HELP WITH ECM/TUNING PROBLEM? Controller Unlocker: Timed Out

[Izzymw]

Hey everyone,
I just finished installing a cam kit in my 2011 SS. Everything from the cam up is brand new (minus the heads). Remote tuning with HP Tuners
(didn't know where to post so also posted under GM Gen IV V8)

I was running into some engine codes but talked to my tuner and it looks like the tune wasn't flashing fully. I had just been doing "write calibration" instead of "write entire" which was most likely the reason the tune file from the tuner wasn't getting written completely when we tried to flash it. This could have also been the reason for messing up voltage readings for at least the MAP sensor circuit (one of the DTCs I was getting). I went to flash the entire tune going through the normal process for that using HP Tuners (Using "Write Entire"). After the status "requesting access" it goes immediately to "Controller Unlocker: Timed Out" and says failed.

After this I tried messing with the computer and HP Tuners (restarting the laptop, unplugging and replugging back in, unplug the tuner to shut it down and restart it, plugging it into the computer first, then the car and vice versa. I disconnected the battery and waited about 30 minutes before reconnecting it and tried that, I tired starting it with the battery on charge connected to power. I still kept getting the "Controller Unlocker:Timed Out" right away. At this point I thought, maybe I should try and start to crank the car and see if it reads. So I started scanning with VCM scanner and tried to crank it to get a reading. At this point the car wouldnt crank. I press in on the clutch to start it but the starter motor wouldnt even turn or crank the car. It would just turn the lights off on the dash as if I wasn't pressing the clutch in. The VCM scanner also started reading and scanning fine but I noticed it was only scanning the fuel rail pressure.

I disconnected the battery and pulled the ECM fuse to do a full restart. After reconnecting it and putting the fuse back I was getting the same issue. - Car wouldn't crank and the same "Controller Unlocker: Timed Out" when trying to flash the tune. At this point I went to read the current tune that was on the car, but when I went to read it, it said No Vin was detected, please enter a Vin or Press Cancel to Continue. I pressed cancel to continue to pull the current tune on the car and also pulled it after typing in my VIN (pulled the tune twice). Both cases it pulled the same tune...there was no engine or trans data on the tune...only the fuel system would pop up with data (on fuel pressure). -

Given all this. I've come to two conclusions. Either my PCM is bricked / fried, or somehow the tune got basically erased from the car, and it won't let me rewrite a new tune to it. I initially thought maybe when I started writing the entire tune, it erased everything and then only got part way into putting on the new tune (only fuel pressure got written) but when I try to write it, it only says "Controller Unlocker: Timed Out" which makes it seem like it didn't even start to write the tune onto the ECM. But at the same time, VCM scanner is still scanning and running with a connection so I don't think the ECM is bricked either.

I also thought for a second maybe it is a lose ground connection to the PCM, but the car hadn't physically been moved or the hood even opened since the last time trying to crank/start it (the night before).
- the battery was also at at least 12V throughout this whole process.

I am not sure if anyone is familiar with what could be happening here, or if anyone has experienced something similar, but if you have any advice or input I would greatly appreciate it. I am at a loss on what to do now. I don't know how my ECM would have gotten bricked or fried but I hope I don't need to buy a new one.

[Bill@HPTuners]

Try flashing via bench harness.

You should NOT be doing write entire unless you are changing to a different operating system or being told by someone at hptuners to do so. It is an advanced feature and should NOT be used 99.9% of the time.

Write calibration should always be used when available.

[gtstorey]

Write entire should always be used when available.

Write calibration?

[Izzymw]

Try flashing via bench harness.

You should NOT be doing write entire unless you are changing to a different operating system or being told by someone at hptuners to do so. It is an advanced feature and should NOT be used 99.9% of the time.

Write entire should always be used when available.

Hey!

I don't know too much about tuning, why would a bench harness work over just flashing it normally?

Also Write Entire was available so I did that. At first I flashed write calibration, but it didn't seem like the tune got flashed entirely as a DTC was popping up that should have been disabled in the tune. Also Some sensor codes were throwing too, I know someone who had a similar issue that had to do with the tune changing the resolution of the MAP sensor and the voltage that it would be reading which was throwing voltage/sensor errors until he did Write Entire to the tune.

[Izzymw]

Also - Write Calibration fails and gives me the same error now as well. This is all confusing me lol. Idk why it would be doing this. Esp because it seems like the tune on my car just disappeared into thin air.

[gtstorey]

Bench harness takes other modules out of the loop, and these talking on the network can sometimes interfere with the write process to the ECM.

[Izzymw]

Write calibration?

I assume that is what he meant as well hahaha, typos most likely. I think my original problem was that I needed to do write entire instead of write calibration. But now everything seems messed up lol, and its not letting me do either. Giving me the same Controller Unlocker: Timed Out

[Izzymw]

I don't have a bench harness so I hope I dont have to use one to get it working lol

[Bill@HPTuners]

Write calibration?

I corrected my post.

[Bill@HPTuners]

I assume that is what he meant as well hahaha, typos most likely. I think my original problem was that I needed to do write entire instead of write calibration. But now everything seems messed up lol, and its not letting me do either. Giving me the same Controller Unlocker: Timed Out

YOu likely had no reason to do write entire.

[Bill@HPTuners]

Also - Write Calibration fails and gives me the same error now as well. This is all confusing me lol. Idk why it would be doing this. Esp because it seems like the tune on my car just disappeared into thin air.

because when you start a write entire you can ONLY do a write entire to attempt recovery. One more reason not to do write entire.

[Izzymw]

because when you start a write entire you can ONLY do a write entire to attempt recovery. One more reason not to do write entire.

That makes sense. I was previously doing write calibration but decided to do write entire because it seemed like write calibration wasn't flashing the tune correctly. But now I will have to write entire to get it working again...