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Uconnect update problem 8.4an_ra4_16.09.09_my16

33K views 32 replies 14 participants last post by  rwoods 
#1 ·
I meticulously followed the directions for downloading and installing the Uconnect update and at the end of the process the screen went black. Now all I get is either a white screen with text that says "Please Insert Update USB" or a black screen with no text.


I have tried calling Uconnect and Dodge support 800 numbers and we tried doing resets using the phone and VR buttons or the radio's volume and tuning buttons all to no avail.


The system just seems stuck. The representatives say that I need to take it to the dealer to get it fixed. Has anyone else had problems with the update?
 
#2 ·
#4 ·
I have a 2016 Challenger RT tried to do the update Friday got the same message you did. took it to dealership Saturday they said it would have to be replaced do to internal short. I have heard a lot of people are have the same problem. sounds like Dodge has a problem with the Uconnect radios, let me know what they say about yours.
 
#7 · (Edited)
First, if you have a different USB thumb drive than the one you initially used, try that. Second, if you downloaded the update with IE, do it again with Chrome and extract them into a new folder on your desktop. Third, format your thumb drive whether it is the same one you initially used or a different thumb drive. Fourth, move ONLY the following two files (without the quotation marks of course) from the newly downloaded and extracted "swdl.iso" and "swdl.upd" files onto your formatted thumb drive.


Finally, start the car, plug in the thumb drive and drive for 30 minutes to 45 minutes or just let it run in an open, well ventilated area.


I went through hell with Uconnect and Dodge reps, tried all of their troubleshooting steps and nothing worked until I did the above steps. Until I followed this procedure I was only getting the same black screen or white screen with "Please Insert Update USB"


The tech reps told me that I should NOT try to drive the car with the update USB thumb drive installed. The funny thing is that driving with the USB drive installed is the ONLY thing that worked! Of course, I also followed the other requirements which were tidbits of information I had picked up from searching for help online.


It might work to just try driving with the original thumb drive, I don't know, I didn't try that, so I am sharing the exact procedure I used that worked for me. Yahooligan also has a recipe you could try that first. And Yahooligan, that is exactly the result I saw when I was running the car with the thumb drive installed. Whichever way you go, good luck.


I didn't want to have to go to the dealer for service so I wanted to exhaust every possibility before I went that route.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Great News Re Uconnect Update

Needless to say I was pretty discouraged after trying multiple times to finish the update from 10:30PM until 12:30AM last night and then again for a couple of hours this morning. We kept getting that darned "Please Insert The Update USB" message and it would never progress beyond that.

I had "help" from Uconnect and Dodge this morning but they couldn't figure it out either and it boiled down to them telling me to take it to the dealer to get it resolved.

Earlier last week I had promised my wife that we would go for a drive today up Angeles Crest Highway so we got in the car and headed out the driveway when suddenly I got an urge to go back in the house and get the USB stick and try it again. I figured, what the heck, what have I got to lose by trying? I just plugged it in and we drove away. Within about a block of driving the screen went from black with no text to gray with 2 progress bars and information about the updates it was loading 14 parts. Of course it began with 1 of 14 and went from there.

It took about 30 minutes to complete and it did the entire process while we were driving. Needless to say I am ecstatic after going through all the frustration earlier.

The Uconnect is working better than ever and has been completely updated.
 
#6 ·
So, here's what happened to me. @wjv007 maybe this will help you, too, and the problem isn't really an "internal short" (Something a software update can't really do).

I followed the instructions, which said turn to "Run" but don't start, insert the USB thumb drive with the update files, etc. I did all that and as it was almost all the way through the 14-step update (Literally step 13 of 14) the car decided that it had been in the Run position long enough without running and turned everything, including the display, off. I turned it back to run and waited. And waited. The screen was off and stayed off, it wasn't on but blank (You know, like you could see the backlight was on but nothing was being displayed). It just seemed to be dead. I left the USB drive plugged in. I turned the car off, opened the door and waited for everything to shut back off, then I started the car (I had to run to the store anyway).

The A/C controls, back-up sensors, etc all worked. The display was just dead to the world. I left and drove the 5-10 minutes to town and just as I was pulling into the parking lot the screen came to life and said the system needed to reset to continue, then the screen went blank (but not turned off like before), then the update process started all over again at step 1 of 14. I left the car running, locked the doors, ran in and grabbed what I needed, came out, drove home, parked in the garage but left it running, and it finally completed.

Initial impressions and issues:

- Interface seems to be faster/more responsive and apps seem to load quicker
- Some app icons haven't been restored yet, I guess. Some of them are just square boxes with "!" in it and the app name below it. The apps run fine.
EDIT: Letting the system shut down completely (after 5-10 minutes) and then start back up fixed the icons.
- The Performance Pages have gone down in version. The old software had PP v2.00.15, the new software has PP v2.00.07. Not sure why. It doesn't crash or anything and seems to work just the same as before.

