they wont, will not, never, nada spring for a HD lol thats why theres talk and talk only of a band aid patch.

if it was something easy as software it would have been installed in the unit from the start. since there trying to hide a hardware problem there racking there brains on how to make this fly

I have had my unit since May, it worked perfectly until mid July. I got in my truck on a Friday in mid July and my temp gauge read 96, and my Z2 locked up for the first time. I didn't drive the truck all weekend and on Monday it worked fine, it worked for 3 days in mid 90 degree heat, and then locked up again on a morning when the temp was only 76, the humidity was 100%. As of this day it will sometimes start in 102 degree weather with low humidity, and then lock up with 76 degree temps with high humidity after being parked in a garage for 12 hours overnight.

I think it's humidity related.

Wayne

Here is the email I just got from Pioneer...

September 14, 2007

Dear Valued Customer

Re: Free Firmware Update for Pioneer AVIC-Z1 & AVIC-Z2 to Address Lock-up/Freezing Issue

We would like to inform you of the availability of a free firmware update for the AVIC-Z1 and AVIC-Z2 to address a potential lock-up/freezing issue. Pioneer has become aware that a small percentage of AVIC-Z1 and AVIC-Z2 systems, especially in very hot temperatures, lock-up or freeze when powered on, such that the systems do not proceed further than the initial boot up screen.

If you are not experiencing any lock-up or freezing issues currently, there is no need to take action at this time because the one-time fix to resolve the issue will be available if an AVIC-Z1 or AVIC-Z2 later experiences the issue and because your system may never experience the issue. Importantly, this potential service issue does not pose any health or safety risk, and there is no risk of property damage.

To address this potential service issue, Pioneer is offering a free firmware update. If you would like to receive the free update, you may do so in one of the three ways listed below. Before obtaining the firmware update, you need to know whether you have an AVIC-Z1 or AVIC-Z2.

Download the free update to your computer from http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/avicz1update/ and burn the update onto a computer disc for insertion into your AVIC-Z1 or AVIC-Z2; OR

Order a computer disc containing the free update by calling Pioneer Customer Service toll free at 800-421-1404; OR

Call Pioneer Customer Service toll free at 800-421-1404 to arrange for your AVIC-Z1 or AVIC-Z2 to be mailed to Pioneer for installation by Pioneer of the free update.

There are separate firmware updates for the AVIC-Z1 and AVIC-Z2. Please only use the firmware update that corresponds to your model, as the firmware update for the AVIC-Z1 will not work for the AVIC-Z2 and the firmware update for the AVIC-Z2 will not work for the AVIC-Z1.

If you have any questions, please contact Pioneer Customer Service toll free at 800-421-1404

Pioneer service representatives are available Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. (Eastern Time).

We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this potential product issue may cause you, and we thank you for your cooperation and continued support of Pioneer.

Sincerely,

Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc.

I was just about to post that also...

I think a few ppl can eat my ass for the comments...ok ok..Ill accept an apology

Anyone know yet if the by-pass (Flasher unit) will be effected by the new Firmware?

Installing the update now. I will let you all know in a few minutes. So I wonder if you have a Z1 with the new Z2ish disk installed, if you get the update for the Z1 or the Z2??

Post back in a couple.

Well, the flasher lockout bypass is a thing of the past. Now I have a new issue as well. Even when I'm stopped, none of my buttons are solid colored. So I can't enter in an address now even when the car is stopped. Not sure how that happened. I will try the two wire method tomorrow night after work and see if that helps. Otherwise, it's off to Pioneer for repair.

This had better been worth it.

Installing the update now. I will let you all know in a few minutes. So I wonder if you have a Z1 with the new Z2ish disk installed, if you get the update for the Z1 or the Z2??

 

Post back in a couple.

I have the Z1 with no software changes and the flasher.

Well, the flasher lockout bypass is a thing of the past. Now I have a new issue as well. Even when I'm stopped, none of my buttons are solid colored. So I can't enter in an address now even when the car is stopped. Not sure how that happened. I will try the two wire method tomorrow night after work and see if that helps. Otherwise, it's off to Pioneer for repair.

 

This had better been worth it.

