[RESOLVED] (refunded) New Vado 5.0 IGH in the shop, errors galore---updated 4-13-22

[GuruUno]

Dropped off at the local LBS, they inform me that the firmware is in need of an update as well as their "master program" is a new version, and there are multiple updates that need to be applied.
During my 38 mile ride yesterday, at about 1/2 way I get a 'motor error' and lost power. I took screenshots of the error messages and turned off the bike, upon restart, all is well.
Odd occurrences.
Still happy, I do understand that as an early adopter there may be growing pains, just as long as it is not too frequent
After all, if it does become frequent, I should be a beta tester and be given a bike for free to test, no?
Other than the "over the air" updates, this is something they say needs to be done at their onsite location.
With the new "B2B", can I ask them to come to me?
---so, the major concern is: "The motor detected a self-driver event"
Check the transmission for any blockage and restart the bike.
NOTE: Errors trigged on motor firmware 7.1.1 & 7.3.6 motor firmware provide improvements and we are currently working on an update release to solve such events. Error code 16386

 

[Jim in Central CA]

Yikes! I am sorry to hear this. I think the new Vado is a great bike, but I say that from the perspective of a spectator, not an owner. Hopefully these are just growing pains and they can solve your problems and from here on out you will be able to fully enjoy your new bike.

 

[MattRS]

Hi,

i’ve had my Vado 5 (non-IGH) in the UK since January, and generally it has been great.

There was one ride out a month or so ago where it just lost all power and felt like the bike was dragging. Around that time I checked the Mission Control app and saw an error screen pop up. I didn’t manage to get a screengrab before it disappeared, but remembered the text which was exactly the same ’self driver event’ text you mention above.

I’ve registered here to post this, as I’ve not been able to find any similar mention elsewhere. I physically removed the battery once home and the error hasn’t yet come back.

Thanks,

Matt

 

[GuruUno]

I pickup up the bike today. They "say" they did some updates, who is to know until I validate.
I took my wife's bike in to also have them check, they said it was A-OK and needed nothing.
Additionally, I was told that I should expect to receive errors and just turn the bike off and then on again to continue to ride, and allow Specialized time to figure out what they need to do.
In summary, I don't think they did crap, just BS....but I'll report back soon with a few long rides upcoming.

 

[gpburdell]

I was told that I should expect to receive errors and just turn the bike off and then on again to continue to ride, and allow Specialized time to figure out what they need to do.
In summary, I don't think they did crap, just BS....but I'll report back soon with a few long rides upcoming.

You should expect to receive errors on a $5,500 ebike? Wow.



I think your assessment is correct. Any chance there's other SBC dealers in your area?

 

[GuruUno]

I have others to go to.
It's a super uncomfortable position I'm in.
I bought 2 Vados in the last 2 years from Bike Shop "A".
This most recent acquired model (IGH), I figured it 'might' be prudent to deal with Bike Shop "B", just because they were now a company-owned store (7 of them) and "A" was still an independent.
I guess a trial and error, give them a shot, why not decision.
I just want to be comfortable knowing they will take care of me (in lieu of the direct-to-consumer chip on the shoulder BVD (bad vibe and disturbance) sensed.
Anyway, I just did a follow-up call to see if they had any records of the procedure(s) (previous firmware version and what was updated and what was on the wifes', etc., etc.), and they did not.
He said he did not do a "record-keeping".
He suggested I the next time I wish to do the 35-mile round trip bring the bikes back to hook up to the software the get the reports.
Anyway, I did not think of it at the time but I should have, just to keep records.
I'm not 100% comfortable being told that it's a work in progress and I should expect it to continue to occur until such time it is addressed by Specialized.

 

[Allan47.7339]

Makes me think of the Dilbert cartoon with the caption, "Change is good, you go first". There is the new complexity layer integrating the enviolo shifting system.

I used to to have a coworker who would frequently lock up his desktop computer using the same applications as the rest of us. We determined he was natural beta tester using sequences we would have never needed or thought to use.

