# Firmware updates to system?



## Ru5ty (Jun 20, 2012)

if there ever is one, it will probably be chevrolet that will have it and they would do the update while your having service being done

but i dont think there ever will be, never seen an update for a factory stereo.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

How stupid I was to attempt to update my Garmin maps in the evening, tried three times, only load so far then crash. This is a 1.9GB download. GPS at this point was worthless with a partial load. Finally went to bed and got up at 3:00 AM after the hackers go to bed and before normal people get up. Had a smooth download, but still took 20 minutes on a so-called high speed internet.

With my computers, also do the same thing, but prefer to download the firmware first, then install it. Downloading on the fly can corrupt your computer with a glitch. But this is how they do it now and apparently so does GM.

Before they were downloading the firmware to a laptop, then using a GM Tech II scanner for the interface between that laptop and the diagnostic plug. Before then were replacing a PROM hard burnt in chip. Flashram is next to crazy, either traps a slight amount of electrons in an FET gate or not to tell the difference between a logical zero or one. Silicon base material has to be 100% pure, leakage current due to impurities doubles at every 10*C rise in temperature. That can be your problem is your radio worked good from the start.

Refreshing it not even with updated firmware, but the same old stuff won't cure that problem, it will come back. And yes your radio is not a radio by old standards, but is a computer.

Cruze, as I recall uses five different flashram firmware programs, posted this around a year ago, my brain is like scrambled eggs trying to keep up with all this stuff. But definitely recall the radio is one of the,  PCM, BCM, climate control are others, one more, escapes me at this time.

Sure isn't on the internet, could have used a standard USB connector for updating, but using a diagnostic plug with a special WiFi device for a wireless interface.

They are making darn sure we have to go back to our dealers, hope you have a good one. And may not even be a firmware problem.

My main business computer stays off the interent, use a different computer for that and do a virus check for anything that goes into it, a floppy, CD, or a flash drive. Never had a crash with that computer. But only can wonder what if a hacker breaks into OnStar. Not paranoid, just experienced.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

They sent out a radio software update to our Toyota's touchscreen audio system in the mail, free of charge, on a USB stick.

I was also having problems with my phone connecting to the stereo in the Cruze (I have the basic non-touchscreen thing), and they apparently reloaded the software for that, and it works fine now.


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## ShorePatrol (Jun 17, 2012)

Good info - yes, I expected this would be a dealer update. I'll have to ask next time I'm in for an oil change.


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

I would opt for a new radio, if the original firmware deteriorated, it will happen again. Believe me, I have been designing ASIC's for the last thirty years and very familiar with all the problems, solid state does not last forever. At first we were lucky to get 50% yield rates, up to 90% today, units of measurements are in fractions of a micron. Talking about some pretty small stuff here. Trying to get a six inch silicon disk 100% pure is still quite the challenge.

If your firmware is deteriorating, you could well be within that marginal pass or fail range. Car is under warranty, demand a new radio, or you will by paying for a new one yourself.


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## ShorePatrol (Jun 17, 2012)

There's no "technical" problem, or bugs with the software - it works...I just think the menu options, and some functions are poorly implemented. For instance, when you select a playlist, then a song, there is no way to go back to the playlist to select a different song - you either have to forward/reverse through the list to find the song you want, or if you click BACK, you then have to find/select that same playlist again, then find the song, etc....completely crazy - 

Things like this drive me crazy every time I drive the car and have to navigate through an interface that was obviously designed by someone who has no UI/Design clue.

So I was just curious if Chevy ever improves/updates these things....

Sounds like no...so, to get a better menu system & functionality , looks like I need to buy a new car....kinda sad


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

ShorePatrol said:


> There's no "technical" problem, or bugs with the software - it works...I just think the menu options, and some functions are poorly implemented. For instance, when you select a playlist, then a song, there is no way to go back to the playlist to select a different song - you either have to forward/reverse through the list to find the song you want, or if you click BACK, you then have to find/select that same playlist again, then find the song, etc....completely crazy -
> 
> Things like this drive me crazy every time I drive the car and have to navigate through an interface that was obviously designed by someone who has no UI/Design clue.
> 
> ...


