# Error found in ECU flashing



## coffeebee (Oct 5, 2015)

I want to flash the ECU after changing the country code from Japan to Hong Kong, language from Japanese to Trad. Chinese. I followed the ECU upgrade guide as the following steps in the guide:

*Go to Comfort Mode => TAL-Calculating
- Read and Save FA
- Activate FA
- Read and Save SVT Actual as SVT_ist
- Create an SVT Target
Under KIS / SVT Target Calculation Strategy, select Complete Flash
Select I-Step (shipm.) to match your original I-Level as read and shown in VCM I-Step (Shipment)
I-Step (target.) will be unselectable as it is fixed based on current PSdZData I-Level
Do a KIS / SVT Target Calculation and Save as SVT_soll
- Do a TAL Calculation and Save as SVT_tal

Go to Expert Mode => TAL-Processing
Load TAL (SVT_tal)
Load SVT Target (SVT_soll)
Select "Read FA" button.

On ECU Tab, uncheck let top box in column "All" (All checked boxes should toggle to unchecked)
On ID Base Row for HU_NBT, make check boxes in blFlash, swDeploy, cdDeploy, and ibaDeploy columns.
Press Check software availability
Press Start and it will proceed with processing TAL*

I have unchecked both VCM and MSM update options. I have checked the FA_aus_VCM.XML file is not null nor empty. But still got this error message, can anyone help and give me direction please?

*TAL execution started.
VCM Update: VCM-Update is deactivated. VCM will not be updated. [C197]
Fatal error while executing tal!
Asynchrone programming failed! [C049]
FA must not be null when trying to execute a TAL containing coding transactions [1358]
[] - [Exception - UNKNOWN] FA must not be null when trying to execute a TAL containing coding transactions*


----------



## berniw (Feb 22, 2014)

The FA null error usually occurs if you don't hit read FA. 

You need to check update VCM.


Sent from my iPhone


----------



## dmnc02 (Mar 28, 2003)

See also posts #16, #31, #33 and #37 in this thread: F8x Flashing KOMBI.

BTW, isn't it enough to VO code if you just want to change the country code?


----------



## coffeebee (Oct 5, 2015)

Since I have a Hong Kong map. After changed the VO code, it kept asking me to insert the DVD even after loading successfully and rebooted. So I am trying to flash the unit to a HK version completely, and try again.



dmnc02 said:


> See also posts #16, #31, #33 and #37 in this thread: F8x Flashing KOMBI.
> 
> BTW, isn't it enough to VO code if you just want to change the country code?


----------



## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

berniw said:


> The FA null error usually occurs if you don't hit read FA.
> 
> You need to check update VCM.
> 
> Sent from my iPhone


I told him yesterday in reply to his PM the same thing, that the Null issue is VIN related, and he must hit the Read FA button.

Update VCM though should actually be unchecked.



dmnc02 said:


> ...
> BTW, isn't it enough to VO code if you just want to change the country code?


No way. CIC must be flashed with modified FA to convert from Japan Spec to China / Hong Kong Spec.


----------



## coffeebee (Oct 5, 2015)

Thanks for your advice, I can flash the ECU finally. But it finished with error. However, everything is fine, no big problems found on the car. Did I successfully flash it?

This is the error message copied from the log:

*[HU_CIC - 63] - [Exception - HU_CIC - 63] SVK-Ist does not match expected SGBMIDs for ecu ECUId:HU_CIC_0x63. Excpected: [hwel_00000c29-001_020_084, hwel_00000c1f-001_006_006], Actual: [hwel_00000c22-001_006_006, hwel_00000c27-001_020_082, btld_00000c7d-008_040_002, swfl_00000c2c-008_040_002, swfl_00000c2d-008_040_002, entd_000002e8-001_011_002, swfl_00000c36-008_040_002, swfl_00000c2b-008_040_002, swfl_00000c30-008_040_002, swfl_00000c34-008_040_002, ibad_00000c3d-008_050_002, ibad_00000c3c-008_040_002, swfl_00000c39-008_040_002, swfl_00000c2f-008_040_002, cafd_000000f9-007_006_059]
TAL-Execution finished with status: "FinishedWithError". [C207]
TAL execution finished. Duration: "9min 19s". [C206]*


----------



## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

This does not look good. Was HWEL Black? You can only flash ECU when it is black, (not Red / Blue).


