When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Anybody else get the letter about an ECU update? It says a decreased idle prevents the cats from warming up properly. I wonder if this solves the cold start issue where sometimes it idles low (like car is already warmed up) if it hasn't been driven for a few days.
I got this in the mail today for my 2018 C63s. I think I’m going to pass on taking it in. I really don’t want to take the chance of an updated software changing characteristics of the car like sound/pops/shifts. I’m also tuned and don’t want to take it in unless I absolutely have to.
I also experience the low idle after not driving for a few days but I just let the car run for 10-15 seconds and then turn it off and then on again. The normal cold start sequence starts when I do this.
No, I haven't gotten such a letter and no recall is showing up for my VIN. Must indeed be a PFL thing. I'm guessing it's a recall because it affects emissions. The only risk I think of not getting it done is that you might start failing smog checks if that's a thing in your region if the cats don't warm up properly before the test.
We talked about this on one of my previous topics about two months ago. Member who had the software updated said pops and crackles are not as much as pre-updated.
We talked about this on one of my previous topics about two months ago. Member who had the software updated said pops and crackles are not as much as pre-updated.
That was me, it definitely change the sound of the engine, not as loud on start up, very quiet on the move, even when PE activated, no pops and bangs on over run, that was a few weeks ago, it has got a lot better over time, nearly as good as before the software update, my advice though is don’t get it done.
Look what came in the mail, dated 11/20.
I dread the red text on the Merc envelopes.
I just did the AMG suspension software recall update with my Service B just a week ago and this recall didn’t show up.
The letter mentions that in California if you don’t do this update you will not be able to register the car when it’s renewal time.
Originally Posted by chongl
Anybody else get the letter about an ECU update? It says a decreased idle prevents the cats from warming up properly. I wonder if this solves the cold start issue where sometimes it idles low (like car is already warmed up) if it hasn't been driven for a few days.
Can someone post picture of letter? I tossed mine and my dealer said the update is not ready yet. Could of swore it said to go in and would take an hour to do.
Can someone post picture of letter? I tossed mine and my dealer said the update is not ready yet. Could of swore it said to go in and would take an hour to do.
For some reason I'm rarely able to get past 90% when trying to upload pictures on here. But the letter says "the minimum repair time can be up to approximately 1 hour, your dealer can provide you with a better estimate..." Seems like poor wording as it says "the minimum time" and then immediately says "can be up to". I would read those phrases as saying the exact opposite thing, but whatever.
I just got my letter and like others in this thread am hesitant to do it for fear of what may change with the exhaust characteristics. I had the same concern when I did the exhaust ecu/tcu software update a while back and at the time I did think that update resulted in fewer pops/bangs than before. I know a lot of people specifically got that update to improve their exhaust sounds. Mine was already pretty loud with plenty of pops and bangs before and I think the update lessened them a bit.
So is there a consensus on this update that the downside (potentially losing exhaust sounds) exceeds the upside of the fix? Who has had this recall update done and what is the feedback?
Also, I just checked the mbusa.com recall page and it shows no recall for my car. Meanwhile I did receive the mailed notice and the VIN is correct on both the webpage and the paper letter. That's helpful...
So I looked into this a bit more and to my question about who has done the update and what is the feedback...well nobody has done the update. Mercedes is still working on the software design for the update and said it will be another month or so before it is available at dealers.
So I'm not sure what user Fordgt40 was talking about with his experience with the update. I think he must've been confused and talking about the exhaust software update and not this recall software update.
So I looked into this a bit more and to my question about who has done the update and what is the feedback...well nobody has done the update. Mercedes is still working on the software design for the update and said it will be another month or so before it is available at dealers.
So I'm not sure what user Fordgt40 was talking about with his experience with the update. I think he must've been confused and talking about the exhaust software update and not this recall software update.
It was the low idle speed after not being used for 3 days software update and not the exhaust software update, it certainly made the exhaust quieter, it’s got better with usage but pops and crackles are not as good.
It was the low idle speed after not being used for 3 days software update and not the exhaust software update, it certainly made the exhaust quieter, it’s got better with usage but pops and crackles are not as good.
Hmm, that's interesting. I think I saw that you are in the UK. Perhaps the update is somehow already available there. MB USA said they haven't even finished designing the update much less rolled it out to dealers for customers to be able to do it.
ok, so the new CA emission ECU reprogram campaign is now at dealerships. My friend was just servicing her C63S sedan and the update was mandatory.
It’s supposed to fix the cold start issue where if you leave your car unattended for about 3 days, the car skips the cold start and immediately goes to a low idle 800 RPM.
Now the most difficult change is that the pops and bangs are all gone in sports+ or race mode, and the exhaust sound is like driving in regular sport or comfort mode now.
My service A is in December so I’m hoping that nothing breaks in my car before that.
Anyone know whether you can copy your original ECU settings with a ECU hand programmer and then write it back to the car after the update?