Might be able to help you with that small annoyance. Already in a playlist, turn the select knob on the right of the radio. On the "basic" radios, this will bring your playlist back up, and you can scroll through it and pick your next song.


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## ShorePatrol (Jun 17, 2012)

Great I'll try that - thank you....perhaps this one was my bad ;-)


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## buckeyewalt (Mar 10, 2012)

I am having issues with my radio,,,spoke with Stacy on the board here,,,she got me in touch with GM,,,I took it to the dealer per GM's instructions and they would not do anything until GM gives the OK to replace the radio which they did not. THey told me to wait for a firmware update which they promissed me will come in early fall,,,that never happened,,the dealer currently has no firmware updates from GM,,,GM won't respond anymore,,,and either will Stacy after I left her 2 e-mails and a general thread response to a topic. I guess I will put up with the radio issue, BUT the last Chevy that I will purchase......way to many issues,,,and very poor customer service follow-up.........


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

When you are in the electronic business, see a lot of flashram failures so tend to make you paranoid. Yet another factor is that lead/tin solder was banned due to this crap with build in obsolescence being tossed in landfills.

Leadless solders require a much higher melting temperature and with production wave soldering, component damaged occurred. Also the solder pads had to be increased drastically in size base the on probability better contact would be made with a larger area. Still fooling around with what kind of flux to use.

If this wasn't enough, EPA banned electroplating of switch contacts, so for many years, bare oxidizing copper was used. Chemicals required for the production of semiconductors was also banned as was solvent based paints. Water based paints are fairly good now, but took about 30 years to get there. Solutions for electroplating and semiconductor production were solved by exporting this production. As close as across the border in Mexico, then the Philippines, Japan, South Korea, and now China. 

EPA never offered solutions to these constant headaches, just banned them. Yet another mad rush was caused by banning CFC's overnight, even though only 4% of it was used for refrigeration, rest in spray cans, military and geology agencies was responsible for dumping 65% of this stuff into the atmosphere, 31% in spray cans. About 1% was used in automotive applications.

So R-134a comes along, first environmentally friendly, now held responsible for global warming. Trichloroethylene that was the first solvent to be banned in 1977 is required for the production of HFC's. Have no idea how DuPont got around that. We had to get rid of that switching to acids for cleaning, everyone in my plant became ill along with the first water based insulating materials that we had to use. Asbestos was also banned about the same time, another major headache in attempting to find something equivalent that can take the heat.

Yet another major problem is overnight shortages of key materials, cause by greed. Was in the late 70's that the cost of copper rose from 60 cents to over six bucks per pound. Then we had to switch to aluminum that required major redesigns.

Just one problem after the next in the last 40 years, while I miss my engineering job, have to think about all the government imposed headaches involved. Could toss in emission controls, still burning the same old filthy HC's, another constant yearly change.

These are just some of the reasons you are having problems with your radio and everything else.


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## buckeyewalt (Mar 10, 2012)

Bump


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## 2013Cruze (Aug 4, 2012)

I wonder will there be any updates to the MyLink system.


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## buckeyewalt (Mar 10, 2012)

Just checked with the dealer today,,no updates for anything regarding the radio.........figures! I wonder if the 2013 version is different from the 2012 regarding the radio.....?????


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## NickD (Dec 10, 2011)

Certainly a purity in designing an electronic circuit, regardless of what you may think may work, natural laws apply. And if you don't know these laws, that circuit will blow up in your face. It inherently knows by itself if everything is correct or not.

Software is entirely different, can write a program where 2 + 2 = 5 and even 6 or any other number the next time. With any soft or firmware product, have to learn to cope with it, they will normally address problems that cause a crash.

When this microprocessor technology was developed in the late 60's, key argument was hardware was very expensive, software is practically free to write. That sure changed, only cost pennies today to print out a processor, but can be robbed to death buying the software.

With my radio, learned it has this folder feature for organizing MP3's using directories and sub directories. Not in the manual, learned that by playing with it. Man, can you kill the hours by playing with it.

Exactly what is it that you don't like about your radio? Precisely what changes are you looking for? I see on the latest touch screens, adding everything to it, even the climate controls. I would really hate that going through menus while driving trying to hit the correct icon with an outstretched arm to adjust the heat. Somebody at GM feels that is good, he can have it.


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