----------



## berniw (Feb 22, 2014)

shawnsheridan said:


> I told him yesterday in reply to his PM the same thing, that the Null issue is VIN related, and he must hit the Read FA button.
> 
> Update VCM though should actually be unchecked.
> 
> No way. CIC must be flashed with modified FA to convert from Japan Spec to China / Hong Kong Spec.





ap90500 said:


> Update MSM & VCM should be turned on while flashing, otherwise SVT actual will not be updated and there can be problems with diagnostics. Ie some modules can't be identified by Rheingold.


I found this was a problem I had by unchecking VCM. It messed up my SVT actual after flashing NBT.

Sent from my iPhone


----------



## coffeebee (Oct 5, 2015)

Sorry, what do you mean? which wording or element color should I notice? Do you have any picture indicating that?



shawnsheridan said:


> This does not look good. Was HWEL Black? You can only flash ECU when it is black, (not Red / Blue).


----------



## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

coffeebee said:


> Sorry, what do you mean? which wording or element color should I notice? Do you have any picture indicating that?


When you calculated SVT Target, was HWEL as shown under HU_CIC Black, or Red / Blue?


----------



## coffeebee (Oct 5, 2015)

You are right, it's showing blue / red, but not black.
What should I do to correct this? 
Anyway, I drove it for a whole day, without any problem found.


----------



## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

coffeebee said:


> You are right, it's showing blue / red, but not black.
> What should I do to correct this?
> Anyway, I drove it for a whole day, without any problem found.


You need to select the Correct I-Step Shipment that produces a Black HWEL.


----------



## coffeebee (Oct 5, 2015)

I did follow the guide to select the current i-step, does it mean that my selection was too old / outdated?
Then how should I do? try a later one, one by one? or try the latest one?


----------



## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

coffeebee said:


> I did follow the guide to select the current i-step, does it mean that my selection was too old / outdated?
> Then how should I do? try a later one, one by one? or try the latest one?


You must try them all, one by one, until you get proper black HWEL.

First though try to check the box that says "HW-IDs from SVTactual" and then Save as SVT_sol, and see if you get black HWEL.


----------



## coffeebee (Oct 5, 2015)

Tried "HW-IDs", then it turns black HWEL, should I save it as SVT_sol, then flash it? or should I still try different i-step until I find the one get black?



shawnsheridan said:


> You must try them all, one by one, until you get proper black HWEL.
> 
> First though try to check the box that says "HW-IDs from SVTactual" and then Save as SVT_sol, and see if you get black HWEL.


----------



## coffeebee (Oct 5, 2015)

Further more, if I should try different i-step, should I try in the direction to a earlier version or later version? 

i.e. say current wrong one is: 11-11-505, should I try 12-03-500 later direction or the 11-11-504 earlier direction?


----------



## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

coffeebee said:


> Tried "HW-IDs", then it turns black HWEL, should I save it as SVT_sol, then flash it? or should I still try different i-step until I find the one get black?


No, that is all you need. Once HWEL is black, save SVT-Target, then perform TAL Calculation, then Flash CIC.


----------



## ap90500 (Oct 23, 2013)

HWEL is probably not matching because the country code has been changed and KIS database gives different hardware for Chinese car. On this specific case, I would try with "HW-ID's", but this is not generally recommended if some other ecu has mismatching HWEL.


----------



## coffeebee (Oct 5, 2015)

Finally I have time to try it again, it seems work this time, just the log message stated it has finished with warning. Is it okay?

*TAL execution started.
VCM Update: VCM-Update is deactivated. VCM will not be updated. [C197]
ExecutionID=2015/10/25-20:53:53.808
TAL-Execution finished with status: "FinishedWithWarnings". [C207]
TAL execution finished. Duration: "15min 22s". [C206]*

Anyway, after this flash, I can show the HK map on my iDrive finally, and the navigation works fine now. 
Thank you very much for your guideline, especially Shawn, you are the best!


----------



## shawnsheridan (Jan 10, 2009)

coffeebee said:


> ...Thank you very much for your guideline, especially Shawn, you are the best!


:thumbup:


----------

