Have you ever been stuck on a screen with fault messages like these when trying to install your Accessport or change maps?

There is a long list of potential reasons why an Accessport may accept trouble communicating with a auto's ECU when attempting to consummate a flash. A few of those are sometimes related to a trouble with the Accessport, but the vast majority of the time the outcome lies somewhere between the Accessport and the ECU. So, let's run through a list of the about mutual issues and how to resolve them.

Stop and recall:

Earlier y'all even start troubleshooting, consider the points below. This data will brand the troubleshooting procedure much easier.

  1. If you purchased a used Accessport, check to be 100% sure information technology is non still Married/Installed to another machine. On the Accessport get to: "Assist" – "About Accessport" –"Installation Condition"
  2. Has your motorcar ever been tuned by something other than an Accessport? If you aren't certain, try to contact the previous owner to find out.
  3. Make a mental notation of the last time the car was serviced by a shop or dealership.
  4. Make a listing of modifications the machine has besides performance mods (audio, security, lighting, air suspension, etc.)
Troubleshooting:
  1. Firmware – Brand sure your Accessport is using updated and current firmware.
    1. Accessport Manager is free software that can exist used for checking and updating Accessport firmware.
    2. Click Hither for a tutorial on Accessport Firmware Updates.
  2. Vehicle Compatibility – Brand sure the Accessport y'all accept is the correct model for your vehicle. Please reference our website to be sure.
    1. Click "Products"  –   Enter your vehicle –  click "View Products"  –  Select "Accessport"  –  Verify Product Code.
      AP product code
  3. Ignition Position – Make sure the central/ignition is in the "On" position, not "Accompaniment", and the engine should Not be running. This is another one that seems empty-headed but happens all the time. Vehicles with a button-button start can often exist put into this mode by pressing the push without touching the restriction pedal. (Note: This is specific to Install, Uninstall, or Reflash…not applicable to Realtime or Characteristic Adjustments like FFS/LC etc.)
  4. OBDII Cable and OBDII Port – Sometimes the connectivity problem is really a physical failure of some kind.
    1. Give the OBDII cablevision a overnice potent button into the OBDII port nether the dash. Several of the vehicles we support have a very snug plumbing fixtures OBDII port. It may experience similar the Accessport cablevision is in place, but the pins may accept not all seated properly. Information technology sounds overly simple, only we recommend this to customers with positive results on a regular footing.
    2. Corrosion and Damage – Ever take a close expect at the male and female person connections between the Accessport and OBDII Cable as well as the connections between the OBDII cable and the OBDII port on the car. Brand sure there is no corrosion or damage to any of the pins inside the Accessport or the cable. Corrosion can spread from the connections to the lath and ruin the entire unit.
      **Notation to Northerners – Stop letting the AP dangle to the floorboard when it's snowy. Wet floor-mats are the number one crusade of corrosion on the cablevision 🙂
    3. Cable Impairment –Audit the full length of the OBDII cable. Kinks in the chord or torn/melted insulation is an oft overlooked sign of larger problems.  It can likewise hateful that getting a new cable is a unproblematic ready for the problem.

