How Long Are Software Updates Avoidable

[jbcrane]

My Wrangler hasn't been to the dealership in 3 years; all routine maintenance and service being done in my garage. Unless there's a compelling (recall/warranty) reason to return to the dealership I'll continue to service it myself.

Recent threads discussing advertising being pushed to UConnect head units, and clutch recall software issues, among others, have me to wondering just how long one might expect to avoid any software updates? The vehicle is really a closed system; without external variables*. Contrast it to the operating system in a computer. The computer on our desk/phone/lap isn't a closed system. It interacts with other software app's and the internet. Because of this, often times software updates are released/recommended to keep your computer running properly, as external variables also change.

But in a vehicle, if the present computer is tracking what's happening well enough to keep it safely driving down the road, that should be good enough, right? I don't care about any new 'features' they might come up with because the risk of something breaking, or including (sneaking) additional pork into the system (like the ability to receive ads in your UConnect) is I'm sure, part of the strategy.

If you're a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" guy/gal - is it reasonable to side-step software updates completely? If yes, is there any penalty for doing so? Thinking warranty, safety recall, insurance, etc. As an End-User of the software (think EULA) - are we in any way obligated to or impacted by - EULA's?
Thoughts?

*unless you use a Tazer or JSCAN - but even then, if you don't update either of those, once it's dialed in and working it should continue to work.

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[roaniecowpony]

 

[TrentYoung]

If you believe you are smarter than the Jeep engineers in their software applications.... then carry on. In my experience, software updates are always valuable, for it really is a computer running everything.

 

[hamiamham69]

I have a 2019 JLU. Not eligible for over-the-air updates. I don’t think it’s ever been updated at a dealer eother as I imagine I would have been charged for it. No adverse effects

 

[Jeep Wick]

My Wrangler hasn't been to the dealership in 3 years; all routine maintenance and service being done in my garage. Unless there's a compelling (recall/warranty) reason to return to the dealership I'll continue to service it myself.

Recent threads discussing advertising being pushed to UConnect head units, and clutch recall software issues, among others, have me to wondering just how long one might expect to avoid any software updates? The vehicle is really a closed system; without external variables*. Contrast it to the operating system in a computer. The computer on our desk/phone/lap isn't a closed system. It interacts with other software app's and the internet. Because of this, often times software updates are released/recommended to keep your computer running properly, as external variables also change.

But in a vehicle, if the present computer is tracking what's happening well enough to keep it safely driving down the road, that should be good enough, right? I don't care about any new 'features' they might come up with because the risk of something breaking, or including (sneaking) additional pork into the system (like the ability to receive ads in your UConnect) is I'm sure, part of the strategy.

If you're a "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" guy/gal - is it reasonable to side-step software updates completely? If yes, is there any penalty for doing so? Thinking warranty, safety recall, insurance, etc. As an End-User of the software (think EULA) - are we in any way obligated to or impacted by - EULA's?
Thoughts?

*unless you use a Tazer or JSCAN - but even then, if you don't update either of those, once it's dialed in and working it should continue to work.

You bought a working vehicle, no reason to update unless you have issues. Even the clutch recall on my 2020 did not prevent me from selling/trading it. Truth be told, many prefer vehicles without the updates as they often have drawbacks.

 

[jbcrane]

If you believe you are smarter than the Jeep engineers in their software applications.... then carry on.

Hmmm...

In my experience, software updates are always valuable, for it really is a computer running everything.

It seems you and I have had different experiences.

 

[RatZero]

Unless there's a recall requiring an update, odds are you'll be fine. Automakers won't issue a recall unless they're required to or there is a serious issue they are voluntarily correcting.

That said, there are updates that get pushed out for dealers to install during expected regular maintenance. These can be adjustments to a variety of the computer aided systems like the transmission that are not safety related. Your Jeep might improve with these but they shouldn't get worse than what you're currently enjoying if you don't get them.

 

[Max Headroom]

If you believe you are smarter than the Jeep engineers in their software applications.... then carry on. In my experience, software updates are always valuable, for it really is a computer running everything.

I believe my dog is smarter than Jeep engineers.

The idea that the software would require an update seems to indicate they didn't get it right in the first place, because nothing on the vehicle has changed.

