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Volvo had a problem in Europe with their station wagons being stolen and being used to traffic "stuff" across border due to their ability to carry large heavy loads. Volvo decided to really enhance anti theft security starting in the late 1990s thus when they went to multiplex wiring harnesses many parts of the car are encoded with the VIN and have to authenticate on network to work.
@@gordonmccracken1209 ford did that and in Australia if the Ford territory found a mismatch or no signal then it froze the vehicle- you couldn't even shift it in to neutral to put it on a tow truck! I don't know whether this got changed though.
After driving for nearly five decades and dealing with car dealerships constantly. I can say they where trying to hoodwink you into paying $40k for that work. No matter how much time passes car dealerships are mostly the same types.
What’s mentioned in the video is hyperbole and mountains of assumptions. The dealer quoted high knowing it was a lost cause and unfortunately they were right. Does the dealer have your best interest in mind? I don’t believe so but when they see a wreck like this what’s the point in entertaining a lost cause?
My thoughts when I saw the estimate was they didn't want to flat out deny service but also didn't want to get involved with the car (and all the potential issues) so they provided a ridiculously high estimate so it would be declined.
that is quite a vidoe Sam - I think you covered all the bases regarding the technical pieces of recovering and flashing chipsets - 1 file - a lot of pain. Glad you auctioned it off for some cash back - thx for sharing
Then why not just say that? Seems like people are making excuses for these scammerships. Hell, they had to know something was seriously wrong with the vehicle for it to need this anyway. Before agreeing, they could've said bring in the vehicle so we can take a look first.
@@shadeycharacter3058 Because saying "no" sometimes results in confrontation. Plus, sometimes you'll get someone just crazy enough to say "yes" no matter the price, especially with a brand of car often bought by people who don't need to care much about money.
You can easily sink 60 hours into meticulously cleaning every single pin in every single connector on the harness for that module, which is almost every connector in the interior. And they would have to do this to ensure that the work they were asked to do was successful.
This is why modern cars may never become classics. Once the dealer stops giving a fuck, the car is dead in the water until hackers manage to circumvent all these roadblocks.
@@goddesseddog Yeah, couldn't they just used modified 3rd party ECU / BCM's , etc that don't care about the vin shit? I am amazed that wasn't tried But idk if there are 3rd party versions of these, the chineese can't do everything very right
@@hariranormal5584 It’s possible, but a headache on it’s own. A lot of these modules are interconnected. Using a standalone ECU may make the engine run, but interior features may not work, the transmission may not work. I have done this on a Mercedes before. Removing the original ECU and installing an aftermarket one, meant the car would not start from the key anymore as the ignition cylinder is also a module, which wouldn’t work together with the standalone ECU. The transmission would not shift gears anymore, it would engage third and stay in limp mode because the TCM only works when the original ECU is present. The gauge cluster also wouldn’t work as it’s driven by the original ECU. Cruise control, traction control and stability control were also dead as, you guessed it, they rely on data coming from the original ECU. You’d basically need to rebuild the entire computer system. It’s a suitable option for a track car where these systems not working is no problem, but a disaster for a road car that you want to function as a factory original.
@@99domini99 yeah, fair. Ideally no, wouldn't invest on a "generic ECU" which basically is very blind to every other car function. I'd expect the more proper 3rd party ones even have the firmware (whether reverse-engineered or just hacked off the original firmware) so functionality remains basically same. I think it exists, problem is, it doesn't exist for every darn vendor and manufacturer, maybe you can get it for more popular brands like Toyota or whatever. (Not that they are so unreliable and you'd need it often but it probably still exists)
The one that bought your martin know somebody at the dealer, or he own the dealer and can get it cheaper, you watch in a few month that martin will be back at auction for double the price and everything will work as it should.
@17:51 By 'good connections' I might suggest an attorney who could write Aston Martin claiming a violation of Implied Warrantee of Use. Denied the flash on a lawfully titled car requiring repair harmed your right of ownership and use.
You are right about the right to repair movement. Manufacturers are more and more insistent that they own their products even after we "buy" them. They get the money and keep control of the products too... because everyone but I keep buying them under those terms and legislators refuse to prevent it.
One reason that these cars will not be classics 10-20-30 years on is that there is no OEM support. This should have been something easy to fix. We are now finding simple parts that are unobtainum for 10 year old VW, Audi, Mercedes and BMW's . These brands used to support their products but no more.
That’s because they don’t want you to fix it! They want their service techs to do it or for you to buy new. That only works when they are all like that and they definitely are. They are called stealerships for a reason.
In the EU all the OEM's have a obligation to support any vehicle built for 15 years. In practice this can still be quite a challenge. For my job we keep trying to have old software made for WinXP x86 work on a 2024 x64 Win11 laptop and still maintain all the microsec. timings. Not easy and a very expensive thing as knowledge is gone, benches break down and few of us engineers work with the legacy protocols..
If the procedure is the same as on a Volvo the service center should order the software package "CEM reload" and flash it. It includes the software needed and the CarConfig. Price should be less than $50
BTW, for a Volvo you can actually do this your self by purchasing a 24 hour Volvo VIDA subscription (you need to have the correct hardware interface, but it's quite cheap). Does Aston not offer the same service?
That's what he did and it was priced 47 US dollar. The problem was that he didn't get enough of the modules online on the CAN bus for it to be able to be programmed. You need more than the CAN_LS for that and Sam failed to realize that and went conspiracy theory right to repair instead.
@@Google_Is_Evil Yep, he should probably have just replaced the wiring loom in its entirety in that month before the AM dealership appointment to increase the chance of that step working as much as possible. I'm almost 100% certain that the corrosion wasn't restricted to just the connectors and had penetrated very far into the wiring loom, then with all the flexing of cables had severed the wires inside the insulation or they had already corroded through.
I doubt it was the heat to take the chip off the board. You can't short something that doesn't have electricity flowing through it, and it takes heat to install them. I'm pretty sure it was the salt water.
