Software Update

[SRGTD]

It’s interesting to hear of the issues that owners are experiencing and those owners have my sympathies.

I can accept that there might be a few teething problems with a new model of car, but reading of the multiple issues - pretty much all software related - that owners are having to put up with, software fixes that seem to be very hit and miss, and dealers not being able to help customers is unacceptable IMO. It’s such a shame, because mechanically, the mk8 seems to be a very accomplished car, but being mechanically accomplished without similarly accomplished software results in a flawed product. If I owned a mk8 Golf with these ongoing software issues, I think I’d seriously consider the route of rejecting the car, and that’s not something I’ve ever needed to consider doing in over 40 years of car ownership.

A member on another VW forum recently posted that they’d been speaking to a VW tech who said VW’s current approach to minimalist interior design (removal of physical controls and touchscreens for almost everything) had hurt the brand - presumably adversely affecting sales and alienating a number of traditional, long-standing core VW customers. The underling software issues certainly won’t have helped the situation either. Damaging a trusted brand through poor product design, poor reliability and substandard customer service can happen in a very short time frame. Rebuilding that brand can take many years and considerable investment by the brand owner .

I don’t think VW could use the mk2 Golf‘s 1980’s advertising strap line ‘If only everything in life was as reliable as a Volkswagen’ for the mk8 Golf………..

 

[Handydave]

I'll share my experience, it might be useful to someone

A very helpful post. Let's hope VW HQ are reading it.

Thankfully I don't have the speaker crackle / emergency assist problem, but I can confirm the "front assist not available" problem when it's frosty, snowing or humid.

So I think that's a separate issue and it soon sorts itself out.

Interestingly, the first couple of times it happened I had a phone call from my VW dealer (the following day) to say they'd had an automatic report of the problem and asked if all was ok. They didn't phone when it happened recently - probably got fed up...

 

[Maturedriver]

Neither VW HQ or dealers will be reading this forum. They despise forums with a passion.

 

[airforced]

Eventually got fed up with the software issues even after software updated to 1668 and took it to the dealers and told them I didn't want it back until was all sorted. I'm thinking "fat chance" but prepared to see what VW come up with. First go is to be a new steering wheel which (of course) is on back-order. Update tomorrow promised. I'm also told that the assosiated wiring loom doesn't get done unless the new wheel doesn't work. It sounds like VW is continuing to treat customers a beta testers rather than customers who are having to deal with a shoddy product but time will tell. The Dealer seems very much to be the 'man in the middle' as they can only do what VW tell them so I'm not criticising the Dealers. Mechanically and otherwise I like the car but he random nature of the software problems mean that a dogs dinner has been served.

 

[arciere]

Eventually got fed up with the software issues even after software updated to 1668 and took it to the dealers and told them I didn't want it back until was all sorted.

Mine is on lease, I managed to get a 15% refund on the first year of contract. The person I spoke to, from VW finance, told me that VW is apparently working on a software update, but they still don't know when/if it will become available. I'm sure they're going to save it for the mk 8.5

I would love to take a look at the firmware file that they're using, apparently it gets updated via the USB port (I pressed the home button for a long time and it took me to the "maintenance mode"), but I doubt there's anything on the web.

 

[Massimo 2323]

Yes it is possible to download the firmware, but you need to be registered VW.. there is a forum where you can find the update files for all the control units… but with the car in warranty i woildnt risk it.
Also worth a mention someone with a Skoda Octavia 4 , which has the same infotainment unit 816B and 1668 sw as the Golf 8 built before week 48, was updated to a 816F and 1806. There is chatter in Germany that this will also be the big update for the 816B units. We will see in the next month if it is true.

 

[arciere]

Funnily enough that's what I was told, that a new update was "imminent". I pretty much ignored that since my definition of imminent is likely to be quite different than theirs.

