New car disaster!

[Drago]

Come on @rogerzilla what did they say when you asked for your refund?

 

[Alex321]

it can be deleted from the ecu without afecting the rest of the car, just like deleting adblue problems, it's just software.

"It's just software" does not mean it can simply be deleted.

IF you have access to the source code and sufficient programming knowledge, then you may be able to do so. Otherwise, no chance.

Even Adblue cannot just be deleted. Those who have the requisite knowledge can disable it via software, which is not the same as deleting it. And for most people, will be a fairly expensive thing to have done (£300+).

Just because Adblue software has the facility to be disabled does not mean this speed limiter software will necessarily have the same facility.

 

[Dogtrousers]

Just go to the main console and type: rm -rf /

Job done

 

[Fastpedaller]

And possibly it will get uploaded to the manufacturer when the vehicle gets serviced, or maybe even more frequently if that's possible.

I'm just guessing, I have no knowledge of the subject, but if I was a manufacturer and my vehicles were gathering lots of lovely telemetry I'd want to make sure I got my hands on it.

I service our car myself. We bought it new in Oct 2016, and by July 2107 it told us the service was due. We contacted the local Main Dealer who supplied the car and (we already suspected the answer) they confirmed that the car rolled off the production line in India during July 2016. They said "bring it in and we'll reset it" to which I replied "Is it just pressing the clutch, brake and left stalk, if it is I'll save your time and my travel?" They were a bit surprised but confirmed it. Strangely it's never come on since - If we ever tried to trade it in they'd probably say it has no service history
Speaking of which, it seems many (shady?). used-car sellers now advertise cars as having Full Service Histories, but when you ask to view one, they state that data protection laws prevent you from seeing it.
As an addendum, when the service light came on in July 2106, we were away from home and anxious in case the car went into limp-home mode, so we went to a main dealer local to where we were at the time. A helpful tech tried to reset it (using the method described above) but was unsuccessful. We realised after we were successful a week later that when he tried, the door of the car was open because it was a scorching hot day!

 

[Fastpedaller]

I got onto the head office, who were very helpful. They suggested a couple of settings which are "sticky", one of them non-obvious, and it no longer beeps for every change in speed limit, which is what was really objectionable. The owner's manual is useless in this respect as it gives no indication which settings will revert to their default on restart, and which ones won't.

Did you suggest to them that if the lane assist chucks the car into a ditch you'll hold them responsible? Just asking (not being difficult)

 

[Brandane]

As an addendum, when the service light came on in July 2106,

I know service intervals on modern cars are getting less frequent, but that is REALLY impressive!

 

[Drago]

Most modern motors store the service history onboard and the user can find it on the menus in the display and see it.

 

[Fastpedaller]

Although, that said, manufacturers already have to do one glaring piece of customisation for the UK (right hand drive) so who knows.

If there is a change from Right to Left-hand drive it will be ok to adapt the cars because the change will be gradual

 

[Dadam]

"It's just software" does not mean it can simply be deleted.

IF you have access to the source code and sufficient programming knowledge, then you may be able to do so. Otherwise, no chance.

Settings, not program code. You never get access to the "source code" unless the car's OS is open sourced. While there are a few open source ECUs around, these are for specialist applications like motorsport and custom engine builds. Your average Nissan, BMW, Ford is definitely proprietary and closed source.

What you can do is access tables of configuration settings that the software reads to manage various devices. Some of these are directly accessible via the car menus, some are hidden but accessible, some are intended to be accessible only by specialist dealer software but can be accessed by other third party software, and some are only accessible by specialists within the dealer or manufacturer.

It's a bit like computer games. Some things you can tweak in the menus, sometimes you can edit config files on the hard disk, sometimes you can open an in game terminal and type commands (~iddqd anyone?) and for others you need need to break out the hex editor and hack things.

 

[Ripple]

My Toyota has got auto beams. I was sceptical about it but thought I will give it a go. It was OK until I was approaching crossroads and a police car was waiting to turn onto main road. Beams stayed on. Police car then followed me almost all the way home (probably doing all the checks to see what tw4t drives that car). Obviously I haven't done anything illegal but I admit that headlight beams can be annoying even when they shine to the side of a car.
Auto beams turned off as soon as I came home.
Lane assist ... wtf. In my town loads of streets have got cars parked so I must to enter another lane. My car insists I stay in the same lane and imagine it's free of parked cars. Got fed up with that after a couple of days. While I cannot turn this feature off I can choose how sensible it is. Minimum sensibility chosen. About 90% of "you're not in your lane" beeps have gone.
Then a few days ago while I was driving in the middle of nowhere I heard beep beep - warning sign on the screen read "possible ice on the road". It was +9'C outside. That one was funny though.
Stop-start function can be disbled by ... being in the 1st gear while sitting at the traffic lights/jam. That's OK with me.
Loving the rear parking camera though.

 

[Fastpedaller]

I know service intervals on modern cars are getting less frequent, but that is REALLY impressive!

oops! but you know the date I meant to tyep

 

[grldtnr]

These auto beams may explain why I get blinded by unessacary bright lights, I often have to dip my rear mirror because the following vehicle is dazzling me.
Similarity with oncoming vehicles.... Lighting on vehicles these days is too intensly bright these days, there was talk of this being legislated.

And there's me thinking some total tw*t is driving along on full beam, intentionally, where as they may not be.
Too many Auto systems on cars ,makes drivers lazy and inattentive not what they are doing....NOT A GOOD THING!

 

[mistyoptic]

oops! but you know the date I meant to tyep

Thought you’d got a DeLorean

 

[wheresthetorch]

Come on @rogerzilla what did they say when you asked for your refund?

I got onto the head office, who were very helpful. They suggested a couple of settings which are "sticky", one of them non-obvious, and it no longer beeps for every change in speed limit, which is what was really objectionable.

 

[fossyant]

Loving the rear parking camera though.

Had one 22 years on my car.