Software update (bug fixes)

Faults and Technical chat for the Volkswagen ID.3
NorwichComputersAndy
Posts: 38
Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2020 8:42 pm

Post by NorwichComputersAndy »

hwhbev wrote: Sat Nov 28, 2020 5:09 am Does anyone know why it takes four days to do a software update? Are they using paper tape and a teletype connected over a serial port? ;)

I hope the over-the-air software update feature due soon doesn’t immobilise my car for four days when it does an upgrade!
I fear it is a combination of lack of patches, incompatibility and also lack of training.

VW should have put a good number of techs on a course by now however Norwich were a little concerned as apparently other than PDI work, mine was the first they had worked on with a fault!

My dealer was going to replace my airbag unit in the roof (apparently they reprogrammed but it took 4 attempts due to incompatible modules and failures.

Apparently the reason it took so long was because after they apply the update they have to leave it to enter canbus discharge state (this is around 20 minutes). This is where a lot of people are having errors flag and then they are gone when returning to the car. At that point they can retest and if not successful- do it all again.

VW Norwich were very good and got the problem sorted - they however also had to update other modules and the main software revision because of the more modern SW revision on the airbag unit. This also meant that the above process had to be performed for every module - and there are a lot!

I can appreciate from my IT background that this can happen however I would have thought VW would have a bypass of the “lock and wait 20 minutes” and also be able to make bigger more inclusive patches.

I would imagine that the OTA updates will just be tweaks for the smaller modules. I would have thought that larger full system patches will be performed in the garage. (All very similar to an operating system on a desktop/laptop/phone etc.

This style of EV is still new - they are learning and I know it is not exactly the cheapest new car I have ever purchased I really do think it is the bast - by far. I have also had other cars (Mercedes GLA in particular) which spent a good 4 months of my ownership in the garage due to sensor, injector and various engine malfunctions.

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