Beware of buying USED Ktuner devices

[KTuner]

We actually mentioned purchasing a new license above. That can only be done through email from the registered owner's account.

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[CrippleRipple]

E-mail sent?

 

[ayau]

Not sure why the unlock function isn't 100% as long as there's an internet connection. If the unlock fails, there should be a message to the user and not require the user to manually verify. Who's going to go read the unlocking help doc when there's an unlock button in front of their face? I'm sure this isn't the first...

 

[ayau]

Just saying, Hondata's unlock directions are very simple. No unlocking check is necessary on the user's end.

https://www.hondata.com/help/flashpro/index.html?unlocking_from_a_vehicle.htm

 

[CrippleRipple]

Yeah this is pretty ridiculous, they want $200 + shipping for them to reprogram the unit.

I was no stranger to the software either.

I had internet, a battery tender hooked up & my laptop plugged in just to eliminate any chance of a failures. I've literally flashed 50+ times between two different vehicles and (2) KTuner devices.
Unlocked multiple times exactly as I did this last time with no issue.

My flash to stock was successful(which is logged,) my unlock was successful with their exact message & I even checked multiple times. Once even waiting for the finance guy at the dealership because I was worried about an issue just like this. My first KTuner had a severe issues even communicating with the vehicle & left it undrivable after a flash.

I just wanted to flash my new car for my up coming birthday man.
Glad I checked here for any updates and saw this thread.

I have no idea what to do but try it tonight & hope it works. I've seen KTuner do stranger things.

Very disappointed in KTuner at this point & myself for not checking 10+ times for a successful unlock.

 

[KTuner]

Directions are clear. Messages for success and failure are clear with followup instructions, as shown in the directions. Additional ways to actually verify it are outlined in the message and directions as well so people don't make these kind of mistakes. It takes one time to verify it by following those directions and I'm sorry that you didn't.

Shipping is only extra if you're not in the United States, as the email mentioned. Pulling someone away from their actual job to process and reprogram your unit takes away a station and the same amount of time regardless of the circumstances. It's not a service we're required to offer and we definitely can't do it for free.

 

[ayau]

@KTuner, the frustration is pretty simple.

1. Success rate for unlocking isn’t 100% even with a working internet connection. Why?

2. Users are expected to Google “KTuner unlock” to get the specific instructions. If the unlock button is available, why isn’t there a “failure to unlock” message that would prompt the user to read the directions? You’re basically expecting the user to Google the directions as the first step.

 

[KTuner]

Not following you here.

There are four things that need to sync during the unlock process. Having internet is required, not all that's required.

There is a failure message which actually tells you what steps to take next, even better than having to simply go to the Online Help option available in the Help menu of the software and look at the section for your unit. If you see those directions there's a photo of the message. The text there is even highlighted in bold.

Once again you're told in the messages and directions multiple ways to verify you've done it correctly. If you have ideas to improve the messaging beyond being straight forward as it is let us know.

http://www.ktuner.com/KTunerHelp/locking_to_unlocking_from_an_ecu_2.htm

 

[ayau]

I honestly don’t recall seeing that error message. Not sure if @CrippleRipple remembers.

I’ll video record the unlock when I receive the KTuner device.

 

[CrippleRipple]

I honestly don’t recall seeing that error message. Not sure if @CrippleRipple remembers.

I’ll video record the unlock when I receive the KTuner device.

Nope, everything was 100% successful showing this message:

KTuner showed no errors and still shows no locked ECU or VIN. And again my last flash to stock is logged. Never expected free but you are reaching at $200. If it's so easy then why does it disrupt someone's work flow so much? Give me a break, try working flat rate some time man.

Software is the worst of any I've ever used to include piggy backs with selector switches.
Experienced in Hondata S200/S300, KPRO, ThunderMax, DynoJets, Greddy E-Manage, AEM Units, Cobb, Motec & etc. Never had so many issues with any other systems going back over a decade+.

Just take a look at all the issues that pop up searching. You just prefer to to talk down to us in e-mail so no one can see how absolutely rude you are......although your consistent half answers are pretty clear. Your past actions and replies are not lost on me.

