(and V70) - Software Driven Electronics - eBay users beware!
 

Software Driven Electronics.

Most electronic main units on post 2000 model year cars once fitted and the software uploaded to them become chassis specific - in other words THEY WILL NOT WORK IN ANOTHER VEHICLE.

These include radio/stereo head units (AUM), CD players (IAM), self dipping rear view mirrors (UEM), speedo heads (DIM) and several others to name but a few.

The dealers cannot over write the software in these units. Also second hand integrated key fobs (KIR) cannot be re-programmed to another car even by the dealers. Although these need a software download to be programmed, the dealer also needs the two unique codes that are supplied with the original packaging for each remote. These codes are not kept on record.

so all the time & effort making cars more enviromentally friendly emmission wise is nicely being counteracted by not being able to recycle components, instead any car written off in a crash is no good to anyone & has to be left to rot. Sound like a good plan to me :rawrrrrr:

But then from a theft point of view there's not much point in someone nicking the car for parts either ...

I'm sure there's an element of both to be honest. I'm also surprised at the list - why the rear view mirror but not the climate control unit for example? Or is it just 'cos it's not a complete list?

Tony

i agree with what your saying but SAAB use a similiar system (or did pre-vauxhall) but were quite happy for main dealers to "divorce" an item from a car & "marry" it to another for you. Its all about the money :wink_smile:

yes the rear view mirror is an "Upper electronic Module " as well so no good for another car.

Hi,

I'll be sticking to my V90 and 940 then... :)

Des. . . ;)

Control units
 

No its not a complete list and the climate unit (CCM) would be another.

Paul.

Hi,i have fitted a used cd/radio/tape to an ex police V70 '01 that we had in and it worked without problem,i know a lot of the componentry is software driven as stated but it's not a hard and fast rule that nothing can be used,i have also used the climate control units and the window switches,although you cannot use only the master switch,if using secondhand you MUST use the full set from one vehicle,as close to your year as you can find to improve the chances of success.Rear view mirrors cannot be used at all,nor can the remotes,unless you need to "re-shell" a damaged housing.I get a lot of people asking to buy all manner of parts secondhand,etm's etc included,and i cannot believe that they buy the bits and then all just say "sod it" and throw them away.However,for ease of maintainance and cost of repair i'll be sticking to my 850T5's for as long as i can keep them running ! 235K and still blowing the baseball hats off chavs.Love it !!

Hi Readview,

Thanks for the info. Regarding the Radio/CD unit I was told (can't verify as not change mine) that the Radio unit will fit and work but the Steering Wheel radio controls will not work. Any ex plod V70 that I have seen hasn't got these controls on the Steering Wheel.

Bob

And the display won't light up either

What about an ECU? Can that be recoded to work in another car?

Ecu
 

Nope!

Paul.

Does anyone know if the Rear Electronic Module (REM) can be switched out from one car to another car? Or are they assigned to a specific car?

recentley swoped my radio and it has a few problems like stering wheel controlls dont work can this be sorted at the local volvo garage ?

I am very cynical that these software issues will render a programmable part useless for another vehicle. I am not a Volvo expert but I do have an electronics/computing/programming background. In support of my cynicism, take a peek at the following thread.

coming up

http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=41529


phew...found it

Hi,

Depends on the type of memory/module and what equipment you likely have to read and or write to x module..

Hack it and you'll likely mess things up..
I would assume this sort of conversation, being a bit more specialised, would be more appropriate on an associated electronics forum..

Des. . . ;)

you could try taking the lighting control module from the donor car. My radio (The original) wasn't lighting up and neither was any of the dash, door panels etc, bought a new LCM from ebay and it fixed it all :) just a thought

The potentiometer in the module on mine was burnt out, Volvo don't seem to have too much luck with potentiometers!! The ETM being refferenced here :P hope this helps someone

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Volvo-genuine-...QQcmdZViewItem

so that wouldnt work then?

Nope , just like the used remotes for S 60 V70 and S 80 you see on e-bay ..

The throttle unit linked above worked on another car because it was the later 2003 - BOSCH unit which doesnt have Software which the Magneti-Marelli one does..

First post!
 

Hello there all, what a great forum - very useful to a first time Volvo owner like myself!

I recently bought my cousin's 2004 V70S 170 after a couple of years coveting it from afar. Unfortunately, he has somehow managed to lose both the service key and the spare electronic fob.