Static can really send a very low power circuit into damaged goods mode too, and depending on the materials used a conductive corrosion can complete otherwise spark gaps in the case with tin solder on circuitboards like mercedes i noticed and others as they mustve literally after years and years of designing vehicles, planned it to help boost sales of parts and the service of those installations of OEM shareholder profits.
I used to teach that process, I don't remember anyone burning up a chip. The corrosion could have at some point rerouted some voltage to it, like shorting a 12V to 3.3V regulator, applying 12V directly to the IC. That is the only scenario I could come up with. Modern circuit boards are cleaned after soldering with a soap and water, so the parts are almost all waterproof.
Very hard to say. The only chance of recovering it would be opening the chip (by sanding it very gently) and bypassing the memory controller to access the CMOS memory directly - IF the problem was is the controller. I know very few people that could do that job.
the usual way the salt water drying or getting in will ruin the boards is by creating shortcuts that cause overcurrents(and overvoltages causing overcurrents) locally on the components. like connecting low current inputs straight between 12v and ground will fry components. even just resistors can get fried this way(like if they were supposed to be in series with an another resistor, but all that other stuff is bypassed), just traces on the board itself can get fried this way as well. it's really unfortunate if there was power flowing at the same time and more so if the board was powered on and gradually got wet with conductive saltwater and then dried and got electricity with the salts still on it. and yeah you can just clean the parts themselves with water. to get rid of the corrosion itself you can use vinegar or things specifically made for it, clean off/neutralize with alcohol. and look most old boards are just fine to be dishwashed too if there's no power in and you dry them properly after(under chips is tricky if you don't use alcohol to replace the water). the scene for fixing old computers is the largest resource for this sort of things on youtube, they're making replacement chips for some custom chips by using modern microcontrollers, fpga's etc, since it's nerds who are interested in them they got more of a home advantage so that's why it's the most covered on youtube, even if there would be more car electronics out there to fix than there are old amigas - another resource to look into is the phone repair scene which is more done for profit than the vintage computers - the fixing of ecu's side isn't as much covered on youtube but the basics are the exact same.
Had a Chevy dealer do something similar to a friend. They didn't really overcharge on labor, but they overcharged for parts by 150-200% or more. When I say that, I mean the prices at that dealer. I called their parts department and got quotes for everything on the list. I couldn't believe it. No idea who is pocketing the money, but they are straight up scamming customers.
I used to be a service manager at a new car dealership. I couldn't sell tune-ups because the parts manager put such a high markup on parts that it left me no profit.
P.S. Absolutely friggin' ridiculous that you can own a car and not be entitled to the CONFIGURATION FILE of the vehicle. Should be illegal. RIGHT TO REPAIR FOR ALL!
@@HugoBezdek-rb2xf The ridiculous part is the dealer is not supposed to mark up THEIR OWN PARTS! You can buy parts from them for their price. Why would you pay them more than the retail dealer price for their parts when they work on it? It's quite literally scamming customers. Not to mention you can get the parts even cheaper online from official retailer websites. I'm sorry you had to deal with that.
@@802Garage These days you are not owning anything anymore. You have a subscription or you lease it from the company that "sold" it to you. Ridiculous concept.
OMG dude I can finally help / give advice... I hope it isn't to late... but you read the data of another car (chip) then Hex-edit that data and change what you need aka make your own VINCODE (well just change it into yours since you know it due to owning the title) if they somehow lock it for sure some wizzkid can reverse-engineer it!
I had a similar problem with my old E36 BMW. I think we are now at the point where I would rather have no immobilizer checks and risk having my car stolen rather than having it and risk it becoming a brick due to computer faults.
I had a similar situation with a 2014 Diesel Cruze. The body computer was in the floorboard and was flooded. (The car was from Washington state and I suspect whoever left the windows down.) The computer was corroded, so I bought a new replacement and took it to a Chevy dealer. They screwed up the programming and since part of the CPUs memory is write only, you can't get the original coding. (Thanks, Chevy. ) Since I've been an electronics hobbiest for years, I unsoldered the chip from the old module and put it in the new one. Everything worked, including the original odometer setting, except for the horn. But with a little creative wiring I was able to pass state inspection and got my rebuilt title.
Man, F Aston Martin. They could have helped you if they wanted to, but they were just trying to bend you over. Glad you pretty much broke even and we got some good content out of it! But that 599 😍 One of my favorite cars of all time. Super excited for that series!!!
Have Ratarossa stop by Aston headquarters and buy it. Or do a field trip with Step Mom across the pond and buy it yourself, in person at the headquarters. :)
You can rig up a ccf file. The perfect one from Aston would be ideal, but if you can find one from a similar model, you can use a CCF editor, change the VIN and it should be mostly happy. Then you do a theft relearn
Did you try a Volvo dealership? I don't take my Cadillac on a corvette chassis to Cadillac dealerships, Chevy can order all the parts, and do all the electronic changes needed to it. Yea, it's not exactly the same thing, but I bet a Volvo dealership would have helped you out.
This project really drew me in… it’s good to have closure though not as satisfying as I had hoped after such a long time (not a dig or anything, clearly u we’re working behind the scenes). At least you didn’t lose a lot of money and had some great content… I will say your comments on right to repair were spot on, what a sad system
It is much more likely that the IC was damaged by salt water, causing one of the sensitive pins to become reverse biased. Most ICs are pretty robust and can be resoldered multiple times before damage.
Fr, he's just frustrated, when you have corrosion and salt water like that and then trying to say no it was the soldering that short circuited it is crazy...
It's flooded! There's water in tiny little nooks and crevices within the car that will never see the light of day, and thus will never evaporate. They'll just sit there, slowly wrecking havoc on the internal wires. It might run great for a little while. but weeks or months later, it'll break down again. Flooded vehicles just aren't worth it.