 

[CrippleRipple]

My unit has now relocked itself to my old ECU & VIN# after trying to reset things in my new Accord.
I guess my unit is a brick now that it is showing locked when it was not just this morning.

I have no idea where the old Accord is now. I'm not trying to scam KTuner, I'm not tuning multiple cars on the side & my unit is not stolen. I'm the originally owner, can prove my old car was flashed back to stock & can even provide proof of trade in with new car purchase. I just don't understand KTuner's unwillingness to help and if they do it's the biggest burden in the world to them apparently even with $200 in the bag?

Pretty frustrating this is how KTuner treats customers who have been using their product for years.
And while it has it's flaws you can see I still loved & advocated for what it provided outside of it's software issues. Honestly pretty heartbroken & frustrated beyond my wits end.

Just think about that before you decide to commit to a tuning company. This is not how you treat customers. I cut my teeth in this business and understand his frustration as well but I never treated a customer like this and always made things right.

I worked with Hondata to get KPRO up & running on my turbo D17A2 and it was a great experience even with being one of the first to try. A lot of challenges & frustration but they were always extremely supportive & professional.

 

[kytos]

Hondata isn't going to be different in the same situation. I understand the frustation, I've seen with my eyes unlocking an unit, doble checking the unlock and later while trying on the new car the unit was locked again, but that happened with some old software versions. I would suggest to ktuner an "unit unlock check button" that process a validation and shows locked in red or unlocked in green to make things easier.

 

[CrippleRipple]

Hondata isn't going to be different in the same situation. I understand the frustation, I've seen with my eyes unlocking an unit, doble checking the unlock and later while trying on the new car the unit was locked again, but that happened with some old software versions. I would suggest to ktuner an "unit unlock check button" that process a validation and shows locked in red or unlocked in green to make things easier.

Possibly but this isn't an issue in the first place as it is in KTuner. Hondata also has never treated me like this going back a decade, JR refuses to believe that these issues occur with his software yet this & many others are extremely frequent as you have experienced as well.

Just look at the successful unlock message which I received & where it tells you to verify:

It says to check the LED status light which was Blue for me & then to check the KTuner Unit Information in Tools which is exactly what myself and OP did. It's his first picture on his first post.
Both showing no ECU or VIN# locked while also saying UNLOCKED. This was also what everyone took pictures of to sell used units previously, this has since changed. I looked back & apparently this was changed in update Version 1.0.8.7:

New Unlocking Process For V1.2 On Supported ECUs
New KTuner Assistant When First Launching The Software
2019 Type-R Support For 37820-5BF-A21 through A22

This is a very common issue after searching,
3+ in the last 4 months just on KTuners own forum/website, now the OP, one other individual here at the beginning of the month & now myself.

If it can happen to experienced individuals it can happen to anyone.

 

[KTuner]

Thanks for the feedback. Would certainly appreciate more of it regarding the process.

The change you're citing in the version history was actually having the software allow you to unlock for 30 seconds after connecting to a vehicle that has been returned to factory any time, rather than having to flash to factory and then immediately unlock as a 1-2 step. Additional information about each step was added to the help for this since people don't seem to read the messages that pop up in the software.

If the LED is in fact light blue when not plugged into a vehicle and blinking light blue when plugged into a vehicle with key on then it is not currently locked to a vehicle and the software would tell you so when you plug it in to connect without a vehicle attached. It can't be blue and then go back to being locked without the software going through the lock process. The unit can't do this on its own. It's actually not capable of that.

So if you saw a light blue color and then never locked it to an ECU you would see light blue still. Currently are you seeing Light Blue or Green flashing when plugged into a vehicle with key on? Light Blue or Yellow when not plugged into a vehicle?

 

[ayau]

There are too many conflicting messages to determine the unlocked status of the device.

1. You received a successful unlocking error message as shown above, but now you have to verify the color of the LED.

2. Do you have a blue LED flashing status? If not, now you need to go online and look up the LED color definitions. Your LED color definition says it could also be green. Does it matter if the device is connected to the OBD port? I checked the color while it was plugged in, and it was hard to tell if it was flashing green or blue; the colors are pretty similar.

http://www.ktuner.com/KTunerHelp/led_status_meanings.htm

3. Why would the error message tell you to check the Ktuner Unit Info when that's not the proper way to check it?

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