ECU Unlocking for BMW, Audi & VW

Many newer cars leave the factory with a locked ECU: the manufacturer protects it so it can’t be read or written through the OBD port with standard tools. Until it’s unlocked, no tuning, DTC work or software solution can be applied. Unlocking opens the ECU so it can be read, your original file saved, and then reprogrammed. On a technical level these are Bosch MG1 and MD1 ECUs (MDG1) with Aurix TC298 / TC299 or NXP SPC5777 processors.

On a BMW or Alpina, the ECU is locked if the car was built after June 2020, which in practice means the G-series cars and late F-series. Most VW Group cars (Audi, VW, SEAT, Škoda, CUPRA, Porsche, Bentley and Lamborghini) built from June 2020 with a Bosch MG1 or MD1 ECU are locked too. Cars built from June 2026 carry a newer lock we can’t open yet, so we don’t offer tuning or unlocking on them for now. Not sure? Use our free BMW reg check, or send us your registration or ECU part number and we’ll confirm.

BMW & Alpina: £100 added to a tuning booking, or £249 on its own. Both are done in-house on our own bench, the same day. Posted in from anywhere in the UK, it’s £249 plus return postage from £30. The 4.4 V8s (M5 F90, M8, M850i, M550i, 750i, X5 M / X6 M, X5/X6/X7 50i and M50i) have two ECUs, so they’re £50 more: £150 with a tune, £299 on its own or posted in.

Audi, VW, SEAT, Škoda, CUPRA, Porsche, Bentley & Lamborghini: added to a tuning booking it’s £449 in-house (same day) or £399 sent away (3–4 working days, your car stays with us). On its own it’s £549 in-house or £499 sent away. Posted in, it’s £549 plus return postage from £30.

BMW & Alpina: yes, always. The ECU comes out, goes on our own bench here in Warrington and is refitted the same day, so you drive away that day.

Audi & VW Group: you choose. In-house on our own bench, the same day, or sent away for 3–4 working days with your car staying with us. That now includes the 3.0 V6 TDI (MD1CS014), 2.9/3.0 V6 TFSI (MG1CS002) and 4.0 V8 (MG1CS008). A few are still sent away, including the Porsche 4.0 V8, the 2023-on Cayenne and 2024-on Panamera V6, and the 2024-on 911 T-Hybrid. We confirm the route for your exact ECU before you book.

BMW & Alpina: every ECU we unlock is left open to any standard OBD tool afterwards.

Audi & VW Group: it depends on the route. After an in-house unlock the ECU is read and written with the Flex tool only. After a sent-away unlock it is open to any standard OBD tool (Flex, MG Flasher and others), which makes future work easier.

Bench unlocking is a controlled, established process done in-house with professional equipment. We're always straight about one thing: a locked ECU can't be read or backed up until it's unlocked, so the unlock has to happen first. The vast majority unlock cleanly with no flip required. A small number of the newest ECUs need a 'flip', an advanced procedure that carries a small but genuine risk, and because no backup is possible beforehand, we always tell you if your car is one of them before we start. Once unlocked, we save your original file so any tune is fully reversible. Every ECU we have unlocked has come through without any issue, a 100% record to date, and in the unlikely event one ever didn’t survive, we supply and code a replacement unit of equivalent specification, new, reconditioned or used at our discretion (that cover is limited to the unit and its coding, see Before You Book).

Yes, from anywhere in the UK. Take the ECU out yourself and post it to us at your own cost; we unlock it and send it straight back, tracked and insured by the return service you choose when you order. Mail-in covers 2020 to 2025 cars and is unlock only: tuning is done on our own 4WD dyno, so the car has to be here for that. If your ECU turns out not to be supported, we refund the unlock fee in full, but not the return postage. Start a mail-in order.

BMW & Alpina: Bosch MG1CS024, MG1CS201, MG1CS049, MG1CS003, MD1CP032, MD1CS001 and MD1CP002. Audi & VW Group: MD1CS004, MD1CS014, MG1CS002, MG1CS008, MG1CS011, MG1CS031, MG1CS111 and MG1CS163. Porsche: MG1CS002 (the 2.9 / 3.0 V6), MG1CP007 (the 911 from the 992 on and the 718 4.0) and MG1CS047 (the GT3, GT3 RS and 718 4.0 RS cars), plus MG1CS008, MG1CS038 and MG1CP994, which are sent away to be unlocked. Between them they cover the Bosch MG1 and MD1 family on Aurix TC298 / TC299 and NXP SPC5777 processors. The list keeps growing, so if you don’t see yours, send us your ECU part number and we’ll confirm.

MG1 is Bosch’s ECU for petrol engines and MD1 is the diesel version. MDG1 is the name used for the family as a whole. Both run on Aurix TC298 / TC299 or NXP SPC5777 processors, and both are locked on cars built from June 2020. The part number on the ECU label, such as MG1CS201 or MD1CP032, tells us exactly which one you have.

Yes. “Anti-tune” is the name the tuning world gives the protection on the Bosch MG1 and MD1 ECUs in BMWs built after June 2020. It stops the ECU being read or written through the OBD port. Unlocking it on the bench removes that barrier, so the car can be tuned. Not sure about yours? Use our free BMW reg check.

No. Unlocking only opens the ECU so it can be read and written. The extra power comes from the tune that goes on afterwards, which is why most people have us unlock and tune in one visit: it’s the cheaper way to do it.

Yes. Book the unlock on its own, or post the ECU in from anywhere in the UK. BMW and Alpina ECUs are left open to any standard OBD tool. On Audi and VW Group cars it depends on the route: after an in-house unlock the ECU is read and written with the Flex tool only, and after a sent-away unlock it’s open to any standard OBD tool.

Yes. The 4.4 V8 BMWs (M5 F90, M8, M850i, M550i, 750i, X5 M / X6 M and the X5, X6 and X7 50i and M50i) have two ECUs, one per cylinder bank, and we unlock both. It’s £50 more than a single ECU. If you’re posting them in, send both.

It’s printed on the label on the ECU itself and starts MG1 or MD1, for example MG1CS201 or MD1CS001. If you can’t get to it, send us your registration and we’ll check it for you.