      Common Examples of External Impairment (Click images to overstate)
      Keep in mind that similar damage or corrosion may occur on the OBDII pins/wiring nether the dash. So brand sure to inspect that too.
      V3 Cable Corrosion cropped V2b cable corroded cropped 2 ap-serial-bad crop Cracked Bezel cropped w arrows 2 Bad Pin w Arrow cropped V3 Broken Pin
       Corrosion  Damaged bezel/pins
  5. Battery Voltage – This problem could easily be first on the troubleshooting list due to frequency, but it's sometimes the most ambiguous and difficult to rail down. Maintaining proper voltage when trying to communicate with and alter information on your machine's ECU is incredibly of import.
    1. Battery – Naturally, the first matter to bank check is the battery itself. Inspect for corrosion or a loose connection on the terminals and leads. Cheque voltage with a multimeter if possible. When batteries get erstwhile or have died multiple times requiring a jump-kickoff they are much more likely to cause trouble when tuning.
      1. USE A BATTERY CHARGER! – The alert screen is there for a reason. Is information technology possible to successfully wink some cars without one? Yes, just there is also a reason why many high-quality battery chargers accept a setting specifically for flashing an ECU. (Note: DO Not Apply A JUMPER OR TENDER. You want the charger to evangelize roughly 10-20amps at 12v)
    2. Grounding – This is super important! Many of the cars that are getting erstwhile or take been through previous modifications may have worn/corroded/or modified ground wiring/mounting locations. Faulty grounding tin cause all kinds of problems, even hurting engine functioning. Inspect grounding points as shut equally possible.
    3. Electrical Gremlins – Just because the battery itself is full of juice doesn't mean that at that place is not a problem somewhere within the harness or grounds that would create a low power symptom at the OBDII port. Call back, it doesn't matter how much voltage the battery can supply, that ability has to brand it to the ECU and Accessport/OBDII cablevision. Bank check the engine and body wiring harness and wires to the OBDII port for shorts/exposed wiring.
    4. Aftermarket Electronics – Anything that draws battery power and is not originally meant to exist in the auto, such as upgraded audio or alarm systems, may cause bug. Some aftermarket components similar turbo-timers, secondary fuel controllers, a digital dash, etc. may fifty-fifty interfere with ECU communication regardless of voltage. You may need to remove or disconnect those devices temporarily when flashing.
      OBDII_Pinout
      Using a multimeter to test voltage direct from the OBDII pins is highly recommended. This will tell you exactly what voltage the Accessport receives. For most cars, 12-14v would be the ideal range for flashing. Voltage to a higher place or beneath may upshot in advice failures before or during the flash.
  6. Strange Melody/ROM – This is where the auto'due south tuning history comes into play. Customers frequently buy used vehicles with little knowledge of the car's past. In many cases, the motorcar already has a tune on the ECU. If that melody is non from another Accessport, information technology is possible that the ECU will be "locked". If that is the case, you accept a few options:
    1. Uninstall the Previous Tune – The best option is to use the original tuning source to revert the ECU to a stock ROM. That should allow the Accessport to recognize and flash the ECU.
    2. Replace the ECU – This may not e'er exist an option and will unremarkably require having a dealership re-program the ECU before it will piece of work with the auto at all.
    3. COBB Reset – In some cases, we may exist able to manually reset the ECU to a stock ROM. This would crave contacting our support team and sending the ECU and Accessport to COBB for service. There tin can be a significant service fee and at that place is no guarantee that information technology will be possible.
  7. Dealership Overwrite – If y'all accept your machine to a dealership, fifty-fifty for small-scale service or maintenance, there is a chance they volition attempt to update the ECU with the latest version of the factory ROM. Typically, if this happens while the Accessport is yet installed, the Accessport melody volition be overwritten and the motorcar will revert to a stock tune. The main problem is that the Accessport will not be enlightened of the modify and then when you try to connect the Accessport later on information technology will non be able to communicate.  If this occurs, the only option will be to contact our support team so that nosotros can relicense your Accessport for a fresh install. Go on in mind, in that location will typically be a pocket-size fee for that service. Likewise, make certain to have a copy of the dealer service paperwork. Without proof that the ECU was overwritten by a dealership the Relicense fee is much more expensive. With all of this said, it is best to avert this whole situation if possible. We recommend Uninstalling the Accessport any time you lot need to take your car to the dealer for service.  Obviously, this is not always possible.  In cases where Uninstalling the Accessport is not an choice, giving your dealer's Service Author a heads-up would be appropriate.

If your Accessport is having trouble communicating with your auto and you patiently go through each of the recommended steps you will almost e'er figure out the problem. If you still cease up scratching your head or if you find that the issue can not be resolved, feel complimentary to contact us for further assistance.

Customer Support Phone: 866-922-3059
Customer Back up Email:[electronic mail protected]