Ready Reckoner on the limits of Mib2 High / Plus Map Updates / "Lifelong"

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Plus (Mib2 High) was / is an option on the Ateca and Ateca Cupra specific where its the only option. Mapcare is not currently supported in the UK although retrofit software follows the same controls. Whether non UK based or retrofit, reviewing the Mapcare FEC tells you whether you have the ability to updates the maps and when it runs out.

How to do it:

1. Hold Menu button until service mode shows.
2. Press "Function enabling codes (FEC, SWaP)"
3. Press "Installed codes"


Look for the FEC starting with 073 and note down the two last characters as per image example.

Use the table:

Code Allowed - Map Update month
10
112015 June
12
132015 Nov
14
152016 June
16
172016 Nov
18
192017 June
1a
1b2017 Nov
1c
1d2018 June
1e
1f2018 Nov
20
212019 June
22
232019 Nov
24
252020 June
26
272020 Nov
28
292021 June
2a
2b2021 Nov
2c
2d2022 June
2e
2f2022 Nov
30
312023 June
32
332023 Nov
34
352024 June
36
372024 Nov
38
392025 June
3a
3b2025 Nov
3c
3d2026 June
3e
3f2026 Nov
40
412027 June
42
432027 Nov
44
452028 June
46
472028 Nov
48
492029 June
4A
4B2029 Nov
4C
4D2030 June
4E
4F2030 Nov
50
512031 June
52
532031 Nov
54
552032 June
56
572032 Nov
58
592033 June
5A
5B2033 Nov
5C
5D2034 June
5E
5F2034 Nov


For example if the Mapcare code ends in 22 you can load up to and including the June 2019 release but can't go beyond. 16 covers June 2016 but not beyond. 10 doesn't include 2015 June. 3f means you can update to November 2026 etc.

Those people with Mapcare or retrofits can check up to when they can update their maps against the serial release.

Derivation is here, post 1914:

https://forums.seatcupra.net/index.php?threads/navigation-system-updates.388586/page-96#post-4894481

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Interested to see the Mapcare FEC of Skoda and VWs which are said to have unlimited updates. Last two characters. May be it's done a different way when Mapcare is scrapped with a different code which means don't bother to check for Mapcare. Welcome people posting these up on recent Discover Pro and Columbus units where you have access to these vehicles to aid understanding.

BTW these Mapcare limiting function update codes apply to all Seat Plus units, have different lead in codes for other VAG brands but similar / same last two character sequences.

Edit. 14.08.2020

a new Mapcare FeC now appears to be offered by Seat in Europe. That's the one to have if you can. The table above is also validated from post 49 in an exchange of FeCs and Seat material. EE is the end point of the Hex table and takes you to the year 2074. How common this FeC is installed in Europe is currently unknown and on what basis. For example whether the 120 Euro option of Mapcare is now extended to life rather than three years. The FeC code was said to have been introduced in 2019 models.


073000EEDB_EU_MIB2_HIGH_SEAT_Lifetime_Mapcare

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Edit. 19.06.2021

Unhappy with your Seat navigation FeCs ?

Solution here... Follow the links:

 

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Tell

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Whilst the above indicates whether you can update the Seat Plus maps based on its Swap / FEC code (100% sure how that works), I was kindly sent the Skoda Columbus Kodiaq codes where the maps can be updated for an unlimited period. For this unit I don't know whether that is achieved by the firmware version or setting the FEC on a Mapcare code low or high. If it's the latter it maybe 08300008 which looks like Skoda's version of the Mapcare FEC, which would be low (08). That's just speculation thou. I have no way of checking and mine are set a bit on the high side now .

Edit. 08300008 is the Skoda lifetime FeC - we like it.
 

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Mihai A.

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Apr 24, 2020
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antoce.me
I have tried updating my sat nav using the directions on Seat website. Didn't save the old Overall.nds file to replace the new one, got myself a not-functioning nav now. Any ideas? :(
 

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You got a standard system (only mib2 on the Ateca), see you found this post which provides the answer.

https://forums.seatcupra.net/index....nts-updates-map-upgrades.459108/#post-4918762

A lot of people have fallen into that trap.

The high unit which this thread covers (otherwise called a Seat Plus infotainment system) has it's maps on an SSD built into the unit. Is faster to the standard, uses Here Maps cartography, allows routes to be dynamically stretched and altered on the screen. The standard holds its maps on an SD card, slower processor but easy to update the maps. Uses TomTom cartography.

How do I know it's a Mib2 Standard

Press the “NAV” Button >

Confirm the “Setup” >

“Version information” selection on the display.

