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Do you think my car needs a software update?

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Old 01-21-2013, 06:58 AM
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Default Do you think my car needs a software update?

OK, I posted some time back about codes the car was throwing with a check engine light. I took it to my buddies shop where he hooked up his wireless diagnostic computer. We took the car for a drive while the computer captured all the data from the drive.
He got on it a few times and went back to the shop to read the data.
Turbo's are creating good boost. All O2 sensors are reporting as they should. No evap leakage is showing. Cat's OK.

I did replace my BCV valve with an IPD after market BCV valve about a year and a half ago. He seems to think it could be related to that? One of the codes were pointing him to that.

Some of the code descriptions were like, idle air, evap leak, turbo over boost, cat, bank 1 o2, bank 2 o2 etc......

The very strange thing is when he hard resets the codes and the check engine light is off, the car runs like it never ran before. Good pull, good power and such. Keep in mind while the codes are showing the car still runs fine, idles fine, drives smooth, just a small loss of power? When the check engine light kicks on is when I tromp on it such as to pull onto a highway and then the car falls flat while pulling with boost. Almost as if the car has shut off. We all know these cars can pull hard so imagine the car pulling rather quickly then bam,,,,,,Nothing.....Feels like the turbo's choke out at once.

He looked at me and said I don't even know where to begin with all the data it's reporting. I said what do you think about a software update on the car (which he can't do). He said honestly you never know, it can't hurt......

What do you all suggest? Has anyone ever had issues that a software update corrected? Again, the car runs like a dream without the check engine light for about a week. He even said with all the codes the car is throwing it shouldn't run as good as it does, it shouldn't idle as good as it does and is surprised it's not stalling out ever.......He thinks it could be a faulty computer module or such.

I have a shop up the street that specializes in euro cars and is very reasonable with rates. They might be able to flash or update my software for half what the dealer would charge me. They are good people from what I've been told by others who go there....Smart guys....

I'm stumped.
 

Last edited by spankey; 01-21-2013 at 07:02 AM.
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Old 01-22-2013, 10:23 PM
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hmm well speaking of software upgrade i recently got my done since i had them change the sparkplug. And yes i do feel a lot better in driving and acceleration and transmission shifting. So basically everything has become more sharpen/crisper.
Its like getting software upgrade for a microsoft word/excel (for example). Its still the same thing but now with better upgrade it will more functions, better use able friendly (maybe), faster, maybe a new layout etc.
So ya if you get an opportunity then one should get the software upgrade . i had posted a pdf file on this S80 section talking about the software upgrade directly from the Volvo head office. have a look @ it especially if one has aftermarket parts installed
 
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Old 01-22-2013, 10:33 PM
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There are only a very select few codes that are acually fixed with a software upgrade. I don't think an ECM upgrade is going to be the solution to all of this.

What codes were stored, specifically?
 
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Old 01-25-2013, 04:33 PM
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Aka bond, where to get or download that PDF?
 
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Old 01-25-2013, 10:16 PM
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Old 01-25-2013, 11:50 PM
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The free software update is not likely to fix any check engine light. It will turn the light off because after any software update, codes are automatically cleared. But it will likely come back on.
 
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