Software Update - 7 spd gearbox.

_Taz_

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it would be nice to have both the OEM supplied software file & an update & do a comparison on my star....

I do wonder though if the process can be reversed if the software update made the box even worse !!! :shock:
 

television

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Sorry TV but you are wrong on this one. But we have danced this merry dance before and my feet are tired.

I suggest the OP looks at the sticky on recalls etc. http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=91542 Worth reading the US thread (link given in the sticky) that shows just how many service campaigns etc there are on one single MB model. Shows how lots of them are done without waiting for a complaint.

I suggest he then asks a good 'indie' if they are paid by MB to do service campaigns/updates/dealer recalls etc and provided free with the updates/parts etc necessary to do the work. He will find that what I have posted is correct. Only a main dealer is so treated by MB.

It is quite untrue that updates/service campaigns/dealer recalls etc are only done in response to customer complaints. Some are done in response to complaints; some are done without a complaint when the next service is done, and some are done by dealer recall of particular groups of cars. I have experienced all of these on the many MBs I have owned, all of which were given full MB service history.

You are the one always trying to paint a "they all lived happily ever after" picture.
You should stop saying about what goes on in the USA as most has little bearing over here, we do not have "lemon laws"

Now you may be very friendly with your local dealer and believe all that you are told. As it so happens I am on very good terms with my local dealer, both out the front and in the workshops. After a post of yours some time back many indies who had been employed until very recently said that the cars did not ever go on STAR unless there was a fault that required the car to be connected up. I took this up with my local dealer, and he said they only update when there is a need to,,,if it isnt broken, then leave it. Lets face it the dealers do not even take the wheels off anymore on a B service as they do not have the time. My car came out from a B service with all the fault codes it went in with. I have now done 15 STAR checks on cars recently purchased, not one had been on STAR, some had more than 20 fault codes still present. Further more it is not part of any service to put the car on STAR. Please do not confuse a car going in for a problem.

When you got that last sticky post up, I asked to have it taken down as some of it just was not true, and it contradicted its self in places. You are not a technical man in any way, you do not know for sure what happens.

If you think that I only recommend indies you are wrong again. You will find on many post I always say that for the first few years use a main dealer if you want to keep the full MB history. My own car at 5 years old will get its next A service with MB Exeter.

To go one stage further there is a thread running by Member Huey and his 124 we discussed the repairs on his car and he went to his main dealer who did him proud at £60 per hour and a super engineer that knew his car inside out.

I am a stickler for the truth and fact, I do not just believe all I am told, I go out of my way to check.

I have said many times over and over again, where are you when a member has had endless problems with his car and dealer, you never answer those post, you should then maybe you might be able to give a fairer picture of it all.
Finally please stop talking about only the dealer get paid to do major recalls for 99% of the members here only have their car serviced for the time it is under warranty, so no need to involve indies on this one.

I feel sure that we could get back onto a reasonable footing if the cut and paste post stopped, and I am not alone on this one.
 

Jodel

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I do wonder though if the process can be reversed if the software update made the box even worse !!!

Unfortunately not, or I would have had this done after the software update by the main dealer in March 2012 screwed up my 7G box. I was quite explicit when I had the work done that they should only carry out the update if they were completely confident that the harsh 2-1 shift problem would be addressed and nothing else affected. The car has never been right since.
 

moosehead

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My 7G has been a nightmare and I've had the car from when it was 6 months old. I've lost count of the s/w updates, adaptions, sump changes plus new electro hydraulic contol unit. The 5 speed in the wifes SLK is just as good.
 

turbopete

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this is one of those times im glad i have a nice 'simple' manual gearbox. they may not be perfect but at least theres a fair amount of electronics that are avoided!
 
R

Rodger

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The 7G Tronic in my S Class has been fairly average, with occasional hard 3-2 changes, not very often but its not especially pleasant when it happens. Seems better now that its had a transmission service but still not really up to the standard of the ZFHP26 in my other car.

I've heard the 7G Tronic + is better, how much better is subjective and whether its a match for the 8 Speed ZF, I very much doubt.

I've driven the latest Chrysler SRT8 with the old 5G Tronic and it seemed like a good box, albeit short of at least 1 cog, not that it really mattered in that beast of a car :)
 
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reuben

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I got a 56 plate E320 a few weeks ago and have just noticed the clunky gear changes at low speed! Can somebody tell me where I can get the software updated and how much it should cost?

I have read some people saying that some garages are not great at applying the software fix - I don't really understand why but can you recommend a good place?

Other than that, a great car.

Reuben
 

television

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I got a 56 plate E320 a few weeks ago and have just noticed the clunky gear changes at low speed! Can somebody tell me where I can get the software updated and how much it should cost?

I have read some people saying that some garages are not great at applying the software fix - I don't really understand why but can you recommend a good place?

