I think I bricked my ECU doing the B04 update..[OVTune Fixed it!!!]

Failed during the update?

Turn the truck off and try again. If you still aren’t able to connect, verify that you are able to connect to another vehicle with tech stream. Even if a flash fails, it’s very likely not bricked - you’ll just need to get connected and flash again. This has happened a couple times with OVT to some people and there has not yet been a bricked ECU.

 

This is a well constructed response.

It doesn’t matter “how” it happened, but what matters is who was implementing the changes in the ECU.

Glad to hear your update went well. If it messed your ECU up, you would have been scrambling to fix and or shell out the $. All people are saying is that this is an extreme risk.

I am a MT owner who was shunned by my dealer for the new update. I want it bad! But... This is scary. It can happen. Obviously it did to one of our brothers in arms.

 

I’m not talking about not having having an internet connection. I’m talking about your connection dropping out. I can’t speak much for Toyota as I’ve never done a ECU update on a Toyota. I can tell you I’ve had it happen on a Ford before. You are correct that the hardware connections are more important. I’ve had a few instances where bad USB ports were to blame for failures. It’s still pretty rare to fully brick one usually takes a few hours of messing around with it but you can get all back up and running again.

 

Yep, there is a certain amount of risk you have to accept in flashing your own truck.

This is literally the first time I've read about it happening to a 3rd gen on TW (actual bricked ECU).

No reports of it happening when flashing OVtune with PCMflash. This apparently happened while trying to update to 04B04 with Techstream.

 

And you know all these statistics how?

 

Same question for you sir.

While his numbers may or may not be accurate, believe me you'd hear about it on FB or TW if anyone bricked their ECU flashing OVtune.

 

Send me the ECU I can recover it.

NOTE, so there is no confusion. You can't brick with our software. You can "brick" with techstream. (recoverable)

 

Op, which brand of OBD cable were you using?

Just curious.

 

For me, research. Does Toyota or Mat publish their data, like total number of OV tunes sold? I would like to know that piece of data.

IMO, guys that reflash their ECU or get OV tune would do so no matter what type of vehicle they have or if they have any problems. This is no different than guys swapping a jet or changing the timing 40 years ago. A friend of mine flashed his Hellcat to get even more power!
It's not bad, it's not good, it's just people who want to change something.
I used to do this and understand the mentality. Now I just buy what I want, and if it does not suit me I buy something else. Sometimes I have to hang on to it for awhile so I don't lose too much money but hey, life's too short.
I got a new mountain bike last year. I have tried to like it but I don't. I am riding one of my older ones now and will sell my new one next spring and get a newer one. Everyone is different and that's OK.

 

Toyota DOES need to get their heads out of their asses and release a properly worded M/T TSB... you know, since 04B13 and 04A71 already exist and several people are already updated.

 

Because I’ve read every page of OVTune thread. If someone bricked, it would have been posted there within 20 seconds of it happening.

 

Well written, but we already know your position on the 3rd gen and that's fine. You like it for what it is, and don't believe it needs to be improved. That's also fine. Enjoy your truck man.

You want to see data on total sales of OVtune? Ask him then, he'll tell you.

I doubt if I'm going to get an answer from Toyota as to how many customers have complained about the 3rd gen's driveability/power delivery.

One thing I can assume with confidence however, is it had to be a significant number to get Toyota's attention. The kind of attention that leads to two TSB releases in one month, on top of the TSBs already released.

Seems as though customers do want more out of their Tacos. That's fine as well.

For the record, if my truck had run like it does on 04B13 from the factory, I would never have bought OVtune in the first place. So no, I would not "do so no matter what type of vehicle they have or if they have any problems".

You keep making the assumption that there aren't really many people who don't like how the truck drives. Well, as soon as the M/T update thread started, there were more than a few members that "came out of the woodwork" looking for a way to make the update happen. New members and guys that I've never seen in the OVtune threads. There seems to be some excitement around a free Toyota ECU update.

Now, I know that TW is not representative of the Tacoma community as a whole. And I also know that tuned guys are a very small group. No need to rehash that argument.

Toyota has heard somebody though, the changes in the new M/T calibrations fix almost everything people bitch about.

When the M/T TSB comes out for real, you should go get it for shits n giggles. I mean, why not. Let us know what you think.

 

I believe the OVTune order numbers for 3rd Gen started at 1800. My order number was 2036. The highest number I can find in the Alpha Release thread is 2914 as of a couple weeks ago.

 

I foresee a long plateau on the OVTune unfortunately for the company. I think this fix is gonna hold people over for a good while.

I realize there are additional benefits with an OVTune, but I also feel that many people would rather get a free fix than spend money on an add on. We will see. Either way I need to get my MT updated. Lol!

 

Agreed.

Mat is working on other platforms too, like the 4.0 and 2.7 for Tacos specifically. Then there's the other vehicles he tunes (Lexus/Mazda/Scion etc).

Anyway, if OVtune was one of the reasons Toyota sat up and took notice, well that's good as it will benefit everyone. Mat did say that they were in contact with him.

 

It will be interesting to see if the new Toyota firmware maintains the initial shifting and driveability improvements after several hundred miles. Or if it continues to "learn to be stupid" as the mileage piles up and it does its feeble attempt to learn your driving habits.

 

Good point. We will know soon. People will be reporting back for sure! I’m excited to know!

 

I doubt it's actually bricked, but there have been reports of update fails in the ov thread. I see OV reached out to him so it's as good as fixed now.

 

Yeah me too, but to the owner it's not working - so in his eyes it's bricked I guess.

AFAIK those update fails were all taken care of via email or PM (remote troubleshooting). I haven't heard of an ECU requiring Mat's hands on it due to an OVtune flash failure, but he did say that a lot of his customers aren't on TW.

Yeah, that's customer service for you! Is the OP even tuned?

Edit: I guess he's not tuned, given this statement -

"I've done plenty of ECU reflashes. Just not on this particular vehicle."