Engine controller software update in Warsaw

Problem: The owner of the Chinese version of the Volkswagen ID.4 faced a major limitation in Europe—the non-standard charging port and single-phase charging system made the car difficult to use and rendered travel inconvenient and unreliable

Problem: The owner of a Li Auto L7 hybrid vehicle imported from China was unable to connect the car’s factory-installed multimedia system to the internet in Europe using the factory-installed Chinese eSIM. This negatively affected the performance of the navigation system and online services and prevented software updates.

Problem: The 2022 Fiat 500e (2020) electric car was purchased at an auction in France and transported to the STS workshop in Warsaw by tow truck. The reason was a completely discharged high-voltage battery, causing the battery management system (BMS) to enter deep protection mode and the vehicle to stop accepting a charge. The situation was complicated by a critical BMS error caused by the deep discharge. As a result, the electric vehicle would not start, and standard software recovery procedures were ineffective.

Problem: The owner of a second-generation Nissan Leaf contacted STS.Electro with a complaint: the car only charges from a fast charging station, but does not accept a slow charging gun (Type 1).

Problem: We were contacted by the owner of a Peugeot e-208 electric car. After charging to almost 100%, the electric car stopped accepting a charge, and the system displayed a second-level overvoltage error.

Problem: The owner of a Karma Revero hybrid was unable to drive his car for over eight months: the engine would only start for a few minutes at a time, and the battery would not charge.

Problem: The Dacia Spring car would not start or charge due to a reversed battery polarity and a faulty DC/DC+charger unit.

Problem: A well-known logistics service provider brought in three electric vans for repair after their high-voltage batteries failed. In one of them, the battery was dismantled.

Problem: The high-voltage battery is discharged and cannot be charged. The car does not accept a charge because the electronics do not recognize the connection of the charging gun.

Problem: A sharp drop in driving range and the vehicle switching to emergency mode with reduced power (“turtle mode”).

Problem: The Tesla Model 3 was in limp mode, displaying the message “Drive system requires service” and limiting the speed to 103 km/h. The on-board diagnostics did not indicate a clear cause for the malfunction.

Problem: A 2016 Tesla Model S equipped with a Tesla Base electric motor was brought to the STS workshop for repair. During operation, powertrain errors related to insulation failure occurred. The cause was a coolant leak into the electric motor due to loss of seal tightness.

Problem: The owner of a 2006 Volkswagen Passat Variant contacted STS (Warsaw) after the car had completely stopped starting. The steering column was locked, the engine would not start, and it was impossible to perform a full computer diagnostic. The car literally had to be carried into the repair bay by hand.

Problem: The owner of a Skoda Octavia A7 2.0 TFSI 16V contacted STS (Warsaw) again with complaints about the incorrect operation of the electric steering rack, which had previously been repaired by our company. After approximately 28,900 km of mileage since the repair, the unit lost its power, extraneous noises appeared, and the steering feel changed. The customer considered the case to be covered by warranty.

Problem: The owner of a Hyundai i30 encountered a knocking noise in the steering caused by wear on the power steering drive pinion inside the steering column.

Problem: A Land Rover was brought to the STS workshop in Warsaw with a request to repair the generator. According to the customer, the car had already been to another service center, where the starter-generator, one of the most expensive components of a mild hybrid, was identified as the cause of the MHEV system malfunction.

Problem: In a diesel-electric Peugeot 508 HYbrid4 Berline 2.0 HDi 163 FAP (DW10CTED4), the owner encountered a complete shutdown of the hybrid system – the engine would not start, and numerous fault warnings appeared on the instrument panel.

Problem: The hybrid Audi Q7 lost almost half of its electric range — instead of 40 kilometres on a single charge, it only managed 18.

Problem: In the case of a critical discharge of a low-voltage battery (12–48 V), the electronics prevent charging because it is dangerous with Li-Ion batteries. The manufacturer recommends discarding fully functional batteries and replacing them with new ones. This is expensive.

Problem: A Maybach 57/62 (2002–2011) experienced a generator malfunction. The charging system was not functioning correctly, which posed a risk to the stable operation of numerous electronic modules. Replacing the unit was not considered the best option due to the extremely high cost of the original generator and its limited availability.