Check the first text line in "Version information".

If the first three digits are 6P0 it's a mib2 standard (serial number is also on the card)

5F with a mapping card in the slot it's mib1 standard

If not it's a mib1 or 2 "Navi System Plus" (no card in the slot). Juke box on media button also means it's a Navi System Plus.

The Plus map upgrade ability is controlled by a FEC code. The unit via the satellite receptions uses the date, works out what quarter of the year you are in and then limits your map upgrade ability. Function of Mapcare on these units. Ateca Cupra owners and those that bought the high unit as the Seat "Plus" on their Ateca's are affected by this. Causes a certain amount of teeth grinding. If it's a PCP car then you might out it before you deem the maps to be out of date, other than that you are looking to buying Mapcare but not sold in the UK or retrofit FEC adjustment from a specialist or becoming a specialist yourself in QNX programming (cue head banging emoticon).
 
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RCupra

Active Member
Feb 22, 2020
57
13
All mib's are controlled by fec...Low/high does not matter. The fecs are for satnav/bluetooth/full link/performance monitor etc

@Mihai A. sent me a PM, i can help you fix it.
 

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He has a standard sat nav he just deleted his overall.nds file by following the Seat map update text which is written for when you have Mapcare. The workaround and a replacement download of the missing file fixes that on the link.

It's the mib2 high which is more pesky without Mapcare where you need to fiddle with the FECs to update the maps but even the "professional" fiddlers don't get it right first time, having spent two night in Doncaster waiting for them to work it out. Previous time one night in London and a trip to Birmingham service area.

The FEC programming which retrofitters do needs a copy of the units settings to be taken, the reprogramming to be done and the units settings to be written back into memory. All of that is on a work bench, laptop or the unit hanging out. This they failed last time by not writing back the infotainment unit settings which meant the speed sign recognition operated in KPH rather than MPH beeping you were over speeding, dash showing the wrong speed camera sign as the dynamic reading was messed up. Day of that as each time said, we have fixed it and off you go back home, nope back again. Three times.

With the high if you dont have Mapcare you dont have the ability to import the maps except through the backend menu but that still block you off due to the Mapcare FEC limits, I've advised numerous people to restore the old map back via downloading one. Mapcare FEC needs to be adjusted then you can use the backend menu to update.

For the average person adjusting FeCs themselves is off the scale hence the retrofit business. Pity Seat hasnt abandoned Mapcare as VW, Audi and Skoda, all the same hardware, same map updates but different firmware in them. I'd be a bit worried about using a community Joe Blocks to do this for you since their level of expertise on a fully specified car probably isn't that great, which was the issue I had although they were the "experts". If you didn't have TSR you could cut corners and jump the stage.

The table at the too is so you can check what the limits are to mib2 high map updates. Some retrofitters appear to have a business model of updating to the newest infotainment fimware giving themselves a return business by setting the Mapcare FEC low, mashing up firmware with the ability to update the maps. This way you can check what you got :).
 
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RCupra

Active Member
Feb 22, 2020
57
13
haha sorry but those are not professionals then.

Last week i updated 3 High units from really old firmware versions (MU0123) to MU1447, patched the units, loaded the fecs and updated the maps. Also enabled the sportdisplay and full link.

The firmware updates took me 1 hour, patching and loading the fecs 15min. The map update around 45min.
 
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The map update on high you can do via the back end swap method, 45 minutes as you say if the FeC allows it. The problem with retrofitters is they limit that FeC and if they do navigation activation errors start to be reported even if you aren't doing a map update. That's a tell tail sign that two of us got on the board ahead of trying to do a map update.

To be fair the TSR error may have been introduced by the map being deemed to be non activated after they said it was ready to go. Had that issue myself a year before when I had done an update via the SWDL command before not knowing how it's limited by the FeC. Reverting back the map fixed it. That's when four hours latter This time they pulled the unit back out of the car, put it on their work bench and restored my settings they had taken a year before which fixed the TSR issue. Either way TSR issues got triggered by changing the FeC. The back up they did a year before paid off.

Short answer appears to be retrofitters try not to offer unlimited map updates to hook the punter into firmware updates which with a FeC to give them a years map updates, then dangle another firmware update in front of them and give them a map update at the same time (basically that's what happended to two of us on here with this outfit). Never been that interested in firmware updates, just the most recent maps. All Ateca have full link turned on least in the UK so the extra stuff is already there.
 

RCupra

Active Member
Feb 22, 2020
57
13
The map update on high you can do via the back end swap method, 45 minutes as you say if the FeC allows it. The problem with retrofitters is they limit that FeC and if they do navigation activation errors start to be reported even if you aren't doing a map update. That's a tell tail sign that two of us got on the board ahead of trying to do a map update.

