[Wiverson]

tl;dr - took car in to get software update, update killed computer-specific battery requiring new hardware

Picked up my 2022 XC40 Ultimate a few weeks ago. No real issues on pickup, aside from the driver display not showing Google Maps. One center console reboot fixed that.

After a day or so, noticed a rattle. Decided to go ahead and book an apt with the dealer to fix the rattle and install 1.8[.1]. I had hit the check updates button every day or so to see if 1.8 was available, no dice. Took car in Monday 12/13. Dealer identified and fixed the rattle in ~1 hour.

The software update, however, has been a different story. The rough chronology with details as per the dealer:

-Monday afternoon - just trying to do the update, but servers are slow installing. Eventually, dealer gave me a loaner.
-Tuesday afternoon - still having trouble doing the update, but think they have it. Apparently some aspect will take overnight. Car is not drivable.
- Weds afternoon - dealer thinks all the hardware is ok, but apparently installing the updates ruined the TCAP(?) battery. Car is undrivable without the battery. Battery is not the main battery or the 12 volt. Ordered a new battery, should be here today or tomorrow.

All of this is making me wonder if there is something wedged about the upgrade installer system. If the updater can wedge hard enough to kill the computer battery, that's a huge fail. Perhaps some kind of endless loop + high CPU usage? If the same thing happened with the car in the garage it would be a pretty rough towing situation.

As near as I can tell, this software update problem really isn't an EV issue, as I believe the newer gas/hybrid/PHEV Volvos are also using the same AAOS stack. If I was Volvo I would be pretty concerned about the QA and software update process - killing a car and rendering it unusable for 3+ days is obviously not good.

So far aside from this the actual car itself has been great. Driving the loaner 2018 XC90 T6 makes me really realize how much more I prefer driving an EV.

Honestly, the only thing about the Recharge that I don't love are the software bugs. I hope they are prioritizing the bug fix backlog over everything else...

 

[BuzzyBud]

There are times when being an "early adopter" of a new software update you can feel like you are on "the bleeding edge". Unless the new update has time critical solutions, waiting three or four weeks might be prudent. Just a thought from a software guy who has "been there, done that".

 

[Wiverson]

Oh, sure, I’m a software dev too (mostly Java, C# nowadays, used to do C/C++).

It’s a released software OS package for a car installed by the dealer. Waiting a bit for third party integration/apps it’s one thing, but these aren’t external integration issues. The QA process is presumably the same for, say, 1.7 and 1.8.

Waiting for an OS update for a computer because you have a critical dependency on a 3rd party app is fine. If I bought a new Mac or PC and it couldn’t get through a clean wipe and OS install? 😬

I’m totally aware that AAOS is kind of beta. Still love the car. But dang, not confidence building either.

 

[BuzzyBud]

Some might say the Volvo EVs are more computer centered and more highly dependent on software. Oh well!

I have been watching the software update page within the Owner's Manual (see link below) and noticed the documentation for the 1.8 update had a date change. The current date in the manual is 12/05/2021. When I saw the previous date change to the current 12/05/2021, I assumed a critical bug fix was being pushed out and should be reflected in version control to display 1.8.1
When you get your Volvo back, you might look to see if there was a change via version control.

Software updates | Volvo Support (volvocars.com)

 

[Wiverson]

Yeah, very interested in the version number 1.8 v 1.8.1.

I have a lot of questions, like, what’s up with that independent battery? Is that going to be a failure point in the future? Main battery is one thing, 12v can be replaced easily enough, but what’s with that battery as a user inaccessible but can kill the car part? Where in the stack is the failure - BIOS, updater, or…? Is the falling battery smart with a management chipset or just a dumb part?

 

[BuzzyBud]

All great questions! Not sure if the person within the dealership has the correct terminology for the hardware that failed. I bet it was a circuit board. Keep in mind that term worries people with the current chip shortages and supply chain issues.
We may never know what happened and the dealer may simply dance around the topic by design.

 

[arteitle]

Yeah, very interested in the version number 1.8 v 1.8.1.

I have a lot of questions, like, what’s up with that independent battery? Is that going to be a failure point in the future? Main battery is one thing, 12v can be replaced easily enough, but what’s with that battery as a user inaccessible but can kill the car part? Where in the stack is the failure - BIOS, updater, or…? Is the falling battery smart with a management chipset or just a dumb part?

