vF Tuner for the 3.5L Tacoma

Damn I forgot about this video

 

Balls of titanium I admire it. I always think The world will implode if I don’t follow all the right steps.

 

I’ve worked in tech for a long time. Everything is always on fire and no one really knows how anything works lol

if someone thinks they do, it’s a sure sign they don’t.

 

Never use a tender on my truck. I do use it on customers trucks though. Willing to take risks with my things, but not other peoples things.

 

Absolutely the best saying I've seen in some time. Been there, done tech for more years than I want to admit........

 

Tks. Didn’t know that.

 

Hey guys, im gonna test my luck tmo at my dealer to see if i can get the latest TSB done to my truck ('19 AT) and to hopefully get the 04b33 calibration for the ECU. I setup the appointment explaining i've had the frequent shifting/power surging thing happening, and i mentioned getting the ECM calibrated, i was referring to the TSB thing too with the service manager over the phone and it sounded like they didnt even know what i was talking about, so already theres a slim chance of them not doing anything about it. Already prepared for the infamous "tech could not replicate issue" LOL.

Anyways, i'm currently on the base 2.0 tune from OVTune (did with the old flash kit last year), and i KNOW the tech wont find any of the shifting/surging issues highlighted in the TSB. So im hoping to flash back to the stock 04B30 before taking it in tmo so that they can atleast have a fighting chance to pick something up and do the update

I have the VfTuner software (1.2.9.9.5) but havent used it once and the flash manager is a bit different from what im used to i tried to absorb as much on the most recent instruction manual but got a bit confused. Is there any special step to take when flashing back to stock? DO i just locate the stock file in the folder and hit Calibrate ECU? Or does it need to be read and prepped first. How do i reset the AV/LV values, i dont see a button for those in the new flash tool. I saw in the manual the process could take up to 30 minutes and any interuption could brick the ECU and that i need an internet connection to do it now?

Any help is appreciated !!

 

If you already have the flash kit, dont waste your time at the dealer. You can do it yourself

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/ecu-tsb-update.562550/

It’s fairly easy and well documented.

 

Canadian TSBs are not called TSBs. They're called T-TCIs. The one for 04B33 is attached.

Do not hit Read. Just Calibrate the ECU with the Stock tune. It only takes a couple minutes.

Version 1.2.9.9.5 has the Reset functions. It looks different than the new Instruction set.

 

i've actually ready through this myself, i got tech stream and the CUW files downloaded already, thats the fallback option if the dealer is a no go, i wanted to take a chance with them first because i can get pretty clumsy with this stuff and wanted to minimize any risk of me janking anything up if i did the TSB update myself. I'll see what happens tmo

 

Thanks for the PDF, i have a copy of the Canadian one too. I guess flashing to stock takes some more time? Don't recall 2.0 taking more than a minute IIRC. SO ill just flash the stock file, shut off, and turn on again then hit 'Clear TCU' to reset those values?


edit - will i be screwed if i lose wifi access while flashing?

 

Flashing a TSB on an AT takes about 10min. On an MT, it takes about 5min. vF / OVT flashes are much faster, even when flashing the Stock file. About 2min, or less?

To clear all values, you'd need to hit Clear DTC, Clear TCU, and Reset ECU. From there, you would want a 5min idle to set the baseline.


No. You only need WiFi while doing the Prepare ECU step to transmit just a few bits of info. After that, comms are not important.

 

Ok so bare with me for a sec

So i'll:

1. get the Tactrix connected via usb to the OBDII
2. Prepare ECU
3. Select Calibration file (stock 04B30 in this case)
4. Hit Calibrate ECM
5. Wait for the flashing to complete
6. Turn off ignition
7. restart ignition, clear DTC, Clear TCU, Reset ECU
8. Start engine and let idle for 5 mins?

 

Close.

1. get the Tactrix connected via usb to the OBDII
2. Prepare ECU
3. Select Calibration file (stock 04B30 in this case)
4. Hit Calibrate ECM
5. Wait for the flashing to complete
6. Turn off ignition
7. Start engine and hit Okay on the prompt.
8. Shut down and then go to Ignition On, clear DTC, Clear TCU, Reset ECU
8. Start engine and let idle for 5 mins?

 

Seems like if you are gonna flash the stock tune, just to take it to the dealer, then flash another tune after. You might as well just do the TSB yourself and save the dealer headache. TSB isn't any harder than flashing the tune IMO.

 

Yeah I'm confused if you are going to flash the previous stock ecu why don't you flash the latest one instead?

 

Thanks a bunch bud

 

Where i'm getting at was trying to get the TSB update done at the dealer before trying it myself. Reason being that, unlike flashing a tune, doing the TSB yourself to update the ECU configuration runs a risk of bricking the ECU if theres any interuption to the process (battery voltage gets too low, laptop shits the bed, tactrix cable is faulty etc). The point of flashing back to stock was so the truck would exhibit the symptoms highlighted in the TSB, so that that theres less of a chance of the dealer 'not being able to replicate the issue' BS. Since im currently on base 2.0 which did away those issues, taking to the dealer as is seems like a guaranteed way for them to not pick anything up.

TBH now that i've typed this all out its sounding really stupid lol, but i'd rather the dealer do it than me, if not then i'll have to do it myself

2 different things, flashing back to the stock tune for my current ECU config (04B30) only requires Vftuner, flashing to the new ECU config (04B33) requires techstream and a lengthier process that i'm not entirely familiar with. Had there been no chance of bricking an ECU, idgaf and id already be on the new config, but considering anything that causes the ECU update to stop mid-flash can result in a bricked ECU (atleast if i'm reading the forums correctly) is why im wary and would rather the dealership do it. I know it sounds dumb lol

 

You're welcome!