ECU Tune and Failed Emissions Testing Experience

Now I don't feel so bad for having Taco that can't be tuned.

 

You can check your CVN with some OBD readers, I know veepeak and OBDLink MX both are capable. I don’t know of a list to compare to for cvn’s, I could find the 16 tacoma cvn but would take some digging.

We always say we make no guarantees but no one has had issues with warranty work out of tens of thousands of tuned trucks all over the country. Techstream actually doesn’t even have cvn check capability, at least from what I’ve seen. I know techs, service advisors, etc with tuned trucks that all say the same. Of course YMMV, but it has been a non issue.

I’m not the most active on tw these days but will try to pop in now and then. I definitely don’t have all the answers, but at least OTT has 2 solutions in place now (DIY route with instructions in first post around $150-200 and change it every two years, or tune back to our stock file with the correct CVN which takes about 10 min). Sure it stinks, but not exactly the end of the world. Personally If I had to drive my truck stock I would have sold it. Also, another clarification - it isn’t tune specific, it’s any tune that changes a single parameter.

 

Shesh and here I am wondering if 2020 17inch 4Runner wheels will fit on my 2023 Tacoma. This is a wild story, glad you got it sorted!

 

Great write up, make this a sticky!!

 

so how are all the other tuned trucks in Colorado able to get by this? This is a good write up and i can appreciate tho OP's time he took to put into this.

 

Great question.

I would say absolutely worth it. The tune makes the truck so much more fun to drive.

I just would have preferred to know all this going into it as I would have just bought a spare ECU from the beginning, saving myself all the running around.

The reason for writing all this was so others can prepare for what’s coming and so they can know what they are potentially getting into. Something that I didn’t have going into this.

My other major error was getting the tune done before getting my emissions test done. If you are in the same boat as me, get your test done first then go get the tune.

 

So this new criteria was passed in 2021. They do testing every two years, so I think you are going to just start hearing about this.

Before 2021 they never checked for a tune, and once they started looking, there was still not a ton of people with tunes getting emissions testing.

I did find other people who ran into this issue but not Tacoma owners.

Example 1
Example 2

 

You missed it

 

Seeing as OTT passes all of the actual emissions related components pertaining to pollution (which is kind of what I figured the whole point of them was) other than apparently just the OBD, I am genuinely curious about those emissions vans/“rapid screen” stations

https://aircarecolorado.com/locations/van-locations/?tab=jl_magic_tabs_m_th_current_week_gix1

 

Really good info, and really wild.

I've lived in a state that has required annual OBD emissions for the previous 20 years (urban counties only), but this numbers test is a new twist. I'm glad, but not surprised to see a solution pop up so quickly.

 

Just wondering why this hasn't shown up in California yet. Lots of Tacoma's there and I'm sure a lot of them are tuned. I thought they were on the cutting edge when it came to emissions testing.

 

I was curious too.

My theory is because the Gen 3 Tacomas just became eligible for required testing this year.

Are there any tuned Tacoma owners out in California that have gotten an emissions test this year? Did you run into a similar issue?

 

Curious about this as well. I live in CA and figure they would be more strict than CO.

 

Ect is my tune. Truck shifts and runs perfectly without a aftermarket tune

 

That is a point that should be emphasized. No need to have any false claims that this only happens with OTT. I can see exactly where that would lead.

 

So now that the CVNs are out of the bag how does one know what the CVNs should be when purchasing a ECU from a salvage yard? Or should we just pony up $$ for a Stock OTT tune for our ECU?

 

If it passes emissions what does it matter if it was tuned? Answer. . . . government overreach and control.

 

Your vote really does matter.

 

@PacoTheTaco303 Good call changing the title of the thread.

 

If you grab a used ECU from somewhere like car part online they are almost guaranteed going to be good to go/stock (unless in the off chance it was tuned before, in which case it would just need to be tuned to stock- but the odds are that it hasn’t been of course), which means it will be on their passable CVN list. The only things you’d have to make sure is that it is the correct year (16’s and 17’s are interchangeable) and auto or manual depending on your truck.

Then install it with the instructions in OP, program the VIN with techstream or another application (requires a tactrix) or bring it by to a tuner to have the VIN programmed to it.