In order to resolve some Software glitches on my new Austral, which I have described on other Pages,
I, today had a provisional visit to the dealership and chatted to a very helpful service Guy and described my problems to him.
Before I left Home I had gone into the car Menu system and clicked on the software updates page which tells you if any over the air updates are due. Mine stated there were none, as one had been carried out in mid March automatically.
He asked the Service reception lady to check, using my Registration number, if any software updates were Listed for my car. To my astonishment there was an update listed for my car which would require the car for a day with the job taking around 3 hours.
The update was to deal with a number of software corrections including, I hope, the Engine over-revving issue which happens occasionally. It is now going into the dealer fairly soon.
So my point is there seems to be a conflict regarding the over the air information update service and what the dealers have access too. Now it could be that the over the air service is for minor issues while the dealer deals with the bigger stuff.
Bare this in mind and don't be afraid to ask ( registration number required ) if there are any updates showing against your car that may be outstanding and could cure that annoying issue that you can't explain.
Finally the dealer explained a little about software updates. He said first, they have to be identified as it's customers report issues to them, the Manufactures investigate the cause which can take quite a while, Then a correction plan , be it software or hardware related is tested to make sure it doesn't have a knock on effect with something else, and only then once they are confident of the fix, will they release it to it's customers. In fairness there is more to it than what we think.
My only concern is that in Renaults advertising literature, they claimed to have tested this car an equivalent of driving 75 times around the world to ensure it's quality. Yet I have a blank page of DAB radio station icons that the system can't display.
I can only assume they didn't test drive through Wales !!!!
At least they are looking for corrections which is good news.
Regards
Mr Rugby
Interesting dealer visit
Having spent almost 3 decades in software testing I can tell you that this is standard practice but I can imagine most people don't realise just how involved or complex it is trying to ensure you don't invoke regression issues every time you change a line of code. Even more so when you're dealing with something like a car and the potential risks to business or life are at stake.Mr rugby wrote: ↑Fri Apr 12, 2024 10:50 pm Finally the dealer explained a little about software updates. He said first, they have to be identified as it's customers report issues to them, the Manufactures investigate the cause which can take quite a while, Then a correction plan , be it software or hardware related is tested to make sure it doesn't have a knock on effect with something else, and only then once they are confident of the fix, will they release it to it's customers. In fairness there is more to it than what we think.
My only concern is that in Renaults advertising literature, they claimed to have tested this car an equivalent of driving 75 times around the world to ensure it's quality. Yet I have a blank page of DAB radio station icons that the system can't display.
I can only assume they didn't test drive through Wales !!!!
At least they are looking for corrections which is good news.
On the system I currently work on we perform over 10k tests every single day and yet there's still rarely a day when a user won't find something wrong, such is the complexity involved.
This is interesting as i have had a recall letter for my Austral to have the seat adjustment rectified by a software update to stop it going back too far when the engine is switched off. I have commented on this in a previous post. When i phoned up the dealership to make the appointment the receptionist checked and couldn’t find anything about the upgrade. I said vi had a letter from Renault and they asked me to take it in next week and they wil have a look. I will wait too see if there is anything else that they upgrade
Further to my post, had a call from the dealership yesterday to ask if i could leave the vehicle all day to have 2 software upgrades. One for the chair as stated and the other for an engine/ignition upgrade, for which the engine needs to be cold. I suspect this may for the noisy engine for which there are a number of posts
Car went in today 8am prompt For the software recall as mentioned previously.
Told they will need it until 5pm.
I boarded the train later that day to return and collect the car, but with 25 minutes before collection time they phoned to say they were having computer software issues and asked if they can keep the car overnight, .....9 hours after having it. GRRRRRRRRRRR.
I agreed…no choice really., so have no more to add as yet.
However, the code for my recall was 0EBOTS AUSTRAL REPROGRAMME HEVC et ECM.
