[Quickburn7]

My car had a check engine light and a flat tire and was towed to the dealer. I couldn't remove the RaceChip and it was caught by the foreman and the car was flagged.
For those who have experience with this what does this mean?

[onfireX5]

Originally Posted by Quickburn7

My car had a check engine light and a flat tire and was towed to the dealer. I couldn't remove the RaceChip and it was caught by the foreman and the car was flagged.
For those who have experience with this what does this mean?

It means the foreman is an ass.

[Miko M]

Originally Posted by onfireX5

It means the foreman is an ass.

Lol
Agree
I am bringing mine car in this Thursday
Check engine light keeps coming
Bought laptop and the software to read the codes. All kinds of weird cods showed up.
Battery isolating switch, and most concerning engine oil pressure control- variation

[EDDYFIG]

Basically if your engine blows you're screwed.

[Vic55]

Wtf, why take it to a dealer--- Americas tire fixes flats.

If its flagged, your warranty for the flagged area is shot. So if the engine is flagged, any future issues stemming from that area will not be covered. And why are they popping the hood to fix a tire? I guess its all possible but thats pretty brutal for him to do that based on a non warranty claim such as a flat tire. I could see him flagging you if you had an engine issue and left it on but this is just fucked up. Sorry I hate dicks like that and Im drinking.

Fuck that foreman and post the dealer info here so we can avoid that place

[Pimpsy]

Originally Posted by Vic55

Wtf, why take it to a dealer--- Americas tire fixes flats.

If its flagged, your warranty for the flagged area is shot. So if the engine is flagged, any future issues stemming from that area will not be covered. And why are they popping the hood to fix a tire? I guess its all possible but thats pretty brutal for him to do that based on a non warranty claim such as a flat tire. I could see him flagging you if you had an engine issue and left it on but this is just fucked up. Sorry I hate dicks like that and Im drinking.

Fuck that foreman and post the dealer info here so we can avoid that place

I agree, it's an extremely dick move.
Is this someone you have had past dealings with?

[Vic55]

Originally Posted by Pimpsy

I agree, it's an extremely dick move.
Is this someone you have had past dealings with?

no--- but I know the OP and he will probably chime in as he just told me who the dealer was.

[Quickburn7]

Originally Posted by Vic55

no--- but I know the OP and he will probably chime in as he just told me who the dealer was.

So I've had dealings with this dealer. They did my engine replacement a couple of months ago and never had an issue with Mods with them before.

I had a check engine light turn on about 30 mins before they picked up my car for the tire ( tire insurance ) and I stupidly asked my service rep at Center Bmw to check it out with the race chip still installed as I didn't have the dummy plug on me when I got the flat. They have run diagnostics and even the service with it installed and no issues however this time the foreman saw it and flagged me.

My fault for telling them to check the check
Engine light with it installed but sucks for them to flag it.

[r33_RGSport]

Uh, why that shop foreman is jumping the gun like that.
He should've gave a heads up instead of just flagging the car.

I got my G30 540 flagged because I have a Brembo BBK. It was flagged in that brake department itself.

I believe it should be the same in OP's case.

I don't think he even have warranty on the engine that came with the car since this is his new motor.
Maybe only the 2 years BMW parts warranty with 1 year of labor.

Let's have the OP to chime in when he got the time.

[Quickburn7]

Originally Posted by r33_RGSport

Uh, why that shop foreman is jumping the gun like that.
He should've gave a heads up instead of just flagging the car.

I got my G30 540 flagged because I have a Brembo BBK. It was flagged in that brake department itself.

I believe it should be the same in OP's case.

I don't think he even have warranty on the engine that came with the car since this is his new motor.
Maybe only the 2 years BMW parts warranty with 1 year of labor.

Let's have the OP to chime in when he got the time.

I don't know what is covered anymore with this car. It's my second engine but was done 100% by BMW so it should still be covered with original 4/50k warranty.
From what I'm reading online anytime I have an engine issue now Bmw has to come and check it out and prove that the racechip caused the claim then i am out of pocket. If they can't Bmw has to cover it.

[r33_RGSport]

Originally Posted by Quickburn7

I don't know what is covered anymore with this car. It's my second engine but was done 100% by BMW so it should still be covered with original 4/50k warranty.
From what I'm reading online anytime I have an engine issue now Bmw has to come and check it out and prove that the racechip caused the claim then i am out of pocket. If they can't Bmw has to cover it.

Supposedly that is how it supposed to work.
Flagging the car is the easiest way to say that they don't even want to touch it.

Most shop foreman are lazy.
They just want to do as little as possible and get paid.
Even though my SA said that they will get paid when they found something.
But they couldn't even figure out why my G30 540 cold start is with rough idle. They said it is normal.