To be fair the TSR error may have been introduced by the map being deemed to be non activated after they said it was ready to go. Had that issue myself a year before when I had done an update via the SWDL command before not knowing how it's limited by the FeC. Reverting back the map fixed it. That's when four hours latter This time they pulled the unit back out of the car, put it on their work bench and restored my settings they had taken a year before which fixed the TSR issue. Either way TSR issues got triggered by changing the FeC. The back up they did a year before paid off.

Short answer appears to be retrofitters try not to offer unlimited map updates to hook the punter into firmware updates which with a FeC to give them a years map updates, then dangle another firmware update in front of them and give them a map update at the same time (basically that's what happended to two of us on here with this outfit). Never been that interested in firmware updates, just the most recent maps. All Ateca have full link turned on least in the UK so the extra stuff is already there.

Which error do you mean with "The problem with retrofitters is they limit that FeC and if they do navigation activation errors start to be reported even if you aren't doing a map update. "

The firmware updates are important for correct functioning of all the features like full link. After updating the firmware you have to patch the unit. And unlimited maps updates, yeah that differs from each retrofitter.

I never had any TSR issues after updating and patching units. So your professional guys made some mistakes :)
 

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It pops up on the screen telling you your maps are not activated and you get a VCDS error the same. I rebooted which fixed it but found I couldn't update at the next release. It occurred as it entered the quarter where the navigation FeC was exhausted. @Walone had the same issue, we exchanged notes. At the next release it was beyond the valid point for updating, that is when I got the FeC adjusted with an extra 7.5 years, wouldn't have minded more. The guy tapped the screen saying, hmmm the issue after two hours in. I'd got photos of the FeCs at delivery, on the first mod and on the second. Compared and Googled, the researcher in me and found the Russian post to navigation FeCs on Audi, slid the quarters and got the decode to Seat ones, or rather the limiting points. Cross checked.

The TSR issue might have been due to the guy doing the FeC update when the maps aren't valid. When the maps are not valid TSR does start squaking in a similar fashion KPH rather than MPH so that issue might have stuck in it. So we then had valid maps but dysfunctional TSR till the old settings they had taken from the car a year previous were restored as I said (3 hours latter).

I'd like to update the navigation FEC myself but given I have an apparent 7 more years to run, I think I'm fine, so leaving alone. Still a bit worried they will all return back to Poland. I'm on 2019 Ateca firmware, was the original 2017, had that updated the first time round, resisted the second time round (2020 or so). Just sort out the unlimited map upgrade you never gave me the first time. Well we will know exactly in June or there abouts. No issues with the unit and I don't clear any 5F error codes in there either, no point. So updated twice from the first mod but hit the FeC limit a year later. Obviously there is a Hex counter it checks against on the map update. Go above and it won't update, old maps fine.

Is the FeC update done on the work bench ?.
 

Mihai A.

Active Member
Apr 24, 2020
42
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antoce.me
I ended up updating as per seat's site instructions, but used an overall.nds file that I got from here. Worked out for me in the end.
 

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I ended up updating as per seat's site instructions, but used an overall.nds file that I got from here. Worked out for me in the end.

That's the standard system, glad it worked out. If you have Mapcare you can follow the Seat instructions for the update if you dont then you have the option of the "workaround". Seat site is quite old in the release offered so may have tallied with what you originally had paired on the car. 1430 is currently the latest.

Any new cars have complementary Mapcare included for a year only which means you can update. Either way with the standard system you always take a copy of your original card so if you haven't got Mapcare you can reinstall the maps or use the workaround option. I think that's in the text, take a copy.

The high (plus) has the maps installed within the unit and the ability to update is controlled by the specific navigation FeC. That table I posted on the thread :). Where Mapcare is sold by a Seat dealer, not in the UK, the update adjusts the FeC other than you use a retrofitter or get skilled up in the mib2 high tool box, not if you dont have programming skills, a risk taker and have access to other stuff not published (excellent way of killing an £800 piece of hardware by corrupting the software). I believe on the continent they update the FeC on a Seat community basis... Not here yet in the UK. That's how I magiced up the programmer of the tool box on the long Seat Navigation thread, it's their project but not for profit basis. This that some people take and turn into a profit add-in the missing bits. Part of my continuing research.

https://github.com/jilleb/mib2-toolbox
 

Mihai A.