This third battery is for the TCAM, the telecommunications module that handles 4G and GPS reception among others. The module is located in the shark fin antenna on the roof, and its backup battery is nearby. There's a good discussion about it in this thread: Dead Battery on XC40 Recharge

 

[Wiverson]

This third battery is for the TCAM, the telecommunications module that handles 4G and GPS reception among others. The module is located in the shark fin antenna on the roof, and its backup battery is nearby. There's a good discussion about it in this thread: Dead Battery on XC40 Recharge

Thanks - that thread and the PDF overview is really interesting.

Looks like the failure has nothing to do with being an EV, AFAIK those kind of TCAM modules are in all the models. Huh.

 

[XC90_Dinosaur]

Too bad you have to go through this, but it is what it is.
Anyway, just little suggestion here. If somebody has an anxiety that update might go wrong (like me), take the car to the dealership lot and do the OTA update there. Let them know of course and if something goes wrong you are on the right place. It's like being hit by an ambulance. At least no tow trucks and wait will be involved.

 

[BainbridgeIsland]

Yeah, very interested in the version number 1.8 v 1.8.1.

Hard to tell. Version numbers are actually a BRAND NEW FEATURE for us, starting with ver 1.7. Dealers have always had the ability to install individual module updates in-between major OTA releases, much like Windows "hot-fixes". But this is the first time I've seen a dealer install given it's own (minor) version number.

If I had to guess - the x.x.1 minor release is probably something like "Adds new Lithuanian translation to cruise control UI" - but who knows, without access to dealer service system?

 

[Wiverson]

If I had to guess - the x.x.1 minor release is probably something like "Adds new Lithuanian translation to cruise control UI" - but who knows, without access to dealer service system?

Totally, or maybe a tweak to the installer to not hang on a firmware update, not the actual code. Who knows... 🤷‍♂️

 

[Wiverson]

Too bad you have to go through this, but it is what it is.
Anyway, just little suggestion here. If somebody has an anxiety that update might go wrong (like me), take the car to the dealership lot and do the OTA update there. Let them know of course and if something goes wrong you are on the right place. It's like being hit by an ambulance. At least no tow trucks and wait will be involved.

Yeah, having an OTA brick my car to the point where it needs to be towed out of my garage is a pretty grim scenario. I'm glad I avoided that and have a 2018 XC90 for a loaner. 🤷‍♂️

 

[Wiverson]

We may never know what happened and the dealer may simply dance around the topic by design.

The dealer seemed pretty open, said it was the TCAM battery specifically. I've been going to this dealer for years and no issues to date. For past stuff (XC60 T6 & XC60 T8) they were happy to even have the tech come out and we nerded out a bit.

LMK if there are any Qs you all think I should ask.

 

[He Keith]

I am still debating if I want 1.8. If there are no fixes for the LTE or my BT issues then let me know when there is.

 

[Wiverson]

I am still debating if I want 1.8. If there are no fixes for the LTE or my BT issues then let me know when there is.

As soon as I get the car back I'll post to see if I notice anything.

 

[JT Rock]

Something I forgot to ask my service person is where exactly is the TCAM BUB?

 

[Dogwhistle]

I think the OTA process somehow overtaxes the TCAM system. I received the email from Volvo saying the 1.8 update was headed my way, and the same day my wife reported that the car went totally offline, no cell or GPS connection. I’d never had this problem before, in 10k miles of ownership. It stayed that way for almost a week when suddenly it all came back. Within a few hours of the car reconnecting, I received notification that the 1.8 update was available for install! Coincidence? I think not.

 

[Wiverson]

Something I forgot to ask my service person is where exactly is the TCAM BUB?

In the diagram PDF in the other thread above it looked like it is somewhere in the rear. The diagram made it look like it's in the back quarter panel-ish, but on the XC40 Recharge that's awfully close to where the charger plug is located. I just looked up the emergency responder manual for the Recharge and didn't see it in the diagrams. From the diagram PDF it looked like it was pretty low voltage but 🤷‍♂️

 

[vantablack]

I am still debating if I want 1.8. If there are no fixes for the LTE or my BT issues then let me know when there is.

Anecdotally my LTE connectivity seems much more stable with 1.8.

 

[JT Rock]

From the diagram PDF it looked like it was pretty low voltage

The TCAM back-up battery (BuB) looks to be a single cell Li-ion battery.

The following is an excerpt from a Volvo tech journal: