From our Analysis:
From our research and review, it is our opinion that the GTE Stage 1 Performance Works! You will DEFINITELY want to try this!
Company Profile
The manufacturer is a company called GTE.
Their website, performancechiptuning.com, offers this and several other versions of their OBD and other performance products. The direct product page is here:
https://www.performancechiptuning.com/brands/GTE.html
Cost
The cost on the website at the time of this review was $149.95 USD for the GTE Performance Chip module, and $139.95 on eBay, which claims to provide Better Gas Mileage, enhanced pickup, power, and engine performance enhancements.
Cost is an average one, given that so far it appears to be a real chip, not a resistor or light blinker scam. It is an average price point. We purchased one from eBay for testing.
Product Appearance
The OBD performance module comes in the black case shown in the picture, It doesn’t need an OBD extension cable for placing the chip. The module plugs in directly to the vehicle OBD port.
Installation:
Installation steps were fairly straightforward:
“Step 1: Locate your OBD2 port.
Step 2: Insert stage 1 into your vehicle’s port while the vehicle is in off position.
Step 3: Insert vehicle key and turn the vehicle switch one position (or press your start button) without starting the vehicle. Your dash gauges will turn on. The GTE Stage 1 Performance Chip module needs about 5-10 seconds in this stage to transmit data from your vehicle’s ECU. After 10 seconds, you can start the vehicle normally.
Step 4: Once your vehicle is started for the first time, the GTE Stage 1 Performance Chip module begins a learning process. This process involves gathering data from your onboard computer and transmitting overrides to your ECU for performance and fuel economy improvements. Results can take up to 2 weeks of normal driving to fully complete. ”
Sounds different than most previous modules we tested – Let’s see if it works.
Internal Analysis
We examined the OBD connections from the connector to the circuit board and the following nine pins are connected: 2,4,5,6,7,10,14,15,16.
Let’s check the OBD protocols and which pins they require:
From this chart, we see the following protocols and which pins must be present for them to be used:
CAN – 4, 6, 14, 16
PWM -2, 4, 5, 10, 16
VPW – 2, 4, 5, 16
ISO – 4, 5, 7, 16
So we can conclude from this that the GTE Stage 1 Performance Chip module:
HAS all OBD connections to the CAN protocol
HAS all OBD connections for the PWM protocol
HAS all OBD connections for the ISO protocol
HAS all OBD connections for the VPW protocol
From these connections, the GTE Stage 1 Performance Chip Module does have the capability to interface to any of these protocols. According to the product information, the company claims it is custom programmed for use with only one vehicle. For use on another vehicle, it must be reprogrammed.
Operation
We connected the GTE Stage 1 Performance Chip Module to our BMW 3 Series 2003 3.0L as instructed and the lights came on as expected:
For about 1 week we drove only a few miles and did notice a definite improvement in throttle response and pick up power. In addition, the idle and overall handling of the engine did seem to be smoother. We tested in a large run and noticed we had gained almost 3MPG on fuel economy.
Analysis
It is clear from our analysis so far that the GTE Stage 1 Performance Chip Module is capable of delivering real gains and is a good choice for those seeking a general tuning solution.
Company Response
We sent the following message to the company before completing this review, and received this response.
Our message to the company:
Hello,
We are an automotive performance chip review group and saw your performance chip listing. We have a few questions about your product:
1) Can you assure us this is not a scam?
2) Do you have any real-world proof?
Company’s response:
It is comforting to receive a response that answers our questions without threats or intimidation for a change. The module does seem closer to the ‘real deal’ than many others we have analyzed to date.
Conclusion
From our research and review, it is our opinion that the GTE Stage 1 Performance Works! You will DEFINITELY want to try this!
I liked your review of the gte stage 1 plug in. I have a 2011 cad. srx with the 3.0 265 hp engine, it has 54,000 miles on the odometer. I also see they (gte) have a stage 2, 3, & 4. Have you reviewed those also? Are they (stage 2,3,4) the same overall internally ( main circuitry) or are they more advanced, other than their ability to display mileage etc? Which stage would you recommend for my vehicle? Thank you !
Hello Gary,
We appreciate your comment. We are not aware of any other Performance Chip made by GTE Brand. There are many other brands on the market using “Stage 1,2,3,15,16, etc” but none of these brands are brand related.
Notice: The higher the Stage of the Chip, not necessarily meant the performance Chip is newer or have a more reliable technology inside. Some just use “Stages” on the title to pretend to be newer.