I applaud your honesty by owning up to a "loss". Too many car guys only talk about the "wins" when they make a profit and never mention the losses to make them look like a car guru.
The Immo system should be the same as Volvo if theyre using the same modules. You need to make your own configuration file by taking a configuration file off of another car and reverse engineering the format. I cant imagine it is a big effort if the file only contains a VIN.
@@pennyluo9123 Interesting. Volvo was known for using a common key for a very long time - to the point where everyone knew the private key to flash their infotainment systems. Not sure what year the DBS is and what year they fixed that huge flaw though.
@@mch0lic just because the decrypting key exists on the car doesnt mean the encrypting key exists... so you would have to find that one too. Otherwise the car is just going to attempt to decrypt plain-text and end up with garbo. It is very possible that both the decrypting and encrypting key are the same though. Not sure what Volvo did.
Man I was really rooting for this one. The original video about the AM was one of my favorites. I’ve been waiting a long time for the update. Wasn’t what I was hoping for but at least you got your money back .
That swollen dealership estimate is why we call them stealership. They treat customers like if they can afford the car, they can afford the gouging that comes with “free” coffee and snacks. Not really free though. 🤔
No gouging. Just book time set by manufacturer and full retail for the parts. The quote was so high assuming no one will do the repair at that cost. The dealer cannot refuse service or they’ll lose their franchise license.
Sam if i can be honest, car systems are very rudimentary coding languages. Learn them you could literally make a ccf file in 20 minutes btw learning time less than 40 hours per manufacturer
The draw card to Austins is surely that V12. There's been a lot of comments regarding installing an aftermarket ECU and that really is the solution. Srtip everything out and start from scratch. Simplify the dodgy British wiring and all of its modules and get the engine up and running with even more power than the factory tune. That said, it would appear this wasn't Sam's focus which I understand. It's someone else's dream car now. I'm sure you'll be able to hear the corrosion taking hold of it while you sleep.
Honestly, I'd say you got extemely lucky. You've essentially walked away, no money wasted, with a very vital piece of knowledge of Aston Martins: If that single chip with the file is fried, they become a brick. I wonder if any other exoctic manufacturers employ this same behaviour in their cars? Appreciate the upload, this was one of your most interesting videos
One thing to note: it probably IS 60 hours of labor to replace that harness. When they build cars, they weld the chassis together and then install the wiring harness. Only after comes ALL the other components. Which means they need to remove them. I've swapped a body harness before. It's a bear of a job.
The dealer probably made the price like that in that they wanted to be sure it would work after they fixed it. Replacing and updating everything needed to make the module work. Dealers have warranties on work and will not fix things they deem it unfixable.
An upmarket dealership swapping the wiring harness isn't going to be cheap. And they counted in there a good chunk of extra time for the probability of it not going as planned. Still way too expensive, but I can see their point of view. They probably aren't too keen to fiddle around it, they know that especially salt water corroded cars are a bitch. But it leaves the owner in a really nasty limbo, I'm surprised that there isn't a shady (maybe eastern European?) specialist, who can do it.
This is the reason Aston Martin goes bankrupt every few years and why i pulled out all my investment in them, they simply don't care about their own cars after it leaves their showroom
That's so sad. Just one file from making the car usable. What's wrong with these Manufacturers. They'd rather make the car scrap then give you one file to the car you legally own. This needs to be changed. And they need to be punished for witholding essential repair materials for things you own. No matter how small.
It should be illegal if you can provide that you are the rightful owner of the car to not provide you with a part/file, even if it has to go through a dealership, to not allow you from getting it. Might even have some legal backing to sue them honestly.
Just be happy you got youtube content/money outta it, and got your money back. Now, we've all learned to never buy a salt-water flooded car at the auction. Good work Sam, been subbed to you for a long time.
How to fix a flooded car: Step 1, don't buy it; Step 2, in case of being stuck with it, flip it quickly; Step 3, if you still want to fix it, congratulations, you're a certified masochist.
Other option... If you could get your hands on a couple configuration files from other DBS owners via the same process of cloning, you could potentially compare those two files to see what you need your file to look like and then create your own file to flash on to the new chip. Props to you for going as far as you did though. I really wish newer cars weren't like this.
I remember a few years ago Tyler Hoover and the Car Wizard teamed up and bought an old "Tech Tool" system. It cost a boatload of money but has paid for itself many times over.
I agree with Sam. If I own a car, I am entitled to ask the manufacturer/ dealer for anything connected to my car. Like spare key, data specific to my car/ car computers.
I feel that all owners should have access to repair firmware to replace a module if it can't be cloned. Lewis Rossman channel may be able to assist you further on any future endeavors. He is an advocate for right to repair.
I'm amazed one of your cars actually got the best of you. You went over and above on this one. Shame on Aston Martin for this. It is criminal in my opinion! Keep up the great videos! BTW - you are the KING of the Sponsor Segway...
I must agree with you, as long as you have the legal ownership, you should be able to purchase it. The file you need is just an encrypted binary file, I think Volvo uses a json file in addition for some higher level configuration, but I think you are out of luck getting it without going through an authorised technician with a OBD-II reader ( Volvo uses VIDA with DICE which is a Volvo specific system, that links to a “vin database” for verification). A friend bought a semi burnt Volvo last year and ended up exactly where you are.
It starts with simple OBD2 diagnosis tools that were intended to force owners to return to the stealership. Had my Mercedes diagnosed with 1 faulty Nox sensor (front) - stealership insisted they couldn't know if it was the front or rear sensor (their diagnosis tool wouldn't tell 😂) and would have to change both.
