From our Analysis:
From our research and review, it is our opinion that the Volo VP15 Performance Chip may work only on some vehicles from 1996 to 2004 due the Lack of CANbus support.
Today almost every new European car comes with a CAN bus system.
Company Profile
The manufacturer is a company called Volo Performance, according to the packaging.
Their websites,
www.volochip.tw / www.voloperformance.com
offers these and earlier versions of their chips. They are based in Taiwan and have been in the tuning market for several years, giving them more weight than previously reviewed products
Cost
The cost on the website at the time of this review was $129.95 USD for the Volo VP15 module, which claims to provide enhanced pickup, power, and engine performance enhancements.
The cost is an average price point. We purchased one from the website for testing.
Product Appearance
The OBD performance module comes in the clear case shown above, with a flexible OBD cable for fitment to the OBD port.
The install steps are fairly straightforward:
“1) Install software to your PC laptop or computer and run setup.exe ( Will does not work on Mac’s, PC Only)
2) Program your chip. Start V-link and insert the provided cable in the Volo and your USB port. Follow instructions to fine tune your chip, to your specific car, year make, model.
3) Start your car and warm up your engine, before plugging in the OBD 2 port connector.
4) Plug the Volo VP15 into your car’s under dash 16 pin OBD2 port. Press the RESET button, once the car is hot and idling. Wait till the calibration light show calms down, before driving. (about a minute or 2)
5) DRIVE Your Volo chip is self-learning and will continue to adjust itself to your driving style over time.
ENJOY the gas savings and more pick up than before.”
Sounds different than 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 can 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 Volo VP15 module:
Is MISSING PIN 14 – IS NOT CAN CAPABLE
HAS all OBD connections for the PWM protocol
HAS all OBD connections for the ISO protocol
HAS all OBD connections for the VPW protocol
The vast majority use CAN or ISO protocol.
– even if the chip were somehow able to produce some magic, the pins needed for most vehicles they claim it works with are not even connected to the circuit board! However, the two most important pins, 4 and 16, which supply GND and +12V to power the light blinker ARE there 😉
Operation
We connected the Volo VP15 Performance Chip Module to our BMW 3 Series 2003 3.0L as instructed and the lights came on as expected:
We followed the instructions, connected it to the software and programmed it for the vehicle year, make, model and mode desired. We drove 200 miles and we noticed a small improvement in throttle response and pick up power. After a few tanks, we also noticed an improvement of almost 1MPG on our BMW 3 Series 2003 3.0L. Definitely some improvement! The VP15 allows three modes of tuning, Max power gain, Mix of Power gain and Fuel economy, and Gas saver mode. We chose the middle mode, and so far, it has made few changes to both.
Analysis
It is clear from our analysis so far, that the Volo VP15 Performance Chip is a good choice for vehicles models from 1996 to 2007
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. We have a few questions about your product:
1) Can you assure us this is not a NitroOBD light blinker scam?
2) Do you have any real-world proof of your performance?
Thanks for helping us to gather more information about your product for buyers on the net!
Company’s response:
10-16-2018 UPDATE: Finally they answered
Conclusion
From our research and review, it is our opinion that the Volo VP15 Performance Chip may work only on some vehicles from 1996 to 2004 due the Lack of CANbus support.
Today almost every new European car comes with a CAN bus system.
will find out how good it works once I figure out of wire cable is broken or cut and should say only have three and four wires wondering what teens going to come up to
We have been working with Volo Performance since 2008, we have sold over 400 of them since then. Your review sounds like my car tuner friend, all skeptical at first, they cannot change the ECM on the fly, they are pulling your leg. After I explained to my friend, they read the RAM side of the ECM and do it on the fly and beat the sensor signal, he said “Oh. OK ” All other ECM tuning devices, flash the ECM’s ROM side of the circuit, in which is illegal. Volo flashes their own large data microchip. When they first started they did have many maps that did not work, as time went on, they fix the all the bad maps. They always refund your $ and only $89.95 for the Volo FS2. Volo VP15 is $129.00 Any other chip that comes close to a Volo is $900+ All those $5 /$10 OBDII port MPG savers all on ebay do not work. Andrew
will volo help my mileage on a 2005 dodge diesel. ihave the older volo fs2 i believe it was so so . what volo do i use. i dont need performance \but need better fuel mpg bill
I have a 2005 Toyota Tacoma PreRunner SR5 4.0L V6
I installed the VP15 Chip, I followed ALL instructions for programming and installation, etc. I first chose the Gas Saver Mode, drove at least 300+ miles, and ironically my fuel Mileage Tanked to 11 MPG!! I tried the other available modes and received the same results while driving at least 300+ miles per mode, and nothing but very poor Fuel Mileage. In addition, I didn’t notice any significant power changes, and I definitely didn’t receive ANY fuel savings!! Typically, this Tacoma should get about +/- 16 – 18 MPG City…… Truth is, my Tacoma performs much better without the chip than with by occasionally resetting the ECU and letting it idle for about 15-30 minutes before driving. The VP15 may work well on some vehicles, I have no doubt, but for this particular vehicle it did nothing but make the situation worse!! For me, it was waste of money!!