My mistake, I clicked on “where to buy” and it took my to a site that showed products for my cad. SRX. They were listed across the page as stage 1,2,3,4. I assumed they were all GTE products. I got caught assuming, oops! Thanks for pointing that out to me. Have a great day!
Well, I have a 16 year old car, with only 50k miles, and this chip was the happy finishing touch on top of intake and spark plug upgrades. My Acura RSX-S with 2.0 litre (a non-turbo) VTEC engine pulls stronger everywhere in the RPM range, which is particularly noticeable in the low-mid range where it was lacking in torque before. Roll-on acceleration is improved and it zings up to 7500+ rpm quicker, too. All without the need of a noisy exhaust. What a find!
How does this stage 1 preform with 3.5 Ford Flex 2011. HP and torque and transmission shifting
Based on your review I ordered a GTE Stage 1 for my new 2018 Yukon SLE.
It runs great however unless you are driving on a very long flat road the multi-displacement 8cyl. gets horrible fuel economy here in the wretched state of CA.
My previous vehicle was a 2013 Silverado 2500 HD Duramax which I purchased a mighty mite performance chip from Canada and on a trip to Co. and back it definitely lit up more of the turbo and was worth every dime in performance and increase in MPG.
I am hoping for the GTE chip to help in performance and increased MPG for the new Yukon SLE.
First thanks for your article on GTE Stage 1 Performance Chip Module. I just purchased a 2019 Subaru Legacy sport with the 2.5. There really aren’t any other performance parts I’ve come across for this car, but I’m willing to spend the $99 if it really does deliver a little better mpg/hp.
A few questions before purchasing:
1) What kind of improvement should I realistically expect in mpg/hp for this car?
2) Will it work with 87 octane gas or does it require higher?
3) Does the chip have to be plugged into the OBD2 port at all times or will the ECU remember it’s reprogramming if removed?
Hello,
Thank you for reading our article, please follow the link “where to buy” below the article, this link will take you to the manufacturer/retailer website where you can ask more details for this performance chip.
I have a 2018 Accord sport 1.5 turbo and I purchased the stage one because price was really good and I figured it be worth a shot. With that being said I know with the K tuner you can reset back to factory setting so you can go to the dealership to get maintnece done. Will the GTE allow me to do the same type of thing? Or was this a waste of money for me ?
Manufacturer states that once you remove the chip it would return to factory
planning on purchasing a stage 1 to install in a 2016 gas ford 250 4×4 6.2 liter v8 super duty.
have a chip your car chip and it did nothing to improve mpg in truck.
do you think your chip will do what you say it will do?
While reading the performance reviews it referred to cars and lite trucks, Hopefully the F250 turbodiesel falls within the scope of that description. Just installed on my 7.3 powerstroke, as soon as I have news to report it will be posted, looks like I we may need a couple of weeks worth of data
to see.
Curious as Stage One GTE did nothing for me, returning it as we speak, did you get hp gains? Also chip my car was scam returned that too for a $40 restocking fee.
I bought a 2018 tacoma and hate the shifting of the tranny, it constantly shifts and a total annoying problem with the new vehicle.
Will your device do anything to help in the shifting lag and performance? From all the Tacoma owners I talk to they all complain about the constant shifting.
Thanks
When buying and installing the chip, after the 2 weeks do you still leave the chip connected?. And also, when driving for those 2 weeks do you have to drive how you would normally drive (kinda fast) or more street safe oriented? Thank you.
Has this Stage 1 been used with a turbo. Specifically, I have a 2015 Mercedes C300 , W205 I4 turbo? Does the company have any info on use with a turbo, specifically the Mercedes W205.
Thanks.
Just installed it on my Audi A4 TFSi seems to be working well but need to give it 2 weeks Im told before true performance is achieved
I put the GTE Stage 1 in my 2017 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT rated at 17/25 mpg. The improvement in engine response was immediate. The shift points smoothed out. The accelleration was better and smoother. But I was initially horrified when my in-town mileage dropped to 13.8mpg for a few days. I emailed the GTE folks and they said “really, give it a couple weeks…you have a 60 day return policy, and it takes a while to program itself to your engine and driving”. Well, after about 2 weeks I started getting 18mpg city. I took it on 2k mile road trip and got over 26mpg. So, even if I get just 1mpg improvement in gas mileage, the vehicle runs so much better that this thing is A KEEPER. I’ll be putting one in my 2000 Ford F150 next. TWO THUMBS UP
I really want to buy the GTE performance chip. But I don’t know if my car needs the stage 1 model or an updated model? Feedback please…
My car is a 2018 Honda Accord Touring 1.5 liter. I need to make sure I’m purchasing the right one for the best results.