Anyway I wouldn't do anything to my car, but I am curious to see if the firmware can be somehow "read" on a computer. I'm an IT engineer (who's got IT issues with his car ), although not a programmer, I would be curious to see what the code says

 

[Maturedriver]

If the rumour that there will be a big update for the earlier 816B units (mine) I assume that it will have to be done at the dealers rather than online via the car’s SIM?

I do wonder how many Mk8 Golf owners either don’t use all the high tech features or don’t worry if they don’t work? Perhaps it’s just a few of us enthusiastic Golf owners on forums want everything to work. If that’s the case this might explains why VW have taken so long to (not) sort out these issues therefore when they have found the answers the VW dealers may not be overwhelmed with cars being updated with new software.

 

[arciere]

I do wonder how many Mk8 Golf owners either don’t use all the high tech features or don’t worry if they don’t work? Perhaps it’s just a few of us enthusiastic Golf owners on forums want everything to work.

Oh that's for sure. When I spoke to VW Finance the guy told me that VW mother told him that setting the privacy to maximum would solve the issue. I'm sure that 90% of owners have just done that and stopped complaining (plus another 90% that didn't even bother setting up user profiles in the first place).

 

[Handydave]

Also worth a mention someone with a Skoda Octavia 4 , which has the same infotainment unit 816B and 1668 sw as the Golf 8 built before week 48, was updated to a 816F and 1806. There is chatter in Germany that this will also be the big update for the 816B units.

Would that require new hardware, ie a replacement infotainment unit? Or could it be done by software alone?

 

[airforced]

I am a little puzzled with this software business and figuring out what I have got in my early production (I think) Mk8. In particular my system info shows the device part number as 5H0035816 (No A or B suffix which always seems to get a mention in other posts). Why don't I have a suffix and am just a plain old 816? Can anyone explain please and why are the display system hardware and software showing as Unknown?.

 

[Massimo 2323]

Would that require new hardware, ie a replacement infotainment unit? Or could it be done by software alone?

Well, i always thought the hardware/firmware were permanent but if what this guy said is true then it seems that the bootloader can be updated.. so same hardware but changes the firmware from 816B to 816F and software from 1668 to 1806. Let’s see if this is the case on our Golf 8.

 

[Massimo 2323]

I am a little puzzled with this software business and figuring out what I have got in my early production (I think) Mk8. In particular my system info shows the device part number as 5H0035816 (No A or B suffix which always seems to get a mention in other posts). Why don't I have a suffix and am just a plain old 816? Can anyone explain please and why are the display system hardware and software showing as Unknown?.

View attachment 218764

You have the very first infotainment unit 816 (My2020) and is a Discovery Pro. There was no Media during My2020.
The hardware is the same 816 and H56.
Only the bootloader changes so you have 816, 816B, 816C, 816D and now 816F.

 

[airforced]

You have the very first infotainment unit 816 (My2020) and is a Discovery Pro. There was no Media during My2020.
The hardware is the same 816 and H56.
Only the bootloader changes so you have 816, 816B, 816C, 816D and now 816F.

Thanks Massimo - I was told by the Sales Manager that my ex-demo car had the Discovery Pro but how do you tell from the sys info screen that is the case or is it just something to do with the build date? I'm still a bit confused but that probably is the nature of things in my world! Going from the earlier posts, when the possible software update to 1806 happens will it show on my sys info screen do you think? The jpeg I included showed my navigation database as being 21.2 which is now 21.3 which presumably was an OTA rather than a garage download.

For info I had to collect my car again yesterday from the Dealer (no courtesy car as my car is drivable so VW wouldn't authorise) as the new steering wheel I mentioned in my earlier post is on back-order without a delivery date being available. VW have authorised the new steering wheel but not the associated bit of the wiring loom. That would only be authorised if the new wheel doesn't sort the problems out. The Dealer has advised me that they will want the car back for a couple of days for the steering wheel to be fitted! Must not be a straight forward job or perhaps they need to double check everything before telling me that it needs the loom aswell!

 

[Maturedriver]

‘No courtesy car as my car is drivable so VW wouldn't authorise’.
Airforced, that is outrageous!