[BwoodBMW]

just confirmed my bias to not buy another car from Center.... lame.

[shoei]

Super lame but I kinda like how the op was honest from the get... Most people would blame the evil dealership even though they had a tune...

I feel like it had something to do with your previous engine replacement however... Someone somewhere probably thinks you're building a 1500 horsepower monster...

[///M ARMY]

Center bmw huh...

Thats why i take mine to Mckenna.

[themnmd]

Originally Posted by Vic55

Wtf, why take it to a dealer--- Americas tire fixes flats.

If its flagged, your warranty for the flagged area is shot. So if the engine is flagged, any future issues stemming from that area will not be covered. And why are they popping the hood to fix a tire? I guess its all possible but thats pretty brutal for him to do that based on a non warranty claim such as a flat tire. I could see him flagging you if you had an engine issue and left it on but this is just fucked up. Sorry I hate dicks like that and Im drinking.

Fuck that foreman and post the dealer info here so we can avoid that place

F yeah dude!

[limeypride]

Originally Posted by Vic55

Wtf, why take it to a dealer--- Americas tire fixes flats.

If its flagged, your warranty for the flagged area is shot. So if the engine is flagged, any future issues stemming from that area will not be covered. And why are they popping the hood to fix a tire? I guess its all possible but thats pretty brutal for him to do that based on a non warranty claim such as a flat tire. I could see him flagging you if you had an engine issue and left it on but this is just fucked up. Sorry I hate dicks like that and Im drinking.

Fuck that foreman and post the dealer info here so we can avoid that place

I so wholeheartedly agree--WHAT A DICK!

In the world of Audi, they call this a TD1 and it's an effective means for warranty claim refusals... but I've yet to learn what the impact is in the world of BMW.

Sorry, dude!

[shoei]

It just means that component that was flagged won't be honored in warranty repairs... Let's say engine blows tomorrow? They'll deny it in basis of race chip... But let's say his driver seat stops massaging ? They will cover it because race chip doesn't effect the seats...

Be no different if he installed a MC - Massage Chip - for stronger massages and then the seat gave out and it was flagged because op forgot to remove the MC...

[limeypride]

Originally Posted by shoei

It just means that component that was flagged won't be honored in warranty repairs... Let's say engine blows tomorrow? They'll deny it in basis of race chip... But let's say his driver seat stops massaging ? They will cover it because race chip doesn't effect the seats...

Be no different if he installed a MC - Massage Chip - for stronger massages and then the seat gave out and it was flagged because op forgot to remove the MC...

Thanks!

I get the concept of the 'flag' but I'm not clear on how far BMW take it. Is it tagged at BMW Corp based on the VIN forever and a day? Are any downstream components (aka. the entire drivetrain) brought into question? That sorta stuff...

[Steeve19M5CP]

Originally Posted by Quickburn7

I don't know what is covered anymore with this car. It's my second engine but was done 100% by BMW so it should still be covered with original 4/50k warranty.
From what I'm reading online anytime I have an engine issue now Bmw has to come and check it out and prove that the racechip caused the claim then i am out of pocket. If they can't Bmw has to cover it.

Tell us more about the first engine replacement? What caused it per their inspection?

[Pimpsy]

You asked them to inspect the car so I assume a tech looked at it, saw the race chip, then brought it to the attention of the foreman or service manager.
I've actually worked in service departments as a mechanic, foreman, and service manager, and I can tell you that sometimes issues like this become political.
It sucks, but I think you have to consider the possibility that once the tech brings something like this to the foreman or service manager he has no choice but to react according to the rulebook, possibly depending how this has played out with other clients in the past.
The good news is that, most likely, you won't have an engine problem over the course of a lease where this will become an issue for you. I'll certainly cross my fingers for you.

[JOHNBMWM5]

Originally Posted by EDDYFIG

Basically if your engine blows you're screwed.

Yep that's true, no more cover for engine, I just can't see any point in tuning/remapping whilst in warantee it aint worth it. Hope your engine holds up.

[josec70]

It's critical to have a very good relationship with your SA to avoid these types of situations.

I had piggys on both of my F10 M5's and was upfront with my SA regarding this matter. I never removed it for service and never had any issue or was flagged. I'm on the fence with my F90 M5C regarding getting a piggy.

If you blow an engine and you're flagged it's simply saving BMW NA from having to investigate the cause and deny warranty claim.

If you blow an engine and you're not flagged you can rest assured BMW NA is going to investigate it. If they want to dig deep enough they will detect both a tune and a piggy and deny warranty coverage (even if the piggy is physically removed).

Conclusion, blown engine w/ tune or piggy means be prepared to pay as BMW NA is taking this very seriously. If you go to F10 M5 forum you can see communications from BMW to dealerships regarding this.

Know your SA and be prepared to pay if you tune or piggy.