1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Can a Guru answer this-the upcoming recall SW mod

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by RoyThePriusGuy, Feb 9, 2010.

  1. RoyThePriusGuy

    RoyThePriusGuy New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 12, 2009
    186
    25
    0
    Location:
    phoenix
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    V
    When Toyota rolls out the "Prius fix", is it possible/probable they they will include other software updates? Might this include the 5K to 10K oil change interval and (if any) other software running changes or enhancements they may have rolled out since '10 production began? I know it's premature for verification of specific updates, but is there history to 'fixes' as this?
     
  2. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2006
    18,058
    3,073
    7
    Location:
    Northern Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Each Prius contains several ECUs, which are the little computerized control boxes. Each ECU has its own area of control, although many of the boxes talk to each other. Any fix applied for the braking issue will be to only one or two of the ECUs; other ECUs will be left unaltered. Because of this, don't expect anything to change not related to braking.

    Tom
     
  3. lonestar

    lonestar New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 19, 2009
    17
    4
    0
    Location:
    central Texas
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    The problem for that happening is that Toyota will want to play it safe. If more SW fixes are done, then the odds of something else happening wrong is higher. The more you fiddle with changes that are not necessary, the higher the chance of something else going wrong. With so little time to get the fix out there, they are not going to take the chance without extensive testing. That means the fix will be the same as what is going on the current production fix.
     
  4. garygid

    garygid Senior Member - Blizzard Pearl

    Joined:
    Aug 23, 2009
    379
    23
    0
    Location:
    Orange County, CA
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    III
    Will it correct the often-described unexpected acceleration on Startup?
     
  5. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2006
    18,058
    3,073
    7
    Location:
    Northern Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Unrelated ECUs, so the answer is no. Furthermore, I'm not aware that unexpected acceleration on startup is even acknowledged as a problem. At this point it is only a few isolated reports.

    Tom
     
  6. HTMLSpinnr

    HTMLSpinnr Super Moderator
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2003
    5,339
    917
    251
    Location:
    Surprise, AZ (Phoenix)
    Vehicle:
    2018 Tesla Model 3
    Model:
    N/A
    Semi OT, but since I just discussed it w/ the folks @ Toyota:

    I was on the phone w/ my service manager and some other Toyota folks this morning, scheduling my recall fix. I will be bringing my car in tomorrow for the ECU flash associated w/ the recall. Because I'm close enough to 10k miles (9600), we're going to do the 10k service, including the oil change. They acknowledge the 10k OCI before I brought it up, but they want to get the customer on to a 10k, 20k, 30k interval if possible for simplicity. It won't cost much as the oil change itself is free due to my buying the car there (first 3 free).

    Because they'll be performing that service, I asked about the maintenance reminder and whether it would be modified to accommodate the new interval. The maintenance reminder will still linger at 5000 miles to encourage customers to bring in their vehicles for tire rotation and other shorter term items (i.e. cabin air filter cleaning), even though the oil change is at 10k miles.

    As others echoed, there are multiple ECUs and to my knowledge, they'll only be touching the Brake ECU at this time. I'll see just how much detail I can gather about the process tomorrow, but suspect those w/ a TIS subscription can get the same thing.
     
    2 people like this.
  7. HTMLSpinnr

    HTMLSpinnr Super Moderator
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2003
    5,339
    917
    251
    Location:
    Surprise, AZ (Phoenix)
    Vehicle:
    2018 Tesla Model 3
    Model:
    N/A
    This is a physical problem if one doesn't use the ebrake. When starting up, the park mechanism, while engaged, isn't seated.

    To illustrate (and this isn't 100% how this works, but should draw a picture) - imagine a gear with 8 slots, 1 at every 45 degrees (may be more or less due to reduction gearing). Then imagine a spring-loaded arm with a tooth on it. When park is engaged, the arm (pawl) is engaged against the gear so that the tooth locks into the gear slot. If it doesn't line up exactly, the car must "roll" slightly forward or backward before the tooth can line up and "fall" into the slot (usually accompanied by an audible click). You can verify this by placing the car into park on a level surface, turning the car off, then attempting to push the car forward or backward. If the pawl isn't fully engaged, the car will move slightly forward or backward (~1-2") before the lock clicks into place - at which point the car should no longer roll (except for the slight play in the transmission that all cars have).

    Adequately setting the parking brake will always eliminate the rolling situation. Otherwise, as the engine provides forward motive force against the generator (MG1), there will be some slight forward torque to cause the car to roll forward until the parking pawl fully engages.

    If there is ever a situation where that parking pawl is damaged or is otherwise unable to engage, a check engine light will illuminate to notify accordingly and advise to set the parking brake.
     
  8. qbee42

    qbee42 My other car is a boat

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2006
    18,058
    3,073
    7
    Location:
    Northern Michigan
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    I think HTML means "pawl", not "prowl". I suppose if the pawl is stealthy, it might prowl about.

    Tom
     
  9. HTMLSpinnr

    HTMLSpinnr Super Moderator
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Dec 8, 2003
    5,339
    917
    251
    Location:
    Surprise, AZ (Phoenix)
    Vehicle:
    2018 Tesla Model 3
    Model:
    N/A
    Duly edited, thx.

    [ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parking_pawl]Parking pawl - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]
     
    1 person likes this.
  10. Russell Frost

    Russell Frost the whatdrives.us guy

    Joined:
    Apr 25, 2005
    139
    105
    0
    Location:
    Escondido, California
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    N/A
    I had my 2010 earlier today

    The update is specifically and exclusively to the ECU that controls the ABS system. No other ECU is updated, so no new features or updates outside of the brake system.

    As Lonestar quite correctly pointed out, adding any additional material to the update adds complexity and therefore, potential problems. I think Toyota is wise, in this case, and dealing with the issue at hand and no others.