Had my SSC-40A work done

This doesn't sound encouraging

was the tech breathing or was something lost in the Jinglish translation on how to perform this procedure.

 

I have seen several people complain about the results of the firmware upgrade process on the Prius. I'm wonder, has anyone gone to have the upgrade performed and NOT lost a majority of their settings?

For those of you who have never dont any type of firmware upgrade, I can make a quick guess as to why you are loosing all of your settings.

As firmware upgrades go, a majority of systems are designed to overwrite blocks of firmware memory at a time. A group of memory will be selected, and overwritten, then the firmware flash software will move on to the next set of blocks. Three things could account for the missing customer settings:

-To avoid corruption to the system memory caused by the flash upgrade, the customer memory blocks are reformatted.

-The new firmware stored customer information slightly different than the original, thus the customer settings must be reprogrammed after the flash.

-Toyoto firmware flash software is very simplistic, and the firmware is simply blown away, the bios chip is reformatted and the new firmware is dumped on to the prius as if it just rolled off the assembly line.


Based on all what you have told us about your settings, your fuel information, and past posts from people that had failed firmware flashes, I think it is safe to say my last guess is the correct one. If that is the case, then we can assume that everyone that requires this work is going to lose their setup in full.

Now, there are a lot of programmable settings in a modern automobile. I would assume (you can make the joke I dont mind) that there would be an option to document a users settings so that the tech can reporgram the system properly after the upgade is complete. If that is the case, your tech just sucks ^_^

What we really need is Toyota tech to dish out the real info. Or someone that the bucks to buy a service manual. With a car so full of technology as this one, I bet there is a lot of cool things to learn from owning the service manual. There is a very very good chance that a mucho diagnostic menu is some burried some place in that ldc screen

--z

 

Interesting, so there is a several ECU's for this car? I would really like to see a Service Manual for this car.

I think it's strange that a control for the electric windows would be kept in a place where it could be scrapped by losing 12v power. I have worked with other cars that have configuration options like this (Dodge comes to mind) but that is always an option set in the ECU configuration and I was pretty sure a lose of power didn't blow that stuff away. I wouldn't see why you would want to put options like that in volitile memory.

Then again if you lose 12v power in your car you have bigger problems.

 

Kudos to Rick and Recall Pioneers

Thanks, Rick, for your qualitative discourse on the software control system network topology in the '04. It helps me understand what's going on, what can go wrong, and where the problem(s) might be in future.

And to Evan and others who Pioneered the Recall Experience; thank you.

I'm going to review this material with my local dealer before I bring my baby in for for her Shock Treatment; I'll let you all know how it goes after it happens.

Right now I can't get an apppointment if I wanted to! They don't have a clue from Toyota about the recall, so they couldn't give me an appointment, anyway. I wonder about the other 30 or 40 owners in and around the Seattle Eastside area...?


Bob

 

Rick is there

any mention in the Bean Network on the Body ECU about it controlling the fuel system? Like maybe the fuel pump and fuel guage? I'm wondering if there is a toggle for the "reset" feature on the consumption readout. Like between "manual" and "automatic".

 

Resetting the drivers window switch has to be done when ever the battery is disconnected. Instructions for doing that are in the files archives as part of the predelivery checklist.

 

Thanks Rick, I had heard that the fuel guage was

I had heard that the fuel guage was part of the body ECU control. And what would account for the fact that if you top off the tank before it gets to half full it doesn't automatically reset? This programming blip is a pain.

 

I have the creaking dashboard as well. Only on city streets. Not on the Interstate or other smooth roads.
Please let me know if and how they fix it so I know what to ask for.

 

Well, the recall work was finally done today and I am getting ready to go pick up the car. But with my dealership, I am not so sure I can trust that the work was done and done correctly since they claimed the certified Prius mechanic is off on the weekends...

Is there any setup or diagnostic screen I can bring up that shows the work was done? (new program number or something?) I hate to say I don't trust these guys that much... but after my last service center experience I am not so sure (didn't turn the SS/SE back on, didn't reset the MAINT REQD light, didn't realize alignment was way out of spec when they originally sold it to me, etc.)

Why do I use these guys? The other closest dealership is 20 miles way...

 

I felt it might be a good idea to let everyone read about my problem with the SSC-40A work.

I will not go in chronologic order to make things clearer.

I might add that the Prius Mechanic told me this was the first Prius he had performed the work on. Of course, this came after the disaster.

Now, apparently, Toyota came out with the software update in Oct. (or Nov.) Unfortunately, there was a software glitch that caused a voltage surge that destroyed the computer that was being reprogrammed. This happened numerous times and in Dec. Toyota came up with software that eliminated the glitch.

So far, so good.

But, in an obvious lack of any judgement whatsoever, Toyota did not rename this software, or the old software. The only way you could tell that you were using the new software was by the date. The names were completely the same.

My Prius Mechanic downloaded the proper software. However, there was NO service bulletin on this, and he installed the older program on my computer. He was unaware of two programs with the same name.

SHAZAM.

Computer blew. Naturally he was on the phone to Toyota to find out why, and that information I have just posted.

So, I am home thanks to a rental car, being paid for by the Toyota dealer.

And, my 2004 Prius is at the dealership, waiting for a new computer, and, hopefully, the proper upgraded software.

Other than this, I love my 2004 Prius.

 

I just bought a Prius #4 this past Friday & I keep seeing this recall: SC-40a HV ECU Flashing Recall

Could somebody please explain to me what this is?

Do I need to take mine in to be serviced?

 

Chances are the work was either done at the port or if your car is from one of the later production runs, it was never a problem.

If you're curious, call 800 331 4331 and give them your VIN and they'll let you know.