Tuning Twinair Software Upgrade

[varesecrazy]

Not sure why is uploaded twice

for IMPACT..!!

it's fine ,
which end of the Cotswolds..??

removing battery neg, and reconnecting can get the S/S working again
apparently..

been a while since I've bothered "bench-charging" my S/S battery - works ok after a run..

Charlie - Oxford

 

[jasfiona]

The scragg-end towards the Stroud Valleys. As it's still under warranty, I'm letting someone else sort it!

 

[jasfiona]

for IMPACT..!!

it's fine ,
which end of the Cotswolds..??

removing battery neg, and reconnecting can get the S/S working again
apparently..

been a while since I've bothered "bench-charging" my S/S battery - works ok after a run..

Charlie - Oxford

Actually. There are only 2 pics, (one for mileage to show the MPG for that period, but I saw 4 my phone, so I thought it'd duplicated them. It's easy to get over MPG for single journeys on flat ground.

 

[jasfiona]

Oooops, wrong photo!!!!

 

[jasfiona]

oooops, wrong photo!!!!

 

[Fiat Lux]

Post software upgrade my '15 TA seem to rev easier and need less gas ? Apologies for not being able to quantify as my mileage stats have gone to pot because both my kids disappear in the car for days on end

 

[varesecrazy]

Actually.It's easy to get over MPG for single journeys on flat ground.View attachment 174644

83mpg was my record..

 

[jasfiona]

No idea what happened there. Wrong photo and even missed the actual MPG. It was 66 MPG on a long journey over rolling countryside.

I'm using the mobile app, which seems to be a little temperamental.

Mine was a little tight at first, you know, when I was trying to turn left onto a road in slow traffic, (where you'd normally use 2nd in every single car you have ever owned). You just had to change to 1st because it just felt that you were labouring the engine, let alone the gear change indicator!

 

[FatFot]

Thanks to everybody for my responses. Very gratifying to see so many of us have one!
OK. Cold weather could be a factor so will keep that in mind.
I checked consumption by brimming, not from computer. Three tanks were done at over 250 miles covered, rounding off these were 39, 38, 38 mpg, the first two before it got very cold.
Last one was at 165 miles before fill and 36 mpg. HOWEVER this did include a three-quarter mile REVERSE at night, down a narrow, twisty lane due to other drivers having stuffed into the undergrowth etc.Not helped by ONE reversing light! Why??? Side issue, any thoughts about brighter bulb?
Drove Cross twice to Italy and got around 47mpg at (sensible) motorway speeds. Village in mountains, 36km round trips to shops etc, around 52mpg. Remember, as much downhill as uphill on average.

Thanks again. Now, if it rains and clears the salt, time to wheel out the Barchetta.....

 

[gar074]

Now, if it rains and clears the salt, time to wheel out the Barchetta.....

You'll probably get better mpg in the B, too!

Do please join us on the Barchetta forum.

 

[JCarp16]

Not sure why is uploaded twice

Because we couldn't believe our eyes the first time and needed a 'double take'. ?

 

[R1NGA]

...Not helped by ONE reversing light! Why??? Side issue, any thoughts about brighter bulb...

Indeed, very bad when trying to do a decent reverse at night, in the rain down narrow country lanes which have been blocked by cars/trees/floods/sink-holes etc. Had a nightmare a few years ago in an Audi with pimp-black rear windows which pretty much prevented any solo reversing at night.

So I did two things to the Panda. One - fit a much brighter LED bulb (fits fine, no CANBUS issues on my 2014 TX 4x4) and Two, fitted a small but hugely powerful LED driving light which makes reversing little different to going forwards in terms of light output. Problem solved.

 

[Panda 4x4 TA Antarctica]

So - a quick update. Our Panda T/A had a service last week. Drove it ~300 miles at the weekend and.... You guessed it, worse economy in Eco-mode.... Not only that, but there's definitely far less pull in the higher gears ( I guess throughout, but more noticeable in the higher gears). Not good. The wife picked the car up and she said she recalled them mentioning a software update.... Hmm. We got 43mpg over the weekend, which having done the route previously and got up to 58mpg, is worrying. Even allowing for the cold, I'd have expected a good 5mpg more, especially consciously driving to get the best mpg we could. I'm going to call the dealer and ask what was done (and why)....

