2010 Prius Recall Software Update Experiences

My update went off without a hitch. I was in and out in about 20 minutes; The actual process only takes several minutes. The in between time was spent bs'ing and signing paperwork... Here are some pictures of what is being done in case people want to know what was going on while their car was being updated:

This is the port that they plug into in order to administer the update. It is located under the steering wheel, in the drivers footwell.




Here is a better view of where it is located with the cable plugged in.





Here is one of the screens showing the program which administers the update



This screen shows the old Calibration ID which is being replaced with the new Calibration ID. In this case Old Calibration ID is F152647123 and the New Calibration ID is F152647126. Please note, your codes will vary as was just discovered. Packages such as the Advanced Technology package, Nav etc will make this code different for each person and what model/package Prius they have.




And finally here is a picture of the computer all plugged in administrating the update.

 

Have you called your dealer to inquire? I am willing to bet they have the update and have received the proper documentation on it.

As for hearing from Toyota, the first letter were just sent out, so give it time, I'm sure you'll receive one of the mailings being sent out.

In the meantime, give the service department a call. You can probably schedule an appointment w/o a problem to go in and have the update performed.

 

I just had mine done @ Avondale Toyota. The recall process itself was pretty quick, however I was having the 10k service and an alignment check done at the same time. The biggest hold up was the complimentary car wash, which was almost a waste because it began raining as soon as they got the car back. They felt so bad, they comped the balance of the service.

I didn't mind the wait much as I had a chance to catch up with some of the salesmen and customers who also had one or more Prius (I'm telling you, Sun City West is the AZ Prius capital - there's a TON of them there!). I also had a chance to look at a fully loaded 2011 Toyota Sienna - this will be a killer car if/when it receives a hybrid power-train. Interestingly enough, their floor mats have a "tag to be removed only by consumer" warning which advised that they be secured properly at all times - a new CYA for sure.

I wasn't offered the opportunity to go back to watch the recall itself, but did spend the time chatting w/ the service manager about the difficulties in disseminating undocumented problems between dealers, etc. A very eye-opening and candid discussion, which revealed that Toyota is moving forward in the right direction to correct some of the shortcomings that permitted the previous weeks situations to occur.

I also had the chance of overhearing some of the other service advisers as they managed customers with other vehicles subject to various recalls (floor mats or pedals). I heard them explain the problem clearly to the customer, what exactly they did (in this case, it was floor mat clips that weren't properly secured), and why the vehicle may or may not have been subject to other campaigns as well. They also emphasized checking the computer for any other applicable service campaigns or updates (as Russell mentioned above).

All in all, pretty painless. Try to schedule this rather than just showing up - your wait should be less. Most dealers will check the VIN to ensure your car qualifies and should be able to get you right in at a time that works for you.

 

I'm not 100% on this, that is that every dealer has the fix already, but I would think they do. I'm going to guess that with all the other vehicles they are working on concerning the pedal recall, your dealer is buying a little time to clear them out of the way...

 

My sources have told me the update was available for download Tuesday (2/9) morning. Tech training may be a barrier, but it's not a complicated process.

 

LOL!! I think this thread may end up being in the running for the most boring thread in the history of Priuschat...Every post will run like:

That said, I do think it's a good thread to have, it will reassure those who haven't had it done and want to know what to expect.

 

I'm not a lawyer, but I think once the recall was announced and you, as the owner, received notice of this via mail, you may no longer have legal ground in any sort of lawsuit (class action or otherwise) if the defect were to cause an accident and you were found to have willingly foregone the remediation offered by the manufacturer. Toyota is doing their part to resolve a problem, but it's up to the owner to deliver the vehicle for repair.

I'm not sure NHTSA has the authority to prohibit the operation of the vehicle until the repairs are made (very much unlike the FAA for a known problem with an aircraft). However, in some jurisdictions, the ability to resell the vehicle could possibly be affected. Can or should you really sell a car with a known, documented safety defect for which a known, simple, safe and free repair exists?

Edit: Reviewing Toyota's own documentation states:

 

After watching Russell's video, there was one thing I forgot to mention. They do hook up a 'booster pack' to the 12v battery in the trunk of the car. I didn't ask about this, I know my fault, but I think they do this to maintain something like 13.5V while the upgrade is being performed to protect against a voltage drop and corrupting the program in the ECU.

 

That would explain why the contents of my trunk had be moved to the center