Software updates for cars

[Stephen Tashiro]

A friend just received a letter from Ford Motor Company saying his 2013 Ford Focus "may" need a software update. The letter doesn't use the word "recall" but it does say to contact your Ford dealer. It doesn't mention if there is a charge for the service.

On the one hand, crucial software updates are important, but, on the other hand, non-crucial updates might become a tactic for getting cars into the service departments of dealerships where customers would tend to have other things done on the same visit - like oil changes.

Perhaps someday when we turn the key, the car will will say "Downloading updates" instead of starting the engine.

[Mike Hollingsworth]

Perhaps someday when we turn the key, the car will will say "Downloading updates" instead of starting the engine.

like a Tesla

[Art Mann]

I have been a part of literally dozens of software updates for various electronic control modules in Chrysler products. These are issued by the company and have nothing whatsoever to do with the dealership except that many of the updates are performed there. We have dispatched teams at times to update hundreds of unshipped cars at the assembly plants. No car company is interested in providing the dealership with repair business because it tarnishes the reputation of the company and is a big money loser. Automotive software updates are done to improve driveability, function, reliability, safety or some combination of those things.

It is a good thing that Tesla cars are easy to perform software updates on. I believe it was a software update that reduced the problem of their cars exploding in flames from overcharging the batteries.

[David Helm]

Had a 2012 Focus before the current Subaru Forester. Several software updates were done at no charge. The updates were for transmission and clutch issues that they learned about over time. Usually just about fixing something that might go wrong. Really liked the Focus.

[Larry Frank]

A software update....interesting.

I think that VW will be installing updates pretty soon. I am not usually a conspiracy addict but I just wonder if any other cars have judged the system a bit.

[Brian Henderson]

I've only had to do one update that I know of and that was done through OnStar. These updates are probably being done regularly, I just never see it because it's automatic.

[Keith Westfall]

Got one for my 2013 Dodge Ram a couple of days ago. Software update for side air bags.

No charge (according to the letter) so we will see what the dealer says tomorrow. I don't find this dealer particularly friendly or easy to talk to. Seems most of the time I am a big inconvenience!? Drop off in the early AM - no idea on heir part when it will be done. Probably all day if past service visits are any indication... :(

[Art Mann]

Got one for my 2013 Dodge Ram a couple of days ago. Software update for side air bags.

No charge (according to the letter) so we will see what the dealer says tomorrow. I don't find this dealer particularly friendly or easy to talk to. Seems most of the time I am a big inconvenience!? Drop off in the early AM - no idea on heir part when it will be done. Probably all day if past service visits are any indication... :(

It is obvious you need a different dealer. They make lots of money off the manufacturer doing a reflash of the software and in most cases it is a short and trivial job. They should thank you for bringing it in.

[Fred Perreault]

Software updates on a family car or truck.... I am not a Luddite (I don't think), but we may have taken the automobile to a place where Henry Ford, Ransom E. Olds and the Dodge brothers could never imagine. Throttle by wire, steering by wire, self parking cars (sort of) brakes by wire, 30+ sensors per vehicle..... so instead of a need for mechanical maintenance, or a fear of a mechanical failure, we have electrons controlling our cars.....jeeeesh . Now it takes a plumber/computer geek/rocket scientist/magician/fat wallet to keep our vehicles running. Even heavy construction equipment and trucks have not escaped the black box nightmare.

there, I feel better

[Jason Roehl]

Software updates on a family car or truck.... I am not a Luddite (I don't think), but we may have taken the automobile to a place where Henry Ford, Ransom E. Olds and the Dodge brothers could never imagine. Throttle by wire, steering by wire, self parking cars (sort of) brakes by wire, 30+ sensors per vehicle..... so instead of a need for mechanical maintenance, or a fear of a mechanical failure, we have electrons controlling our cars.....jeeeesh . Now it takes a plumber/computer geek/rocket scientist/magician/fat wallet to keep our vehicles running. Even heavy construction equipment and trucks have not escaped the black box nightmare.

there, I feel better

Nightmare? I think it's great. Code readers are pretty cheap and can tell you exactly what's wrong with your vehicle--that's if anything is wrong. Forty years ago, a vehicle was doing well to make it to 100,000 miles, and it took a lot of fiddling and fussing to get it there--tune-ups and carburetor adjustments--and starting the vehicle in really cold weather was a crapshoot. Now, most vehicles don't need a thing until 100,000 miles other than oil changes, and if the temps dropped below 0ºF tonight, I would be utterly confident I could walk outside and start both of my vehicles (an '03 with 170k miles and an '05 with 135k miles) without a problem. And, when you look at average household income then and now, they don't cost much more, if at all. Never mind the huge advances in luxury, handling and safety.

[Mike Chance in Iowa]

+1 what Art Mann said. I too was involved with software design and updates. The involvement the dealerships had was in reporting problems the customers were having. At the corporate level it was up to us to resolve the problems and test the solutions. At the corporate senior management level, they were the ones that ordered us to send out the updates whether they were ready or not ... and then send out another patch later that actually had the solution. :-) The dealerships had no involvement on when and how the updates were delivered. If they encouraged the customer to purchase other services, that did not come from the corporate level.

+1 to what Jason Roehl said. I doubt Ford, et al. imagined the need to test vehicle performance in -40 temps, high altitudes and deserts and the same vehicle could work in all those environments. We have 3 vintage vehicles parked outside and they won't be sold any time soon, but no matter how much we like them, it sure is nice to drive our modern vehicles into town. They are so much safer, quieter and there is much less maintenance involved.

[Keith Westfall]

It is obvious you need a different dealer. They make lots of money off the manufacturer doing a reflash of the software and in most cases it is a short and trivial job. They should thank you for bringing it in.


Relativity painless and fairly quick process. In a 8, out at 10 and they only did the recall items (there was another on wires rubbing in the steering column) and didn't try to push anything else.

Still fairly rude at the counter still - may try the other dealer next time...

[Dan Hintz]

A software update....interesting.

I think that VW will be installing updates pretty soon. I am not usually a conspiracy addict but I just wonder if any other cars have judged the system a bit.

<chuckle> I was thinking the same thing about the VWs out there. This will be followed up shortly thereafter with a class-action lawsuit from the owners who are no longer getting the mileage promised on the sticker.

The other companies are not likely gaming the system (at least anywhere close to what VW was doing)... if for no other reason than they were all wondering (publicly) how VW is (was?) managing to get such great gas mileage while still meeting emissions.

[Rick Potter]

Just read today that Bosch warned VW back in 2007. So much for the 'We didn't know' defense.

Back to the original question. I have a couple minor reflash notices on my 13 C-Max. Just waiting till I take it in for something so I can do it all at once.

I do have some bad experience with reflashes. I got a new 2004 Ford 250 Diesel, and they were reflashing computers every few months. Lots of owners were staying away from the dealer, because their were so many changes going on, many of which gave driveability and gas mileage problems. Worst case was with the very early buyers who bought fairly quiet diesels, and had them become noisy when the reflash turned off the pilot injection system which injected a minute amount of fuel early, almost eliminating diesel rattle.

Mine turned out to be a lemon, and I ended up with a 2005, which is noisy, but at least runs. My luck did hold true though, as soon as I got the '04, diesel prices started to rise above gasoline and stayed high until recently.