Tns Anomaly

[johnan]

Just for information for anyone with the TNS 510 fitted, and for David to add to his databank of experience , and perhaps he may know the reason why this may have happened:

My IQ had it's first (one year) service on Tuesday (that's another story) and yesterday the car behaved normally.However, today as soon as the start button was pressed the lady that hides in the sat-nav unit repeatedly ordered me to "check the SD card".

I kept the engine running and went on my way but had the SD card in and out, pressed all the buttons (the map was displaying OK, so the card was being read), tried my USB music source and it all worked.

I just couldn't get the lady to shut up.

Ten miles later I reached B and Q and parked, switched off and on again after about 20 secs, and she had gone.

She has not since re-appeared.

As all was OK the day immediately after the service I have to think it was not something that MrT could have done, more likely one of those IC glitches that is solved by "switching off and switching on again".

But I still have a feeling they may have done something, even plugging a gadget into the OBD port to update software or something, that could have caused this.

Any clues or similar experiences out there?

[tarquin]

Hi john. It is likely that MR T disconnected your Battery whilst servicing your car. When this is done, the previously stored "Loading.Kiwi" file drops out of memory. Reconnecting the Battery and turning the ignition on , requests the Loading. kiwi file from the map SD card. What they are supposed to do and us if we disconnect the Battery, is to , when the battery is reconnected, switch the ignition on and wait for the satnav to load its opetating system into the TNS's memory befor attempting to start the car. Because if you try to start the car and it fails the first time, and you turn off and try again, the TNS is loading its files and cutting power in the midfle of the process can permenantly corrupt the file on the SD card. Some times it loads but with errors which i think happened to you John. Removing the card and reinserting coupled with turning the ignition off and on, initiated the TNS to request the file again from the SD card and did a character error check and fixed it. Simples

David

[johnan]

Thanks for the info David.

I can't think why they would want to disconnect the Battery though, especially as they did not have the car very long.

Let's hope the lady keeps quiet from now on!

John

[tarquin]

Sometimes if they do an ECU updade have to disconnect the Battery for the update to take effect. ( little tweaks from MR T)

David

[johnan]

Sometimes if they do an ECU updade have to disconnect the battery for the update to take effect. ( little tweaks from MR T)

David

That is quite possible, because my Scangauge OBD connector had been moved (I had taken it out of the socket prior to going to the garage) but it was not in the position I had left it, so they must have been fiddling about in that area.

John

[craggle]

Let's hope the lady keeps quiet from now on!

John

I haven't found one yet that does...... :)

[johnan]

I couldn't possibly agree with that observation....

oh, why not....

nice one!

J

[johnan]

If you are still there David....it happened again this morning, Bitching Betty asking for me to check the SD card, which was in place and displaying the map normally.

Switched off, waited about 10 seconds, again on switch on she had decided to keep quiet.

Took it up to MrT, who was suitably mystified and we arranged that if it happens on Monday i will take it straight there without switching off so they can witness the problem first hand.

He also said he will try to find out how to reset the unit without disconnecting the Battery.

Perhaps there is a combination of key presses, or something, that will achieve that...any ideas!?

So it is still a mystery and a nuisance.

John

[Dark Matter]

Have you .... how shall I put this .... Checked the SD card. ?

[johnan]

Excellent suggestion, but as the map comes up as normal even though our lady friend is nagging away, I have to assume the card is OK.

The files are all accessible if the SD card is read by a PC, so the file system on the card doesn't seem to be corrupt.

Keep the ideas coming!

John

[johnan]

I have never taken the SD card out prior to this, but on reading the manual(!), I see that there is a procedure to be gone through before you remove an SD card or a USB stick, if the TNS 510 is operating .

You are not supposed to just eject the card or pull out the stick.

I just wondered if a MrT "technician" had taken the SD card out, without following the correct procedure ,while the engine was running during the service on Tuesday, if it could possibly have upset the system in some way?

John

[Dark Matter]

........ I have to assume the card is OK....

With respect for some reason the firmware thinks otherwise.

