FAQ

Modern engines are controlled by an ECU (Electronic Control Unit), which manages parameters such as fuel injection, ignition, boost pressure, torque management and many other engine functions.

With chiptuning, we recalibrate selected parameters within the ECU software to optimise the performance and behaviour of the vehicle.

At BR-Performance, the vehicle is first evaluated and the calibration is selected or developed according to the specific engine, ECU, vehicle configuration and requested tuning level.

For many vehicles, a Stage 1 appointment takes approximately 2 to 3 hours.

However, this is only an indication. Some vehicles require additional diagnostic work, ECU removal, unlocking, multiple programming operations, road testing or additional calibration work.

We prefer to take the necessary time to perform the work correctly rather than work to a fixed deadline.

Two cars with the same engine can still behave differently due to tolerances, mileage, fuel quality, and software versions. Dyno-based custom calibration verifies safe air-fuel ratios and stable performance for your specific car.

Typical benefits include stronger torque, better acceleration, and smoother power delivery. In some setups, fuel efficiency can also improve when driving style stays similar.

Stage 1 is software-based tuning intended for an otherwise standard vehicle.

Stage 1+, Stage 2 and Stage 3 may involve more extensive calibration and/or modified hardware. These setups can operate outside the vehicle manufacturer's original configuration and therefore require additional technical consideration.

The higher the tuning level, the more important the condition of the vehicle, its hardware, fuel quality, maintenance and intended use become.Stage 1+, Stage 2 and Stage 3 are therefore subject to different warranty conditions than a standard Stage 1 calibration.

Yes. Before carrying out the tuning, we evaluate the vehicle and may perform diagnostics, measurements and/or technical checks.

If we identify a defect, abnormal condition or technical risk that makes tuning inadvisable, we may postpone or refuse the tuning until the underlying issue has been resolved.

Chiptuning should never be used to hide or compensate for an existing mechanical problem.

Our goal is always to provide a calibration appropriate to the specific vehicle, engine, ECU/TCU software and configuration.

Production engines can differ because of manufacturing tolerances, mileage, maintenance, fuel quality, environmental conditions and mechanical conditions.

For that reason, diagnostics, measurements and engineering experience remain an important part of professional tuning.

In exceptional cases, BR-Performance may agree to install customer-supplied components.

These components are installed at the customer's own risk.

We cannot provide a warranty on their origin, quality, compatibility, conformity or correct functioning and cannot accept responsibility for damage resulting from defective or incompatible customer-supplied parts.

We provide a warranty on the tuning software itself and on the work performed. If an issue is related to our calibration, we inspect and correct it according to our warranty terms.

For Stage 1 software-only tuning, BR-Performance provides a warranty on the correct technical execution of the work in accordance with our Terms & Conditions.

For consumers, the applicable warranty period concerning negative engine consequences that are exclusively attributable to our remapping is two years, provided that the vehicle remains within the applicable safety conditions and all other warranty requirements are respected.

For professional customers, this period is one year.

Warranty coverage does not mean that every future mechanical defect is automatically related to or covered by the tuning. If there is any doubt about the cause, we will appoint an expert to determine it.

Stage 1+, Stage 2 and Stage 3 involve a higher degree of modification and may include or require altered hardware.

For these tuning levels, BR-Performance guarantees the correct execution of the agreed work, but does not provide a guarantee on performance, component wear, engine lifespan or consequences resulting from the modified configuration.

The customer accepts the increased technical risks associated with these types of modifications.

For Stage 1 software-only tuning, BR-Performance offers a voluntary 14-day satisfaction arrangement.

If you believe there is a technical problem with the calibration, you must notify us in writing within 14 days and give us a reasonable opportunity to investigate and correct the issue.

Where appropriate, BR-Performance may decide on a full or partial refund.

This voluntary arrangement applies to consumers and does not apply to Stage 1+, Stage 2, Stage 3 or hardware-supported tuning.

It is intended for genuine technical issues and is not an unconditional 14-day return policy based purely on subjective preference.

You can decide how you use your vehicle, but circuit use, competition, testdays, trackdays and other forms of extreme use fall outside our normal warranty coverage.

These conditions expose the engine, gearbox, cooling system, brakes and other components to substantially higher loads than normal road use.

If you are building a dedicated track vehicle, please inform us beforehand so that we can discuss the appropriate tuning solution.

Launch control and similar performance functions generate very high loads on the drivetrain.

Occasional use within the intended operating conditions is very different from repeated or excessive use.

Damage or accelerated wear resulting from excessive launch control, anti-lag, flat-shift or similar functions is not covered by our standard tuning warranty.

Technically, yes, but modifications made by another tuner or service provider can affect our ability to diagnose the vehicle and can invalidate the applicable BR-Performance warranty.

If another company modifies the ECU, TCU, engine hardware or components related to our work, we can no longer guarantee the integrity of the configuration originally delivered by us.

Manufacturer warranty policies differ by brand and market. Any modification can affect warranty coverage for related components, so we recommend checking your manufacturer policy before tuning.

Yes, potentially.

Modifying ECU or TCU software may affect the manufacturer's, dealer's or another third party's warranty.

Modern vehicles can contain programming counters, CVNs, event logs, diagnostic information or other mechanisms that can potentially indicate that software or vehicle parameters have been modified.

