New Intake Manifold, New Computer Update?

Wow all those OEM parts must of cost a fortune... Do you want to sell my your old EGR cooler?

The whole software update routine is a common scam in car repair business. Even something like losing your clock and radio settings when 12v gets swapped out is sold as a special service that only a shop can do. Lol...

With some rare exceptions, disconnecting the 12v battery for a few minutes is only thing you need to do to clear setting/update firmware after working on the car. This will reset everything back to original factory specs, which is quickest way for computers to establish new settings based on your brand new clean and shiny parts.

Only software/firmware update for Gen3 Prius that a Toyota dealers do that I can think of is the inverter firmware upgrade to address known problems.

 

Keep that cooler... clean it up for the next time. It doesn't wear out.
Yes, there was/is an update for the newer version of the egr valve.
Not sure what it does, but it would be smart to get it.

Perhaps check a hybrid shop to perform the update. It would cost less
than the dealership...

 

There was a revised intake manifold mentioned in a TSB for a rough-start-after-cold-soak problem.

There was a revised EGR valve mentioned in a different TSB about a "P0401 or rattle after cold soak" problem.

Those two TSBs don't mention each other; the manifold one doesn't mention the EGR valve and the EGR one doesn't mention the manifold. But they both suggest an update to the ECM firmware, and they both suggest the same updated version.

From that, I take that the firmware update does not contain anything actually specific to which manifold or which EGR valve you have, but merely contains one or more firmware tweaks they also thought would be helpful if you have rattles after cold soaks for one reason or another. I've had the update and the only change I've actually noticed is an increase to idle RPM until the engine starts to warm up, which sure enough is a good old-fashioned remedy for rough running when cold.

If the ECM firmware in your 2010 has never ever been updated, there are other fixes it's also missing, like the one for backfiring and blowing hoses off the manifold. That bug, if it bites, will strand you, so there's an incentive to get that update at least. That was earlier than the version listed for the manifold and EGR TSBs, so I'd like to think the later recommended version also contains that fix.

I was kinda hoping the update would also include revisions to the water pump programming that were mentioned in a European TSB around the same time. But I don't really know if it does or doesn't.

 

New Owner of 2010 Prius IV | PriusChat

 

Hang onto the “old” parts.

 

I had the SW updated when i replaced egr valve to newer version. It’s manufacturers instruction and cost is fraction of the parts cost. No brainer in my opinion

 

I bought usef 2015 intake and EGR with the cooler. It save time and lower the down time of the car. For total of 100$, it is not too bad.

 

In this case SW update is of course more than a fraction of the parts cost. However, the doner car was shipped with revised software. They started applying from 2014

 

The software is installed in the ECU, not in the EGR unit. Only the intake manifold have a revision sometime in 2014. The EGR cycle should be programmed through ECU update separately if our car is older than 2014 model.

 

I'm not convinced that firmware update actually changes anything EGR-specific. The same firmware update is mentioned in two different TSBs, one that just replaces the intake manifold and not the EGR valve, and one that just replaces the EGR valve and not the manifold, though both TSBs are for issues that can contribute to rough startups. Because the firmware has to work with either manifold and with either valve (and neither part has a way for the ECM to know which version is installed), I doubt there is much going on in the firmware that depends on which manifold or EGR valve is installed.

I've had the update done, and the main change I notice is a higher idle RPM before the engine reaches 30℃ warming up. A classic old-school way to improve a rough-startup problem, not exactly rocket science. For all I know, there might not be much else in that update. (Though I hope and expect it also contains the fix for the blow-hoses-off-manifold bug that was fixed in an earlier version. And the water pump control fix that was announced in a European TSB around the same time, but never announced here—that's something I can still hope is included, though I don't know if I'm optimistic enough to expect it.)

 

There is no other way than go to dealership and ask for it. I do not know for sure either because my gen3 hybrid is built at the end of 2015. Only have 1 ECU update since 2015 but not sure what was about.

 

If you have Techstream or another scan tool solution that shows you calibration IDs, you are at least able to see what calibration IDs (that's what Toyota calls their firmware versions) are installed in each ECU, and you can compare those to the ones that are listed in different TSBs that you can read for free at NHTSA. So at least you can tell which updates you have or don't have. (You can also check, after going to the dealer for an update, to make sure they updated what they said they would.)

Now, if you have Techstream and a reliable (not the cheapest) dongle that you trust very much, and you don't mind doing a brief TIS subscription for access to the updates, and you are exceptionally brave, you can try your hand at flashing an update yourself.

My feeling, though, is if the dealer charges an hour of shop time to do it, it's worth it to me, just to have it be their headache if something gets bricked during the update.

 

Any tips which Techstream Dongle is reliable and affordable? Too many shady Techstream in eBay.

 

Toyota will recommend the Mongoose Plus Toyota3 from Opus IVS (formerly Drew Technologies), which is the one they test Techstream with and stand behind. I think it's in the $500 to $600 range. If you're using some other dongle and something doesn't go right, well, that's the chance you take.

Also, if you're even thinking about attempting a reflash on your own, search here for posts that link to the TSB listing all the precaution steps to make sure the car has no electrical glitches mid-reflash. It's a pretty long list. (Which actually makes the hour of shop time the dealer charges look pretty fair. It is not like they're charging an hour just to plug in a dongle and click a few buttons.)

 

Check if the chinesium is magnetic, if not hopefully stainless chinesium.