Now on various external web recall sites, example, 'car-recalls.eu' There seem to be 2 recalls for the Austral since it's introduction.. One for the electric seat position that may trap your feet in the rear.
see below
"The Renault Austral vehicles affected by this recall were manufactured between 21 April 2022 and 28 November 2023.
Renault recall code: OE9W
Affected models: Austral, Espace VI
Vehicle numbers (worldwide): 27,893 "
And secondly one for the loose wheel screw check in early models.
The Renault Austral vehicles affected by this recall were manufactured between 17 August and 5 December 2022.
Renault recall code: OEF1
Affected models: Austral / Megane
Vehicle numbers (worldwide): 393.
Now my recall number 0EBOTS is not the same as any of the above so I am waiting in anticipation to see exactly what the reprogramming is for.........When I have it back of course !!!!!!!!
Will let you know soon.
Told they will need it until 5pm.
I boarded the train later that day to return and collect the car, but with 25 minutes before collection time they phoned to say they were having computer software issues and asked if they can keep the car overnight, .....9 hours after having it. GRRRRRRRRRRR.
I agreed…no choice really., so have no more to add as yet.
However, the code for my recall was 0EBOTS AUSTRAL REPROGRAMME HEVC et ECM.
Now on various external web recall sites, example, 'car-recalls.eu' There seem to be 2 recalls for the Austral since it's introduction.. One for the electric seat position that may trap your feet in the rear.
see below
"The Renault Austral vehicles affected by this recall were manufactured between 21 April 2022 and 28 November 2023.
Renault recall code: OE9W
Affected models: Austral, Espace VI
Vehicle numbers (worldwide): 27,893 "
And secondly one for the loose wheel screw check in early models.
The Renault Austral vehicles affected by this recall were manufactured between 17 August and 5 December 2022.
Renault recall code: OEF1
Affected models: Austral / Megane
Vehicle numbers (worldwide): 393.
Now my recall number 0EBOTS is not the same as any of the above so I am waiting in anticipation to see exactly what the reprogramming is for.........When I have it back of course !!!!!!!!
Will let you know soon.
HEVC is usually an acronym associated with video codecs so maybe something in the infotainment system.
ECM in this case I would assume is for Enterprise Content Management which can be used as a broad brush term around data transfer / collation across enterprise systems (which in this case could be anything related to data passing into and out of the car or internally within the car for decision making / training). Because it can relate to content delivery then maybe one option is that it is related to HEVC and an infotainment update of some sort. Would be dangerous to assume anything without more specific knowledge though and I'd guess even the dealership wouldn't know much either in terms of specifics without them asking.
Of course, what we really need is for ECM to be for Electronic Counter Measures - not for an improvement in the software (re security) but in the slim hope that Renault are fitting a system to allow us to launch chaff and flares whilst driving down the motorway
ECM in this case I would assume is for Enterprise Content Management which can be used as a broad brush term around data transfer / collation across enterprise systems (which in this case could be anything related to data passing into and out of the car or internally within the car for decision making / training). Because it can relate to content delivery then maybe one option is that it is related to HEVC and an infotainment update of some sort. Would be dangerous to assume anything without more specific knowledge though and I'd guess even the dealership wouldn't know much either in terms of specifics without them asking.
Of course, what we really need is for ECM to be for Electronic Counter Measures - not for an improvement in the software (re security) but in the slim hope that Renault are fitting a system to allow us to launch chaff and flares whilst driving down the motorway
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Coutainville
- Posts: 41
- Joined: Sat Dec 09, 2023 6:47 pm
Anything about the spark plugs? All 200bhp manufactured before July 2023 needs to have the plugs changed, Renault has contacted all owners by e-mail, in France anyway...
Well, I had the car back today and feel it was a mixed bag really.
1/ The DAB radio icons issue is still with Renault unresolved as of yet.
It is allegedly being worked on but old posts show this as being an issue as far back as autumn last year. Foreign Video reviews on YT show full icons on they're displays. Is this just a UK issue I wonder.
2/ The intermittent on / off flashing Drivers google maps screen, did not occur while they had it, so they were unable to do anything even though I showed them video footage of the screen being naughty.