I was about to buy a secondhand fob off ebay to take to the dealership for re-cutting + re-programming until I read this thread. :err:

How much am I looking at for a new fob and service key? I could live without the spare fob if necessary, just scared of losing/breaking my existing fob and then having no way of getting in.

I have a 2001 V70 explod and have a stereo off ebay HU-603 to be exact fitted in the car and it works fine including all the lighting and displays

So don`t believe everything that volvo tell you

Cheers

stuart

ive changed head units in both my p2 v70s from hu-605s to hu-803s with amps and center speakers all that was needed was a fuse for the amps. and worked fine all stearing wheel functions worked
and when put on a ppc dionostic reader it had codes telling me what i had installed

That`s just what i`m about to do to mine although i won`t have the steering wheel functions as mines still the bog standard wheel

Cheers

stuart

just read this thread with interest as i have a problem with my stereo ( hu-601 cd not working) and was going to buy a secind hand one. just a thought if the dealers can not over write the original software how do they change one of these units if it fails under warranty???, surely there has to be a way otherwise you would have lots of new cars running about with stereo"s and other software items not working, or have i missed something. cheers john

The exchange ones come blank so they accept the software for your particular car .
Interesting how some radios seem to work properly in a different car , the few i have tried certainly didn't ie , no display and no steering wheel controls .. Beware if you have a software download for any thing else on the car and the volvo computer in sweden finds a module with unrecognised software ie non-matching , the car could loose all the electrics and need an expensive visit to the dealer ... the main volvo computer in sweden knows which serial numbers each module is supposed to have on every single volvo made from 1999 ...

So if I replace the radio with a new MP3 player, do the lights go out?

no not at all , only the radio display wont work . Before you fit your radio there is a software available which "removes" the radio , making it safe to do what you want , ie the car and main computer in Sweden will know that it doesnt have a volvo radio any more so no problems will develop ...

Thanks,Clan:thumbs_up:

Hi there,
What about RSE system (DVD headrests)? I plan to install new RSE kit in a '05 V70 but regarding specs, it seems it cannot be installed in a 2005. Is it a software limitation? Is there a way to pass through and install a RSE in a 2005?
Thanks in advance!

Most of the RSE systems in the XC90 were installed by VOLVO UK so have nothing to do with the rest of the cars electrics , they are stand alone . Not sure whether they were factory fitted from 2006 or not ...

Why are they (RSE kits) specific for 2007 and up (S60/V70/XC70)? Is it only for color matching?? So no software needed?

I finally bought a RSE kit and it's NOT restrictive to '07 S60/V70. It fits on all S60/V70/XC70. It's stand alone and no software needed.

Back to purpose of this thread...
Can I install (and have a dealer download) a used HU-XXX in my car if this used radio come from a scrap yard (dead car)?

Officialy no , any "foreign" module could cause software corruption next time a module is re loded on the car . Very expensive to sort out if it happens as the car electrics die ....

do you know anybody this as happened to

NO , because that kind of thing is not done in the trade , and only the trade are equipped to do such things they know the score , its called shooting yourself in the foot ...Imagine the scenario , an employee breaks the terms of contract of using the equipment , he might sneak the car in on a saturday morning and has a dead car in the workshop , what is the boss going to do ? How is he going to sort the problem ? there are implications because when and if it happens volvo will wash their hands of the case and there will be no support ... only a fool would attempt this as an employee or representative of a Volvo dealer
you are on your own .

What I understand in reading all post here is that a brand new radio cannot work without a software. And once initialised by a software, a radio can work in other car (experieced by some users) without new sofware. BUT it can cause electronic conflicts if you attempt to overwrite the original software. Am I right?

almost ,

a brand new virgin radio or a used radio will work , just the display wont light up and steering wheel buttons wont work ..
Once loaded with the correct software for the car the radio cannot be overwritten with software for another car , only its original software if needed .
If a foreign radio is being used, conflicts can arise when the car is connected to the main volvo computer for other software downloads, or reloading old or new modules as it checks the ID of every module in the car to make sure the serial number and part number match its database if not it blocks any further software as a mismatch and has been known to kill the car , ie shut down all the modules . .

I like to take some risks so I bought a used HU-850 + PA-300 to replace my HU-650. The swap was easy and everything works fine (sound, light up, ...).

The HU-850 come from an '06 XC70 from a scrap yard, my car is an '05 V70. Compatibility is 100%. No software needed.

This experience is similar to the RSE system (dual DVD set) wich Volvo only recommand to install in '07 and younger. I also installed these in my '05. 100% working.

So DON'T believe what Volvo say!... ;)