[EdT]

Title is a bit succinct.

I want to test our Tech II's SPS programming capability. It has reported that there's a newer software release for the ECU in my 2003 Linear.

As I don't want to brick my car, and I have access to a Tech II (obviously), the sensible route is to get a spare ECU from some scrapped 9-5 and program it and marry it. If something fails, just put the original ECU back in. If the spare ECU with updated and configured software works, I have learned something and have a spare ECU besides! ;ol;

What years of ECU hardware would swap into my 2003? There is a 2002 car in the junkyard that I was thinking about. EPC shows a multitude of part numbers, so going by that I would need the exact ECU from a 2003 Linear. However, I think the differences must be in the loaded software and not the physical hardware?

 

[Riccird1]

They're all the same in hardware from 1998-2009 (given that the earliest modely years had the recall/upgrade done. First modelyears had ECU's that could fail.)

I haven't tried doing SPS programming of ECU software.

But if you program the on bench like I do with a combiadapter and TrionicCanFlasher + t7suite, then I can use a basefile from e.g. a 2005 MY in a 2002 car without issues.

Not sure if tech2 only let you program basefiles for your specific VIN, but I think it's gonna work just fine.

 

[EdT]

Thanks! I expect that somewhere along the line the SPS will require specific vehicle setup. Also, the SPS program first takes your vehicle's VIN and details (engine and trans type) before it suggests an upgraded software version. I assume that it's suggesting an upgrade that will work in your car!

I've done SPS on a couple of ACC units, which are the only other module I can program on my 2003 9-5 (manual trans, so no TCU). When I tried to turn the ACC unit on after the programming was complete, nothing happened. Then I saw on SID screen "ACC: START ENGINE" which is a message you probably won't see very often. (Actually it was in Swedish.) I started the engine, ACC did calibration, and is working properly. There should be something similar with ECU programming, with the necessary steps being an automatic part of the procedure.

 

[ksw92_mk2]

I've done updates to the '01 SE and '02 Aero. The process is pretty straightforward. Make sure you have a battery charger on the car when you're doing the reflash as it takes awhile and the ignition must be on the whole time. You also need a external power supply for the Tech2 as it always needs to be on for the entire process.

What started me down the upgrade process was a TCU update for the '02 to fix a 2-3 hard-shift issue. That required both the TCU and ECU to be updated. IIRC, the code revision information (i.e. README files) is accessible in the SPS module of the TIS.

And, yes, I had picked up a spare ECU and TCU before I did this...

 

[EdT]

I've done updates to the '01 SE and '02 Aero. The process is pretty straightforward. Make sure you have a battery charger on the car when you're doing the reflash as it takes awhile and the ignition must be on the whole time. You also need a external power supply for the Tech2 as it always needs to be on for the entire process.

In the Tech II remote process, we turned the Tech II off when removing it from the car's power. It remembered the car's data no problem (in fact it remembers seemingly forever....when you start SPS after a week, it says "I have data, use this data or read new?" or something similar). Same going the other way. We did need the plug-in power supply when communicating with TIS.

This is a Vetronix unit, not a clone.

And, yes, I had picked up a spare ECU and TCU before I did this...

Exactly. ;ol;