If you were using the flasher method, most likely your parking brake wire isn't hook up or grounded.

has anyone else installed this?

Im just wondering if its going to affect the bypass.

has anyone else installed this?

Im just wondering if its going to affect the bypass.

I installed it and the 2 wire bypass with ebrake grounded still works fine on a Z2

my bypass works fine as well

Anybody install on a non-upgraded Z1 with the flasher by-pass yet?

Anybody install on a non-upgraded Z1 with the flasher by-pass yet?

Perhaps you didn't read my post about 5 posts up from this one. Yes, I installed it and the flasher bypass no longer works, as well as nothing else works without the parking brake wire grounded. I have a non-upgraded Z1, execpt now, I think I will go ahead and upgrade it since I have to do the 2-wire method now anyway.

Another one..... well, like I said in the other thread, I'll believe it when I see it. And then i'll sing your praises!

Consider your praises sung....... for now. I have installed the firmware update, bypass still works, and I havent had a freeze at all. HOWEVER..... it is also about 20 degrees colder here than it was when my unit was freezing. So, we'll see.

But, you were right, pioneer has graced us with a supposed fix.

Here's a funny short story for you guys. Yesterday I check my e-mail and like many of you, I had the e-mail from Pioneer. I read it and was happy to see that those with the freezing problem would be able to fix the problem. I personally had never experienced the freezing problem but I was nonetheless happy that the fix was available, if I ever needed it. Today, I get in the car after a short trip to the grocery store, and what do you know? I had music playing from the library but I was stuck on the boot screen. Damn Pioneer jinxed me. What sucks is that it's only about 78 degrees outside (probably 100 inside the car) and it never happened to me even when the temperature inside the car was probably about 140-150 degrees earlier this summer. I guess I'm off to download this new firmware.

Some have suggested that the firmware may keep the fan on for longer periods or maybe a faster speed during startup. Anybody confirm this? I'm thinking it might be that or they may have changed the parameters to the normal operating temperature settings to allow more heat before the shutdown threshold is reached. If this was done, this is more of band-aid than a fix. Either way, hopefully it works in the long run.

Some have suggested that the firmware may keep the fan on for longer periods or maybe a faster speed during startup. Anybody confirm this? I'm thinking it might be that or they may have changed the parameters to the normal operating temperature settings to allow more heat before the shutdown threshold is reached. If this was done, this is more of band-aid than a fix. Either way, hopefully it works in the long run.

Im hoping its not the later... Thats not only a bandaid, but its more like putting a cast on your arm to help with a bloody nose.

i mentioned they may try and pull that [keeping fan on longer] but i have not played with it yet. i wont do the update till next summer when it gets hot unless i get a lockup soon. i havnt had a lockup since the bypass update cracking windows and using a sunshade so i dont want to jinx the luck yet. i know in the summer im facing trouble again though.

temp hasnt really changed here in FL so I'll keep you all posted... My unit was frozen 95% of the time I used my car.. black car too

VA user, so far so good. Granted, it has been cool, very cool since the DAY the update was released, but I would get either a lock up or music skipping 95 percent of the time. Now it plays like day one. So far so good, glad I didn't have to rip it out the dash and send it to pioneer (guess I would have done the bypass if I had to go through all that trouble). Don't know how many G35 users are on the forum, but when our unit is installed it looks stock..But getting that joker out is a pain in the azz.

Good fix for now pioneer........................

had some troubles with the install. kept saying it failed and i thought i was done but it eventually went away. im assuming it went through and i havent had any problems yet.

Is this affecting D2's as well? I installed one last week and today it stopped at the initialization screen. If anyone else has experienced this problem, is there a fix?

Nope. Hard Drive ones only. Sounds like you have a new problem

Is this affecting D2's as well? I installed one last week and today it stopped at the initialization screen. If anyone else has experienced this problem, is there a fix?

Installed the update on my Z2 5 days ago and it's working great so far, I had been getting lock ups about 75% of the time.

It has been a bit cooler lately here in VA, but still warm enough to cause the lockups, it even locked up when I went to update it and had to wait for evening to complete the update.

I have a Black and Pink Dodge Charger.