So did you get your money back as they promised?
Yes, we get our money back just as promised.
I appreciate your efforts, and I believe the ship is working fine .
My question is; how I know the proper protocol (ISO, CAN, VPW, and PMW) for my car?
If I found these figures 3,4,5,6,7,8,12,16
For Opel car mode 2005, 1600cc
How can I get the right condition wires?
Thank you,
Mahmood
Do you have last version ( updated version) Volo Distributor Pro6
Thank you,
If all these chips do is change 256 values (according to that email) then maybe the blinkers with PIC16F59 and 3k memory could do the same. Or at least try.
anyway i dont think 1mpg improvement is worth the risk
I purchased the latest Volo VP 16 approx a month ago for my 2005 VW Touareg. 3.2 V6
I am skeptical of all chips. Why wouldnt the factory ecu do the same thing? I bought the VP16 because it has the ability to control HHO gas production. It also has some nice functions like the dyno and on the fly torque etc.
The 3.2 has been described as anaemic in the Touareg. Its a 6000Lb SUV with an engine designed for a VW Golf. I was sourly disappointed with the lack of power between 1000-3000rpm. Also this thing can use fuel like a 426 v8 ok maybe not quite but 13MPG is criminal!!! And no codes or engine / driveline issues. The timing chains were done. New front wheel bearings and rear driveshaft also. Typical Touareg issues. Each time I had something fixed I figured my mileage would get better. Nope!!
The VP16 was easy to install. Plug and play. Done! Within the first 5 min I could tell something was different. A little more pep off the line. As it adapts/learns I noticed the instant L/100 stopped going to the 60-70-80-90s as I accelerated and stays below 25L/100 regardless of how much I push the pedal. “Wow!! This is promising” was my thought.
The “adjustment” bar is now finished adjusting and I couldnt be happier. The 1-3k performance is awesome and the transmission rarely kicks down from 6th to 5th on the hwy. It used to have to select 5th due to the lack of power.
I can highly recommend the Volo VP16 for the 2005 VW Touareg 3.2. More power where it was badly needed and better mileage too. The tank before install was 17.3L/100 mixed driving. The first tank after install was 13L/100 mixed driving. I am driving in the greater GTA area fighting traffic then jumping on the hwy.
Thank you so much for such an awesome product. I had no idea a plug in chip could make such a huge difference.
I have Vauxhaul /Opel Vivaro 2009, CDTI 2.0L 90 HP and can not find the data on VP 16 to install.
Could yo help me with advice what shall I do to install and download?
Hello, Not sure what’s going on with this company, we’ve reached out, however, they’re manufacturing may have slowed for now due to the health crisis.
I AM an automechanic willing ti invest in voló chip x HHO customers.
? HOw could I monitor voló performance with a OBD plug being usted by My scanner? HOW can I ase an OBD Port? Aldo x passing inspection without ti unplug THE voló?
THANKS X THIS GREAT JOB
MEXICO CITY
Hello, unfortunately, there is no way to monitor real live performance data with a scanner with the Volo chip. You may need to invest on a more advanced performance chip module with manual settings such as diablo sport or bullydog.
Has anyone used this on the 8th Gen accord?
Hello, Volo has not confirmed to us, very sorry, you may have to contact them directly.
i just bought a volo chip for got to ask if it would work on my 2009 dodge 3.3 eng. can you send me an email to conferm asp please so this can be corrected before it is shipped send to doral9972@yahoo.com thank you so much for being asap. order was for vp12
It could work. Depending on what Volo told you about the chip’s compatability and capability.
But the GTE Stage 1 and SMARTTUNE Stage 2 performance chip work much easier, better software and firmware than the Volo Chips and offers better gains from our research over the years.
I have a volo VP12.
I was using it on a 2002 Buick rendezvous.
I now own a 2023 Mazda CX30, 2.5 non turbo
Is it compatible?.
Probably not. 2 different ECUs different car makers, wired differently, might get some or no gains. Volo is car specific, however some people have had gains switching to different cars, but no guarantee. You’ll have to reach out to Volo for further confirmation on both vehicles in question.