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CommTech · 12-17-2021, 08:18 PM

Received the Field Service Notice SF-637-A. Requested the local Freightliner dealer perform the software update while the coach was in for yearly service. Viper was working fine before the software update.

The procedure calls for the tech to download software from DTNA and place it on a USB drive which then gets plugged in under the dash. Once inserted the tech is to hold down the OK key until "File Selection" appears on the screen. It is at that point in the procedure that the Viper in my coach locked up and must now be replaced.

Drove it home without gauges after testing that all exterior lamps (brake, turn signal and headlights) all worked as they should. The side view and rear view cameras also worked normally. Exhaust brake and transmission control (manual over ride to request or limit up or down shifting) also worked normally.

Now waiting for a replacement Viper unit and like many other things right now there is "limited availability" or "long lead times" for replacement units.

If your Viper is working fine, I would think twice before having this software update done, at least until there is more availability of replacement units.

USMCRET · 12-18-2021, 04:24 PM

How strange. I had mine updated two weeks ago without problem. So far, anyway.

davidcbaker · 12-20-2021, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by USMCRET

How strange. I had mine updated two weeks ago without problem. So far, anyway.

Put a new one in my '21 New Aire after it quit working. They overnighted it to the dealer.

CommTech · 01-23-2022, 07:27 PM

OP here with a couple of updates on what is turning out to be a continuing saga.

After I drove the coach back to storage without gauges, I turned the chassis and coach battery disconnect switches off as I always do when parking it in storage for any length of time longer than a day or so.

While waiting for the replacement Viper unit, we had some nice weather, so I took the coach for a little exercise and fuel tank top off for the upcoming winter. And I had a mostly functional dashboard again, only missing the three customizable gauges in the lower center of the gauge cluster.

Instead of the customizable gauges I had a message requesting a USB drive be inserted. I topped off the fuel tank and returned the coach to storage and let my local Freightliner dealer know what I had encountered and sent them a picture of the dashboard.

A week or so later the Freightliner dealer contacts me to set up an appointment for their mobile tech to replace the Viper module in the coach at my storage location since the replacement had arrived.

The appointed day and time arrives and the mobile tech sets about locating the module. Once he found it (between the steering column and what could be considered the front firewall behind a plastic cover) there was enough cable slack to bring it out into the driver's foot well where we could get a good look at it.

What we saw neither of us liked. The Viper module in my coach looked nothing like the replacement unit, nor did it have connectors that would match up and the part numbers were not even remotely close to one another.

The tech took pictures of the module in my coach, buttoned up all the panels that had been opened during the search for he module's location but were no longer needed and said he would send the information to Freightliner Custom Chassis and someone would be in touch once there was progress to report.

A few days ago I received an email from the manager of the local Freightliner dealer. FCC had determined that I should never have received the notice for SF-637-A because my coach doesn't have the faulty module.

So we are now waiting for FCC to get us the correct replacement module.

At least it isn't camping season in this neck of the woods. Stay tuned.....

CommTech · 02-02-2022, 07:20 PM

OP here with a final update. FCCC came through. The local Freightliner dealer's mobile tech installed the correct Viper module for my coach yesterday. Everything appears to be back to normal on the dash.

We're ready to roll as soon as camping season arrives.

GD52 · 04-22-2022, 01:12 PM

My dash display went completely dark when I started up my unit a couple weeks ago. FCCC told me there was a recall for Viper module. I called the Fleetwood dealer and they told me to turn off the batteries (Chassis & House) and have shore power disconnected. They said this might rest the display. So I am going to try it this weekend to see if that fixes it if not then I need to get it into dealer to fix.

CommTech · 04-23-2022, 04:34 PM

GD52,

It sounds like you may actually have the problem that the recall addresses. It will be a Freightliner shop that will need to install the software update that corrects the problem. The Freightliner shop I used said it generally takes longer to do the paperwork than to apply the software update. Of course, that wasn't the situation I ended up being in, but that saga is detailed earlier in this thread.

How charged up were your chassis batteries when the issue presented itself? The description of the problem on the recall letter I received mentioned the situation occurs when the chassis batteries are " low".

Hope you can get it fixed soon.

IEales · 04-13-2025, 10:32 AM

Went to the barn and the dash stayed black. Worked perfectly week before.

$7,300 plus labor to replace Viper unit.

I designed and built similar units to display J1939 for marine vessels. At most there's a hundred dollars worth of parts.

At $7,300, each unit recovers the system development cost.

Last year it was $4,500 for new DEF head & bits.

Disgusted with Freightliner.