Frequently Asked Questions

We pride ourselves on supplying systems that are as simple to install as possible. Virtually all our kits can be fitted on your driveway with little mechanical skill required. All you need is to be able to follow our simple instructions that even include detailed photographs of the engine in question. No stock images and generic text to be found here! We are just a phone call away should you have any issues and we will even contact you prior to despatching your order should you purchase a system that we know to be slightly more complex just to make you aware of an awkwardly located sensor or similar. We know what it is like when your new toy arrives and we want you to be able to fit it, and start enjoying it, as soon as possible. We have several installation guides on our How to Fit page. Or please send an email to [email protected] requesting a “PRE PURCHASE” set of fitting instructions

At this point in time (May 2020) we would have to say NO.

There have been many instances of manufacturers detecting “remapped” software within a vehicle’s ECU (Electronic Control Unit). However, we do not remap the ECU so this style of detection does not affect our products. We work downstream of the ECU and connect to various sensors. We are not aware of a single instance of a manufacturer detecting a tuning module if the tuning module has been fully removed from the vehicle prior to it going in to the dealership for maintenance. However, the fact remains that vehicle manufacturers will continue to enhance and upgrade their software so we cannot state unequivocally what the future will bring. When purchasing any form of tuning the purchaser assumes all inherent risk that those modifications may bring. No guarantee is offered with regards to your original manufacturer’s warranty.

Let’s be honest, the tuning box market is a very hard place to negotiate around and there are a lot of claims out there that frankly just don’t add up… One thing that the team at DTUK have always been proud about is being transparent and honest with every customer we deal with.
One of these being the fact that we are a partner of DTE systems GmbH founded in 1996. We have worked with DTE since 2005 and will continue to do so as their hardware/software is some of the highest quality including over 3500 TUV approved applications. This is far superior to other companies who have approached us in regards to selling their systems.

You may find a lot of these tuning boxes sold online are very much the same product. You can often tell as they use the same components throughout a variety of different boxes in the marketplace. One of these being the connection that is made from the wiring harness to the tuning box its self. No doubt the internals are very similar also. These boxes are being sold in the UK for £350+ and can be purchased from the company manufacturing them direct for £150-£250.
You may also find that a lot of these tuning boxes only offer 1 program and 1-7 settings. Here at DTUK we have always had a selection of programs and settings to be able to choose from. On all of our push button modules we offer 3 programs and 7 settings on each of those programs. That’s a total of 21 settings on one tuning box!

Another benefit that helps us stand above the rest is that our systems can be used on both analogue and digital sensored engines.
Now this might mean absolutely nothing to you and may not ever affect you in the future… BUT there are a lot of our customers that run our tuning boxes on newer lease/financed vehicles. Now if you are one of those customers who change their cars every few years or so this could be a huge benefit to you. As of yet there are only a certain few manufactures that use digital sensors, but more and more are transferring across to these. The newer VAG range (Audi, Seat, Skoda, Volkswagen) and even newer Mercedes are now starting to use these digital sensors.
These sensors go by the term SENT (Single Edged Nibble Transmission) which you may have seen mentioned on our page before and this basically means that they now take a digital signal rather than the analogue signal that has been used in previous cars for many years. A lot of other companies don’t offer this and require a brand new box that tends to retail at around £550+ to be able to work with their SENT sensored vehicles.

Listed below are all of the boxes that now have the ability to use both analogue and digital sensors;

CRD2+/ CRDT+/ CRD3+/ FSR+/ MP-T+ with Bluetooth app control.

Just a little something to consider before you make a purchase.

