ECM recall combined with my free 1st oil change

Brought my car in for free first oil change and the service manager asked if I wanted to combine it with a recall to flash my ECM with new software. I thought that my car ran awesome, but decided to have the reflash done as well.

I did get the right oil :G0521951L, new filter 071115562C. I dont think that the fuel filter was inspected...

Anyway the recall states: "Repair open campaign 23H1 ECM software update"

Does anyone know why this was necessary and what is changed? I did not feel the need for any improvement. Put the 10,000 miles on in a little over 3 months. Average consumption despite riding in the hills over 40 mpg. I add 1 oz of Optilube Summer to every tank.

The whole deal took 2.5 hours to complete. Is reflashing with VW so complicated?

kgieskes said:

Anyway the recall states: "Repair open campaign 23H1 ECM software update"

Does anyone know why this was necessary and what is changed? I did not feel the need for any improvement. Put the 10,000 miles on in a little over 3 months. Average consumption despite riding in the hills over 40 mpg. I add 1 oz of Optilube Summer to every tank.

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The technical bulletin reads:

"Improved ECM software calibration to stabilize O2 sensor MAF diagnosis and to improve drivability. O2 sensor diagnosis too sensitive and contamination of the O2 sensor causing MIL ON with DTCs P0136, P0139, P2271, P00D5, P013B and or P320C. MAF sensor, detection at low battery voltage too sensitive causing MIL ON with faults P0101 and/or P0102. DO NOT replace MAF sensor for the faults described here."

Thanks, nhdoc.
Seems that it was worth the wait to not get all these false triggers of the different sensors!

My TDI is getting this campaign done as I type this. I've been having a stutter (similar to a miss on a gas engine) while maintaining a constant speed between 25-45 MPH. The service tech believes this will fix it. I have not had the CEL come on. Does my issue sound like this campaign will fix it?

I was told about this campaign when I brought my car in for its 10K and told them my problem. When I type my VIN into the VW website to check for recalls/campaigns nothing comes up. Any ideas why it is not showing any recalls/campaigns?

They did it to my '09 last week when it took the car in for it's 40K service. At first I wasn't too thrilled about them messing with my ECM as my car runs perfectly and gets great mileage. However, after the tech explained the reason (and read me the TSB) I felt better. He said the flash would not negatively affect my fuel economy and might actually improve it. It's too early to tell, but the car is still running great so the "fix" did not do any apparent harm.

1969mach1351 said:

My TDI is getting this campaign done as I type this. I've been having a stutter (similar to a miss on a gas engine) while maintaining a constant speed between 25-45 MPH. The service tech believes this will fix it. I have not had the CEL come on. Does my issue sound like this campaign will fix it?

I was told about this campaign when I brought my car in for its 10K and told them my problem. When I type my VIN into the VW website to check for recalls/campaigns nothing comes up. Any ideas why it is not showing any recalls/campaigns?

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I and a few others have this stuttering or hesitation as well. I notice it when I've run up to, say 40mph city speed and then back off the throttle -- I'll get a momentary hiccup. Others have noticed the problem when cresting hills (not enough hills here for me to comment on that one) -- essentially the same thing, though, because it means the engine goes to a very light load. Some have claimed that this is due to one of the EGR circuits.

I was in for the 10k oil change and they mentioned the re-flash, so I had it done. I kind of felt it made it slightly worse, but it's hard to say. It didn't improve it, though.

I need to get to my dealer and see if there's another software update available.

1969mach1351 said:

My TDI is getting this campaign done as I type this. I've been having a stutter (similar to a miss on a gas engine) while maintaining a constant speed between 25-45 MPH. The service tech believes this will fix it. I have not had the CEL come on. Does my issue sound like this campaign will fix it?
I was told about this campaign when I brought my car in for its 10K and told them my problem. When I type my VIN into the VW website to check for recalls/campaigns nothing comes up. Any ideas why it is not showing any recalls/campaigns?

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I am having this same problem. I am trying to keep better track of exactly when it happens. Please keep us informed I am curious.

kgieskes said:

I dont think that the fuel filter was inspected...

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Read the maintenance schedule. "Inspecting" the fuel filter is pretty much a thing of the past. On your car it is replaced at I think it's 20K or 40K miles. On my A5, I've never found water in the fuel filter when I've changed it and I have about 83K miles.

I just got my first oil change at the dealership this morning with the same software update. i was also wondering what it was for too. The guy just said it was for the O2 sensor... blah blah blah.


Thanks for the info guys.

It seems to have raised the idle speed on my car a tad. Otherwise I don't notice a difference.

kgieskes said:

Brought my car in for free first oil change and the service manager asked if I wanted to combine it with a recall to flash my ECM with new software. I thought that my car ran awesome, but decided to have the reflash done as well.
I did get the right oil :G0521951L, new filter 071115562C. I dont think that the fuel filter was inspected...
Anyway the recall states: "Repair open campaign 23H1 ECM software update"
Does anyone know why this was necessary and what is changed? I did not feel the need for any improvement. Put the 10,000 miles on in a little over 3 months. Average consumption despite riding in the hills over 40 mpg. I add 1 oz of Optilube Summer to every tank.
The whole deal took 2.5 hours to complete. Is reflashing with VW so complicated?

Click to expand...

Apparently, flashing any ECU takes a while. I used to have a 330xi and flashing the ECU can take up to 6 hours - well, at least that's why the dealer was charging BMWUSA.

went in for the 10k yesterday 9am... assumed they would have it all day, which they did (called me @ 5:30 to say it was ready - they close @ 6 )

i go in to pick it up this morning, having to drag the wife/babies along and all, and the dude says, "we ran out of time, so you'll have to come back later to get the ECM and BCM flash updates." ummm, maybe this information would've been pertinent BEFORE we reworked our entire morning, you jack***! unbelievable. (but totally believable, judging from others' experiences!)

they DID appear to put 4 quarts (according to the work order) of the correct oil in w/out making a mess. and they swapped out the fraying seat cover as promised, AND switched out the tweaked iPod cable... so all in all, maybe a better than average service?

also wondering if flash updates can only be done at dealers, or if VW gurus also have this special power... just want to avoid future trips to the dealer at all costs!

I had the flash done at my 20k oil change and for me I am very happy with the flash....My car seems to run better at lower rpms, and lugging around in 2nd. Starting from a stop ihas improved also as there sometimes was a stutter. I think overall the car runs better.

St.Hubbins said:

also wondering if flash updates can only be done at dealers, or if VW gurus also have this special power... just want to avoid future trips to the dealer at all costs!

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Tuners have the ability to reflash your ECU, but if they haven't had time to get the code dumped from an ECU with the update and had time to determine the changes and integrate them into their load, the issues will not be fixed.

I had the update done at my 10k change. Had an 8am appointment and I was on the road at 9:30. Only thing I told them not to do was the tire rotation since I was swapping out my winters the next day. I am sure that saved me some time.

So, they're doing this to all 2.0 CR engines regardless of year?

The dealer i went to said they will only do the update if a custom complains of certian issues related to the update.

The update did not help mine at all.

When my car was at the dealer to have the DSG MU replaced, I mentioned the ECU update to the dealer and they did it without any hassle at all. I can tell you that the engine is running smoother and I had an all time best fuel mileage average of 52.8mpg while I was on vacation.

I've had a couple of recalls performed. I just checked my paperwork, it's all gibberish. I've never noticed any difference in the performance or stall-ability of the car.