For those of us that live in an area where there are no dealers or cant get their car to one:

If you were to buy a brand new ECM and then get it re-flashed by Hondata,
what would be the draw-backs if any with reguards to the overall operation of the vehicle?

Do you have to get the dealer to do something to brand new computor before it works in your car?

If you put a brand new computor in a car will it start and run ok?

What about security features, whats the deal there?

If the dealer has to program something into the/a brand new computor, what does he need to perform the task; ecm, key fob, vin #, all?

Would the computor have to be in the car when progaming or can it be done on a test bench or something?


Its cheaper to buy a new ECM and get it flashed than to buy one of Hondata's generic flashed ECMs for the RDX!

Thanks

 

Might be cheaper to ship your ECU to a Hondata dealer (who then ships it to Hondata), like Church Automotive or HeelToe.

From Hondata.com:

 

^Thanks but trying to keep the downtime to a minimunm (or none) seeing as how I'm overseas

 

I totally understand. I couldn't have any downtime so I had to get it done the same day at Church Automotive.

 

"The Hondata RDX ECU has a preprogrammed VIN. Its immobilizer has been set up to work with any vehicle without dealer programming. An Acura dealer can write your VIN number to a new or used ECU."

By preprogammed VIN number, do they mean they'll use the VIN number of your car or a generic one, since they hint that only the dealer can write you VIN number on the ECU.
And if the "immobilizer will work with any vehicle without dealer programming", won't that mean that it will make it easier to steal?
Where is the mileage stored? (if it's in the ECU, won't that lose keeping track of mileage when swapping ECU's)
I'm about to get a 2008-2009 RDX in a few months and I'll do the hondata mod, which is the best thing to do performance-wise, so I am inquiring about a stand alone ECU, that way if I take it to the dealer for any reason, they won't know I was using a tuned ECU.

 

Nobody got a brand new Hondata tuned ECU?

 

Kinda sucks that this is the only tuning option for this car. kinda expected since this car is sought as a family type vehicle. My other car is a WRX STi, and we have opensource tuning available for us.

i would say with enough demand that we can have this option and at the expense of the obd2 tactrix cable. since hondata is only flashing a base map on to the car if the vehicle is not at their shop to dyno, your only getting a map that may feel like you have more power but is not catered to your specific mods and altitude. and what i mean is that they will have maybe a map for all stock with a intake for example. depending on brand, not all intakes are the same so the air flow may hit the maf sensor in a different way.

But then again, with opensource, it would be the same but you would be able to flash the ecu yourself in the comfort of your own home. And say you add something else to the car that can benifit from a tune, you can apply the other base map untill you can get a full tune. and say if your scared that the big bad dealership is going to notice you modified your car, you can save your protune or base map on your lap top and you can flash it back to stock. then go back and flash it to the protune after. no evidence of a map change is left in the ecu and regardless they cant deny your warrenty if the modification did not have a direct result in the failure.

Alot of tuners in the subaru and mistu communties are using this with great results. the program to tune your vehicle and its base maps is even free. their is other programs that support the opensource way of tuning but some actually charge for the program.

their is a few programs that you can look at to see what im talkin about. openecu/ecuflash are programs that are free and let you read write and modify the ecu, romraider and ecuexplorer (also free) are ones that let you edit a map off the ecu and also log everything on the engine, fuel, boost, timing, knock, afr, ect. im not going to link to these programs since i am a noob here and do not want to be looked upon as a spammer. if you google the names, you will find tons of info on it.

They are able to tune ecu's that have the canbus and im only assuming that the type of ecu in the RDX would be of canbus spec.

this is what is supported so far.
Mitsubishi

• Airtrek Turbo
• Brilliance
• Eclipse GS/GT/GSX
• EVO 5/6/7/8/9/10
• Galant
• Lancer
• Magna
• Mirage
• Montero Sport
• Outlander
• Pajero Sport
• ... basically any Mitsubishi ECU based on a H8, SH-2, or M32r processor

Subaru

• Baja
• Exiga
• Forester NA(05+)/turbo/XT
• Impreza NA(05+)/WRX/STI
• Legacy NA(05+)/GT
• Liberty NA(05+)/GT
• Outback NA(05+)/XT
• Tribeca
• ... basically any Subaru ECU based on a HC16, or SH-2 processor

 

Yeah but you cant do that with the RDX's ECM cause there is no supported software out to do it.

Hondata is the only one that has the software for he Honda ECU (that I've heard of) beit from the civic on up!

 

You missed the part in my post where I stated with enough demand we can have this option. The point is to show the developers of the software to make ecu definitions for the exsisting programs to read.