The obvious ones:

• The details:
• A range of Multichannel Petrol, Diesel and Hybrid Tuning Boxes suitable for nearly all applications.
• Continual development including updated processors and hardware to ensure that we stay at the forefront of tuning technology.
• Dyno proven software written and developed in-house by DTUK®
• Fully Adjustable Digital Petrol and Diesel Tuning Systems offering up to 40% dyno proven gains in Power and Torque
• Up to 20% improvement in Fuel Economy**
• Programmed specifically for your car, van, truck, boat, motorhome or tractor
• Improved throttle response with a smoother driving experience
• Improved low rev range Torque, ideal for towing
• Suitable for both manual and automatic transmissions
• Software purpose written for vehicles fitted with a diesel particulate filter (DPF)
• 5 Year* Module Warranty for complete peace of mind. (*subject to terms and conditions)
• Transferable to your next vehicle, where compatible. Speak to us for more details
• Simple 10 minute average self-fitment, or Nationwide Fitting via our Dealer Network (contact us for details and costs)
• 24 Hour UK based technical support via email
• Next Day Delivery via Royal Mail Special Delivery (UK only)
• 14 Day Money Back Guarantee
• Future proof yourself, the switch to digital 

WHY IS A NEW TYPE OF TUNING SYSTEM NEEDED?

Starting with a selection of MY2016 engines from premium manufacturers, such as Audi, SEAT, Skoda, Mercedes and Porsche, some engines are going to move to utilising a sensor technology that is incompatible with existing tuning module technologies. The SENT range of digital sensors uses a single signal to transmit a variety of information in a concise effective manner.

WHAT IS SENT?

SENT stands for Single Edge Nibble Transmission. A form of digital data transmission that can pack a 32-bit signal in to a single line from an engine sensor to the vehicle ECU. Effectively, transmitting much more information than a traditional analogue sensor. For full nerd speak you can check the Wikipedia page here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SENT_(protocol)

SO, IT’S JUST A NEW TYPE OF WIRING LOOM?

No, it’s much more than that. Until now, tuning systems have only had to cope with one type of technology. Whether common rail, injectors or boost, etc. all existing sensors used for tuning have been analogue so systems has only ever needed to control a variety of analogue signals. Our partners in Germany, DTE Systems, have worked around the clock to develop the MP-T Tuning System (soon to be copied by our competitors and probably renamed the PM-T) in order to optimise the technology and create a system that can handle multiple inputs from engines that utilise a variety of traditional analogue and digital SENT sensors. However, the TUV-approved MP-T still benefits from all the market-leading features that you’ve come to expect from our products as well as the newly developed Adaptive Sensor System which constantly monitors engine RPM in order to adapt and ‘load-balance’ the tune and Engine Protect+ which adds additional safety functions to safeguard the ECU. Unifying the analogue and the digital in this way is truly a world first for tuning systems!

WHAT DO I GET?

All of our MP-T, CRD3+/FSR+ (with app control) tuning boxes  are provided with vehicle specific looms featuring Original Equipment (OE) connectors for ease of fitment in a matter of minutes, meaning that the system can be removed at any time. Full colour fitting instructions provide detailed images of the install and where needed cable routing information is also provided. Three individual tuning maps, specific to your vehicle, are placed into the memory of the system prior to dispatch. The reason behind this is that every vehicle is different and every driver has their own unique style. By providing 3 different options we are confident that at least 1 of the maps will suit both the driver and their vehicle. Give me an example? Recent exhaustive testing has boosted the, previously untuneable, Audi RS3 (8VA) from 367ps and 465Nm to 410ps and 557Nm knocking 1.1 seconds off the 60-100mph time!

We are often asked which tuning option is ‘best’ and there simply isn’t a one-fits-all answer to the question. Professional, reputable, remaps certainly have their place, especially on a vehicle that has or will have an extensively modified engine. A remap will tailor a vehicle to an uprated turbo, FMIC, etc, far more effectively than a tuning system. For the average driver who is looking for a safe upgrade that will provide power, economy and enhanced drivability, a DTUK tuning system is the way forward. The majority of our systems can be fitted by the average customer in less than half an hour, many in 5-10 minutes. All come with full colour fitting instructions and first class telephone customer support. Be very wary of anyone who can ‘flash’ a remap to your car in that period of time as it is most likely a generic map downloaded off the internet and loaded from their laptop. All our systems offer a range of adjustability not available with a remap or chip. As each vehicle is built to a manufacturing tolerance, no two are the same. The same is true of each driver. As such, adjustability is required so that the customer can tailor the system to their vehicle and driving style. Many engines are shared between manufacturers, as are components and technologies. As such, most DTUK tuning systems are transferrable between a variety of vehicles, often only requiring a software change (free to existing customers) or a change of loom (charged at a trade price to existing customers). Alternatively, if nothing can be done to transfer an existing system to a new application, an existing customer can purchase a suitable system at a trade price. DTUK tuning systems are well known across internet forums and popular auction sites. As such they command a healthy resale value should you choose to sell the system on when you change vehicle, whereas a remap or soldered chip would stay with the vehicle and your investment would be lost. A remap or chip can also cause you issues should your vehicle visit a garage, dealership or be subject to a warranty repair or recall. Firstly, It is standard practice in many workshops to automatically perform a full software update on any modern vehicle that goes in for work. This update is highly likely to overwrite any aftermarket software (remap) installed on the vehicle. Secondly, the presence of a remap or the physical alterations (breaking the seal on a factory ECU, etc) required to install a chip will immediately invalidate any manufacturer or aftermarket warranty.