Man that’s insane, car manufacturers are the worst, that’s why whenever they get called out they be in panic mode, this is why is stick to my old school, these manufacturers love to BS folks, but glad you got somewhat your Money back man
Weird. Jaguar SDD (also a Volvo product) comes with every CCF file for every Jag and LandRover made. My VIN and CCF was in it as soon as I installed the software. Aston must have gone another way with their version of the software. Are you sure the CCF isn't there in the software? In addition, other modules on the car have a copy of the CCF on the Jag. I think there was a spare copied to the secondary junction box in the boot and maybe the parking radar module. Again the software lets you set the spare as master and copy it. All that aside, its also possible to build a CCF from scratch - if both copies are corrupt SSD just loads it blank and you set the vin and options manually. Aston doesn't have that functionality? That's super odd.
yeah, CCF should just be a list of options fitted to the car (e.g. parking sensors, cameras, cruise control etc.) so you shouldn't need anything fancy, just taking one from a similar car should work enough to get the car running.
IIRC in engineering mode if the CCF couldn't be read the software asked you basic questions and built one. What gearbox you got, what is your vin, what audio, heated seats, etc etc I'm sure the Aston software will have something similar. I lost count of the times I trashed my CCF playing around with various options. 😂
Great video. I agree that the manufacturer should allow you to get the file. If it had to be flashed by the dealer, I think it would still be worth it.
Great video! Not a stone left unturned. Wish you were able to get it running but maybe a dealer tech will be able to do it. Louis Rossmann might like this story on right to repair.
Dear Samcrac, having a friend being former Mercredes Marketing CEO of Mercedes, and Former Aston Martin Retailer in the Sixties, please be aware that for all Car Manufacturers, any Flooded Car is legally considered as a write off, because the Copper Wires are bound to oxidise themselves and cause random Isues at term, and then the car will need to be totally dismantled to be fully rewired, to be considered as safe, reliable, and roadworthy. That explain why your Aston Dealership did the legally compulsory estimate to replace your entire wiring harness, that has to be done by Law. If they did not provided you that estimate, they would be legaly responsible of the lack of safety of your aston Martin, for not warning you.
Imho I wonder if you had contacted Aston Martin Corporate direct or their regional service director what would have happened or better yet have had an Attorney send them a demand letter to sell you the file as the registered owner. As in failure to provide you with the file leaves you then with legal recourse to file a civil suit at that point against the manufacturer. I also think you could have essentially vin swapped it at least in the computer if you had bought a total loss from a collision. Simply move the computer over to your car and any associated modules and reprogram the rest. This Aston Identifies itself as VIN X and simply have a file showing ownership of both vins for disclosure. Could have maybe found someone parting one out or buying a complete disaster to strip it for the harness and modules.
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pass
Did you ever get the 599 back from V-Tune?
Tru the British main dealer
Watch the video! That question is answered!@@subsailor.9672
Is this a porn site you're promoting..?
The immobilizer sounds less like an anti-theft system and more like a set of right-to-repair handcuffs.
its a bit each way.
Volvo had a problem in Europe with their station wagons being stolen and being used to traffic "stuff" across border due to their ability to carry large heavy loads. Volvo decided to really enhance anti theft security starting in the late 1990s thus when they went to multiplex wiring harnesses many parts of the car are encoded with the VIN and have to authenticate on network to work.
@@ianmontgomery7534it's not, the scumbags making these pos cars are doing this to prevent backyard repairs.
@@gordonmccracken1209 ford did that and in Australia if the Ford territory found a mismatch or no signal then it froze the vehicle- you couldn't even shift it in to neutral to put it on a tow truck! I don't know whether this got changed though.
@@gordonmccracken1209that's just punishing the victims instead of enforcing laws. Lazy countries that don't want to be harsh with criminals
If that DBS had a champion, it was you. Thanks for the adventure.
Thanks for positivity
@@Samcrac enjoyed the completed video but saddened you were so close and not able to send it home
After driving for nearly five decades and dealing with car dealerships constantly. I can say they where trying to hoodwink you into paying $40k for that work. No matter how much time passes car dealerships are mostly the same types.
Were or where? 😂
What’s mentioned in the video is hyperbole and mountains of assumptions. The dealer quoted high knowing it was a lost cause and unfortunately they were right. Does the dealer have your best interest in mind? I don’t believe so but when they see a wreck like this what’s the point in entertaining a lost cause?
@@jordanp1859 Sorry about that, originally from a Spanish speaking country and some English words are very challenging to speak.
@@jordanp1859get over yourself.. Mr English professor.
My thoughts when I saw the estimate was they didn't want to flat out deny service but also didn't want to get involved with the car (and all the potential issues) so they provided a ridiculously high estimate so it would be declined.
that is quite a vidoe Sam - I think you covered all the bases regarding the technical pieces of recovering and flashing chipsets - 1 file - a lot of pain. Glad you auctioned it off for some cash back - thx for sharing
Thank you for watching!
That dealer quote was a "Go away, we don't want liability for helping you get that salt brick back on the road" price.
Then why not just say that? Seems like people are making excuses for these scammerships. Hell, they had to know something was seriously wrong with the vehicle for it to need this anyway. Before agreeing, they could've said bring in the vehicle so we can take a look first.
@@shadeycharacter3058 Because saying "no" sometimes results in confrontation. Plus, sometimes you'll get someone just crazy enough to say "yes" no matter the price, especially with a brand of car often bought by people who don't need to care much about money.
You can easily sink 60 hours into meticulously cleaning every single pin in every single connector on the harness for that module, which is almost every connector in the interior. And they would have to do this to ensure that the work they were asked to do was successful.
@@cory45xdo you work for the dealer?
That was definitely a go away quote. Been there, done that.
I've been waiting for the DBS update for months! Glad to see it has returned after I figured you'd given up on it
It turns out it was just clickbait
You do realise he couldn’t fix it and sent it back to auction right?
Fadi is a genius Iraqi guy in Michigan. He can fix anything even a starship. God bless you Fadi.
He hooked up a few IED too
im proud of my country now that i think about it lol
Exotic cars are beautiful, its mind boggling how one little thing could turn them into a brick on 4 wheels
Immersed in salt water isn't one little thing.
