Cherry Tuned Portal: Complete User Guide

Welcome to the Cherry Tuned tune portal - our purpose-built platform for buying, managing, and downloading ECU tuning files for your Hyundai or Kia. Files are delivered through your physical EK1 tuning device; the portal prepares each file specifically for your device and vehicle. This guide walks you through every step, from sign-up to your first downloaded tune.

What the portal replaces

Previously, ordering a custom EK1 tune from us involved buying a tune file here on cherrytuning.com.au, filling out a Google form with your options, emailing us your ECU ID, and waiting for tune files and revisions to bounce back over email. That works, but it scatters everything across half a dozen surfaces.

The portal pulls all of that into one place. Your tune order, your options, your tune files, your support conversations, and your credit balance all live under one account - attached to your specific EK1 device and vehicle.

The flow at a glance

1. Sign up at www.cherrytuned.com and verify your email.
2. Set up your EK1 device in the portal - device serial number and the last digits of your VIN. (You can't download tunes until this is done.)
3. Buy credits on cherrytuning.com.au - they auto-sync to your portal account.
4. Choose a tune - buy a ready-to-flash pre-written (OTS) tune, or submit a custom tune request.
5. Download to your EK1 - the portal prepares a tune file bound to your device and vehicle.

Step 1 - Sign up and verify your email

Create an account

Go to www.cherrytuned.com and click the Sign Up tab. You'll need a first and last name, an email, and a password of at least 8 characters. There's a reCAPTCHA check at the bottom of the form.

Verify your email

The portal sends a confirmation email straight after you register. Click the Verify Email link in that message. You can't enter the customer area until your email is verified. If the email doesn't arrive within a couple of minutes, check spam, then use the Resend verification email link on the notice page.

Use the same email as you'll use at our shop

Credits are matched to your portal account by email address. Save yourself a support ticket by using the same email when you register on the portal and when you check out at cherrytuning.com.au.

Step 2 - Set up your EK1 device

Before the portal will let you download any tune files, it needs to know which physical EK1 device is yours. Every downloaded file is bound to that specific device + vehicle combination, so this step is essential.

Open Account Settings

After logging in, head to Account Settings and find the device setup section.

Enter your device details

You'll need:

• Device serial number - printed on your EK1 device.
• The last digits of your VIN - for the car you're tuning.

Save the form once you've filled it in.

Why this matters

The portal hands those details to the EK1 conversion service when you download a tune, which produces an .ekr file that will only work on your specific device, in your specific car. Anyone else trying to flash the file will get an error. It's the same protection used for in-house tunes.
If you try to download a tune before completing device setup, the portal will redirect you back to Account Settings.

Your vehicle profile

While you're in Account Settings, fill out your vehicle profile too - current mods (exhaust, intake, downpipe, hardware), and any settings you'd like recorded. Keeping this up to date pays off when you order a custom tune or contact support, because we can see exactly what we're tuning against.

Step 3 - Buy portal credits

Credits are how you pay for tune files inside the portal. Buy them once on our main store, spend them as you go.

Purchase credits on cherrytuning.com.au

In the portal, click Purchase Credits - it'll take you to the Tuning Portal Credits product page on our main store. Larger packs come with a bigger per-credit discount, so it's worth buying in quantity if you know you'll be doing several tunes or revisions.

Credits auto-sync

Once your shop order completes, our portal app applies the credits to your account automatically - there's no code to redeem. Just log back in to the portal and your balance will be updated.
The sync runs on email match, so check the email on your Cherry Tuning order is the same one you registered the portal with.

Step 4 - Choose a tune

With credits in your account and your device set up, you've got two ways to use them. The portal shows the credit cost for each option at the time of purchase, so you'll always know exactly what you're spending.

Pre-written tune (also called off-the-shelf / OTS)

From the Tuning Files section, browse the catalogue of our proven CTxxx tune files developed in-house over thousands of hours of testing. Each entry shows its name, version, target ECU protocol, and price in credits. Pick the one for your car, confirm the purchase, and it lands in My Files, ready to download.

Custom tune request

Open the Custom Tune section and start a new request. You'll be guided through the same options you'd have chosen via the old Google form:

• Tune aggression level (Conservative / Standard / Aggressive / Advanced or Complex)
• Pop tune level
• Pop length
• Any additional tuning options (idle changes, ghost cams, launch control mods, fan mod, exhaust valve mods, etc.)

Each option adds to the credit price of the tune, so you'll see a final total before submitting. Add a message describing your vehicle and what you're after, then submit.
For a refresher on what each option actually does, see the EK1 tune info page or the Ultimate Guide to Custom Tuning.

A custom tune order automatically opens a support ticket attached to your tune, so you can follow its progress and chat with the tuner from one place. Tune revisions work the same way - start a new request or follow up against the existing ticket.

How quickly do tunes turn around?