Only way to check for sure is to try another card. Not sure how practical that would be to achieve but it MUST be the first diagnostic check surely.

Just because you can see the files does not mean they are not corrupt I'm afraid.

[johnan]

........ I have to assume the card is OK....

With respect for some reason the firmware thinks otherwise.

Only way to check for sure is to try another card. Not sure how practical that would be to achieve but it MUST be the first diagnostic check surely.

Just because you can see the files does not mean they are not corrupt I'm afraid.

That is the reason , if it happens on Monday, I will be taking it without switching off and on again to try another card at the dealers.

Obviously that is the first thing to try, I have not been a graduate mechanical engineer for 45 years without a certain degree of problem solving common sense.

In the mean time I am trying to get sensible suggestions as to any other possible causes and solutions that I may be able to try before Monday, assuming it happens again.

John

[Dark Matter]

Hmmmmm .... Just trying to help ....with a modicum of gentle teasing humour . Not meant to offend or state the bleedin' obvious.

Your first post suggested to those of us unfamiliar with your technical background someone unsure of the best approach. ("Pressing all the buttons" is rarely a wise diagnostic technique) likewise removing the card from a live system without dismounting it suggested unfamiliarity with such things.

My suggestion to attend to the error message literally WAS meant to be a sensibe helpful suggestion from a software engineer that deals with screwed up SD cards and troublesome software on a regular basis.

[tarquin]

Hi John

On the 510 there doesnt seem to be a button to hit before device removal whharas on the Tns 350 that i have, there is. It seems to rely on turning the engine off before removal. Memory card sockets are tempemental buggers , howmany times when using a card reader do you eather reinsert the card or " wiggle it. It may be no more sinister than the socket and or card are oxidised and need pushing in and out a few times. There is a youtube link under " prius hack" which lets you into the engineering mode of the 510, but not sure if thats any use to you. The map card can be changed at any time for an upated map and there are no insert eject precautions that come with it. If it were mine i would turn the ignition off and push the Sd card in and out about 5 times, then give it another try. If no luck then i would as toyota for a loan map in case of partial corruption. If they wont do that and you dont have a way forward pm me

David

[johnan]

Thanks again David for more helpful advice.

The service chap at my local MrT did what I had already done and what you suggest, ie put the card in and out a few times, but as the lady had already been silenced it didn't prove anything.

This morning however the TNS behaved as normal with no nagging for the card.

Hopefully that will be then end of it (I don't believe that for one moment!) and it can be put down to one of life's little mysteries, but I would love to find out if there was any link with this anomaly and the service the car had just before it.

I will keep you informed if there are any developments. I may have to go to them on Monday to arrange a replacement card, at least to try, if it happens again.

These intermittent faults are a nightmare.

Thanks again.

John

[tarquin]

Hi John

hopefully, it is sorted. If it happens again, and MR T won't try a replacement, I can loan you a 2011 one to try.

David

[johnan]

Hi David,

That would be agreat help if they decide to be a bit difficult.

The chap I dealt with is "the nice one" and I think he would take a card out of a showroom car just for a quick test, or at least I think he would, but they may not have any cars in with a TNS 510 for that to be an option.

So, yes please, I will take you up on your offer if circumstances demand it.

I will keep you informed.

Thanks again,

John

[tarquin]

ok John

any of the satnav iQ's will have a 510. hopefully there is one on the forecourt

David

[johnan]

Update, David, all was well this morning....everything worked OK.

Fingers crossed, it will last.

They have one other IQ in the showroom but may not be sat nav equipped, lets hope I don't have to find out!

John

[tarquin]

They have 8 in mine 6 with satnav. A good place to find one if people are looking and dont want to wait.

David

[johnan]

So far so good again today, David.

Perhaps she is going to behave now.(Famous last words)

John

[tarquin]

Dont tell me, and again today lol

David

[johnan]

Yes!

I didn't want to bore you by saying the same thing again, so I thought I would not mention it for a day.

If all goes well tomorrow I'll not mention it either, so no news is good news.

John

[tarquin]

Ha ha never boring John

David