Replace "Exotic" with British.....
The same thing happens to the cheapest Hyundai
@@b1r260 you mean ford
@@alexbryant5Ford hasn’t owned AM since 2007
This is why modern cars may never become classics. Once the dealer stops giving a fuck, the car is dead in the water until hackers manage to circumvent all these roadblocks.
If there's an aftermarket ecu that could work with a V12...
dead in the water, literally in Sam's case :D
@@goddesseddog
Yeah, couldn't they just used modified 3rd party ECU / BCM's , etc that don't care about the vin shit? I am amazed that wasn't tried
But idk if there are 3rd party versions of these, the chineese can't do everything very right
@@hariranormal5584 It’s possible, but a headache on it’s own.
A lot of these modules are interconnected. Using a standalone ECU may make the engine run, but interior features may not work, the transmission may not work.
I have done this on a Mercedes before. Removing the original ECU and installing an aftermarket one, meant the car would not start from the key anymore as the ignition cylinder is also a module, which wouldn’t work together with the standalone ECU. The transmission would not shift gears anymore, it would engage third and stay in limp mode because the TCM only works when the original ECU is present.
The gauge cluster also wouldn’t work as it’s driven by the original ECU. Cruise control, traction control and stability control were also dead as, you guessed it, they rely on data coming from the original ECU.
You’d basically need to rebuild the entire computer system. It’s a suitable option for a track car where these systems not working is no problem, but a disaster for a road car that you want to function as a factory original.
@@99domini99
yeah, fair. Ideally no, wouldn't invest on a "generic ECU" which basically is very blind to every other car function. I'd expect the more proper 3rd party ones even have the firmware (whether reverse-engineered or just hacked off the original firmware) so functionality remains basically same.
I think it exists, problem is, it doesn't exist for every darn vendor and manufacturer, maybe you can get it for more popular brands like Toyota or whatever. (Not that they are so unreliable and you'd need it often but it probably still exists)
The one that bought your martin know somebody at the dealer, or he own the dealer and can get it cheaper, you watch in a few month that martin will be back at auction for double the price and everything will work as it should.
my initial thought, but then i thought to myself there's LOTS of good parts on that thing... the engine itself is probably worth 10k
Nah. It will be parted out.
I still remembered this and thank you for the closure. Sad to see one small part messed with the project.
@17:51 By 'good connections' I might suggest an attorney who could write Aston Martin claiming a violation of Implied Warrantee of Use. Denied the flash on a lawfully titled car requiring repair harmed your right of ownership and use.
You are right about the right to repair movement. Manufacturers are more and more insistent that they own their products even after we "buy" them. They get the money and keep control of the products too... because everyone but I keep buying them under those terms and legislators refuse to prevent it.
One reason that these cars will not be classics 10-20-30 years on is that there is no OEM support. This should have been something easy to fix. We are now finding simple parts that are unobtainum for 10 year old VW, Audi, Mercedes and BMW's . These brands used to support their products but no more.
That’s because they don’t want you to fix it! They want their service techs to do it or for you to buy new. That only works when they are all like that and they definitely are. They are called stealerships for a reason.
In the EU all the OEM's have a obligation to support any vehicle built for 15 years. In practice this can still be quite a challenge. For my job we keep trying to have old software made for WinXP x86 work on a 2024 x64 Win11 laptop and still maintain all the microsec. timings. Not easy and a very expensive thing as knowledge is gone, benches break down and few of us engineers work with the legacy protocols..
Man I am sad for you but you really did give it your all trying to get it up and running. Mad respect!
If the procedure is the same as on a Volvo the service center should order the software package "CEM reload" and flash it. It includes the software needed and the CarConfig. Price should be less than $50
BTW, for a Volvo you can actually do this your self by purchasing a 24 hour Volvo VIDA subscription (you need to have the correct hardware interface, but it's quite cheap). Does Aston not offer the same service?
Something like VIDA or VDASH might be able to do as you've described. Happened to be looking into those tools today.
That's what he did and it was priced 47 US dollar. The problem was that he didn't get enough of the modules online on the CAN bus for it to be able to be programmed. You need more than the CAN_LS for that and Sam failed to realize that and went conspiracy theory right to repair instead.
@@Google_Is_Evil Yep, he should probably have just replaced the wiring loom in its entirety in that month before the AM dealership appointment to increase the chance of that step working as much as possible. I'm almost 100% certain that the corrosion wasn't restricted to just the connectors and had penetrated very far into the wiring loom, then with all the flexing of cables had severed the wires inside the insulation or they had already corroded through.
I doubt it was the heat to take the chip off the board. You can't short something that doesn't have electricity flowing through it, and it takes heat to install them. I'm pretty sure it was the salt water.
Good insight
Static can really send a very low power circuit into damaged goods mode too, and depending on the materials used a conductive corrosion can complete otherwise spark gaps in the case with tin solder on circuitboards like mercedes i noticed and others as they mustve literally after years and years of designing vehicles, planned it to help boost sales of parts and the service of those installations of OEM shareholder profits.
I used to teach that process, I don't remember anyone burning up a chip.
The corrosion could have at some point rerouted some voltage to it, like shorting a 12V to 3.3V regulator, applying 12V directly to the IC. That is the only scenario I could come up with. Modern circuit boards are cleaned after soldering with a soap and water, so the parts are almost all waterproof.