 

Enough demand! too little too late, RDX been out since 2007, if any company was going to seriously work on a tuner, or a stand alone tuner, they would have done it by now.
There's only tuning option available, it's hondata, it's a good tune at a good price and it's reliable, so even though there's only one option, it's a good one, so that's good enough for me.

 

Yup...... What he said^^


Oh, if you feel like doing a little tinkering (tuning lol ) your self you can go with the
AEM FIC with patch harness. With this you wont be able to raise the boost or rev limit, but you will be able to adjust the ignition and fueling

 

Anyways all this is getting

 

The question is; If you purchase a brand new ECM from the dealer/factory,

1. Can you simply install it in the car and drive?

2. What is the procedure to get the keys programed to the ECM for security features?
2a. Does the ECM need to be installed in your vehicle to be programed or can it be done on the/a test bench (so to speak)?

3. What would be the deal with sending a/said brand new ECM to Hondata to get flashed? Would it be the same as you buying their new ECM but at the (just a flash) price?

 

sorry to say but its not too little too late, open source tuning is not part of a big company, and did not become popular untill recently. all the people involved do it for no profit. and this isnt something that can happen real quick. and if you think paying over 500$ for a base map is good enough then have fun wasting your money and time. all that needs to happen is people need to show now that they are interested and when you do get your hands on a RDX you wont have to get anal raped by hondata.

 

no the vin has to be programed into the ecu and also your key. and it would be the same anal raping price 500+$

 

btw wspy, you should look into the tuning im talking about for your evo.. they do have it availible for your car.

 

Which question are you answering?

 

Lol... did you look at the mods on the car?!

I been at this stuff for 20yrs....lol

 

oh shit did not notice that part. nice build.

 

pretty much all of the questions. as the key has to be programed to the ecu, and the dealer has to input the vin to the ECU. thinkin its for the acuralink.

 

One reason I bring all this up is that since the RDX hasnt been sought after as a race car or a sports car, alot of tuning options just hasnt been offered. The open source tuning is great for mild modifications going all the way up to most bolt on upgrades and such. obviously with the build your evo has gone through deserves the stand alone engine management.

Although this thread did get off track a lil, it was kinda still related as to explain that other options can be done. and it would also be nice not to have to keep your car idle and spend your kids school fund and sell a left nut to get a lil extra performance.

 

Well folks, I sent a brand new ECU to Hondata for them to flash it with their "preprogrammed Data", only for them to send it back unflashed, stating that the ECU had to be first programmed at the dealer before they could flash it!!!!!!!!!!! Wtf

 

Hondoodoo

 

^ What he said!

 

Wouldn't it have been cheaper to purchase a ECU directly from them since they only offer it for the 07-09 models?

Programming the ECU is quick but make sure they load the sh-awd program and it is the correct years since +10 models are different.

I had a tech load the 07-09 for my 11 and did not work.
Kept throwing codes.

 

No.....When I bought the ECU Hondata was selling theirs for $7-800. A new ECU + their flash worked out cheaper (like $6-700).

I have an '08....and no Acura dealer where I live.....only Honda.

 

That is even worse now that you had to pay more on shipping and find a acura dealer to reprogram it.

Did Hondata let buyers know in advance that it needed to be program first before sending it to them?

 

Sucks...........They did'nt, but then again, maybe no one asked.

 

Yeah that really sucks as the acura tech needs to be inside your car to run/drive the car for a while to ensure everything is ok. (with your keys)

Programming is quick though - around 30 minutes normally.

Good luck.

 

Quick question, are we able to just use FlashPro have it tuned locally? I'm in El Paso, TX we are way above sea level. The Re-Flash tune may not be suited for my location. Will I have to have the other ECU programmed by a dealer using FlashPro?

The reasons for 2 ecus I have 3yr bumper to bumper Warranty don't want to void.

 

No FlashPro for the RDX avail!

 

As you appear so much more knowledgable in this subject. My door locks, turn signals inside headlights, and interior lights stopped functioning properly. I do not have no warning signs or check engine lighs on the dashboard. and i recently checked all of the fuses all working. Can this be My ECM? Help my Please Wspy.

 

I mean ECU

 

Fuse(s)?

 

i checked all the fuses, they all checked out fine

 

There have been a couple of used ECU's on E-Bay as of late. In the $100-125 range. Of course that has it's own risks but is relatively cheap.

 

I did the hondata reflash last year. Love it. But I just threw 3 codes for the tpms. I moved and can't take it back to the mechanic who took care of the tune. If I go to Acura, are they gonna mess it up?

 

...maybe you just need more air pressure. or new sensors.

the only way the dealer would "mess it up" I if they decided to re-map your car (but why would they?)

 

Because girl.... I spoke to Acura svc rep yesterday.. they assured me they wouldn't mess up my tune.....