Do AutoTuner and KESS3 Support Flex Glitch-Unlocked MDG1?
Magic Motorsport Flex ecu programmer released Bosch MDG1 boot glitch unlocking function — a process that involves removing a resistor, performing the glitch through a dedicated pin, and then refitting the resistor. Once completed, the ECU becomes "benchable," much like a pre-June 2020 unit.
However, one question kept surfacing:
If my ECU is glitch-unlocked with Flex, can I then use my AutoTuner or Kess3 to read and write it on the bench?
The Setup: A Glitch-Unlocked MD1CS003
We started with the same 2025 Bosch MD1CS003 ECU that had been successfully unlocked using the Flex boot glitch protocol. The ECU was now fully unlocked and ready for bench operations — at least with the Flex tool.
Our goal was simple: wire it up to both an AutoTuner and a Kess3 using standard bench connections (as if it were a pre-June 2020 ECU) and see if either tool would recognize it as unlocked and allow read/write operations.
Test 1: AutoTuner
We connected the ECU using the standard bench wiring for a pre-June 2020 MD1CS003. The pinout was straightforward, and we made sure all connections were secure.
What happened?
AutoTuner identified the ECU correctly.
However, it immediately flagged the unit as requiring a mail-in unlock.
Even after switching to the "post-mail-in unlock" protocol and re-identifying, the result was the same.
Conclusion: Despite the ECU being fully unlocked via Flex, AutoTuner still believed it required an unlock service. The tool could not detect that the glitch procedure had already been performed.
Test 2: Kess3
Next, we wired the same ECU to the Kess3 using the recommended bench pinout. We followed the tool’s manual, ensuring all connections — including the optional second ground — were in place.
What happened?
Kess3 recognized the ECU but reported it as "Unrecognized ECU" and "ECU protected."
The tool stated it was impossible to proceed with operations.
Adding the second ground made no difference.
Conclusion: Kess3 also failed to recognize the Flex-based unlock and treated the ECU as protected.
Key Takeaway
If your ECU has been unlocked using the Flex boot glitch protocol, you cannot expect AutoTuner or Kess3 to automatically recognize that unlock and allow read/write operations. Both tools still see the ECU as locked and require their own unlock procedures.
What Does This Mean for Tuners?
If you only own AutoTuner or Kess3 and someone unlocks your ECU with Flex, you still won’t be able to read or write the ECU with your tools.
If you own Flex but are not comfortable performing the hardware glitch yourself, you can send the ECU to be glitch-unlocked, and once returned, the Flex tool will work in bench mode as confirmed by Magic Motorsports.
If it work with other Flex?
Yes, it will work on another FLEX. Flex Master users can unlock these for their slave users who do not have the full protocol pack, or who are not happy soldering, and then they can read/write them on their own FLEX tool.
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