Software updates

[MrZappo]

I've seen numerous folks on the forum mentioning that when they take their jeep for service that sometimes software updates are applied if available as a matter of course.

I noticed @ShadowsPapa had mentioned a recent transmission update that had a negative impact on fuel economy but he preferred how the truck drove after.

I recently had my truck in for the steering gear and when I picked it up I asked if any software updates had been found or applied.

The service guy told me that they "don't do that anymore".

When pressed he said that they never even check for code updates unless a customer makes a specific inquiry about an issue they are having and only then would they look to see if a code update had been released to address that issue.

But even in that case, they would only apply that one update and would not apply others even if they existed.

Does this jive with the experiences of any others of you? Is this correct?

Seems contrary to what I've read on this forum.

Now I'm curious if he is misinformed or I am...

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[Jeepfreak22]

Brought mine in for oil and tire rotation and they did the TSB for the pcm ( power control module , which I think is the engine) last week and now I’ve lost 2mpg wtf ! Anyone else lose mpg after the update

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Brought mine in for oil and tire rotation and they did the TSB for the pcm ( power control module , which I think is the engine) last week and now I’ve lost 2mpg wtf ! Anyone else lose mpg after the update

Yes. However, the engine seems "gutsier" and the shifting doesn't hunt so much. 8th gear is only on flats or very light loads now, and it downshifts more readily - holds the gear longer before shifting up again.
It struggled with my EMPTY car hauler that only weighs about 1600 pounds before. MPG sucked with that empty trailer and the transmission was up and down, up and down, up and down constantly and upshifted way too soon.
Of course with no load that means great mpg - but at the cost of performance.
If you look into it there are multiple TSBs on the PCM update, engine issues, etc. and my guess is that they decided the old version while great for mpg was perhaps too lean (causing engine failures, misfires, etc.)
Yes, I've dropped mpg a fair amount, if it's like the original PCM code, it will likely learn again. I can frankly already see a bit of gain back. It doesn't hold gears quite as long as it did immediately after the PCM update but still better than when I bought the truck.
It should re-adapt somewhat. If this PCM update prevents engine issues like some here have seen, I'm for it. a couple mpg loss is better than an engine running too lean or struggling to pull only 1600 pounds. I also feel it MAY gain some of that back as it re-learns. PLUS, it's winter here and awfully hard to gauge as cold weather set in shortly after that update and that always did drop the mpg on all of our vehicles.

 

[MrZappo]

Yes. However, the engine seems "gutsier" and the shifting doesn't hunt so much. 8th gear is only on flats or very light loads now, and it downshifts more readily - holds the gear longer before shifting up again.
It struggled with my EMPTY car hauler that only weighs about 1600 pounds before. MPG sucked with that empty trailer and the transmission was up and down, up and down, up and down constantly and upshifted way too soon.
Of course with no load that means great mpg - but at the cost of performance.
If you look into it there are multiple TSBs on the PCM update, engine issues, etc. and my guess is that they decided the old version while great for mpg was perhaps too lean (causing engine failures, misfires, etc.)
Yes, I've dropped mpg a fair amount, if it's like the original PCM code, it will likely learn again. I can frankly already see a bit of gain back. It doesn't hold gears quite as long as it did immediately after the PCM update but still better than when I bought the truck.
It should re-adapt somewhat. If this PCM update prevents engine issues like some here have seen, I'm for it. a couple mpg loss is better than an engine running too lean or struggling to pull only 1600 pounds. I also feel it MAY gain some of that back as it re-learns. PLUS, it's winter here and awfully hard to gauge as cold weather set in shortly after that update and that always did drop the mpg on all of our vehicles.

Has it been your experience that they DO check for these during any service appointment and apply them or do they never check unless I ask about a specific issue?

It seems contrary to what it seems your experience was.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Has it been your experience that they DO check for these during any service appointment and apply them or do they never check unless I ask about a specific issue?

It seems contrary to what it seems your experience was.

They always plug their reader into OBD. They read the vin, etc. It automatically checks that VIN against their internal lists of what's what. This loads your vehicle history up for them. They see what was last serviced, by who, when, etc.
.
They confirmed my name, asked what I was in for, and he hit something on his tablet and says "I see your VIN is due for a PCM update"
In other words, they don't look for updates, it pops up on their screen.
I have to expect that if you don't do it, then next time you go in your VIN will still be on that list and it will come up again each visit.

Knowing all of the issues a few people are having with engine performance issues, multiple misfire codes, actual engine damage, "check engine light" coming on and so on - and having read at least 3 or 4 bulletins on the various PCM updates, what those updates do and involve, AND the fact that after complaining of the performance of my JT when towing an EMPTY trailer weighing in at only 1600 pounds (a joke, nothing at all in the realm of trailers people are towing with these) I was going to ask them to reset the transmission control on this thing anyway and force it to relearn, or confront them about the poor towing performance so when they said "your VIN comes up as due for a PCM update" I hoped it was a performance fix at least, or that I MIGHT avoid some of the issues others are having. (and so far, engine is not causing trouble)

If they had said "an update was just released yesterday" or something like that - I'd have likely jumped and said "NO, maybe next time" so i could monitor for any issues with the update. I never like things the first day of release - like it even less if Microsoft.

 

[MrZappo]

Interesting. I was told (and I asked twice) about software updates. He told me that they never even check anymore. Unless I come in with a specific issue.

Seemed a bit odd as I'm sure these updates are released often and they get paid to apply them.

Maybe I'll get my next service done elsewhere and see if the story is the same.

