Is This Even Possible ?
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 609
Likes: 14
From: Mount Airy, MD
Automobile dealerships do it when the manufacturer recommends it so I would imagine HD dealerships do it as well. Auto dealerships won't ask you or tell you if it is a minor fix. If something in the flash is major, you usually hear the news via the manufacturer and they ask you to take the car in to have the ECM updated. ECM=Engine Control Module. It's the brains of the ignition and fuel injection systems on the bike.
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 670
Likes: 22
From: Umatilla, Fl
Yep, that would be my guess tat they flashed the ECM. Could be a bulletin out there so they just "do you a favor". Happened to me on a Dodge truck back in 02, took it in for something different not even related warranty work and when I picked it up they informed me they "did me a favor". The truck dropped from 18 MPG to 16 immediately and was a gutless pig. When I went back and told them to return it back they told me that they couldn't do due to the fact it was an emissions issue. I told them their little favor cost them a customer for life. Last time I will buy from them!
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 3,504
Likes: 12
From: DOWN SOUTH
I would ask the dealer if they flashed the ecm without telling you. Thats BS if they do things to your bike without informing you first. Another possibility is that its subliminal messages your bike is sending you while you are riding to get rid of the damn cat, lol.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,873
Likes: 13
From: NW Arkansas
I would ask the dealer if they flashed the ecm without telling you. Thats BS if they do things to your bike without informing you first. Another possibility is that its subliminal messages your bike is sending you while you are riding to get rid of the damn cat, lol.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 274
Likes: 1
From: bay area
i may have to look into my dealer also flashing the ecm. I too noticed my bike started running a lot hotter after 10,000 miles. Oh well i just ordered, a header piper and power commander from Fuel moto, so that should start cooling things down
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,045
Likes: 36
From: ST. Louis
Automobile dealerships do it when the manufacturer recommends it so I would imagine HD dealerships do it as well. Auto dealerships won't ask you or tell you if it is a minor fix. If something in the flash is major, you usually hear the news via the manufacturer and they ask you to take the car in to have the ECM updated. ECM=Engine Control Module. It's the brains of the ignition and fuel injection systems on the bike.
Yep, that would be my guess tat they flashed the ECM. Could be a bulletin out there so they just "do you a favor". Happened to me on a Dodge truck back in 02, took it in for something different not even related warranty work and when I picked it up they informed me they "did me a favor". The truck dropped from 18 MPG to 16 immediately and was a gutless pig. When I went back and told them to return it back they told me that they couldn't do due to the fact it was an emissions issue. I told them their little favor cost them a customer for life. Last time I will buy from them!
My phone and computer wants me to update them all the time.
I agree they should tell you about it though.
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 3,806
Likes: 281
From: Green Country Oklahoma
If dealer re flash the ECM I'm sure it should be on the invoice so dealer can charge the Moco for some money.Could it be you really didn't enjoy the ride as usual or wore different pants then usually wear on the rides, wife have few different brand jeans some are ok but other she complain her legs are on fire.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 2,630
Likes: 185
From: Mountain West, Big Sky Country
i blew a rear tire on my 12 FLTRXSE out in Nevada, had to be hauled into Reno for service, so at the same time since it was due, i had them change the engine oil and filter, i am talking to the service writer and the tech comes out to ask a question about my bike, says to service writer, this guy has a pigtail on his ECM diag port, i look at him and ask him why he is messing with the ECM since he is suppost to be installing a rear tire and changing the oil, both of which do not require the ECM to be messed with. The Svc Writer says "oh, its our standard process to check the ECM to make certain it has the latest update." I tell him to leave it alone, I did not ask for anything other than installation of a rear tire and an oil change. He says OK. I get the bike back 3 hours later(had to wait an extra hour for them to wash it) and i have a bolt missing from the rear fender where the passenger seat bolts to the fender and my PV cord is in my saddlebag.
I asked why my cord was unpluged and the tech did not really respond or tell me why. So being paranoid since i am about to run back across the desert in 90+ degree heat and just to make certain, i take my PV out of my saddlebag liner, i take the saddlebag off and plug the cord back into the diag port, save a copy of the program in the ECM to a blank slot in my PV and re-load my performance tune back into the ECM.
When i get back home a week later, i load the tune i saved to my PV into the WinPV software, i do a compare and it is the same as my performance tune. So either they did not do anything to my ECM but unplug the cord or they plugged into the ECM and i dont know what they did.
The dealer did a great job on the mechanical portion of my service, i am just not certain what if anything they did with the ECM. And can not really prove anything other than the cord was unplugged.
I asked why my cord was unpluged and the tech did not really respond or tell me why. So being paranoid since i am about to run back across the desert in 90+ degree heat and just to make certain, i take my PV out of my saddlebag liner, i take the saddlebag off and plug the cord back into the diag port, save a copy of the program in the ECM to a blank slot in my PV and re-load my performance tune back into the ECM.
When i get back home a week later, i load the tune i saved to my PV into the WinPV software, i do a compare and it is the same as my performance tune. So either they did not do anything to my ECM but unplug the cord or they plugged into the ECM and i dont know what they did.
The dealer did a great job on the mechanical portion of my service, i am just not certain what if anything they did with the ECM. And can not really prove anything other than the cord was unplugged.