# Anyway to tell if car is chipped/tuned?



## auto_cran (Aug 5, 2010)

Recently bought my wife an '06 GTO - A4/Cyclone Gray. 30K miles - and is like new. Appears all stock except for a K&N CAI.

It's getting horrible gas mileage - 12.5 -13.0 mpg on the onboard computer - and I'm confirming it with my calculator at the pump. She babys the car & never gets on it. We knew when we got it that it loves fuel - but we thought we would at least see 14 - 16 mpg on easy driving.

When I drive it, it runs great - but I do notice it stays in each gear longer than I think it should. Normal, easy driving, gear changes come on at around 3K RPM. Most of her commute the speed limit is 40 -45 mph, and I notice it's sitting in 3rd gear. Gotta get it up to around 50 to get it to shift into 4th.

I'm starting to wonder if its been chipped/tuned to stay in gear longer. The car is really fast - especially at speed. 

Anyway that I can tell if someone has reprogrammed it? There are a few performance shops around here that I have been meaning to take it to to have them check, just haven't had the chance to yet.

Any ideas or suggestions that I can do would be a greatly appreciated!
thanks

Chris


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## svede1212 (Nov 1, 2005)

The best way is find someone with HP Tuners software. They can easily scan it and compare the 500 some odd parameters with the stock tune and see if anything has been changed using their compare feature


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## Mike_V (Mar 10, 2006)

Yeah - that's horrible. I have an A4 and get 18 all day in the city and 21 on the highway with 93 fuel. Even if I get on it it may go to 16 something, but that's it.

I also have all the SLP stuff - and their performance transmission tune. If a person did tune yours, it seems they didn't know what they were doing. I'd get it checked ASAP. If you can't find a person with the tuning software, as svede said, have the dealer reflash the ECM and TCM. I'd rather have a stock tune than a tune that's crazy.

Did you check your transmission fluid; is it nice and pink or brown with a burning smell? I know the car looks new, but I know of GTOs with 12,000 miles that were beat to crap, and some with 100,000 cared for to the max - you never know.


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## HP11 (Apr 11, 2009)

Did you ever solve the problem you spoke of a month or so ago? IIRC you spoke of a stored code, something to do with the throttle position sensor?


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## auto_cran (Aug 5, 2010)

thanks for the quick replies....

Transmission fluid looks good - nice & pink, no burnt smell.

No, never resolved that issue (stored code) - was told that if I don't have an Engine Light on at the moment, probably nothing to worry about.

Just called the stealershop . The will charge $150 to reflash both the ECM & TCM.

Not sure what we are gonna do at the moment. It runs SO good as is.


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## jpalamar (Jul 22, 2008)

You can pull the battery and reset the ECU. Something that works wonders.

An irresponsible but fun way to check to see if your tuned would be a high speed run. If it stops at 155 then your stock. If it doesn't, you have a tune. Keep in mind there is a chance that the tuner didn't change it thuogh.


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## auto_cran (Aug 5, 2010)

jpalamar said:


> You can pull the battery and reset the ECU. Something that works wonders.



There's an idea. Just disconnect the battery for a few minutes then reconnect? Simple enough. Anything else I need to do to reset it? (Sorry for my lack of knowledge here - I have only messed with OBD 1 from cars in the '80s when all that was needed was a paperclip)


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## poof1887 (Sep 21, 2010)

Just a thought, I know there is a tune that can be done to GTOs that will specifically keep them from shifting in to 4th gear unless its necessary. Normally the A4s will try and go to 4th pretty early when just crusing, but the tune makes it run through all the gears and keeps it from shifting in to 4th untill its necessary. Sounds a lot like what you are experiencing. IMHO I think its kind of an unnecessary tune because when you floor the pedal it runs through all the gears anyway, and thats really they only time you need to run the gears to high rpms....


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## GM4life (Mar 18, 2007)

poof1887 said:


> Just a thought, I know there is a tune that can be done to GTOs that will specifically keep them from shifting in to 4th gear unless its necessary. Normally the A4s will try and go to 4th pretty early when just crusing, but the tune makes it run through all the gears and keeps it from shifting in to 4th untill its necessary. Sounds a lot like what you are experiencing. IMHO I think its kind of an unnecessary tune because when you floor the pedal it runs through all the gears anyway, and thats really they only time you need to run the gears to high rpms....


Why not put it in 3rd?


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## silversport (Mar 23, 2007)

my '06 GTO gets 13-14 in the city even when I'm not getting my foot into it...22 or so on the highway...mine should be all stock and currently just under 10K miles...
Bill


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## auto_cran (Aug 5, 2010)

Thanks for all the responses.

I'm starting to think we are ok. We have a log of every fillup/gas mileage - most seem to be around 13.3 mpg. It's interesting to see some get 18mpg and some get 13-14.

Her commute is real short (5 miles) and all city. I drive the car but once a week (to fuel it). Drives great. Paid more attention to the shifting - it does get out of 1st right away, but seems to stay in the other gears a bit longer. Still plan on getting it check out, though - just to make sure all is ok.

In the mean time - I told her to just enjoy it - and maybe step on it a little more! lol (she babies it WAY too much!)

thanks all


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## MorpheusRS (Mar 5, 2009)

13-14 in the city seems fine to me, thats what i was getting with m6 intake and a tune. hwy around 24 tho, it's a heavy car, and it takes a lot of energy to take it up to speed, once its there, the low drag and the momentum help it get better mileage. so dont worry about it too much, im sure you didnt get it for the gas mileage. in a m6, you can shift it at 1,5 k rpm, and get around 15.. but i didnt bother, went to 2.5-3 every time. hence the abysmal numbers youre getting (shifting at 3).


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## silversport (Mar 23, 2007)

auto cran...her commute is similar to my own...as is her mileage...I bet the short trip hurts mileage the most...
Bill


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