 

[Onimaru]

Had a similar error show up on my Mastermind tonight when I brought mine home. Didn’t really happen unless I was pushing it hard to 20+ mph. Hitting + or - cleared it and things went back to normal. It happened a few times when I pushed hard. Removed the battery and waited a minute. Tried again and got to 22 mph a few times before I ran out of room in my neighborhood. Didn’t come back.

It’s going to be crummy tomorrow, but 52 F and sun on Sunday, so I’ll do some more testing. Maybe it needs a full power clear after the shop update? My LBS is a lot nicer to deal with than what it sounds like yours was. I’ll talk to them about it when I got pick up my new Kuat rack tomorrow and see if they can call Specialized. I do know the bike tech that builds the eBikes needed to update the firmware on mine and my wife’s after the build.

 

[GuruUno]

My concern is the automated upload of the report (diagnostic) via the Mission Control app that goes to Specialized. Whether the LBS gets it or not is unknown. Other than me providing screenshots of the incidents as they occurred, it's an unknown. I asked the tech if he wanted copies of the errors, he made it seem like he didn't care (did not want them), and just relied on the results of whatever the diagnostic software provided.
Again, I'll need to dig deeper tomorrow to validate the versions of software/firmware (as the one screen showed nothing as referenced in my original post), so I have no idea what is the current, new, good, replacement firmware or if anything at all was done.
My additional concern is I asked if I should bring my wife's IGH in to be updated, and he said to do so. Upon checking it, he said it did not need anything and was updated. If that is the case, how could I have picked up both bikes on day one with them not being equal?
Might want to check all relevant things like that the day the bike is picked up, stupid me, I was all excited and did not even do that.
At the end of the day, more than anything else, my major complaint and concern is the lack of communication from "Rider Care". Zero response or reply to calls or e-mails or uploading of diagnostics.
I know they will say rely on the LBS, but one might think they should at least answer the phone or voicemail or e-mail.
I hereby declare the new name to be referenced as "RIDER NO-CARE".
With a 30 mile ride planned for Saturday and a 42-mile ride for Sunday, hopefully, there should be no issues.
But again, what if? Then what?

 

[gpburdell]

We are in a Brave New World.

Bike mechanics turning into computer diagnostic engineers.

Gonna be some growing pains. Properly done training should ameliorate most of the bumps but not all.

Document everything and I hope you get it sorted out.

 

[Onimaru]

I had a feeling this would happen going into this (maybe not everyone did). But it’s also why it’s not recommended to get the first year of a new model year car. There are bugs. But it works itself out. Should it happen that way. No. But it has been this way for a while and I don’t see it changing soon.

 

[kahn]

We are in a Brave New World.

Bike mechanics turning into computer diagnostic engineers.

Gonna be some growing pains. Properly done training should ameliorate most of the bumps but not all.

Document everything and I hope you get it sorted out.

Yes, lots now happens behind the circuitry curtain making diagnostics more of an issue. In the past, the biggest hassle was changing those little coin cells for the $100 bike computer or maybe the batteries for the Shimano shifters. Now?????!!!!!

 

[GuruUno]

Had a good 11-mile ride today with no issues.
Posting the screenshots of the firmware versions as of the most recent update(s) by the LBS yesterday (I have no idea what it was out of the gate when the bike was acquired).
Battery Firmware 2.5.9
Display Firmware 18.B.0
Motor Firmware 7.4.2

 

[Calcoaster]

I don’t know if this will help with you issue, but I noticed your device updates version numbers in your first post were blank. That happened to me several times with my Vado SL and I had trouble connecting to mission control. I found that my Garmin would interfere with MC if I turned it on first. Once I started turning on the bike, then turning MC on my phone and letting it connect to the bike, then I could turn on my Garmin and all would be well. It seemed like my Garmin would sometimes connect and use the Bluetooth or Ant+ channel that MC wanted, and Garmin would win the battle. As long as I let MC connect first, I never had the problem. So, could your issues have been caused by MC losing its connection with the bike?