Hi, the company has told us that their GTE Stage 1 Performance Chip works well with Honda and Accord models. It reads their ECU pretty well. It should increase the HP by 10 or so, with 8 ft. lbs of torque and up to 4mpg increase in fuel savings with improved acceleration and throttle response improvement. It’s a good chip.
I have a new Toyota Camry XSE four cylinder sport model. I just installed the Stage 1 chip and took it for a fist test drive. The increase in acceleration performance was immediate. I know there is a two week learning cycle but the change in acceleration was astonishing.
Thanks for developing such an incredible product!
Just bought one of these and it’s either another chip scam or legitimately doesn’t work with Turbo engines. Beware I have tired 3 of these so called plug and play chips and all have been ineffective. Do not buy one, get an ECU flash instead.
You guys couldn’t put this chip in a car that’s not 16 years old?
Why not? You can put this in anything 1995 or newer
1995 vehicles do not have OBD2 ports, they have OBD1 ports which means they do not have the advanced communication and technology in them to communicate with our chips.
The company line is that the stage 1 will not interface with the ecu and will absolutely not leave a footprint so a dealer cannot tell
I have this chip it belonged to Nother car. I don’t have it anymore. Will the same chip work on another car?
We believe that the company has mentioned that it is likely the chip may not read other vehicles if you use it on another car, because the ECM computer may have different parameters that will not allow the chip to communicate and fine tune the ECM. But it is safe to try it, cannot guarantee results.
Hello, It may not. Recommend to contact the manufacturer to provide them more details and they can provide more details and assistance to you.
Hello,
According to the manufacturer, yes, there’s 2 solid lights and 1 red flickering light which the DATA light it is how the performance chip indicates it’s plugged in, it’s receiving power and it’s sending and receiving information back and forth from the ECM computer. But this will not drain your battery. The DATA light will flicker once in a while, varies from car to car, some vehicle’s ECM computers cause it to blink more than others.
My gte stage 1 performance chip there are no solid lights lit up on it. The data light just keeps blinking is that how it’s supposed to work
Hello,
We recommend troubleshooting that issue. If you’re vehicle is on the older side, we recommend to change the obd2 port fuse on your vehicle’s fuse box.
If you cannot do that, we recommend to plug the chip on another vehicle’s obd2 port for a minute or less to see if the lights light up as they should. The PWR and LINK lights should be solid and the Data light blinks on/off and mostly stays off, blinking only when it needs to transmit data or information/communication with your ecu.
Does the chip have to stay connected or can you remove it after the first time it’s connected?
Hello, They must stay plugged in at all time, however, they do not drain the battery. If you drive the vehicle a couple times a month, I would unplug it.
Do they gotta stay plugged in always or after the tune is complete can we take it off??
Hello, They must stay plugged in at all time, however, they do not drain the battery. If you drive the vehicle a couple times a month, I would unplug it.
How long do these tune upchips gotta stay plugged in for??
Hello, They must stay plugged in at all time, however, they do not drain the battery. If you drive the vehicle a couple times a month, I would unplug it.
I’ve had this chip in my 06 Pontiac G6 GTP for over a month now and I can say for me and my car there is definitely an improvement in accelerator response and gas mileage. I was getting 16.8 MPG when I bought the car in March, it’s up to 17.5 MPG after I installed it and drove around for at least a week. My numbers come from the information center in my car through the radio.
Will this work on a 2006 impala 3.5L v6?
Hello, Yes, the manufacturer tells us that their Chevrolet software package for this performance chip saves 2-4 MPG increase on Chevy models with compatible parameters this includes the Impala. The horsepower and torque are minimal since this is their best fuel saving chip.
I have a 2013 Ram 1500….its kind sluggish on take off….the best I can get now is 18mpg hwy…..thinking of getting 1…..what can I expect……I havent seen a review on a Ram..
Hello, That’s a very good truck model for the stage 1 chip if you’re looking for better mileage. I would recommend if you’d like to get rid of that sluggish take off, you should get the stage 1 performance chip and 1 of their cold air intakes. That’s a great combination I hear buyers getting all the time. Works great and you don’t have to take your car apart to add them.