Active Member
Apr 24, 2020
42
21
antoce.me
That's the standard system, glad it worked out. If you have Mapcare you can follow the Seat instructions for the update if you dont then you have the option of the "workaround". Seat site is quite old in the release offered so may have tallied with what you originally had paired on the car. 1430 is currently the latest.

Any new cars have complementary Mapcare included for a year only which means you can update. Either way with the standard system you always take a copy of your original card so if you haven't got Mapcare you can reinstall the maps or use the workaround option. I think that's in the text, take a copy.

The high (plus) has the maps installed within the unit and the ability to update is controlled by the specific navigation FeC. That table I posted on the thread :). Where Mapcare is sold by a Seat dealer, not in the UK, the update adjusts the FeC other than you use a retrofitter or get skilled up in the mib2 high tool box, not if you dont have programming skills, a risk taker and have access to other stuff not published (excellent way of killing an £800 piece of hardware by corrupting the software). I believe on the continent they update the FeC on a Seat community basis... Not here yet in the UK. That's how I magiced up the programmer of the tool box on the long Seat Navigation thread, it's their project but not for profit basis. This that some people take and turn into a profit add-in the missing bits. Part of my continuing research.

https://github.com/jilleb/mib2-toolbox

Have you managed to get this working ?
 

RCupra

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Feb 22, 2020
57
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The mib2toolbox is not used to change the FeC's..........

Verstuurd vanaf mijn Mi 9 SE met Tapatalk
 

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Have you managed to get this working ?

No, I've got 7 years left on the FeCs. Not really interested in firmware updates either. Ateca's are fully spec ed in any case if you have the Plus so those other FeCs aren't of interest, everything is already turned on. In the old days of VW they were not, thus those people selling old Mib2High units as retrofits have to turn stuff on to get them up to scratch with how they are sold these days.

You need a spare unit to play with. Hence peoplè take it on as a business proposition but these threads are about self help, not selling services within these thread which is against board rules.
 
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Dec 16, 2022
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Greetings

I have a problem, I wanted to update the modified firmware because of the full link. And at the moment my infotainment lights up with the seat logo and can't move any further, can it be reset or unblocked somehow? my version MST2_EU_SE_ZR_P0351T
and I put the modified firmware from the site
https://mibsolution.one/#/1/9/MST2 ...SEAT_ZR/MST2_EU_SE_ZR_P0515T multi-color-skin
MST2_EU_SE_ZR_P0515T multi-color-skin
I don't know what to do next? please advise
 

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The ready reckoner thread was for the high unit navigation FeC you have a standard unit from the software you are trying to install. Suggest you re-post on this thread where the experts are:


Eyeballing your codes 351 to 515 you have gone out of train. You should have stuck with the 3* series train. The high units you appear to be able to go out of train. The standard unit you have MUST be be upgraded within train or use a modded patched one. Last time I gave advice on upgrading within train the guy was already on a modded train but didn't say so, when on a modded train you definitely can't upgrade within train. They were told to revert back to the train they were suppose to be on. @jpmedia may pick up on your post if you re-post over there.

The guys on that thread are the experts. Sometimes if the unit is messed up it has to be put on a work bench, taking apart and shorted between pins 🤔. There are retrofitters that can fix that issue like the board sponsor here East Yorkshire Retrofit who have got people out of a mess. They also offer an out of train service.

English idiom:

Screenshot_20221216-221410.png
 
Dec 16, 2022
8
0
The ready reckoner thread was for the high unit navigation FeC you have a standard unit from the software you are trying to install. Suggest you re-post on this thread where the experts are:


Eyeballing your codes 351 to 515 you have gone out of train. You should have stuck with the 3* series train. The high units you appear to be able to go out of train. The standard unit you have MUST be be upgraded within train or use a modded patched one. Last time I gave advice on upgrading within train the guy was already on a modded train but didn't say so, when on a modded train you definitely can't upgrade within train. They were told to revert back to the train they were suppose to be on. @jpmedia may pick up on your post if you re-post over there.

The guys on that thread are the experts. Sometimes if the unit is messed up it has to be put on a work bench, taking apart and shorted between pins 🤔. There are retrofitters that can fix that issue like the board sponsor here East Yorkshire Retrofit who have got people out of a mess. They also offer an out of train service.

English idiom:

View attachment 34833
but I'm fine....I hope that the situation can be turned around. I didn't learn anywhere that I can't mix firmware versions, I went through half a dozen different videos and articles, nowhere is it mentioned that it can't be done, so it's problematic to fall into this situation. If it can be done at least through VCDS or a hard reset, at least find a way in which direction to go? Can I throw out the whole unit or I don't know in which direction?
 
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