Vida CEM swapping

[NuovoRecord]

Omfg!

I was under the impression the brick style cem which that looks like one. The cracker is not able to work on it (yet)
Now it looks like you have ablitarated the via's!! Now you maybe able to still clone this module. You could try and use usbjtag which can connect to these via the microprocessor. , what you will have to do is connect from the top apposed to the vias on the back side. Then you will probably have to source check if IOT can decode the code via dump or Possibly SMOK.

Thanks. This is a difficult learning experience. I should have first tried with a junkyard CEM. This will probably be sent to Xemodex, and they can connect from the top if necessary.

One thing that confuses me: I don't see any traces on the underside of the board that the (now obliterated) pads connected to. It seemed they were just there to help secure the main surface mount processor. In which case, the pads lifting / vias being damaged wouldn't seem to have any effect (as long as they weren't shorting to ground, which they don't seem to be). Is this wrong?

The board is multi-layer. Scratching through more than just the insulation can break internal traces that the Via intersects with. Not sure if Xemodex can fix that...

Thanks for clarifying that.

I'm going to order some better soldering tools and try to rescue this myself before paying big $ to Xemodex. I'll document as much as I can here.

[dikidera]

Hi all. Are the VBF/SBL files only available to original and licensed Volvo dealers? And unless you intercept their software upload to car, you are basically empty handed?

[rkam]

The files are not available to original and licensed dealers either.

[dikidera]

So they are on the Volvo servers and only a dealer could upload them to the car via whatever tool they use.

I wanted to know how they install the features. Specifically how the CEM handles new features. For instance modular software I've seen that try to abstract away some implementation, use a common interface that implements the feature you want.
But they also have the preserve somehow the features already added to the car. As far as I know, to write new data, you have to erase whole flash blocks.

So that is partially what I wanted to know.

[rkam]

The software is partly modular, but not on a feature level.
There is signal configuration, configuration, data and executeable. (Sometimes exe1 and exe2)

Some features can be enabled/disabled in the configuration block.
More features require a different main executeable where your wanted feature is one of many.

The dealer is normally limited to combinations of equipment that was available when the car was new.

[dikidera]

So if I wanted a fuel driven heater + some other feature...it may not be possible due to said combination not existing?

Btw, is there more information on what and where this configuration block is?

[rkam]

I know people have been able to transfer some parts of code from a car with active suspension to a car that was not supposed to have it.
But this required great skills in disassembly and assembly programming to put together.

The configuration block is typically an area with a lot of numbers like 01 02 03 .. 07 and stuff like that.
There are more details and even some tools earlier in this thread.

[dikidera]

Thank you for this valuable information. Can I assume that some features I want are already programmed in my CEM but not enabled? For instance trip computer and avg fuel consumption? I have the correct Switch with the Info button and knob, but not this feature.

[ZRimaZ]

Thank you for this valuable information. Can I assume that some features I want are already programmed in my CEM but not enabled? For instance trip computer and avg fuel consumption? I have the correct Switch with the Info button and knob, but not this feature.

Yes, it is. You just need to activate it in config

[RickHaleParker]

I know people have been able to transfer some parts of code from a car with active suspension to a car that was not supposed to have it.
But this required great skills in disassembly and assembly programming to put together.

Active suspension has it own control module. I would think you would just need add it to the CEM configuration once you got all the
Active suspension hardware installed.