Well, time has come to get some bad news. The dealer told me today this and handed me a copy!
Telling me I can no longer do the ECU upgrades!

http://www.rrsport.co.uk/gallery/displayimage.php?&pos=-7722

To: All National Sales Companies and Importers
For the Attention of: The Managing Director
Copies to: The Service/After-Sales Director/Manager
The Parts Director/Manager
Dear Colleagues,
Installation of Unauthorized Power Upgrades (Add-on or ECM 'Chipping')
This Policy Letter replaces Policy Letter NSC/LR/0137, issued in May 2003
A number of major power-train units received through the normal Warranty Returns process have been damaged by the installation of unauthorized power upgrades to Engine Management systems. Changes to the vehicle's power characteristics have far-reaching consequences on many systems including the entire driveline, braking system, emission control devices and in particular the Diesel Particulate Filter circuit (DPF). The DPF undergoes regular regeneration cycles to clean lodged particulates by means of increasing the temperature within, and this operation is not completed satisfactorily with non-production engine management software.
The installation of unauthorized upgrade packages appears to be particularly prevalent on Diesel variants of Freelander, Freelander 2, Discovery 2, Discovery 3 and Range Rover Sport, where investigation of catastrophic failures has shown significant numbers to be attributed to unauthorized power upgrades. The Warranty Returns Centers will monitor the following failures:
• TD5 Engine – Discovery
• TD4 Engine – Freelander 1
• TDV6 Engine - Discovery 3
• TDV6 & V8 Engine - Discovery 3 and Range Rover Sport
• Intermediate Reduction Drive (IRD) – Freelander 1
• Automatic transmission – Freelander 1 & 2
• Automatic transmission – Discovery 3 and Range Rover Sport
• Damage to the Diesel Particulate Filter
Power upgrades are typically achieved either through the download of unauthorized and potentially illegal calibration files into the Engine Control Modules, or through add-on hardware. Other power upgrades may also be available, and in all cases, warranty responsibility on any affected component does not lie with Land Rover.
The resulting power increase is achieved at the expense of:
• Engine and transmission longevity
• Increased fuel consumption
• Increased pollutant emissions
We would also draw your attention to the following statement from the Owner's Handbook:
'The fitting of non-approved parts and accessories, or the carrying out of non-approved alterations or conversions, may be dangerous and could affect the safety of the vehicle and occupants, and also invalidate the terms and conditions of the vehicle warranty.'
Please take actions to ensure that Authorized Repairers are not in any way involved in the promotion, marketing, or installation of such unauthorized power upgrades. Remind your Repairer bodies that evidence of upgrade is almost impossible to conceal, even when original equipment is refitted following unit failure. Any major unit failures suspected to be resulting from unauthorized power upgrades will be thoroughly investigated and warranty payments will be withheld or withdrawn as appropriate.
Yours faithfully

K Phelps


HERE IS COPY IN MY GALLERY.
http://www.rrsport.co.uk/gallery/displayimage.php?&pos=-7722

so this should apply everywhere making warranty claims harder for remaps right?

that affects a whole load of people.....best hope that if you do have one, your covered!!  L322 Big Daddy SUPERCHARGED 5.0 Autobiography - Here & Now!

5 series for the miles

RRS S/C factory built HST - Gone

45 others have been and gone!

I have done many tunes at the dealership, they will try to blame me possibly, the transmissions here come faulty evryonce in a while and I will not do anything if they claim to blame me!!

This is a problem with the dealers and its why i always advise the car be returned to standard before any warranty work is undertaken.

also here in one of my previous posts.

http://www.disco3.co.uk/forum/topic21131.html?highlight=

And why i also state that some the BIG torque tuners is not always the best choice of mapping !!
Bigger/powerfuller is not always better in the long run.

Regards Pete Follow Us On Twitter @bellautos

Last edited by bellautos on Wed May 28 2008 8:59pm. Edited 2 times in total

Is this letter recent? Surely all Disco2 TD5s and Freelander 1s are out of warranty now in any case???

Transmission/driveline longevity - surely you would have to exceed the torque of the std TDV8 to achieve that, and I´m not aware of any TDV6 tune that claims to better the std TDV8 AFAIK??? Cheers

Simon

2007 2.7HSE 20" Wheels
2005 TDV6 D3 S Auto - Zambezi Silver - JE Tune - RRS 19" - Sidesteps - Roof Rails
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Alpine Roof - Towpack - Alpine Touchscreen Satnav - Veba Rear DVD changer
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simonsi wrote:

Is this letter recent? Surely all Disco2 TD5s and Freelander 1s are out of warranty now in any case???

