Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) firmware : (November 2023 - another recall)

[JejuSoul]

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I took my 2015 car in for 40,000km service yesterday.
Got an EPB upgrade.
The parking brake now automatically comes on when you turn off the car.
This feature is now the same as in the 2018 Soul EV and the I oniq Electric.



Edit - I changed the title from upgrade to firmware update to emphasize this is a software update.

Edit - I changed the title again for the November 2023 recall

 

[SoulEV2016]

Not a good thing in cold climate ... :?

 

[notfred]

I've lived in Ottawa for 18 years, always used the parking brake on all my cars and never had a problem with it even on the coldest winter nights.

I think if you use it a lot then it keeps things moving and is fine. It's more if you haven't used it in a while and then go to use it that you will run in to problems. Automatically putting it on every time the car is powered off should help keep things moving.

 

[SoulEV2016]

and when you have a dead 12v battery, you have ... a second problem, too. :mrgreen:
but like the BMS update, perhaps it's only for WARM Soul EV product ? :idea:

 

[JejuSoul]

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An issue I've never seen before. Turned the car normally, tried to drive, car didn't move.
Saw this message -



I tried releasing the brake by touching the lever, nothing happened.
Issue went away when I turned off the car and then restarted.

 

[mysoulev]

this firmware update is probably to address a problem i have experienced.

my garage is not perfectly level, it has happened to me 3 - 4 times over the last 2.5 years that after i shifted to P, turned car off, as i was stepping out of the car, i noticed the car was inching forward. i had to turn the car on, shift out of P and P again, then i heard the click sound that lock the transmission when i release the brake pedal.

now i look for that click sound every time i park, i seldom use the parking brake.

 

[JejuSoul]

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There is now a worldwide recall for this issue.
Yesterday I got a recall notice for the parking brake.
I took the car in.
They wanted to put a sticker on to say that the upgrade had already been done, but they had run out of stickers, so I will have to go back next week.
So I confirm that this recall is the same upgrade I got 3 years ago EPB firmware 1.3

-

 

[FLKiaEV]

To be honest I miss those old pull up handle parking brakes next to the driver's seat. Oh well, progress I guess... I'm wondering if I really need to do the firmware upgrade or not. I haven't had any issues with it so far.

 

[edzee3]

I have a 2015 Soul EV (mfg. Oct 2014, bought Feb 2015)) and have not seen a recall for this. Any info welcome.
Thx,
Ed

 

[FLKiaEV]

The article I saw said that the recall is supposed to happen on August 7th, so we should be getting something in the mail fairly soon. On the other hand, it might be possible to go to the dealer ahead of schedule to beat the potential crowds. I would at least give them a call and ask about it.

edit: Here's the article: https://www.carcomplaints.com/news/2020/kia-soul-ev-recalled-rollaway-problems.shtml

 

[edzee3]

I did get a Recall (NHTSA Recall no. 20V389) for 2015-16 Soul EVs; from KIA-America, dated 7 Aug 2020. "KIA will update the ECU software for the EPB Logic".

"This then will automatically activate the EPB when the Power button is turned off AND the shift lever is in the P position".

I wonder if anyone has had this done per the Recall notice, and I welcome any comments about the recall work experience.
I hope it's a minor job and the dealers performed the work without problem.

 

[FLKiaEV]

So far I've not had any luck finding a dealer near me who can do the work. Still looking... But, the problem apparently comes from regularly putting the vehicle in 'Park' before it has come to a complete stop, which is something I never do. And I always put the EPB on when I park. So maybe it won't even be necessary for my case. Still would be nice to have it happen automatically.

 

[notfred]

I just had my car in for service here in Canada and the recall didn't show up, they didn't know anything about it at the dealer.

 

[FLKiaEV]

Go to https://www.kia.ca/kia-recall and input your VIN and see what comes up. Maybe it's only the US version? Can't imagine why it would be, but stranger things have happened.

 

[notfred]

I just checked and it shows RC-132 is needed on my vehicle, so no idea if that is new or if the dealer messed up.

 

[FLKiaEV]

I tried to find out what an "RC-132" is, with no luck. Any ideas?

On my end, I called several local Kia dealers and unfortunately none of them are equipped to do the work. You see, I bought the car from California (one of the few places in the US where the Kia Soul EV was even sold) and had it shipped to Florida (where they are NOT sold). So it's not surprising that the dealerships are not equipped to work on the EV version. The nearest certified dealership to me is in Georgia, several hundred miles away... Since this firmware update is not that big of a deal (for me), I'm not too worried. If a more substantial recall comes around I'll have to go there I guess (unless it's an issue that is not EV specific that they can rectify, such as steering linkage or brake lights, etc which are shared on the ICE and EV vehicles).

 

[notfred]

RC132 is the recall number here in Canada.

 

[FLKiaEV]

Ah. Any idea what it entails? (Just curious).

 

[notfred]

It's the EPB firmware update talked about in this thread, RC132 is just the recall number for it here in Canada.

I don't know if my dealer missed it, or I was just unlucky in taking my car in for service a day or so before it was made available here in Canada.

 

[FLKiaEV]

Thanks for the info. And good luck on having it done, etc.