Another very common question that has a few contributing factors to the answer. Modern vehicles are built globally, using manufacturer platforms that are designed to be used in a variety of applications, in a range of diverse environments across the world. If we take, as an example, the popular 2.0 170ps Common Rail engine built by the VAG group. This engine is used in a sporty Seat, a large executive Audi, a, Skoda taxi, a load-lugging Volkswagen Amarok pick-up truck and everything in between – all with the same management software. Because of the global nature of modern vehicles it has to be able to cope with driving through the Sahara Desert and a Norwegian winter fuelled by the lowest quality of diesel you could possibly find in a third-world fuel station. If we remove all those variables and focus on your specific vehicle, being driven in a country that benefits from a mild ambient air temperature and a high quality of diesel we can comfortably take a vehicle to a level that far exceeds the standard, generic set-up whilst staying within the engines tolerances and safety parameters. Another consideration for certain vehicles is that a lower powered variant is often a restricted variant of the same manufacturers own higher powered engine. If we go back to the VAG group the 2.0 140 Common Rail and 2.0 170 Common Rail are only differentiated by the software installed by the manufacturer.

The majority of our figures are based on data gained from rolling road testing undertaken here in the UK or in Germany. As each vehicle is different, due to manufacturing tolerances, state of repair, time since service, etc, we cannot guarantee figures for horsepower or economy. Anyone who does offer that guarantee is making a promise they simply can’t keep.

We always advise testing the various settings of a DTUK system and this is the only way to get the best from the system. A session on a rolling road can tell you which setting gets the most power on your particular car. Miles of back to back testing can tell you which setting gets the best economy on your particular car. Friendly internet forum users can tell you which setting they like on their own personal car. But, no one except you can tell you which setting YOU like to use. Our happiest customers are always those who take the time to explore the various options from their chosen system.

Very simple, DTUK tuning systems are shipped with a blanking plug (system dependant) which can quickly and easily be attached to the loom in place of the tuning box in only a couple of minutes, returning the vehicle to standard performance. To go completely to standard simply remove the loom in a reversal of fitting, leaving no trace of our system.

Yes, you should notify your insurance company of any modification that alters a car from factory standard. Many insurance companies are aware of our systems and the positive impacts they can have on your vehicle. Please feel free to ask us for recommended insurance companies.

Unfortunately, we cannot offer warranty or aftersales support on second hand systems. Far too many unscrupulous people are misadvertising our systems on the internet in order to sell them at a higher price. We regular encounter systems purposely missold for an incorrect application, other companies systems passed off as ours, damaged or outdated systems being sold on with non-existent warranties and/or forged paperwork. Due to data protection ( GDPR) we are unable to discuss a customers purchase with anyone other than the original purchaser, who’s name is on the invoice.

Our boxes are programmed with software specific to the vehicle, engine, power output and transmission type, so they shouldn’t be plugged into any other vehicle with the correct software being loaded into them. 

In many cases, your logbook (V5) document that came with your car will give you the information you require. Alternatively, give us a call with your registration number and we will do the rest.

A DTUK tuning system, a chip and a remap are all designed to achieve similar end results in different ways. It is not recommended to combine them.

Yes, we certainly do. International shipping options are available at checkout and VAT free prices are available for relevant countries.

Simply get in touch through our Contact Us page, or call us on 01207 299538.