Can Someone Explain This To Me?

[bcfitzsimons]

OK, guys-need some help here-

 

I went to that GM Vehicle Calibration Info website-

(http://calid.gm.com/vci/)

 

And I put in my VIN, and up came lots of calibration info available for my truck.  (That part I understood   )

 

What I need to know is this- (1) is that a total history of all the computer programs available for my truck, and I need to have a dealer tell me which one my truck has (i.e. I actually might have the most up-to-date one in my truck), or (2) is that a list of all the programs that have been released since my truck last had updates, and therefore all of them need to be downloaded?

 

Thanks guys-Fitz

[lrymal]

... is that a list of all the programs that have been released since my truck last had updates, and therefore all of them need to be downloaded?

I'd be curious about this, also.  My 2003 Silverado has absolutely nothing listed (lots of NA stuff) by the various categories so it is "clean".  My little '99 Pontiac Grand Am has a LOT of listings, yet it runs amazingly great.  Curiosity costs $$$$ with my dealer, so I have never run it through their diagnostics or whatever, yet.

[RyanbabZ71]

I believe they will only download an updated program if you have a problem that warrants the download

[TomEllis]

Fitz and others,

This is what is under the HELP button on the VCI web site:

The calibration history indicated is for your particular vehicle, and may be different for a vehicle that has different options, such as tire size or axle ratio. Do not assume that the tables apply to all vehicles that appear to be similar or have identical options.

The result table(s) show the history of calibration files that have been released for your vehicle. There can be one or more software and/or calibration file types programmed into the powertrain controller, each with a separate part number, so there can be one or more tables. The last line of each table indicates the latest part number issued for your vehicle.

In some cases, there may be multiple valid part numbers that are available for a given file type, depending on your vehicle and driving conditions, and this will be indicated by multiple tables for that file type. You need to carefully read the descriptions for each of those to determine which table applies to your vehicle.

The result table(s) will give you the information about the Part Number, Bulletin Number, and Description for the calibration. In addition to the information in these tables, you also need to know the calibration ID(s) and Calibration Verification Numbers (CVN) currently contained in your vehicle to determine if there is a later calibration available. Service scan tools have the capability to read calibration ID and CVN values from the vehicle controller.

The CVN is unique for each calibration and is used to check the integrity of the calibration file. Most of the new Calibration Part Numbers will display CVN as a 8 character value. If CVN is not available for a calibration, it will be displayed as "N/A" in the table.The value in this table is the correct value for the calibration file, and should be compared to the value read from the vehicle.

In many cases, your vehicle probably already has the latest calibration available. If your vehicle does not have the latest calibration available, read the calibration description to determine if your vehicle is experiencing the condition that calibration is intended to fix, or if you frequently drive your vehicle under the conditions described

 

I hope this answers your questions.

Tom