Transmission/driveline longevity - surely you would have to exceed the torque of the std TDV8 to achieve that, and I´m not aware of any TDV6 tune that claims to better the std TDV8 AFAIK???

This post highlights exactly why I chose to use a 'diesel box' solution.....I can remove it 5 mins before it goes to the dealer for service or warranty work.

I have read with interest how many tuners claim that they will reflash the ecu after a visit to the dealers...but nobody expect BELL has offered to return a car to standard BEFORE a visit to the dealers.

Allowing a vehicle to go in for service with the ECU reprogrammed is now a major risk to your warranty should LR find out a vehicle is chipped

I can see this scenario right now.......Chipped car dropped off to dealer for standard service and rattling exhaust.....service technician drives car and immediately becomes aware of how fast the car is.....need I say more!!!!!!

I wonder if JE and Tchip would also be prepared to offer the same service as BELL????

This isn't particularly new news, the UK dealers were told some while ago that they were no longer permitted to do onsite upgrades themselves and that warranty issues that MIGHT be linked to upgrades would be more thoroughly investigated. It all comes down to thinking more carefully about whether you want your RRS chipped or not and the reasons why you're doing it... the plugins tend simply to overfuel rather than tune, so it's arguable whether boxes causes any less damage than an actual ECU upgrade but horses for courses...  

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I will be talking to my dealer about this. I bought my car brand new and unregistered from his showroom (he is an official Main LR Dealer). Prior to me even walking in to his premesis the car had been chipped by them. Therefore, as a buyer I was buying in good faith from an official LR dealer. He even used the damn chipping as a sales point and said they had thrown it in for free! I specifically asked if it had any effect on Warranty and was told that it did not. Seems he was full of SH T. It'll be interesting to see what he says now! 2013 Discovery HSE Luxury - 3.0 SDV6 - Santorini Black
2013 Evoque 5 Door Pure Tech SD4 - Orkney Grey with Panoramic Roof (Mrs E's new baby)

GONE - RRS - 3.0 TDV6 HSE - Santorini (2010)
GONE - RRS - 2.7 TDV6 HSE - Java Black (2007)
GONE - Porsche Boxster S - 3.2 - Black

This has swayed me on to the "not worth the risk" side of the fence

Was the dealer Strastone by any chance?

bex wrote:

Was the dealer Strastone by any chance?

Nope Bex, it wasn't Stratstones. If you don't mind I'm not going to mention their name on this post yet as I don't want them getting any pre-warning before I call them - You never know who's reading the forum posts! 2013 Discovery HSE Luxury - 3.0 SDV6 - Santorini Black
2013 Evoque 5 Door Pure Tech SD4 - Orkney Grey with Panoramic Roof (Mrs E's new baby)

GONE - RRS - 3.0 TDV6 HSE - Santorini (2010)
GONE - RRS - 2.7 TDV6 HSE - Java Black (2007)
GONE - Porsche Boxster S - 3.2 - Black

I think all should take into account that this Bulletin was published way back in April 2007 - prior to the Stratstone/Autologix upset.

All manufacture's issue statements like this from time to time, otherwise they would be entertaining claims from owners who have carried out nitro-oxide modifications and then run the car on the local drag strip till the engine or transmission bust.

The amount of risk involved for the owner, comes down to the dealer and LR making a logical and reasoned assessment of the modification's affect on the failure. Mainly it is down to the customer/dealer relationship and I have to admit LR dealers are not always the best in this aspect, as they do not all appreciate they are now in the prestige car market and not just the farmyard/industrial market.

For example there is no way an engine chipped TDV6 can be blamed for a failure in the transmission when the TDV8 and S/C put far more load on these identical components.

Look after your customers Mr Dealer and Mr Land Rover, otherwise when times are hard they will not look after you! Anyone can sell cars in the good times, particularly to 'company car' customers. It is when the bad times come round again that you will need your loyal customers. Just make sure you still have them with you! Gone - 2008 TDV8, Stornoway Grey, ebony, zabrano trim, TV, Tasmods, mudflaps.

If you look closely the bulletin is not dated 04/2007 but listed as bulletin 04/2067 and has just been released