Other than that, a great car.

Reuben

Where are you in the UK Sir
 
OP
E

exjag

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  • Thread Starter
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How can applying software need a 'good man'? Surely it's just a case of plugging in a computer, which does the rest??
 

reuben

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Bristol and Bath are my nearest cities but I travel to Southampton a lot.
 

television

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How can applying software need a 'good man'? Surely it's just a case of plugging in a computer, which does the rest??

A good question, but the fact remains that some can do them and some cannot. It can be very time consuming and this is why many dealers will avoid many updates, as shown in some post you could open a tin of worms.
 

V6Matty

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A good question, but the fact remains that some can do them and some cannot. It can be very time consuming and this is why many dealers will avoid many updates, as shown in some post you could open a tin of worms.

I would expect that they have to enter some parameters about the box before the update is applied, if they put the wrong thing in at the start it may explain why some work successfully and other don't?
 

television

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I would expect that they have to enter some parameters about the box before the update is applied, if they put the wrong thing in at the start it may explain why some work successfully and other don't?

Yes I will go along with that :D, the computer would not know anything about this
 

V6Matty

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Like Taz said earlier I would be very interested in seeing the code used to run these updates it would be nice if it could be addapted to read the existing code from the gear box and then lookup against a download table which will then download the new correct code to the box?

I know the only reason they connot roll back the changes is because it over written and there isn't enough room in the memory to keep such a large piece of coding.

Would be ineresting to see if someone with star could pull out and save the coding, apply the update let it run for a few days and then re apply the older version using what they saved? would need to be someone that has the knowlege to put right any problems they may cause though which might explain why it's not been tried before?
 

whitenemesis

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I would expect that they have to enter some parameters about the box before the update is applied, if they put the wrong thing in at the start it may explain why some work successfully and other don't?

I would think STAR would recognise what is fitted in the vehicle, after all it interrogates all the modules? The correct update file would then be downloaded from MB Germany and applied. Not to say it's foolproof, indeed the local Mobilo tech was telling me how easy it is for updates to be corrupted by the slightest system blip. Dealers are very cautious about doing them..
 

reuben

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My reply got lost on the previous page :-( Bath and Bristol are nearest cities but I travel to Southampton a lot.

Reading the posts, from my point of view I would always choose someone that is recommended over someone who isn't.
 

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I would think STAR would recognise what is fitted in the vehicle, after all it interrogates all the modules? The correct update file would then be downloaded from MB Germany and applied. Not to say it's foolproof, indeed the local Mobilo tech was telling me how easy it is for updates to be corrupted by the slightest system blip. Dealers are very cautious about doing them..

Spot on Peter, but you have to allow for mileage wear and component slight changes, I am sure that actual values can be taken from the box.

I never did so called up dates in my line of work unless there was a problem that needed the update, as you say one blip and the customer says "It was OK before I brought it in" and you can have a legal battle on your hands, just because you tried to help
 

whitenemesis

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Spot on Peter, but you have to allow for mileage wear and component slight changes, I am sure that actual values can be taken from the box.

I never did so called up dates in my line of work unless there was a problem that needed the update, as you say one blip and the customer says "It was OK before I brought it in" and you can have a legal battle on your hands, just because you tried to help

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it... "

Never a wiser word spoken!
 

V6Matty

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I would think STAR would recognise what is fitted in the vehicle, after all it interrogates all the modules? The correct update file would then be downloaded from MB Germany and applied. Not to say it's foolproof, indeed the local Mobilo tech was telling me how easy it is for updates to be corrupted by the slightest system blip. Dealers are very cautious about doing them..

You could be right, would be interesting to see it being done and interrogate the system while it doing the checks/updates just to see what it really is doing.

Not sure about them saying that it can be corrupted by a blip especially as they will probably download via SFTP where packet drop is almost nil (as long as there network is stable of course). I've not see it being done personally so can only go on what i know about networking and protocols, but there may be more behind it than you have been told but that’s just me guessing now.
 
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television

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You could be right, would be interesting to see it being done and interrogate the system while it doing the checks/updates just to see what it really is doing.

Not sure about them saying that it can be corrupted by a blip especially as they will probably download via SFTP where packet drop is almost nil (as long as there network is stable of course). I've not see it being done personally so can only go on what i know about networking and protocols, but there may be more behind it than you have been told but that’s just me guessing now.

It is not that simple,, it takes time taking info out and getting new info back in.

A blip is a nice word, the car could just wake up and a blip during this process could be enough to corrupt the ECU,, it can be impossible to reinstate it again to re program. You need mains powered back up when doing these jobs, a spike from a poor change over from the power station can kill it all.

We had the thread last night with the failed comand show error "failed up date"

And no most updates go through OK, but again as Peter said things can go wrong, the micro might just fail, there are no answers to it all.
 


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