comes to this level of remapping, a dyno is not always needed. The reason for this is our remapped files have already been tested on a dyno where a slave or donor vehicle was remapped.

This means that we’ve already stress tested and proven the figures that our remaps can provide on a well-maintained vehicle. For stage 1, the donor vehicle is identical to yours, so there is no need to dyno test the file again. For stage 2, the need for a dyno depends on whether or not there are any discrepancies in modifications.

We do not have a dyno on-site but can recommend other businesses that do. IF YOU DO WANT TO DYNO TEST YOUR VEHICLE, WE STRONGLY ADVISE YOU GET A PRE-MAP DYNO BEFORE YOUR CAR IS REMAPPED TO SET THE CORRECT BENCHMARK.

As part of our service, we will before and after road test a vehicle when possible, to ensure the remap behaves as intended.

Ultimately, a remap will optimise the engine. Therefore, it is common to expect improved fuel economy under normal driving conditions.

If you’re expecting to be able to drive spiritedly and still gain another 20% fuel economy, your expectations are unrealistic.

Under normal driving conditions, most of our customers see slight improvements in fuel economy, anywhere from 5% to 15%.

Manufacturers restrict the performance of a vehicle for multiple reasons. An example would be warranty lifespan. It’s in a manufacturer’s interest to ensure their vehicles underperform to reduce the number of warranty claims during the warranty period. It also enables them to extend the time and mileage in which a warranty can be offered.

Increasingly now, manufacturers are saving costs by limiting the number of engine sizes they offer and instead using different versions of the same engine. This enables them to not only save money on research and development but also to charge more money for a vehicle with a higher power output.

For example, the Ford Transit Custom is available in: 100BHP, 125BHP and 150BHP. However, each of them uses the same engine, transmission and drivetrain. The interesting thing is that each of the versions are capable of 180BHP. They simply charge more for the higher-powered versions.

Manufacturers also need to bear in mind that their vehicles are being sold across the globe with various tax brackets, insurance groups and environmental conditions. As a result, they need one universal map to suit all scenarios whilst ensuring maximum sales of the vehicle in question.

Nothing. Typically, all that the different driving modes tend to do is change your throttle mapping. Some vehicles also add weight to your steering and tighten the suspension.

With a tune, the power is changed across all modes. your existing modes will still behave the same and each mode will have its own custom throttle calibration.

Nothing… If your vehicle goes in for service work at a main dealer, even if it’s in warranty, you needn’t worry about anything in relation to a map being detected.

However, if a dealer needs to apply a software update to your vehicle, there is a chance you may lose your map. If you do, we can reflash the modified file on to your car for a small fee of £60 inc. VAT.

We do. Stage 2 requirements are: upgraded intake & decatted or sports catted downpipes.

An average car will gain an extra 20-50bhp for stage 2, depending on the vehicle. 

The calibrations for stage 1 and 2 are quite similar, however, most of the additional gains will come from the physical modifications rather than the tune itself. For example, if you’re already running a stage 1 tune and have already applied stage 2 modifications, it’s unlikely that you’ll feel too much difference in changing the map to a stage 2.