How am I and thousands of others able to use it for years and years without consequence if what you're saying is true though?
If it's a legit scan tool, no problem. Make changes with a "copied" program and let a dealer/engine manufacturer plug in on-line.
So you have a "bootlegged" copy making changes and have been to dealers/engine manufacturers and they have went on-line to check something? Really doubt that. Every new truck I've bought in the last 15 years had a clause in the warranty to void it if un-authorized changes were made.
Never worked on a truck under warranty using my equipment so I can't say. Not sure why anyone would want to be in a warranted ECM in the first place though unless they need a perimeter set. I would advise going to the dealer for that then. Still don't see how they'd know the software used to connect regardless.
Reality, no one gives a "F what you do (except emissions) when it's not under a manufacturers warranty because if you screw it up it's all on you. And yes, if it's on-line they can tell.
Anytime you hook into a "system" like that unless you know how to erase it (and it's dang near impossible to do) your little scan tool, your laptop with a program, WHATEVER you're using to interface with the system, your interface tool is leaving its own unique fingerprint that will tell them the date and time of connection, and likely what brand or serial number of the tool you used. For what it's worth
Yes and one trip to the dealer could cost you the diagnostic fee and downtime to take the truck off the road. If I have to pull a truck off the road, the loss is more than $700. There is more to the cost of repairs than just the dealer repair fees and owners need to take downtime into account.
