ECU Map Types Glossary

Key takeaways

Map names differ per manufacturer; functions repeat — request, limit, convert, protect.
Knowing a map’s role in the torque structure beats knowing its label.
The glossary translates Bosch, Siemens/Continental, Delphi and Denso vocabulary to one scheme.

ECU calibrations contain hundreds of maps. This glossary provides quick reference for common map types.

Torque Maps

Driver Wish — pedal to torque request
Torque Limiter — maximum output
Torque Monitoring — safety cross-check

Boost Maps

Boost Target — desired pressure vs RPM/load
VGT Position — turbo vane angle
Wastegate Duty — WG control output

Fuel Maps

IQ — injection quantity (diesel)
Rail Pressure Target — fuel pressure
SOI — start of injection timing
VE Table — volumetric efficiency (gasoline)

Bosch Naming

KF_ — 3D map (Kennfeld)
KL_ — 2D curve (Kennlinie)

The Map Families at a Glance

Driver wish — pedal position to torque request
Torque structure — request coordination, limiters, gearbox interface
Fuel — base quantity/lambda, enrichment, trims and adaptation
Timing — main injection or ignition maps plus corrections
Boost — targets, feed-forward duty, closed-loop parameters
Limiters — smoke, torque, rpm, speed, rail pressure
Protections — temperature derates, component protection enrichment
Corrections — temperature, altitude, voltage compensations layered on everything above

Most calibration confusion is a family mix-up — editing a limiter expecting a target, or a correction expecting a base map. Identify the family first and the axes second; the numbers come last.

Why do the same maps have different names across ECUs?

Each supplier’s calibration environment names structures after its own architecture — Bosch’s driver wish is another vendor’s pedal characteristic. The function within the torque structure is equivalent; translation tables exist precisely because tuners work across brands.

Which map types matter most for a Stage 1?

Requested torque and its limiters, charge/boost targets, fuel quantity ceilings (diesel) or load-based fuelling and timing (petrol), plus the monitoring windows around them. Coherent gains come from that set moving together — rarely from any single table.

Related: these maps and strategies are the daily work of our ECU remapping service. See also Calibrating for Fuel Quality Variations in the knowledge base.