Fri, 23 Dec 2005
Car firmware upgrade
Few days ago I ordered a new airbag control unit for my car, because the original one was faulty - probably some problem with PCB, because it worked only when the outside temperature was above cca 25 C, or when the car was warm (after half an hour of driving or so). The serviceman has replaced the airbag unit, and everything was OK. However, when synchronizing this unit with car's main computer, the system told him that there was a new firmware available for the ignition control unit.
So he begun with flashing the firmware. But something went wrong (I suspect flaky power cable or so) - the firmware upgrade did not finish and the ignition unit is inoperable since then. They lent me a spare car and they look like they really know they messed things up, so I think they will manage to fix it. I have heard various bad stories about Sagem ignition control units so far, so I am not much surprised.
I am trying not to be rude on them, because I know that I also upgrade the firmware in computers, when there is at least small possibility that the firmware is the source of problems. And I know firmware upgrades can go wrong any time. So I use the borrowed Favorit (a really old small car, which is barely functioning) and I hope they will manage to fix it soon.