Very hard to say. The only chance of recovering it would be opening the chip (by sanding it very gently) and bypassing the memory controller to access the CMOS memory directly - IF the problem was is the controller. I know very few people that could do that job.
the usual way the salt water drying or getting in will ruin the boards is by creating shortcuts that cause overcurrents(and overvoltages causing overcurrents) locally on the components. like connecting low current inputs straight between 12v and ground will fry components. even just resistors can get fried this way(like if they were supposed to be in series with an another resistor, but all that other stuff is bypassed), just traces on the board itself can get fried this way as well. it's really unfortunate if there was power flowing at the same time and more so if the board was powered on and gradually got wet with conductive saltwater and then dried and got electricity with the salts still on it.
and yeah you can just clean the parts themselves with water. to get rid of the corrosion itself you can use vinegar or things specifically made for it, clean off/neutralize with alcohol. and look most old boards are just fine to be dishwashed too if there's no power in and you dry them properly after(under chips is tricky if you don't use alcohol to replace the water).
the scene for fixing old computers is the largest resource for this sort of things on youtube, they're making replacement chips for some custom chips by using modern microcontrollers, fpga's etc, since it's nerds who are interested in them they got more of a home advantage so that's why it's the most covered on youtube, even if there would be more car electronics out there to fix than there are old amigas - another resource to look into is the phone repair scene which is more done for profit than the vintage computers - the fixing of ecu's side isn't as much covered on youtube but the basics are the exact same.
Had a Chevy dealer do something similar to a friend. They didn't really overcharge on labor, but they overcharged for parts by 150-200% or more. When I say that, I mean the prices at that dealer. I called their parts department and got quotes for everything on the list. I couldn't believe it. No idea who is pocketing the money, but they are straight up scamming customers.
I used to be a service manager at a new car dealership. I couldn't sell tune-ups because the parts manager put such a high markup on parts that it left me no profit.
P.S. Absolutely friggin' ridiculous that you can own a car and not be entitled to the CONFIGURATION FILE of the vehicle. Should be illegal. RIGHT TO REPAIR FOR ALL!
@@HugoBezdek-rb2xf The ridiculous part is the dealer is not supposed to mark up THEIR OWN PARTS! You can buy parts from them for their price. Why would you pay them more than the retail dealer price for their parts when they work on it? It's quite literally scamming customers. Not to mention you can get the parts even cheaper online from official retailer websites. I'm sorry you had to deal with that.
@@802Garage These days you are not owning anything anymore. You have a subscription or you lease it from the company that "sold" it to you. Ridiculous concept.
@@heiner71 That's why all my cars were made before the mid 00s so far I guess. 😂
OMG dude I can finally help / give advice...
I hope it isn't to late...
but you read the data of another car (chip)
then Hex-edit that data and change what you need
aka make your own VINCODE
(well just change it into yours since you know it due to owning the title)
if they somehow lock it for sure some wizzkid can reverse-engineer it!
I don't think that will work cos usually all the data in the chip should be encrypted, won't able to tell VIN Number from other codes.
@@lightlee6664 that kinda makes sense
@@lightlee6664 yea, maybe in 1994 this could work lol
Sam….you are the real deal…straight shooter…articulate…I enjoy your vids…keep em coming.
I appreciate that
Why didn’t you try bypassing the dealers and reaching out to Aston Martin customer services directly in the UK?
I had a similar problem with my old E36 BMW. I think we are now at the point where I would rather have no immobilizer checks and risk having my car stolen rather than having it and risk it becoming a brick due to computer faults.
I had a similar situation with a 2014 Diesel Cruze. The body computer was in the floorboard and was flooded. (The car was from Washington state and I suspect whoever left the windows down.) The computer was corroded, so I bought a new replacement and took it to a Chevy dealer. They screwed up the programming and since part of the CPUs memory is write only, you can't get the original coding. (Thanks, Chevy. )
Since I've been an electronics hobbiest for years, I unsoldered the chip from the old module and put it in the new one. Everything worked, including the original odometer setting, except for the horn. But with a little creative wiring I was able to pass state inspection and got my rebuilt title.
AYYYEEEE that kinda means you actually finished a project 😂😂😂
Man, F Aston Martin. They could have helped you if they wanted to, but they were just trying to bend you over. Glad you pretty much broke even and we got some good content out of it! But that 599 😍 One of my favorite cars of all time. Super excited for that series!!!
Have Ratarossa stop by Aston headquarters and buy it. Or do a field trip with Step Mom across the pond and buy it yourself, in person at the headquarters. :)
that kind of water damage is worse than anything louis rossmann would ever fix
*Tarvish has entered the chat
“Hey everybody, how’s it going”
Thanks for closing this out. Ive certainly been wondering what the end result was. Sounds like a pain! Glad you made it out fairly unscathed.
Back again after the first upload vanished
You can rig up a ccf file. The perfect one from Aston would be ideal, but if you can find one from a similar model, you can use a CCF editor, change the VIN and it should be mostly happy. Then you do a theft relearn
Did you try a Volvo dealership? I don't take my Cadillac on a corvette chassis to Cadillac dealerships, Chevy can order all the parts, and do all the electronic changes needed to it. Yea, it's not exactly the same thing, but I bet a Volvo dealership would have helped you out.
100%
The Volvo dealership wouldn’t have access to the CCF from Aston Martin.
@@MrJordanwain So you work for Volvo?
Love the honesty of these Aston videos. Not every “trash car” story ends well! Don’t we all know it!
LS3 the thing and tell the Britt's up yours. This was actually my favorite car in the Samcrac zoo.
There’s an idea… a fresh 427 from Texas Speed, a Holley fuel/electrical system… heck maybe hang a whirlybird or two and make sum steam!
Haha I was thinking same thing, at least it would be reliable for many decades to come
It was sold long before this video came out.
hellcat swap
This project really drew me in… it’s good to have closure though not as satisfying as I had hoped after such a long time (not a dig or anything, clearly u we’re working behind the scenes). At least you didn’t lose a lot of money and had some great content… I will say your comments on right to repair were spot on, what a sad system
It is much more likely that the IC was damaged by salt water, causing one of the sensitive pins to become reverse biased. Most ICs are pretty robust and can be resoldered multiple times before damage.
Fr, he's just frustrated, when you have corrosion and salt water like that and then trying to say no it was the soldering that short circuited it is crazy...
