Sorry to put a damper on the parade but the flash tuning capability of the new turbo M models is greatly overstated. A couple of days ago results were posted of a flash tuned S55 inline-6 which is the turbocharged M motor featured under the hood of the F80 M3 and F82 M4. It is true that this car was flashed but after seeing the article BimmerBoost was contacted by a tuner who wanted to set the record straight on what is actually going on.

Nobody at the moment has real control of any modern ECU used in the turbo BMW's. This includes the F30 models, F10, F12/F13, F82, F80, and so on. The tricore ECU's in these cars have not been cracked. So what exactly is going on?

The tuners claiming the ability to flash are all using the same trick but they are not uploading their own custom tuned software. They are essentially flashing the same files that originate internally from BMW. Some of these files are just press files. Oh, you did not know BMW uses different software on cars they let the press test? Well, namely with the F10 M5 and F12/F13 M6 they do.

Why? The BMW press software will allow a higher margin for a CEL (check engine light). That means you will not see any of those nasty reviews saying the cars went into limp mode. This among other things like traction control changes or higher boost itself. Some tuners have even been using the BMW Competition Package software which is not real flash tuning. It is just uploading BMW's own file.

If anyone needs proof of this ask for a custom dyno tune for your F10 M5 or F80 M3. It is not going to happen, at least not yet. Tuners can play with the bootloader but if they modify outside of certain parameters the checksum fails. If it fails, the software will not flash.

All of the big boys are struggling with this believe it or not. Dimsport which is traditionally the source for a lot of automotive ECU cracks that then spread out (for $ from others) can not flash tune the Tricore ECU's. Some guys may be using this Russian software for the Tricore ECU's to read out of the files but what can they do with it once they do?

The tuner that contacted BimmerBoost said to ask the tuners for proof of their ability. No tuner that has contacted BimmerBoost stating they have the ability to flash tune has demonstrated it. So how do you get a dyno graph showing gains with a flash tune? Well, you can run a car until it is hot and then flash BMW's own software that leaked out and once the car cools down showing gains with a handpicked before and after graph.

BimmerBoost stands by this report that nobody has true flash tuning ability at the moment. BimmerBoost will also state that many tuners make their living simply flashing factory files from Europe over on US cars at a markup. We will not name who it is that predominantly does this but the readers here are smart enough to figure it out.

The flash tuning era of the F80 M3 / F82 M4 and F10 M5 / F13 M6 can not even be stated as being in its infancy as the development is not even that far along. We will see what happens but internal sources at BMW that traditionally have helped can not. You would not either if it meant losing your job.

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