Brake booster software update - recall

[Sfitz38]

https://www.vehiclerecalls.gov.au/recalls/rec-005475

 

[krusing]

I was reading about this, another thorn in the side for GM -

https://www.carexpert.com.au/car-news/majority-of-holden-zb-commodores-recalled

Brake booster failure on 13k+ cars.

You would be lucky to find a Holden dealer, let alone a Holden Sign.

 

[hademall]

Oh dear.

 

[the_boozer]

Model
ZB Commodore
Year range
2017 - 2020
Affected units
13,898
Is that how many have defects or how many ZB's in total were sold?

 

[stooge]

thankfully it is only a software update so we dont have to spend months waiting for parts and it can pretty much be done while you wait.

 

[wetwork65]

thankfully it is only a software update so we dont have to spend months waiting for parts and it can pretty much be done while you wait.

At least the steering didn't fail and the wait for parts was loooooong.

 

[chrisp]

How does the brake booster work in the ZB, and specifically does anyone know what the role of the (faulty) software is in the booster?

 

[Skylarking]

thankfully it is only a software update so we dont have to spend months waiting for parts and it can pretty much be done while you wait.

The brake booster is purely a pneumatic mechanical device so the question is what is wrong with the brake booster?

And while the ABS system handles some other brake functions like maximising brake effort in emergencies, brake bias and such, are they using the ABS to mask over the mechanical fault?

I don’t like fixing faults anywhere other than at the root cause… if it’s a mechanical issue, it needs to be fixed with an mechanical upgrade…

And in part, that’s why I hate the dumbing down of recall information where once such docs had details of the technical problem and the technical resolution (including part numbers and labour times).

If I have time, I’ll have to search the NHTSA recall website as their docs are much better than yne anemic recall notices our gov provides us… Now what’s the ZB equivalent called in the states?

 

[chrisp]

The brake booster is purely a pneumatic mechanical device so the question is what is wrong with the brake booster?

I’m wondering if it has an electric vacuum pump that is software controlled? Some models are turbos so vacuum may not always be available, hence my suspicion/guess that it might be an issue with an electric vacuum pump.

 

[Immortality]

I guess it depends on the vacuum source for the brake booster. Diesel cars will have some sort of vacuum pump, didn't VE or VF also use a vacuum pump?

So a software update could be as simple as adjusting vacuum levels on/off settings for the system.

I'm not saying that is what it is, I'm just suggesting it might not be as sinister as some might think.