Greetings Motorheads, This is my third diff. chip in this Mercury Mariner…but my first “Stage 1” chip(wish I had found this site first) anyway at about 180 miles into this “Chip” it started to work it’s magic. First I noted smother pull away from stop lights, and the shift points moved a bit. Next the milage computer is showing one MPG better than last week. I will return in a month or so with a update. But I feel this thing is working. Thanks, Sarge 2009 Mercury Mariner
Yes, some vehicles may take longer than others to fine tune the ECM and release more performance gains with the Stage 1 GTE Performance chip. It could be other things not just the chip’s software that’s preventing the culminating of extra gains. Sometimes the vehicle needs some extra maintenance work not just simple tune ups or spark plug replacements and also the electrical system must be inspected, the battery must be in good working condition. It’s not just a mechanical keenness, but also an electrical to exponentially gain more performance.
Is this a one size fits all kind of chip? And if so how do they have a tune for every manufacturer? Looking to put it into my 2013 Dodge Dart sxt.
They are not. They require some pre-programming, the chips must be able to read the specified vehicle model’s ecu as all ecu’s are different and have different parameters that the chip needs in order to communicate with the ecus and be able to optimize the spark advance to increase the air to fuel ratio and provide your vehicle with better all around performance.
all this testing was done in 2018. I purchased one just recently, but had issues and had to send it back for testing.
I wonder if the product tech and quality are still the same.
Hello, According to the company, they do not update the chips software unless there’s major changes or requirements done to ecus, but most car makers just add extra features to their car models ecu’s that are not needed by the performance chip to provide performance gains. Most ecu updates will usually detect new car features such as power windows, dashboard features other new technologies on their vehicles.
Hi.. will you recommend this on my 2017 Kia Forte 1.6 6-speed with 30k miles? Or any other products? Usually driving on mountains and city road.
Hi, I would recommend the stage 2 performance chip for that purpose more than the stage 1 which is more of a fuel saving module.
The stage 2 has been recently updated last time we messaged the company, they informed us that the stage 2 has had a newly updated look and some tweaks done on the chip’s software and lighting. Regards.
good evening, i am looking to add this to my 2007 buick lucerne. i have 180000 miles on the old gal have rebuilt the suspension countless stuff on the factory 3.8L and i want to see if i am able to put some new pep in an old gal. will this realign the shifting patterns along with the engine settings? she sometime seems a bit sluggish off the light. and other times she runs like a bat of hell. Let me know your thought’s. thank you for your time, and this is a very good source of information i will pass your site on. scott.
Hi, That might be something that a performance chip may not be able to correct or adjust because it could be something a car technician or mechanic would have diagnose, we recommend to have the vehicle fully inspected mechanically to see what the issue might be first before ordering a performance chip.
Sorry for the late response, we were out for a little while due to Covid, limited staff.
Yes, you should try the Stage 1, it offers the least HP of all their performance chips, however, if the chip struggles or is unable to correct or improve the shifting realignment, it might be something mechanical that it cannot help, but it is worth a shot with the stage 1’s 60 day money back guarantee, plus it is safe to try as their software is 100% safe so you can’t lose
hi, I recently acquired a 2008 Hyundai tiburon 2.0l at 61k miles. I just got a full custom exhaust done on it. should I use stage 1 or state 2? before the custom exhaust it was sluggish pulling off and acceleration was not smooth. it took a while to kick into 2nd and 3rd gear.
I will be getting an air intake soon.
Stage 1 will offer about 10HP or higher, stage 2 will get you about 15-18HP, so if you want a little more power, go with the stage 2, if you want better mileage, go with the stage 1 to gain up to 4MPG increase, some people receive around 6MPG, but they might be doing other things to their vehicles or high maintenance.
Will this work with an 02 dakota 4.7l?
Yes, we have checked with the company and it supports Dodge ECUs including your Dakota.
What’s better the Stage 1 or Stage 3?
Hi, if you want better fuel economy, we recommend the stage 1, but if you’re looking to release or extract more horsepower and torque out of your vehicle’s engine, we recommend the stage 3.
Will this product improve the performance of my 2021 Hyunday Tucson Value (4 cylinder FWD)? If yes, how much improvement can I expect?
Hi, We recommend to contact the company to make sure that the product will respond and communicate with your 2021 model vehicle. The chip’s software may or may not be updated for that 2021 model.
Hello,I purchased the stage 1 for a 2012 Buick Enclave,will this chip work in a 2015 Cadillac SRX,both had the 3.6 engine.
Hi, we cannot guarantee it will read the computer of your cadillac as all ecu computers are different. However, according to the company, you can try it and it may offer some gains, but not guarantee it will work at all. But it will not hurt your vehicle’s ecu or engine.
