October 15 2018: I got a new stinger... Did you too?

[Steve O]

On October 15, I know my car's software was updated. From the time I started the car on the morning of October 16, I have been experiencing a new car in more ways than I could have imagined.

First, the motor is more responsive, and faster revving.

Second, the transmission behaves much better. It shifts at better spaced points under different acceleration conditions. If downshifts smoother in sport mode. It stays in manual mode much more intuitively than before. It resists downshifting automatically in manual mode much better than before, THANK YOU KIA!! and for the first time since owning the car, I can leave it in auto mode and drive. Really Drive!

Third, my biggest beef about the suspension is $300 too late but it's not too little. I had just installed a disable switch in the shock solenoid circuit to give me full stiff suspension and I was happy. Then about a week later the October 15th miracle happened and now I have comfort, sport and super sport modes (with my switch). The car in sport mode using the adaptive software is now competent. I'm driving daily in sport mode and it's just fine. Before the 15th I hated the suspension.

I noticed the suspension improvement by the time I was out of the driveway and halfway down the block. There's a big speed control 'hump' I go over every day and the difference was profound. Now a month and a half later I've noticed other things that validate KIA tweaked my car. These other things are different graphics on the driver attention board and the KIA logo on the head's up display on starting. As of today I noticed the double tap on the door unlock allows for more time between the first and second tap.

Please don't tell me I'm the only one. That would be messing with me.

Steve O.

 

[POS VETT]

How was it updated?

 

[CKeeler]

Seriously! How was it updated?

 

[robz32]

Did you get a 2019 [MENTION=148]Steve O[/MENTION]?

 

[Steve O]

I did nothing. But it is connected to the internet 24/7. So I think the factory did a reload of the software.

I just got in the car and noticed it was behaving differently than before. Not little differences. Big ones! Now, I got my 2018 Stinger in November of 2017. I was complaining in the forum of the soft suspension and the transmission shifting back to 'drive' all the time. I had other complaints but they were the big ones. Now they are both addressed. Not to the point I would address them. But to a point far better than it was.

I continued to notice differences over the following weeks like the time allowed between double taps on the door lock and the KIA logo on start up and the blue graphic on the driver attention screen.

Maybe if you got a later version of the car the improvements were already there? Who knows. All I can say is, as of October 15th, 2018, my 2018 Stinger, delivered November 27 in 2017, is vastly improved over my Stinger of October 14th 2018.

I'm wondering if anybody else experienced the same profound improvement to the car.

 

[CKeeler]

Didn't know these were able to connect to the internet

 

[Steve O]

Do you use the UVO app? I do. Maybe that's what's needed?

 

[CKeeler]

Do you use the UVO app? I do. Maybe that's what's needed?

I do, but not a lot. I'll have to check tonight then.

 

[AMDman18]

I do, but not a lot. I'll have to check tonight then.

The US cars don't connect like the Canadian and other regions do from what I understand. Something about kia US doesn't want to pay for the constant LTE connection required to maintain it the way all the other territories do. In Canada and other places, they can use the UVO app to do all kinds of stuff like remote start and setting climate control and locking and unlocking doors and even software updates. US cars don't have that functionality. I believe we'd have to take our cars to the dealership for any software updates.

 

[CKeeler]

The US cars don't connect like the Canadian and other regions do from what I understand. Something about kia US doesn't want to pay for the constant LTE connection required to maintain it the way all the other territories do. In Canada and other places, they can use the UVO app to do all kinds of stuff like remote start and setting climate control and locking and unlocking doors and even software updates. US cars don't have that functionality. I believe we'd have to take our cars to the dealership for any software updates.

Yeah, and then ask a service advisor who doesn't know what's out there if there's a software update for the car and get a "huh?........" look from them.

 

[robz32]

actually you can connect the UVO app on the US version to a WiFi network but that is all.
[MENTION=148]Steve O[/MENTION] The update you mention sounds like a mayor one. One that affects the driving dynamics and overall behavior of the transmission and engine. Such changes require not only an update in the firmware of the infotainment system but also a TCU firware and ECU firmware update as well. Something that is not commonly done without a computer attached to the car, much less over the internet. Any way you can have the dealer scan to find out if your firmware on the ECU and TCU actually was updated?

 

[Steve O]

In my case, I don't care about how it happened. The fact that it happened is all that matters. I'm noticing nobody else has experienced the same thing so I have no explanation for my experience other than it is a new car as of Oct 15 and I'm enjoying it more now than ever. I was expecting others to say "Me too!"

 

[POS VETT]

PCM/ECU firmware /software recalibration is not a small feat. I know GM and Toyota use a process that requires an affected car to be on a battery charger otherwise the battery would run down low enough to disrupt the process and render the control unit useless. I'm having trouble believing that Hyundai-KIA could do such a process without the help of a proper scan tool. I'd love to see that it's possible and to see that my car got this improved recalibration.

 

[MrMr]

On October 15, I know my car's software was updated. From the time I started the car on the morning of October 16, I have been experiencing a new car in more ways than I could have imagined.

First, the motor is more responsive, and faster revving.

Second, the transmission behaves much better. It shifts at better spaced points under different acceleration conditions. If downshifts smoother in sport mode. It stays in manual mode much more intuitively than before. It resists downshifting automatically in manual mode much better than before, THANK YOU KIA!! and for the first time since owning the car, I can leave it in auto mode and drive. Really Drive!

Third, my biggest beef about the suspension is $300 too late but it's not too little. I had just installed a disable switch in the shock solenoid circuit to give me full stiff suspension and I was happy. Then about a week later the October 15th miracle happened and now I have comfort, sport and super sport modes (with my switch). The car in sport mode using the adaptive software is now competent. I'm driving daily in sport mode and it's just fine. Before the 15th I hated the suspension.

I noticed the suspension improvement by the time I was out of the driveway and halfway down the block. There's a big speed control 'hump' I go over every day and the difference was profound. Now a month and a half later I've noticed other things that validate KIA tweaked my car. These other things are different graphics on the driver attention board and the KIA logo on the head's up display on starting. As of today I noticed the double tap on the door unlock allows for more time between the first and second tap.

Please don't tell me I'm the only one. That would be messing with me.

Steve O.

I got the update too. I'll have to pay closer attention to the transmission, didn't notice anything different.

 

[Steve O]

I'm glad to hear that [MENTION=791]MrMr[/MENTION]. My past 7 years in automotive OEM application engineering makes such thing immediately noticeable. My ass is calibrated!

Anyway, here are things that changed in the dash and display that never looked the same before. The blue bar is new and the past trips chart popping up when you select MAP was never an option before. Also the KIA logo pops up on the heads up display when you start the car. It has a shiny gloss light pattern, then it disappears. It happens on every start. NO WAY I could have not noticed that before.

See pics of the driver attention screen and the past destinations chart attached.

As of October 15, drive the car in sport mode, make serious demands of the car, like accelerating and cornering and high speeds on the entrance and exit ramps, and you'll find it's a whole new car!!!!

 

[MurlinatoR]

[MENTION=148]Steve O[/MENTION], I'm glad to see that you guys have these things available in your cars! These features have been available to us here in the US for some time now.