Just been talking with a VW engineer who came out to sort a niggle with my partners Touareg, that in the ever continuing battle against the famous DPF issues on the 170 TDI engines VW have pushed out to workshops a new software version to limit the output on the engine. This takes the car down to 155BHP, while improving DPF regeneration and smoke output.All 170 Cars going in for a service or any work will have this new software flashed.

So this is why my car is now behaving after two weeks at the dealers a month back.

This also completely kills 1st gear which I thought was just me.

Just thought I'd share this info with you all before I go have a word with my workshop manager...

Quick question to the tuners out there (Chippeduk) can you overcome this latest VW update or are you now limited?

Thats shoot... you bought a 170PS car not a 155!

tell me about it? So not only are VW MPG figures way off, also I am down on BHP... Wonder where I stand?

I am sure Audi pulled something like this off on the last RS4 BHP figures?

But, I think that down tuning a car you purchased for a certain figure does take the biscuit.

Id be straight back in there getting the old software back on... if it feels flat now thats  really shoot of VW for rolling out an update like that!

I have just sent an e-mail to my service manager so will see what he says. I am starting to get fed up now of this car / VW.

Anyone else had this update yet??

Is this official word from VW? a reliable source?

I'm sure your with in your rights to tell them that you do not want the ecu flashed, it is after all your car and not their's.

And why after all this time are they de-tuning it? surely if there was a major issue, 170 diesels owners would be going into vw with problems left right and centre.

Touch wood, I haven't had any dpf issues, I have the ST3 fast road map loaded, I'm more than happy with it, when I take my car in for servicing etc, I will load the original map back on, than after put the ST3 map back on.

Every car / manufacture has it's issues, some cars may be effected others may not, that's the way it goes with these things.

I am going to just drive it and enjoy it, there are worse things to worry about in life

 If the DPF doe's play up in the future, then I will remove it.

just read all this and am starting to get worried....

 Why worry? If you take your car into VW, just tell them you do not want the ecu flashed, if your car is running fine, do not worry.

Yes this was from a VW techie, but I am waiting on a full response from the workshop manager.

If you do a google for this there seems to be much debate about this!

Audi - http://www.tyresmoke.net/forum/audi-a4-s4-cabrio/111818-a4-170-tdi-recall.html

Seat - http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=211142&page=2

 I regularly give the car a blast, and use the revs, maybe this burns off the soot in the dpf more.

 I'm going to VW tomorrow to pick up some bits I ordered, I will see what they say about this ecu software.

Same here TBH - but the issues I have been having are not due to soot build up in away

markf79:

 I'm going to VW tomorrow to pick up some bits I ordered, I will see what they say about this ecu software.

let us know how you get on then....

vw4:

markf79:

 I'm going to VW tomorrow to pick up some bits I ordered, I will see what they say about this ecu software.

 

let us know how you get on then....

Good stuff - keep us posted!

the vw dealership will be unable to revert back to the old ecu software as the old software is stored, just over written

i havent heard of the ecu being detuned but will ask about see if anyone else has heard about this

Cheers for that.

Another 170 loss of power thread - http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/showthread.php?p=696507

if they have, you might find it is a temp measure until a final fix is sorted out if that makes sense

remap with less power to stop the vehicle being returned to the dealer with the same dpf problem for now and then when happy they have fixed it another remap is issued

no sure just thinking out loud

but vw never tell us about what the updates actually do

Chris,

Could I 'ask' the workshop to put the old software back on if I requested? Or would this be against VW wishes?

tinners2000:

Chris,

Could I 'ask' the workshop to put the old software back on if I requested? Or would this be against VW wishes?

you can ask but the workshop will not have the old software that was originally on the ecu

it just gets over written straight off, not stored first

vw themselves might have it stored but that would be vw's call not the dealerships

Chrisdut:

tinners2000:

Chris,

Could I 'ask' the workshop to put the old software back on if I requested? Or would this be against VW wishes?

you can ask but the workshop will not have the old software that was originally on the ecu

it just gets over written straight off, not stored first

vw themselves might have it stored but that would be vw's call not the dealerships

Surely I am on grounds here to either demand the the old software back if my car has been detuned, or reject the car under some form falsification?

Just been out on a run and can tell the 1st gear hole. Going to take my mates GT out tomorrow and see if his is different.

So my 140 with chipped UK remap now has 30hp more than a std 170 thats been back to the dealers for a service? COOL!

andyfa:

So my 140 with chipped UK remap now has 30hp more than a std 170 thats been back to the dealers for a service? COOL!

Aye, not a nice feeling for us GT170 owners

Well they won't be touching my ecu, will probably take the car to an approved independant garage for servicing.

Oh and the worst of it - most GT 140's push out around 145-150 anyway at standard

Sounds like this software update is just a precautionary measure, if there was a serious issue, surely they would recall all cars.

Still, why deploy DPF technology with problems that require the car be detuned in the first place. VAG are trending on thin ice.

Due to the number of DPF related problems this does seem a logical step, but the end user should be informed about their car being reduced in power.

I personally do not think this morally correct.

They should sort the issue properly, not detune, if that is what they are doing.

Maybe the software update, is a temp fix, and they will bring out a further update.

If I do end up with DPF issues, I shall just remove it, and get a Milltek downpipe delete pipe, and an updated remap from chippeduk. I'm chuffed with there ST3 unit.

Best way is to wait until I get an official response from VW and the other lads here gain further information. I might take my car to get RR'd to further aid my investigation.

Be nice to get some feedback from the tuners out there, as I am sure that they might of seen this new software and what it exacly alters.

Yes it would be nice to know what it actually alters, I have read reports, I forget where, that some people's cars have had an ecu update, but they don't seem to notice any difference with the car, others say the car seems to pick up better.

Maybe there are a number of updates, depending on what issue the car may be having.

It's all confusing.

I do know that car manufactures, bring out software updates all the time to iron out issues, but de-tuning is a bit off!

if they have infact detuned

at the moment this is all hearsay

i know the dpf on pd engines is an issue all car makers with pd engines have

this is one of the many reason's vw have now changed to the common rail diesel engine as the dpf works alot better with this type diesel engine

It will be interesting to see the final outcome of this software update and DPF issues.

Yes it seems to be hearsay at the moment.

Maybe hearsay but with all this talk across a key number of forums, and with this VW techie informing me, gets one thinking! Hopefully have more information tomorrow.