Originally Posted by jherm
Hmm, that's interesting. I think I saw that you are in the UK. Perhaps the update is somehow already available there. MB USA said they haven't even finished designing the update much less rolled it out to dealers for customers to be able to do it.
ok, so the new CA emission ECU reprogram campaign is now at dealerships. My friend was just servicing her C63S sedan and the update was mandatory.
It’s supposed to fix the cold start issue where if you leave your car unattended for about 3 days, the car skips the cold start and immediately goes to a low idle 800 RPM.
Now the most difficult change is that the pops and bangs are all gone in sports+ or race mode, and the exhaust sound is like driving in regular sport or comfort mode now.
My service A is in December so I’m hoping that nothing breaks in my car before that.
Anyone know whether you can copy your original ECU settings with a ECU hand programmer and then write it back to the car after the update?
I appreciate your posting that update about the rollout. It's timely for me as I have a service A scheduled at the dealer on Thursday. I certainly don't want to lose exhaust notes so I think I'll schedule the service at a good local indy instead. I'm out of original warranty anyway.
I do have a Renntech EVM. I wonder if that would help retain some of the exhaust crackles if the recall update was done to my car.
If you can, avoid this at ALL costs... I had to recently take my 2019 c63s coupe due to headlight malfunctioning and a few other things that needed to be fixed and the dealer performed the emission recall fix. Once I got the car back there is little to no pop or burbles... and the car sounds so much quieter overall. I have the renntech valve controller and even with flaps open all the time it just sounds so different now. I dont know what they did but the car also feels a ton slower... lack of sound and pull was noticed immediately by the girlfriend too so i know it's not just me. Is there anyway for me to flash back to previous ecu settings?
If you can, avoid this at ALL costs... I had to recently take my 2019 c63s coupe due to headlight malfunctioning and a few other things that needed to be fixed and the dealer performed the emission recall fix. Once I got the car back there is little to no pop or burbles... and the car sounds so much quieter overall. I have the renntech valve controller and even with flaps open all the time it just sounds so different now. I dont know what they did but the car also feels a ton slower... lack of sound and pull was noticed immediately by the girlfriend too so i know it's not just me. Is there anyway for me to flash back to previous ecu settings?
What exactly does your invoice say they did? This recall does not apply to MY2019, only 2015-2018. According to the below communication, the letter was actually sent too early to customers as the recall campaign was planned for February 2021, but still it doesn't apply to 2019+. I show no open recall for my 2019. There was an ESP recall for the 2019, along with a couple of AMG Drive Unit campaigns that fixed issues with the dynamic engine mounts and the rear differential. None of them degraded performance or anything. On the contrary, they improved the car. Definitely curious what they updated on your car. My car was in the shop for Service B in January, at which point it received the second AMG Drive Unit update. I did the ESP recall last year.
What exactly does your invoice say they did? This recall does not apply to MY2019, only 2015-2018. According to the below communication, the letter was actually sent too early to customers as the recall campaign was planned for February 2021, but still it doesn't apply to 2019+. I show no open recall for my 2019. There was an ESP recall for the 2019, along with a couple of AMG Drive Unit campaigns that fixed issues with the dynamic engine mounts and the rear differential. None of them degraded performance or anything. On the contrary, they improved the car. Definitely curious what they updated on your car. My car was in the shop for Service B in January, at which point it received the second AMG Drive Unit update. I did the ESP recall last year.
My invoice includes campaign no. 2020060019(rear axle differential), Head lamps inoperative LI82.10-P-071235, Fluid top off, Apple Carplay malfunctioning(STILL NOT FIXED..), Campaign NO. 2020090018 Activated-Carbon Filter, and ESP System, and lastly something about tire sealant bottles...i'm assuming it's the activated-carbon filter.
My invoice includes campaign no. 2020060019(rear axle differential), Head lamps inoperative LI82.10-P-071235, Fluid top off, Apple Carplay malfunctioning(STILL NOT FIXED..), Campaign NO. 2020090018 Activated-Carbon Filter, and ESP System, and lastly something about tire sealant bottles...i'm assuming it's the activated-carbon filter.
No, that's just a cabin air filter and gets replaced as part of every Service B anyway. But some VINs were found to have a faulty one from the factory. These filters emit some gases and the faulty ones have been found to emit more than allowed, so that's why it's categorized as an emissions recall, but has nothing to do with the engine or the engine's emissions. I've had all the other updates as said and none affected the performance of the car. I'm guessing they screwed something up with the AMG Drive Unit updates in your case, or possibly the ESP update. If the car had a power failure during the update and they didn't reset it, then it goes into limp mode for example. You can tell by bringing up the engine data screen in the COMAND system. I believe if it's in limp mode it will only show something like 200 possible horsepower instead of the 500+.
Last edited by superswiss; May 5, 2021 at 05:47 PM.
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