We therefore cannot guarantee that tuning is invisible or undetectable.

Whether a manufacturer accepts or rejects a warranty claim is ultimately determined by that manufacturer or warranty provider.

It can.

Vehicle modifications may need to be declared to your insurance company and can potentially affect coverage or policy conditions.

Requirements differ between insurers, vehicles and jurisdictions.

It is therefore the customer's responsibility to inform their insurer where required and to verify that the modified vehicle remains correctly insured.

Potentially.

Depending on the vehicle, country and type of modification, changes to power, emissions or other vehicle characteristics can have consequences for registration, homologation, taxation or technical inspection.

A modified vehicle may no longer correspond exactly with its original Certificate of Conformity or approval documentation.

The customer is responsible for ensuring that the vehicle complies with the applicable legal and administrative requirements before it is used on public roads.

BR-Performance does not provide legal, homologation or vehicle-inspection advice.

No.

The legality of a modified vehicle depends on the modification, vehicle and applicable legislation.

Certain modifications may require additional approval, inspection, homologation, updated documentation or notification to an insurance company.

The owner and driver remain responsible for ensuring that the vehicle is legally permitted to be driven on public roads.

A manufacturer or dealer software update can overwrite or otherwise affect a previously installed calibration.

Where technically possible, BR-Performance may, as a commercial service, reinstall or adapt the calibration following such an update.

We advise you to contact us prior to your visit to check compatibility for your vehicle. This arrangement applies for a maximum period of 12 months following the original remapping and is subject to technical feasibility.

It is not an unlimited lifetime or five-year free-update guarantee. Please refer to our back-to-stock policy for more information.

This FAQ is intended to explain the most common questions in a clear and practical way.

The complete contractual conditions, warranty limitations, exclusions and customer obligations are contained in the BR-Performance Terms & Conditions.

In case of any difference between this FAQ and the Terms & Conditions, the Terms & Conditions prevail.

Any modification to a vehicle can influence the mechanical and thermal load on its components.

Our calibrations are developed with reliability and appropriate technical margins in mind, but it would be incorrect to claim that any modified vehicle is 100% risk-free or that its lifespan can always be guaranteed to remain identical to an unmodified vehicle.

Vehicle condition, maintenance, mileage, driving behaviour, fuel quality, modifications and intended use all influence reliability.

Professional tuning is designed to manage risk responsibly, but every modification represents a change from the manufacturer's original configuration.

Possible consequences can include increased mechanical load, additional component wear, changes in emissions or fuel consumption, consequences for manufacturer warranty, insurance, homologation or vehicle inspection, and different legal obligations depending on where the vehicle is registered and used.

For this reason, we believe customers should be properly informed rather than claiming that tuning has “no disadvantages.”

Modern ECU programming is a technical process involving vehicle electronics, communication protocols, security systems and software.

Although professional procedures are used to minimise risk, programming can never be considered completely risk-free.

Software updates, manufacturer security systems, third-party interventions or electronic faults can in exceptional circumstances lead to data loss, ECU locks, lost coding or other programming-related issues.

Our Terms & Conditions contain the applicable provisions concerning these situations.

Yes.

The calibration is developed with a certain fuel quality in mind. Using fuel with an insufficient octane or cetane rating, contaminated fuel or unsuitable additives can affect performance, combustion and reliability.

Always use the fuel specification recommended for your calibration and follow any additional instructions provided by BR-Performance.

Yes.

Changes to engine calibration can influence CO₂ emissions, NOx emissions, exhaust temperatures and fuel consumption, either positively or negatively depending on the vehicle, calibration and driving conditions.

These changes can also have regulatory or fiscal consequences.

ECU remapping changes selected parameters directly within the vehicle's engine-management software.

A typical tuning box is an additional external device installed between one or more sensors and the ECU. It modifies sensor signals so that the ECU reacts to altered information.

We prefer ECU calibration because it gives our engineers much more comprehensive control over the relevant engine-management strategies instead of manipulating only a limited number of external signals.

In many cases, yes.

Where technically possible, BR-Performance can restore the vehicle to an original or stock software configuration.

However, restoring original software does not guarantee that all traces of previous programming or modifications disappear from every system in the vehicle.

Conditions relating to restoring a vehicle to stock are covered by our separate Software Update & Back to Stock Policy.

No exact horsepower or torque figure can be guaranteed.

The figures displayed on our website are expected or indicative values based on our experience with comparable vehicles and configurations.

The actual result can vary depending on the individual engine, fuel, temperature, drivetrain, tyres, vehicle condition and many other factors.

Our dyno measurements are performed according to professional standards and are primarily used to evaluate the behaviour of the vehicle and the difference before and after tuning.

Nevertheless, every dyno measurement remains indicative.

Measured horsepower and torque can vary depending on environmental conditions, tyre temperature and pressure, drivetrain losses, vehicle temperature, dyno configuration and other factors.

A dyno result should therefore not be interpreted as an absolute guaranteed engine output.

A dyno is particularly useful for comparing the same vehicle under comparable conditions.

The delta between the original and modified configuration provides valuable information about the effect of the calibration.

Absolute figures can differ between different dynamometers or testing conditions, which is why professional tuning should never be judged solely by comparing one dyno's horsepower figure with another.