 

[Super Uwe]

So - a quick update. Our Panda T/A had a service last week. Drove it ~300 miles at the weekend and.... You guessed it, worse economy in Eco-mode.... Not only that, but there's definitely far less pull in the higher gears ( I guess throughout, but more noticeable in the higher gears). Not good. The wife picked the car up and she said she recalled them mentioning a software update.... Hmm. We got 43mpg over the weekend, which having done the route previously and got up to 58mpg, is worrying. Even allowing for the cold, I'd have expected a good 5mpg more, especially consciously driving to get the best mpg we could. I'm going to call the dealer and ask what was done (and why)....

I had a not-dissimilar experience with our old 1.2 Panda back in 2014. The dealer (who otherwise did a great job servicing the car) applied a software update which was pending for my car, and it was definitely less spritely when I got it back. Fuel economy was slightly worse too, nothing terrible but I knew it was down on journeys that I did on a regular basis

Your dealer should have written the campaign number for the software update in your service book along with the stamp for the service. If you have the campaign number then you will be able to dig a bit deeper hopefully.

 

[PaulD]

I had the software update done on my TA Cross at the 36,000 mile service and in the 1000 miles since economy over the same routes has improved by about 4 to 5% even with all the cold weather we've had during January.

 

[Panda 4x4 TA Antarctica]

I had the software update done on my TA Cross at the 36,000 mile service and in the 1000 miles since economy over the same routes has improved by about 4 to 5% even with all the cold weather we've had during January.

What about driveability (specifically in ECO)? This makes no sense - why would some vehicles respond positively and others negatively?

 

[PaulD]

My impression is that driveability has improved, certainly when cold. I also sense a bit more 'go' when in eco mode. Also before the engine would often stall immediately after ignition. This does not happen now.

Indicative figures are typical economy; prior: 52.2mpg; after: 55mpg

I'm very happy with the software upgrade. I agree it doesn't make sense that some cars are better others worse. This could depend on the nature of the roads, tarffic conditions etc. I have no traffic to contend with and no journeys less than 25 miles.

 

[WoollyPanda]

A sooty exhaust used to be a good indication that an engine was running too rich, but ever since we switched to Unleaded fuel and catalytic converters it's no longer the case. Catalytic converters need an over rich mixture to work properly (ironic eh?), so a sooty pipe doesn't necessarily indicate a fault.

 

[Squadrone Rosso]

Mine is definitely smoother right from cold start, even with the heated front & rear screens on + heated seats.

My cars are run almost exclusively on V Power or Tesco 99 Momentum.

If I run the Panda on normal fuel, the tailpipe gets sooty.

 

[Panda 4x4 TA Antarctica]

I had a not-dissimilar experience with our old 1.2 Panda back in 2014. The dealer (who otherwise did a great job servicing the car) applied a software update which was pending for my car, and it was definitely less spritely when I got it back. Fuel economy was slightly worse too, nothing terrible but I knew it was down on journeys that I did on a regular basis

Your dealer should have written the campaign number for the software update in your service book along with the stamp for the service. If you have the campaign number then you will be able to dig a bit deeper hopefully.

So....I've been meaning to put a follow-up note on here, but never got around to it. I think this was a case of misdiagnosis....and a lesson in jumping to conclusions! So our poor economy, poor running weekend immediately followed our service and the software update. What I omitted to note is that the car had been filled-up at the local garage that evening, before we headed off for the weekend....you can see where this is going! After our thirsty and poorly performing trip, we were down to (virtually) vapours, so I called in at a different BP garage a few miles away...wow. What...a...difference...! Car back to running as it had been previously. I can only think that the fuel we'd filled up with from the local station (reasonably recently changed from Esso to BP) was not of the standard we'd expect for premium-priced fuel. I've noticed previously that the car had run a little rough when buying from there and have always felt that the TwinAir motor seems more sensitive to fuel choice than some cars. Looks like I've had my last tank from the local station!
The Panda has subsequently run fine and mpg is back up where we'd expect for the journeys we've been doing.(Though I wouldn't say there has been an improvement in performance/mpg, mind) So - slapped myself on the wrist for not realising the obvious and back to enjoying Panda ownership!