If it ain't broke, don't f*&k with it. I can't tell you how many devices, systems I've seen wrecked by pushed/required updates, which lead to loss of productivity, requiring some type of patch, or emergency update.
No thanks, given the option on a system that seems to be working fine, I'll pass on the updates.

 

[rk911]

I believe my dog is smarter than Jeep engineers.

The idea that the software would require an update seems to indicate they didn't get it right in the first place, because nothing on the vehicle has changed.

If it ain't broke, don't f*&k with it. I can't tell you how many devices, systems I've seen wrecked by pushed/required updates, which lead to loss of productivity, requiring some type of patch, or emergency update.
No thanks, given the option on a system that seems to be working fine, I'll pass on the updates.

100% agree with this.

 

[dstevens]

Short answer - if it ain't broke...

If you believe you are smarter than the Jeep engineers in their software applications

I'll put up my hand here (sorry if your reply is going to generate some opinionated answers). They've given me a vehicle that almost stalls when I go from D to R or R to D. At 14 mph and constant throttle it bunny hops. The torque converter clutch lockup and unlock tables overlap so down a certain gradient hill at a certain speed it cycles between locking and unlocking. The 2024+ new features were clearly designed, developed and tested by a team of software engineers confined to cubicles who had never been off road in their lives.

In the last week I've started to work out how to disable the OTA updates while retaining the SXM and GPS (spoiler - the Ram folks figured this out for us).

 

[autotragic]

If you believe you are smarter than the Jeep engineers in their software applications.... then carry on. In my experience, software updates are always valuable, for it really is a computer running everything.

This is absolutely not true at all. Anybody that knows anything about computing and computers knows that if you don't need to update to fix something then you don't do it. If you have a pressing issue that is actually confirmed to be fixed in an update and that fix is useful to you then by all means update. However if that is not the case you should not update.

You just never should unless you actually have a valid reason.

Firmware updates especially can brick whatever you're updating if you screw up or if the power goes out. It is always advised to never update unless you actually need to.

Unfortunately Microsoft has somehow turned the computer update game into this weird thing where people are trained to just automatically allow them to update their computer whenever they want and that's Microsoft and the way they do things is not universal and anybody that really knows computers knows Microsoft's way isn't really the right way.

Even my Windows computers only get updates when I want them to be updated and never on Microsoft's schedule. Microsoft has screwed up enough patches for me to know better.

 

[jbcrane]

...Truth be told, many prefer vehicles without the updates as they often have drawbacks.

Thank you.
That's exactly what I'm referring to.

...there are updates that get pushed out for dealers to install during expected regular maintenance... Your Jeep might improve with these but they shouldn't get worse than what you're currently enjoying if you don't get them.

Thanks for your thoughts. It's the 'shouldn't' part that's the problem.
Every time you do a system update on the computer, SOP is to back everything up just in case things go south - which is not uncommon. That's really the point of the question.

...No thanks, given the option on a system that seems to be working fine, I'll pass on the updates.

Thank you. We think alike.

If you believe you are smarter than the Jeep engineers in their software applications.... then carry on. In my experience, software updates are always valuable, for it really is a computer running everything.

The question isn't designed to impugn the Jeep engineers. On the contrary... I couldn't build the vehicle I enjoy so much that sits in the garage. Thank you everyone.

That said, like many of us, I have worked with different computers, operating systems and applications for a long time and know full well often unintended consequences result from good intentions gone awry. These are complicated systems and sometimes stuff happens. With that in mind, it seems sensible to minimize introducing new variables into a well functioning system.
Thank you for your reply.

Short answer - if it ain't broke...
...The 2024+ new features were clearly designed, developed and tested by a team of software engineers confined to cubicles who had never been off road in their lives.
In the last week I've started to work out how to disable the OTA updates while retaining the SXM and GPS (spoiler - the Ram folks figured this out for us).

When they introduced the larger UConnect 5 screen it looked more like an iPad and less like a dashboard of a car - like so many modern cars. That's when I really started wondering. Don't remember if it was MY24... I think so.

Hearing others' experiences with OTA updates alarm me. The idea of manufacturers asserting themselves into my vehicle and 'forcing' their... agenda? preferences? whatever - is unnerving. If I want or need the help, I'll ask for it. Otherwise I appreciate respecting the initial value exchange: their car for my money makes it my car. Now please leave me alone (not you, the manufacturer ).
Thank you for your reply.

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