 

[GuruUno]

Ahhhh....might be it. I'll triple-check moving forward, but yes, I use several apps, Mission Control, RideWithGPS, and on the 'other' Vado's Blevo.
Good find!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

If I owned a Mastermind e-bike, I would probably have used MC only occasionally (for setup) and then cleared the smartphone memory (by removing MC from the Recent App list). Then, I would have relied on the ANT+ connection with my Wahoo (for navigation and ride recording).

 

[GuruUno]

So, did the 42-mile ride today. Very windy. I used "Smart Control".
The ride info I entered into Mission Control for the Smart Ride was 45 miles.
I said leave 10% battery.
If I am or was supposed to do more than that, educate me, please.
Bottom line, zero issues with the bike, fun ride, but at about 37 miles I had 5% remaining on the battery, and peddling went into ECO mode (out of Smart Ride).
At 10% I felt that the bike was terribly slower and at the end of the ride I was totally exhausted and suffered big time range anxiety.
Possibly next time add 10 miles to the expected length of ride and reserve 15%?
Still comprehending the features, functions, and benefits of "Smart" vs manual ECO-Sport-Turbo.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

So, did the 42-mile ride today. Very windy. I used "Smart Control".
The ride info I entered into Mission Control for the Smart Ride was 45 miles.
I said leave 10% battery.
If I am or was supposed to do more than that, educate me, please.
Bottom line, zero issues with the bike, fun ride, but at about 37 miles I had 5% remaining on the battery, and peddling went into ECO mode (out of Smart Ride).
At 10% I felt that the bike was terribly slower and at the end of the ride I was totally exhausted and suffered big time range anxiety.
Possibly next time add 10 miles to the expected length of ride and reserve 15%?
Still comprehending the features, functions, and benefits of "Smart" vs manual ECO-Sport-Turbo.

Did you enter the proper expected Elevation Gain?
For me, the Smart Control tended to be too conservative (it was leaving too much of the battery charge at the end of the ride). I only use this feature when I rent a Specialized demo e-bike because I want to get back to the store still on the battery. I use meticulously tuned Manual Assistance modes otherwise.

For instance, I knew I would be riding with a massive tailwind first today. I set 35/35% assistance for my big Vado. On the way back, I was perfectly aware I needed 60/60% of the full power assistance, and I knew I would need to use the spare battery. Overall, 615 Wh were consumed for 91 km of ride at a decent speed. As both my batteries are degraded, each of them only holds 500 Wh now (instead of 604).

I have accumulated a lot of data for both my Vado and Vado SL and know how to tune the assistance to achieve my goals.

It is true both Vado and Vado SL offer very little assistance between 10 and 5% battery charge. Did you consider a Range Extender?

 

[GuruUno]

A range extender is a non-available option for the IGH, unless you know something I don't know?
Are you saying I need to "plot" the ride with some software to get the expected statistics as i.e, elevation gain"?
On my 'regular' Vado 5.0, and Vado 5 SL, I use Blevo and tweak the power band/availability for Eco, Sport, and Turbo.
I was hopefully eagerly excited about the "Smart" function to be safe, as in getting the most with the least configuration/tweaking.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

A range extender is a non-available option for the IGH, unless you know something I don't know?
Are you saying I need to "plot" the ride with some software to get the expected statistics as i.e, elevation gain"?
On my 'regular' Vado 5.0, and Vado 5 SL, I use Blevo and tweak the power band/availability for Eco, Sport, and Turbo.
I was hopefully eagerly excited about the "Smart" function to be safe, as in getting the most with the least configuration/tweaking.

Sorry. I was thinking SL.
As I say, Smart Control is not the feature to really rely on. I hope your Range field on the Mastermind gives you realistic figures?

Elevation Gain: Plan your route in RideWithGPS "Route Planner" (it is free on the PC/Mac) and you will get the predicted Elevation Gain. If you live in a hilly area, I'm afraid it is necesary.