Mine tows 3500 pounds OK but she does hunt for gears a lot. Towing or not.

I assumed that it was normal but your experience has me wondering a bit.

I figured the dealer would have alerted me to an available update. When asked, they implied that they hadn't even checked. I found that odd as you know they had to plug in to get the steering update.

I've found them to be either incompetent or dishonest several times and I'm not sure which one it is. Or which one I'd rather it be.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Interesting. I was told (and I asked twice) about software updates. He told me that they never even check anymore. Unless I come in with a specific issue.

Seemed a bit odd as I'm sure these updates are released often and they get paid to apply them.

Maybe I'll get my next service done elsewhere and see if the story is the same.

Mine tows 3500 pounds OK but she does hunt for gears a lot. Towing or not.

I assumed that it was normal but your experience has me wondering a bit.

I figured the dealer would have alerted me to an available update. When asked, they implied that they hadn't even checked. I found that odd as you know they had to plug in to get the steering update.

I've found them to be either incompetent or dishonest several times and I'm not sure which one it is. Or which one I'd rather it be.

When we drove my JT up to Spirit Lake, Ia to chat with Spencer up there, NW Iowa is reasonably flat. I noticed my truck shifted roughly every 5 to 10 seconds. A mild hill would have it downshifting and as soon as it even started to level out it went up to 8th again.. I mean it was back and forth, back and forth, mile after mile. I bet in 5 minutes time it shifted several dozen times, it was crazy.
Now it won't hit 8th unless it's going at least 50 or more and if it downshifts, it holds the lower gear longer and won't hit 8th again until it's flat and very low load.

I pulled in as their overhead door opened, my window was down and the service writer asked what they could do for me - so as I got out, I said:
"Wave oil change and tire rotation - please put these tires in the back on the truck as the rotation and mark my other wheels as to which corner they came off of so they don't go back on the same corner next spring"
His response -
OK, will do - oh, I see your VIN is due for a PCM update, we'll take care of it for you, thank you.

It really was pretty much like that

 

[Samslop]

Brought mine in for oil and tire rotation and they did the TSB for the pcm ( power control module , which I think is the engine) last week and now I’ve lost 2mpg wtf ! Anyone else lose mpg after the update

I notice my gas mileage has dropped also

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I figure if the PCM update is to improve performance, and/or to prevent check engine lights, misfire codes and possible other weirdness, then it's a good thing as the higher mpg was likely an anomaly anyway and wasn't meant to be. FCA found programming issues in the PCM that for some people caused misfires and codes and lights. Apparently it was running on the edge.

It's hard to imagine these trucks getting the same mpg as a Grand Cherokee that sits low to the ground, has ground effects to prevent wind drag under the vehicle, is designed to be more aerodynamic and has tires intended for good ride and mpg - and yet my truck was almost catching up with the mpg my wife was getting and she drives for better mpg. Something had to be wrong. I mean the GC has a drastically sloped-back windshield that also slopes down and back at the ends, presents a smaller frontage to the wind and along the sides has smooth lines, no drip rails and the front of the suspension and tires is shielded. No way a JT should be even close to a Grand Cherokee in mpg.

 

[rr11]

I had a similar experience to ShadowsPapa the advisor pugged in to my OBD and said you have a update do you want us to do it today. I also lost some MPG but it is slowly coming back.

 

[Willys2Gladiator]

What's your build date. You may not need the upgrade depending on your build date.

I would think the latest versions are done at the factory once available.

 

[MrZappo]

My build date was July 2020. My truck is a 2020 model year.

It's a mojave. I sure hope it has the update. My mileage ain't so good.

But I have MT tires so I chalked it up to that.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

What's your build date. You may not need the upgrade depending on your build date.

I would think the latest versions are done at the factory once available.

These show up by VIN so it's already being applied by build date and need.
If your VIN is late enough, they won't see it as being needed so it won't pop up on their tablet.

There are also multiple TSBs about the PCM - at least 3 I am aware of and the latest is fairly recent.
I'd hope 2021 models would have all of this.

I had a similar experience to ShadowsPapa the advisor pugged in to my OBD and said you have a update do you want us to do it today. I also lost some MPG but it is slowly coming back.

That's my feeling - it's slowly coming back sort of like when I first bought the truck - the mpg exceeded expectations but after 7,000 miles it was really good. And like I said - going into winter is a bad time to try to compare! 50 degrees is often good for mpg, lower than that, not good for mpg. My 4.0 really shines when the temps are upper 40s to mid-50s, and this truck hasn't been much different. So IMO, spring will be the real tell for me.

 

[stang37]

I took my 2020 Gladiator in for 2" Mopar lift and asked for them to check for updates. They found there were 6 software updates available. 1. PCM module due to essential “blue” software update (Warranty) 2. DASC module adaptive cruise concerns I asked about. (Warranty) because adaptive cruise cuts off. The following 4, TCM, ABS, TPM and BCM control modules were not covered under warranty because I haven't had issues with these. $88.00 to have these updated. I was concerned that all were not covered under warranty since they were update to their software.

 

[cecaa850]

Jeep USED to pay the dealer to update every module in the vehicle that had an update available, every time a vehicle went into the shop for anything. Their thinking is that it would possibly prevent future issues and maybe improve functions associated with that module. My assumption (I have no inside info) is that the bean counters got ahold of the warranty department and showed them how much money they were spending doing this. They probably weighed monies spent against moneys saved in the long run and decided it wasn't worht the cost. Dealers can now only update software if it corrects a complaint that the vehicle came in for or if there's a recall or RRT.

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