REVENUE
GENERATING
OPPORTUNITIES
Reprogramming/Reflashing
REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES
WITH REFLASHING AND
REPROGRAMMING
Significant changes to vehicles over the past several years require a new
arsenal of tools to address maintenance and repairs.
by Erica Schueller, Contributing Editor
Beginning with model year 2018,
J2534 Reflashing with CarDAQ-2
Photo: Drew Technologies
www.VehicleServicePros.com DECEMBER 2017 PROFESSIONAL TOOL & EQUIPMENT NEWS 39
automakers will be required to
provide all OBD-II information
necessary for diagnosis and repair
of vehicles. This includes the OEM
software information needed to
complete vehicle reflashing.
Reflashing, sometimes referred to as
reprogramming, is the process of updating
a vehicle’s ECU calibration software
with an updated version of the software.
“The J2534 market has seen significant
changes over the past (several)
years,” says Glen Eaton, Product Manager,
J2534 Products, Drew Technologies.
“With later vehicle models having
more and more modules and sensors,
more manufacturers are providing more
ECU programming capabilities and
relearn procedures than ever before.
Tool manufacturers and OEs alike have
made significant improvements in how
the tools are made and how the software
is written.”
Before having access to the necessary
information to complete reflashing,
independent repair shops would
send customers back to the dealership
to have this service completed, or they
might call a mobile diagnostic technician
complete the service.
“Programming has been, and is
now even more of, an important tool to
add to the shop’s toolbox,” Eaton says.
“What better way to increase a shop's
capability and service opportunities than
to have their own J2534 tool? Without
one, the shop is sending the vehicle
elsewhere for that service, or simply
turning away business. Imagine the
extra time required to send the vehicle
elsewhere, perhaps involving towing as
well and holding the customer's vehicle
for a longer period of time. Add all the
negative aspects together of not owning
a J2534 device, then the cost of owning
one becomes a no-brainer,” says Eaton.
Prior to this standardization, many
OEMs would use their own unique software
language to communicate with a
vehicle’s ECU for software updates.
“This made diagnostics and reprogramming
different for every manufacturer,
even individual car platforms within the
same manufacturer,” says John McNelis,
Manager, Sales and Marketing, DG
Technologies. “Tool and software developers
had to communicate with all of
these different formats” prior to the
J2534 standard.
In 2004, SAE International J2534
Standard was introduced to “Provide
the framework to allow reprogramming
software applications from all
vehicle manufacturers the flexibility
to work with multiple vehicle data link
interface tools from multiple tool suppliers,”
according to the SAE International
website.
Essentially, this allows the automotive
aftermarket access to any emissionrelated
programming OEM information
in a standardized format.
The J2534 standard was solidified
with the implementation and adoption
of the Right to Repair Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU).
The MOU states automakers must
be voluntarily compliant (or, in the case
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