Will this work on a 2021 chev. colorado 3.6
Yes, we recommend to try it out as we have confirmed with the company that their chips software has been updated to read many 2021 vehicle models.
Hello I have an 2004 Expedition , 170k,
5.4 what can I expect with this chip?
Stage 1 offers the best fuel efficiency so expect increase in fuel savings, but not much in HP and Torque gains as it is best used to save gas. 10-15HP gain at the most.
Hi, you can expect HP, Torque, MPG increase, acceleration improvement, throttle response improvement, smoother engine idling, tighter sift points, hauling and towing assistance. Recommend a cold air intake with it too to help it performance better since it’s a big engine, older truck, you could use a bigger boost.
I’m looking for more HP & Torque to my 2019 Chevrolet Silverado Custom V-6 4.3 (New Body Style) better fuel mileage wouldn’t hurt either. What stage is recommended? Also will it stop the cylinders switching from 2-6?
Hi, we recommend the stage 2 SMARTTUNE for the a balance of good HP, Torque and MPG increase. That engine could receive 25+ HP, 18+Torque and 2MPG fuel economy. Or you can go with their Stage 3 Performance Chip receive 40+ HP, 25+Torque and 1MPG fuel economy and you can get one of their cold air intake to increase the HP, Torque and MPG even more.
We recommend the stage 2 performance chip. It will offer 20-25 HP, 15-18 ft. lbs of torque and 2 MPG increase, but it will not switch cylinders.
Ok so kinda an odd and specific question but my car is a 2013 Nissan Sentra and as you might know they have a sport and an eco mode. If I have this chip installed do I need to keep it in just the regular drive mode for it to work properly?
Hi, you dont need to as the chip will not communicate with that car’s features and will not trigger any errors so you can use either mode without the chip’s communication and fine tuning being affected.
Hi, you can use the chip with either mode, the chip will not interfere, communicate or trigger any errors with those type of driving modes or car features.
I have a 3008 Chevy Cobalt 2.2lt automatic transmission 4 door sedan. I’m in Colorado and I am using this for food delivery in city stop and go driving. It has slow throttle response and not really good fuel mpg in these driving conditions. What do you recommend and what can I expect for performance? Thank you so much!
Hi, we recommend the stage 1 for fuel efficiency 3-4MPG increase, will offer better throttle response, faster acceleration, smoother engine idling, but the hp and torque wont increase too much.
I have 2014, 3.7 litre, 323 hp camaro. I want more horse power. Not as much concerned about more gas mileage. HELP..
We recommend the JDM stage 3 performance chip, offers the best horsepower and torque gains for your Chevy Camaro. Get up to 30HP or higher on a 3.7L v6 engine.
My kid just bought a ’99 blazer, and I’m looking for an outside (non-salesman) opinion on what you would recommend getting and installing first. Between the GTE chip or a cold air intake. I’d appreciate Any thoughts on what’d be best? I’d rather improve the HP & TQ incrementally for him.
Thank you for your time.
Hi, We recommend both. The more add-ons the better for the engine. The chip is electrical so it will work to provide more gains through the electrical sensors of the engine, the ECU and electrical system. The cold air intake is mechanical, so it only offers around 7-15 Horsepower, 8-10 ft. lbs of torque and 1-2 MPG increase. Combine both and you can max out the performance gains for your vehicle.
The manufacturer offers options for engine such as: Naturally aspirated, turbocharged, supercharged etc. Does this really matter? I accidentally ordered a stage 1 chip, and selected turbocharge, when my engine is naturally aspirated. Is this going to offset my results?
Thanks
Hello, yes, it matters. Turbo engines receive less performance gains for any chip on the market because they’re already tuned from factory, so there’s limited gains depending on turbo engine size and other parameters. The supercharged engines should be fine as well as naturally aspirated. So you can contact the online store to let them know your vehicle’s engine specs. They’ll help you.
Hi, I have a 2020 GMC 2500HD with the 6.6L Gas Engine. Any data points out there regarding increasing the MPG? Will the GTE Stage 1 be effective?
Thanks!
Hi, we believe that the company has updated the software for the GMC models ECUs up to 2021, not 2022 yet, so I would say yes, it should be able to increase MPG.
Hello, I was wondering what I can expert for hp and torque on the stage 1 chip for my 2019 kia soul base 6spd manual. I have also ordered cold air intake as well.
Hi, 7-10 HP gain. It’s a small engine and that is mainly a fuel efficiency chip. Cold air intake should boost it to another 7-10 HP. Doesn’t matter that it’s manual.