It's flooded! There's water in tiny little nooks and crevices within the car that will never see the light of day, and thus will never evaporate. They'll just sit there, slowly wrecking havoc on the internal wires. It might run great for a little while. but weeks or months later, it'll break down again. Flooded vehicles just aren't worth it.
Glad to see this twice
True asf
I applaud your honesty by owning up to a "loss". Too many car guys only talk about the "wins" when they make a profit and never mention the losses to make them look like a car guru.
sam, your issues is part of right to repair, have you ever watched Louis rossmann? and you got roofied by aston martin
OMG! Finally! I've been waiting on an update to this car forever it seems!! Thank you Samcrac!
The Immo system should be the same as Volvo if theyre using the same modules. You need to make your own configuration file by taking a configuration file off of another car and reverse engineering the format. I cant imagine it is a big effort if the file only contains a VIN.
This is the correct answer. Cloning the data from a functional car.
It's encrypted. You need to find the orignial one and clone it.
@@pennyluo9123 its not a hash, if the car can decrypt it, it means its 2 way encryption. Not saying its easy peasy, but it should be possible.
@@pennyluo9123 Interesting. Volvo was known for using a common key for a very long time - to the point where everyone knew the private key to flash their infotainment systems. Not sure what year the DBS is and what year they fixed that huge flaw though.
@@mch0lic just because the decrypting key exists on the car doesnt mean the encrypting key exists... so you would have to find that one too. Otherwise the car is just going to attempt to decrypt plain-text and end up with garbo. It is very possible that both the decrypting and encrypting key are the same though. Not sure what Volvo did.
Man I was really rooting for this one. The original video about the AM was one of my favorites.
I’ve been waiting a long time for the update. Wasn’t what I was hoping for but at least you got your money back .
That swollen dealership estimate is why we call them stealership. They treat customers like if they can afford the car, they can afford the gouging that comes with “free” coffee and snacks. Not really free though. 🤔
No gouging. Just book time set by manufacturer and full retail for the parts. The quote was so high assuming no one will do the repair at that cost. The dealer cannot refuse service or they’ll lose their franchise license.
They probably over quoted to get his pos out of the shop and hopefully never see it again
What a sad ending. Was really hoping you got this one working. Well done on all the detective work!
It's so sad to see that this car didn't get fixed
Happy to know u didn’t lose too much money. Thanks for the ride. Hope the next project gives u better luck. 👍🏾
Sam if i can be honest, car systems are very rudimentary coding languages. Learn them you could literally make a ccf file in 20 minutes btw learning time less than 40 hours per manufacturer
But where would you get the template file from? Or information about the necessary file structure? 🧐
The draw card to Austins is surely that V12. There's been a lot of comments regarding installing an aftermarket ECU and that really is the solution. Srtip everything out and start from scratch. Simplify the dodgy British wiring and all of its modules and get the engine up and running with even more power than the factory tune. That said, it would appear this wasn't Sam's focus which I understand. It's someone else's dream car now. I'm sure you'll be able to hear the corrosion taking hold of it while you sleep.
Honestly, I'd say you got extemely lucky.
You've essentially walked away, no money wasted, with a very vital piece of knowledge of Aston Martins:
If that single chip with the file is fried, they become a brick.
I wonder if any other exoctic manufacturers employ this same behaviour in their cars?
Appreciate the upload, this was one of your most interesting videos
One thing to note: it probably IS 60 hours of labor to replace that harness. When they build cars, they weld the chassis together and then install the wiring harness. Only after comes ALL the other components. Which means they need to remove them.
I've swapped a body harness before. It's a bear of a job.
The dealer probably made the price like that in that they wanted to be sure it would work after they fixed it. Replacing and updating everything needed to make the module work. Dealers have warranties on work and will not fix things they deem it unfixable.
So they 'cared' enough about the car to charge 40k... lol
An upmarket dealership swapping the wiring harness isn't going to be cheap. And they counted in there a good chunk of extra time for the probability of it not going as planned.
Still way too expensive, but I can see their point of view. They probably aren't too keen to fiddle around it, they know that especially salt water corroded cars are a bitch. But it leaves the owner in a really nasty limbo, I'm surprised that there isn't a shady (maybe eastern European?) specialist, who can do it.
Great video Sam. It was nice to have a candid update on even a failure.
This is the reason Aston Martin goes bankrupt every few years and why i pulled out all my investment in them, they simply don't care about their own cars after it leaves their showroom
As an #AstonMartin owner daily driving a DB9 for 4+ years, this hit me right in the heart. Sorry man. Really was hoping to see this repaired.
That's so sad. Just one file from making the car usable. What's wrong with these Manufacturers. They'd rather make the car scrap then give you one file to the car you legally own. This needs to be changed. And they need to be punished for witholding essential repair materials for things you own. No matter how small.
It should be illegal if you can provide that you are the rightful owner of the car to not provide you with a part/file, even if it has to go through a dealership, to not allow you from getting it. Might even have some legal backing to sue them honestly.
Thanks so much for the update. Interesting to hear what happened in the end, even if the result was a disappointment.
Install a fueltech and send everyone home
Salt water can absolutely kill chips . Replaced plenty with water corrosion issues that no amount cleaning or resolder would fix.
Omg Sam you still have the Aston 🇬🇧
Errr, no he doesn’t…
Just be happy you got youtube content/money outta it, and got your money back. Now, we've all learned to never buy a salt-water flooded car at the auction.
Good work Sam, been subbed to you for a long time.
How to fix a flooded car:
Step 1, don't buy it; Step 2, in case of being stuck with it, flip it quickly; Step 3, if you still want to fix it, congratulations, you're a certified masochist.
OR LS-Swap it!!!😆😆😆
I am so sorry to see that you were not able to get the Austin running. Great effort Mr. Samcrac!
I thought Sam gave up on the 599….
Sam, can we get videos more often?
