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SSC-A0B brake recall (ABS control ECU update)

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Care, Maintenance & Troubleshooting' started by john1701a, Feb 9, 2010.

  1. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    After all the hysteria, there's not really a whole lot more to say about it.

    Updates to the ECU are nothing new for Prius. Those of us who had an Iconic model already experienced this firsthand. The mechanic at the dealer plugs his computer into your Prius computer via the ODB-II port and the update is transferred.

    AOB is the SSC (Special Service Campaign) number for this update to the braking system. It took them 45 minutes to do mine, including waiting for them to wash & detail the car afterward at their expense. That was a nice touch.
    .
     
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  2. 32kcolors

    32kcolors Senior Member

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    So what does it feel like now when braking over potholes?
     
  3. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    It took 7 months before feeling it, and that was an intentional effort to reproduce what others had pointed out. I found the railroad track on my daily pothole-like enough (combined with a little harder braking than usual) to trigger the effect. I'll try that again tomorrow.

    My guess is I'll never know if I hit the right combination again, since there shouldn't be any sensation now. Others who said it happened often will have to chime in.
    .
     
  4. spiderman

    spiderman wretched

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    Great, I called my dealer and they said they have not gotten anything from Toyota about this SSC. They said perhaps 7 to 10 days. No surprise really, I guess.
     
  5. ScottG10

    ScottG10 Member

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    I have an appt with my dealer (Toyota of Kirkland Wa) tomorrow, 2/10 to get the TSB done. They said I didn't need to wait for the official mailing.
     
  6. tpfun

    tpfun New Member

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    Did you ask the tech for tech details on the update ?
     
  7. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    What does the owner get that shows the patch was applied? Sticker on the door frame? Marked on the maintenance receipt?

    Thanks,
    Bob Wilson
     
  8. durant7

    durant7 Junior Member

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    Lurker here. I have had my III for 6,000 miles. NH, the land of frost heaves and sand, I noticed it quite by coincidence recently. It was different but not alarming. For all I know it has been occuring and I failed to notice it.

    To me, I wonder if post ECU update aka "patch", drivers will find that their MPG will decline by a minor amount? I suspect the software team behind the Prius was key to the magical fuel mileage between G2 and G3 given the displacement and resulting HP is higher. As an armchair speculator, I wonder if the new code will put the hydraulic on sooner meaning the co-gen will stop sooner. I think the co-gen ABS is not as "positive" as hydraulic ABS. Or that is what if felt like to me when this "event" occurs.

    I am inclined to hear from others first before I let the dealer update my G3. Then again, I may be all wrong, I'm not a Toyota engineer. W/o a block heater the cold temps in NH will skew results far more than this patch so I doubt I would see the difference.

    Opinions? I suspect there are more knowledgable folks than I on this forum.
     
  9. 2009Prius

    2009Prius A Wimpy DIYer

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    Interesting idea. I thought the new transaxle design also contribute to better fuel economy?
     
  10. ScottG10

    ScottG10 Member

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    Patch is in. No change to mileage (at least immediately) or the way the car drives and stops at all.
     
  11. spiderman

    spiderman wretched

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    So are you sure they put it in? :)
     
  12. HTMLSpinnr

    HTMLSpinnr Super Moderator
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    A $15 for 2 day subscription to TIS reveals what the techs see.

    There isn't a whole lot of detail on the guts of what's changed - only what's already been communicated by Prius Team, how dealers should handle the recall (including managing the customer expectations), a sample recall letter, and the steps to complete the repair. No "changelog" is provided, other than a list of previous versions vs. current version for each wheel size (this is the 4th revision).
     
  13. HTMLSpinnr

    HTMLSpinnr Super Moderator
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    I do notice a braking feel change. This may simply be because I moved ahead 3 versions of the calibration/flash version, while newer owners may have had some feel difference integrated into one of the other two newer previous versions. Would be interesting to compare build dates to whether or not a sensation is noted.
     
  14. john1701a

    john1701a Prius Guru

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    I've tried 3 times now, braking over train tracks as before.

    Nothing.

    The update appears to have done the trick.
    .
     
  15. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

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    DANGEROUS PRIUS CLAIMS ANOTHER VICTIM

    A local man was killed today when his Prius was struck by a train...

    Tom
     
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  16. SunsetStripStan

    SunsetStripStan New Member

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    Had the update done yesterday. My brakes work well (even over potholes!), however I noticed that the update (or updater) changed the EV mode ceiling. Instead of being able to go up to 25 mph in EV mode I can only go to 10 mph. The dealership said they are checking into this.
     
  17. spiderman

    spiderman wretched

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    Was your car up to operating temp? Was the battery close to fully charged?
     
  18. ksstathead

    ksstathead Active Member

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    The Gen3 has 2 limits on EV speed, 10 and 25 mph, depending on which set of conditions are met as far as temps and SOC. If anyone has the precise details, it would be nice to know. But I suspect that is what you are experiencing rather than any relationship to the update for brakes.
     
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  19. ScottG10

    ScottG10 Member

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    Geez, I sure hope so!
    Now that I've driven it a bit more, I noticed that I can no longer feel the point at which it transitions from regen to standard brakes during a normal stop. Not a big deal to me but I guess thats an improvement.
     
  20. SunsetStripStan

    SunsetStripStan New Member

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    Car was at operating temp and the battery was close to fully charged. Will keep monitoring it. Thanks all for the extra information on EV mode.