So, the jury is still out on whether or not this update will help me with anything. One problem I had randomly with the old version was the SiriusXM "app" would crash randomly and restart while listening to it. Happened 2-3 times over the past few weeks.

If anyone runs into the car turns off and screen is dead issue, try leaving the USB drive plugged in and just go for a drive to see if the system resets or not. I honestly thought that my system was bricked, but it just needed some time.
 
#10 ·
Just reading this it seems like a common theme that your cars could not see the sky when you started the update?

Perhaps the hardware needs some form of GPS verification ping or something during the upgrade process.

It would be interesting to simply try it in your driveway where the car has a clear view of the sky rather than driving around for 45 minutes (although that is fun in itself) :)

Anyway, just an idea.
 
#11 ·
No, nothing to do with GPS. In my case it was everything to do with the update taking longer than the car was programmed to be in the run position without running which interrupted the update process. My update completed in the garage where it failed the first time. :)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#12 ·
No, nothing to do with GPS. In my case it was everything to do with the update taking longer than the car was programmed to be in the run position without running which interrupted the update process. My update completed in the garage where it failed the first time. :)
I had the exact same thing happen to me when installing the update on mine last Tuesday. How I got through it is when after approximately 30 minutes the car automatically switched OFF was to immediately cycle it back to RUN during the 30 second window you have before the Uconnect system loses power. My update completed successfully and I never had to have the engine running at any time during the process.
 
#17 ·
Is there any really need to update if you use an android phone and not an IPhone? From my understanding its the update is basically just for some extra features for Apple users and I really see no need to update.
 
#18 ·
The rep I spoke with at Uconnect mentioned some A/C updates and then I found this in a PDF file:


· Navigation failed message is displayed.
· Clock not automatically updating to local time.
· Poor or no connection to cellular network.
· HVAC temperature out of sync with radio display (KL vehicles).
· Display goes blank/black.
· Radio locks up.
· Some Uconnect App remote commands do not execute with the vehicle.
 
#19 ·
I wish I would have read this thread two days ago. I also had a nightmare trying to get my system to update. But I managed to figure it out tonight saving me from my appointment with the dealer tomorrow. I too had the issue where the screen would come to a "insert USB Update" on an endless loop.

My problem was I originally tried using a SanDisk Ultra High Speed USB 3.0 thumb drive. I'm betting that was the issue because when I tried again using a super old USB 2.0 it ran like butter. Still took 25 minutes or so but happy to say its done.
 
#20 ·
Thanks Robin21! You saved me. I had the "blue screen of death...Please insert update USB" constant error. It was the other file that was needed. I'm thinking a lot of the info that's out there for doing this is for older updates where only the .iso file is needed. For the latest update (16_09_09) both the .iso and .upd are needed. Once I put the other file on it went through the whole update process. I did my download with Firefox so using Chrome didn't matter for me. Now I'll see if my SiriusXM stops acting up and loosing authorization after loosing the signal for a few minutes. Thanks again, thought for sure I messed up my Uconnect for good.
 
#21 · (Edited)
Seeing the same issues as most of you with the update. However after doing a reset while on the phone with uconnect they had me remove the drive. Now all I get is the Dodge / SirusXM logo which is boot looping every 30 seconds or so. Tried to get it to boot off the drive several times. No luck. Looks like I bricked the radio.

Full formatting a 2.0 8gb drive now and will load the files on and try it again.
 
#25 ·
2016 SP.

I disconnected the battery for a long time, tried the freshly fully formatted drive. Same thing.

First service out of 2 challengers. Guess I know what I'm doing next weekend. :SM130:
 
#26 · (Edited)
Pulled the fuses, and tried just about every combo of button holds to to see if I could get anything respond. Dealer mode, etc NODA.

If I just didn't listen to them. Had I not removed the drive and just started it up it sounds like it would of finished as it was still boot looping the install vs boot looping the logo.

DO NOT REMOVE THE DRIVE OR SHUT OFF THE CAR FROM ACC OR RUN IF YOUR SEEING THE INSERT USB DISK. IF YOU DO YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET TO THIS AGAIN. (At least I couldn't) Follow what others are doing and drive around or let it idle.

You would think during a firmware update it would auto change the time out settings for acc mode... Sorry just frustrated. :bash::bash::bash::bash::bash::bash:
 
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#27 ·
Just did the update. The minimal information they give you suggests some sort of SIRI enhancements are included but gives no further info. It would sure be nice if there was a list of the changes included that we could print out and add to our manuals (like the aviation industry does). At this point the update is totally useless to me because I don't know what it did.
I probably wont install any more.
 
#29 ·
I performed the update and thanks to the thread, I let the car run, no issues.

I'm hoping that it corrects the adaptive volume issue that mine had..., even with it off, it would still change the volume.

Justin
 
#33 ·
I know it's been a while but I'm having this pronblem with my 2014 dodge durango limited. I'm stuck on the white screen that says insert usb for update. I have the swdl.iso file on my flash drive but can not find the iso.upd file. I've read here that you must have both files to update successfully.
 
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