Honest answer: faster than they used to. The EK1 platform was previously managed by a single person, which sometimes meant customers waited weeks for a first revision. That's no longer the case - Byron has joined the team full-time as a software / calibration engineer dedicated to the EK1 platform.

Most pre-written tunes are instant downloads. Most custom tunes and revisions now turn around in hours to days, not days to weeks. Heavily modified builds (water/meth, port injection, big turbo, E85) may still need more time for proper testing - your engineer will give you a specific estimate when your request comes in. Either way, you can always see where your tune sits in the queue from the portal.

Step 5 - Download to your EK1

Your purchased files live in the My Files section. To download one:

1. Open My Files and locate the tune.
2. Click the download icon next to it.
3. The portal builds your file in real time - sending it to the EK1 conversion service, which returns a .ekr file bound to your device and VIN.
4. Save the file and load it onto your EK1 device's microSD card. (Walk-through: EK1 Complete Tuning Guide.)

What you need to know about downloads

• The first download of any file is free. Every additional download of the same file costs 1 credit. (This stops accidental "spam" of the conversion API.)
• 10-minute cooldown between downloads of the same file. If you click too soon, the portal tells you exactly how long to wait.
• Files are bound to your device + VIN. A file downloaded under one device's profile will not work on a different device. If you swap or replace your EK1, contact support to migrate.
• Make sure your device is set up (Step 2) and you have enough credits before downloading.

Step 6 - Support tickets and ongoing comms

Tickets are the main way to ask for help or follow up on a tune.

Open a ticket

Head to the Tickets section and click New Ticket. Pick a category, write a subject and description, attach any files (log files, screenshots), and submit.

Reply on an existing ticket

Open the ticket to see the full conversation. Type your reply in the message box at the bottom - you can attach files too. You'll be notified in the portal when our team responds.

Custom tune tickets

Every custom tune order opens a ticket automatically. Send your log files, ask questions, and request revisions on that ticket. Tickets are marked resolved once a tune is finished, and can be reopened later if needed.

Notifications

The portal shows in-app notifications for the events that matter:

• Ticket replies from our team
• Credit balance changes (purchases, downloads, custom tune charges)
• Completed purchases
• Custom tune progress updates

Check the notification icon when you log in so you don't miss a reply.

Account settings recap

From Account Settings you can:

• Edit your profile (name, avatar)
• Change your password
• Manage your notification preferences
• Update your EK1 device serial / VIN
• Update your vehicle profile (mods, settings)

FAQ

I didn't get the confirmation / password reset email

Check your spam folder. On the verification page click Resend verification email. Double-check the email is spelled correctly on your account.

My credits didn't arrive after buying them on cherrytuning.com.au

Credits are matched by email address. Make sure the email you used at shop checkout is the same one tied to your portal account. If it still doesn't show within ~30 minutes, open a support ticket with your order number and we'll match it manually.

The download button is greyed out / says wait

There's a 10-minute cooldown between downloads of the same file. Wait for the time shown, then try again.

The portal says I need to complete my account settings

Your EK1 device hasn't been set up yet. Complete the device setup (Step 2) before trying to download.

"Insufficient credit balance" when downloading

The first download of a file is free; further downloads cost 1 credit. Top up via the Purchase Credits link in the portal.

A downloaded file won't work on my device

Each file is bound to the device serial and VIN registered to your account. Confirm both are correct in Account Settings, and that you're loading the file onto the same physical device you registered. If you've swapped EK1 hardware, open a support ticket.

Do credits expire?

Credits don't expire on a timer. We reserve the right to update pricing for new orders, but existing balances are always honoured.

Do I have to use credits - can I pay per tune?

Credits are the only payment method inside the portal. Buy what you need on cherrytuning.com.au and they'll be ready in your portal account.

I'm new to EK1 hardware - where do I start?

Read the EK1 Complete Tuning Guide: Start to Finish. It covers everything you need to do with your physical EK1 device - software install, firmware updates, reading the ECU, flashing a tune, and troubleshooting.

What about in-house dyno tunes at the workshop?

In-house tunes at our Clyde workshop still work the same way as before - see the Ultimate Guide to Custom Tuning at Cherry. The portal is specifically for tunes delivered remotely via EK1.

I still need help

Open a support ticket in the portal (see Step 6). For anything urgent that can't go through the portal, you can still email us, but the portal is the fastest path because the team works from the ticket queue directly.

Quick start summary

1. Register at cherrytuned.com and verify your email.
2. Set up your EK1 device in Account Settings (serial + last digits of VIN).
3. Buy credits using the same email - they auto-sync.
4. Pick a pre-written tune from the catalogue, or submit a custom tune request.
5. Download from My Files (first download free) and load it onto your EK1.
6. Use support tickets for any questions, revisions, or log file uploads.

Thanks for using the Cherry Tuned portal.