So I decided to update the firmware to 2.006 today.

Equipment: US version of F500, no other amps or options connected

Downloaded the firmware off the Pioneer website for F500, version 2.006.

Followed the directions to unzip and load the folders onto the SD card.

Installed SD card with power off, powered up car.

Came back after 15 minutes, unit had updated and rebooted.

Checked firmware page, indicated 2.006

Followed instruction for TTS updates, but it seemed they were already done.

At this point, I think I powered the unit down, BUT FORGOT TO TAKE OUT THE SD CARD!

I powered back up, and noticed only the bluetooth LED lighting up, with no other signs of life. The unit will not turn on. I noticed that the bluetooth LED will flash rapidly for less than a second, then comes on steady.

Plugging it into AC power, the light only comes on steady, and the unit won't power up. After about 45 minutes, LED turned off, but unit still doesn't power up....

I also noticed that the SD card has a new folder created, gpslog (empty), and a new file, device.nng, both at the root directory, along with the firmware update folders.

Any thoughts? Do I now have an LCD touchscreen brick? Calling Pioneed tech support tomorrow.

I would try the wince.img update and format listed in several places

on here. Then you can just update to 3.0 and probably be good

update version, reformat flashdisk, copy files over again

OK, thanks for the guidance.

I tried loading Testmode; nothing seemed to happen. Downloaded Testmode.zip (from another sub-forum, for F series units), unpacked all files and transferred to SD card.

Powered up unit with SD card; bluetooth light comes on, no flashing, no nothing.

viewtopic.php?f=33&t=25424&p=172862&hilit=service+menu#p172862

Follow this, except where it says to download the files (step 1) download http://itchybot.com/x910bt.zip.torrent instead

then continue the update in same steps

OK, thanks for the guidance.

 

I tried loading Testmode; nothing seemed to happen. Downloaded Testmode.zip (from another sub-forum, for F series units), unpacked all files and transferred to SD card.

 

Powered up unit with SD card; bluetooth light comes on, no flashing, no nothing.

make sure to move the whole Testmode folder over not just the files.

In other words the testmode folder to the root of the sd card, not copy

all the files from the testmode folder

Update on this story:

I don't think the update had anything to do with the old unit failure. They replaced it under warranty (different SN came back) something about the motherboard, I think. Never did get a clear story on what was wrong.

So the "new" unit (which had a big "FACTORY REFURB" sticker on the back) seemed to work fine, with the usual bug of occasionally dropping the date and time, until a couple weeks ago. Got out at a WaWa (local Kwik-E-Mart chain in Philly) to get some coffee on the way to work. Unit worked when I shut down the car, and that was it. Getting back in, started the car, no power except for the Bluetooth Light of Death. Like before, that light seems to indicate power is on the unit, and nothing else.

This makes the third Pioneer product, out of three, that has died pretty early in it's life. This and a DVD player, were out of warranty.

So I think I'm done with Pioneer.

Has this problem (with the F500) been reported before?