Other option... If you could get your hands on a couple configuration files from other DBS owners via the same process of cloning, you could potentially compare those two files to see what you need your file to look like and then create your own file to flash on to the new chip.
Props to you for going as far as you did though. I really wish newer cars weren't like this.
Fadi koka ❤❤❤
Right to repair deaerves more attention. Thank you for bringing it up!
Wow, salt water is so destructive
Always an enjoyable ride with Samcrac
Thanks for update on Aston Martin
Always thought it was going to be a nightmare
VIN not VIN NUMBER
I remember a few years ago Tyler Hoover and the Car Wizard teamed up and bought an old "Tech Tool" system. It cost a boatload of money but has paid for itself many times over.
Thier parts quote is using "BIDENOMICS " 😮
Fadi is a genius, I'm glad you got to know him, i hope you can work together in future
I agree with Sam. If I own a car, I am entitled to ask the manufacturer/ dealer for anything connected to my car. Like spare key, data specific to my car/ car computers.
I feel that all owners should have access to repair firmware to replace a module if it can't be cloned. Lewis Rossman channel may be able to assist you further on any future endeavors. He is an advocate for right to repair.
I'm amazed one of your cars actually got the best of you. You went over and above on this one.
Shame on Aston Martin for this. It is criminal in my opinion!
Keep up the great videos!
BTW - you are the KING of the Sponsor Segway...
I must agree with you, as long as you have the legal ownership, you should be able to purchase it.
The file you need is just an encrypted binary file, I think Volvo uses a json file in addition for some higher level configuration, but I think you are out of luck getting it without going through an authorised technician with a OBD-II reader ( Volvo uses VIDA with DICE which is a Volvo specific system, that links to a “vin database” for verification). A friend bought a semi burnt Volvo last year and ended up exactly where you are.
Great to see you back, Sam
Right to repair versus right to extort. Follow the money.
Excellent FLEX on the closing!!!!!
You are so right; the car manufacturers shouldn’t be able to withhold products to owners.
You know I love watching your post Tavarish, and Legit Street cars for everyday Joe type fixes on some of these cars 😂
Been refreshing everyday for this upload.
Love your content man all the way from aus! Keep uploading 👍
Okay, sorry for the Aston. But I started watching VTuned because of that Ferrari!! When did you get it back and when is the video for it!!😅
Great video, was hoping for a fairytale ending for you but it wasn’t to be. Helluva effort. Thanks for your informative videos.
It starts with simple OBD2 diagnosis tools that were intended to force owners to return to the stealership. Had my Mercedes diagnosed with 1 faulty Nox sensor (front) - stealership insisted they couldn't know if it was the front or rear sensor (their diagnosis tool wouldn't tell 😂) and would have to change both.
Man that’s insane, car manufacturers are the worst, that’s why whenever they get called out they be in panic mode, this is why is stick to my old school, these manufacturers love to BS folks, but glad you got somewhat your
Money back man
Weird. Jaguar SDD (also a Volvo product) comes with every CCF file for every Jag and LandRover made.
My VIN and CCF was in it as soon as I installed the software.
Aston must have gone another way with their version of the software. Are you sure the CCF isn't there in the software?
In addition, other modules on the car have a copy of the CCF on the Jag. I think there was a spare copied to the secondary junction box in the boot and maybe the parking radar module. Again the software lets you set the spare as master and copy it.
All that aside, its also possible to build a CCF from scratch - if both copies are corrupt SSD just loads it blank and you set the vin and options manually.
Aston doesn't have that functionality? That's super odd.
yeah, CCF should just be a list of options fitted to the car (e.g. parking sensors, cameras, cruise control etc.) so you shouldn't need anything fancy, just taking one from a similar car should work enough to get the car running.
IIRC in engineering mode if the CCF couldn't be read the software asked you basic questions and built one. What gearbox you got, what is your vin, what audio, heated seats, etc etc
I'm sure the Aston software will have something similar.
I lost count of the times I trashed my CCF playing around with various options. 😂
Rocking the Stamkos Preds T-shirt.
Great video. I agree that the manufacturer should allow you to get the file. If it had to be flashed by the dealer, I think it would still be worth it.
Great video! Not a stone left unturned. Wish you were able to get it running but maybe a dealer tech will be able to do it. Louis Rossmann might like this story on right to repair.
Thank you for the update video really wanted to see what happened to the DBS
THATS SOME HEAVYDUTY DIGGING DEEP SAM = I DONT KNOW HOW YOU DO IT BUT YOU ALWAYS PULL IT OFF
Dear Samcrac, having a friend being former Mercredes Marketing CEO of Mercedes, and Former Aston Martin Retailer in the Sixties, please be aware that for all Car Manufacturers, any Flooded Car is legally considered as a write off, because the Copper Wires are bound to oxidise themselves and cause random Isues at term, and then the car will need to be totally dismantled to be fully rewired, to be considered as safe, reliable, and roadworthy. That explain why your Aston Dealership did the legally compulsory estimate to replace your entire wiring harness, that has to be done by Law. If they did not provided you that estimate, they would be legaly responsible of the lack of safety of your aston Martin, for not warning you.
Try contacting Aston direct in the U.K. or visit the factory.
Imho I wonder if you had contacted Aston Martin Corporate direct or their regional service director what would have happened or better yet have had an Attorney send them a demand letter to sell you the file as the registered owner. As in failure to provide you with the file leaves you then with legal recourse to file a civil suit at that point against the manufacturer. I also think you could have essentially vin swapped it at least in the computer if you had bought a total loss from a collision. Simply move the computer over to your car and any associated modules and reprogram the rest. This Aston Identifies itself as VIN X and simply have a file showing ownership of both vins for disclosure. Could have maybe found someone parting one out or buying a complete disaster to strip it for the harness and modules.
You getting that data from that chip is beyond me. 🤩
really great video. Informative, entertaining, and climactic.