Let me point out this is not the screen dimming issue mentioned in other posts when auto dimming is selected.
This has more to do with running Android auto via usb cable which switches off the Drivers google map display (as it is supposed to do) , but it goes into repeating switch on then switch off mode in a fit of rage afterwards and won't reset until the car has been switched off.
3/ The speed sign recognition behaved while they had it they said and was reported as being ok which it was on my drive home. We'll wait and monitor this.
4/ The recall stated in the above post was carried out and was a system software re-boot which is all they would say. None of my settings were changed or things reset as far as I can tell, so not sure what the reboot was all about.. The items listed as issues behaved on my trip home.
5/ The creamy oil sludge was confirmed as being normal for this car and was told it will not cause problems and can be wiped away where possible. I was told it will only appear under the oil filler cap area.
We'll see and keep a check on this.
Finally, I did not ask if the reported issues could not be found after the software re-boot or before they worked on it, because it seemed ok driving home. Even the battery charge indicator which barely climbs above 2 bars displayed just over 3 momentarily as I drove home. Maybe things have been improved.
And really finally, They commented that these days, unless problems are physically visible or recorded in the car systems whilst the car is with them, they would probably be unlikely to easily find the cause because of the complexity and lack of time.
In other words if Diagnostics don't show it, we may not be able to find is how I interpreted that.
Remember years ago, plugs and points, a few switches and knobs and a dozen main fuses.
They were the days.
Mr rugby
1/ The DAB radio icons issue is still with Renault unresolved as of yet.
It is allegedly being worked on but old posts show this as being an issue as far back as autumn last year. Foreign Video reviews on YT show full icons on they're displays. Is this just a UK issue I wonder.
2/ The intermittent on / off flashing Drivers google maps screen, did not occur while they had it, so they were unable to do anything even though I showed them video footage of the screen being naughty.
Let me point out this is not the screen dimming issue mentioned in other posts when auto dimming is selected.
This has more to do with running Android auto via usb cable which switches off the Drivers google map display (as it is supposed to do) , but it goes into repeating switch on then switch off mode in a fit of rage afterwards and won't reset until the car has been switched off.
3/ The speed sign recognition behaved while they had it they said and was reported as being ok which it was on my drive home. We'll wait and monitor this.
4/ The recall stated in the above post was carried out and was a system software re-boot which is all they would say. None of my settings were changed or things reset as far as I can tell, so not sure what the reboot was all about.. The items listed as issues behaved on my trip home.
5/ The creamy oil sludge was confirmed as being normal for this car and was told it will not cause problems and can be wiped away where possible. I was told it will only appear under the oil filler cap area.
We'll see and keep a check on this.
Finally, I did not ask if the reported issues could not be found after the software re-boot or before they worked on it, because it seemed ok driving home. Even the battery charge indicator which barely climbs above 2 bars displayed just over 3 momentarily as I drove home. Maybe things have been improved.
And really finally, They commented that these days, unless problems are physically visible or recorded in the car systems whilst the car is with them, they would probably be unlikely to easily find the cause because of the complexity and lack of time.
In other words if Diagnostics don't show it, we may not be able to find is how I interpreted that.
Remember years ago, plugs and points, a few switches and knobs and a dozen main fuses.
They were the days.
Mr rugby
Yeah, unfortunately that is the case with anything software based.Mr rugby wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2024 5:48 pm And really finally, They commented that these days, unless problems are physically visible or recorded in the car systems whilst the car is with them, they would probably be unlikely to easily find the cause because of the complexity and lack of time.
In other words if Diagnostics don't show it, we may not be able to find is how I interpreted that.
If you're lucky there will be a log of it captured somewhere that gives a clue as to what is going on. Unfortunately, for a car, that is likely only for very major errors in things like the infotainment system as they won't capture execution logs in the same way as you would for critical systems.
Outside of that the only hope is to be able to reproduce the issue consistently enough to give the software developers clear steps to follow so they can step through the code execution whilst reproducing the issue.
