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Negative Response Code (NRC) Reference

NRCHexMeaningCommon Cause
generalReject0x10ECU rejected request for unspecified reasonRarely used; prefer specific NRC
serviceNotSupported0x11SID not implemented by this ECUTester sends SID not in ECU's service list
subFunctionNotSupported0x12Sub-function byte not supportedWrong sub-function for this SID
incorrectMessageLengthOrInvalidFormat0x13PDU length wrongToo few or too many bytes in request
conditionsNotCorrect0x22ECU internal condition prevents executionActuator already active; prerequisite not met
requestSequenceError0x24Request violates required sequenceRequestDownload before SecurityAccess
requestedActionNotAllowedInCurrentSession0x25Service not available in active sessionWrite DID in Default Session
requestOutOfRange0x31Parameter value outside valid rangeDID or memory address not supported
securityAccessDenied0x33Security level insufficientService requires higher security access level
authenticationRequired0x34Authentication (0x29) required firstECU uses certificate-based auth
invalidKey0x35Wrong key in SecurityAccessSeed-key mismatch
exceededNumberOfAttempts0x36Too many failed SecurityAccess attempts5 failures → 10-minute lockout
requiredTimeDelayNotExpired0x37Lockout delay not yet elapsedRetry SecurityAccess during lockout
requestCorrectlyReceivedResponsePending0x78ECU needs more time; will respond laterLong erase/check operations
transferDataSuspended0x71Data transfer interruptedFlowControl frame not received in time

Request/Response Timing

Pythonuds_timing.py
#!/usr/bin/env python3
# UDS timing model: P2, P2*, S3 — tester-side implementation

import time

P2_MAX_MS    = 50      # max wait for first response (default; ECU can reduce in 0x10 response)
P2STAR_MAX_MS = 5000   # max wait after NRC 0x78 (response pending)
S3_CLIENT_MS = 2000    # TesterPresent interval to maintain session

def send_request_with_timing(transport, request: bytes) -> bytes:
    transport.send(request)
    deadline = time.time() + P2_MAX_MS/1000

    while time.time() < deadline:
        response = transport.recv(timeout=P2_MAX_MS/1000)
        if not response:
            raise TimeoutError(f"No response within P2={P2_MAX_MS}ms")

        if response[0] == 0x7F and response[2] == 0x78:
            # NRC 0x78: requestCorrectlyReceivedResponsePending
            # ECU acknowledged receipt; will respond within P2*
            print(f"NRC 0x78: waiting up to {P2STAR_MAX_MS}ms for final response")
            deadline = time.time() + P2STAR_MAX_MS/1000
            continue  # keep waiting for final positive or negative response

        return response  # positive or non-pending negative response

    raise TimeoutError(f"No final response within P2*={P2STAR_MAX_MS}ms")

NRC 0x78 Response Pending: Protocol

NRC 0x78 Flow: Long-Running ECU Operation
  Tester → ECU:   0x31 0x01 0xFF 0x01   (RoutineControl: EraseMemory)
  ECU → Tester:   0x7F 0x31 0x78         (NRC 0x78: pending; within P2=50ms)
  ECU → Tester:   0x7F 0x31 0x78         (second pending; within P2*=5000ms)
  ECU → Tester:   0x7F 0x31 0x78         (third pending; total <5000ms from request)
  ECU → Tester:   0x71 0x01 0xFF 0x01    (positive response: erase complete)

  Rules:
  • Each NRC 0x78 resets the P2* timer — ECU can send multiple pending responses
  • ECU must send first response (including NRC 0x78) within P2 = 50ms
  • Between pending responses: ECU must respond within P2* each time
  • Tester must not resend request after receiving NRC 0x78
  • AUTOSAR DCM: set DcmDspRoutineUsePort = USE_ASYNCH_CLIENT_SERVER for async routines

Physical vs Functional Addressing

TypeCAN ID (example)BehaviourUse Case
Physical (unicast)0x726 (request) / 0x72E (response)Single ECU receives and respondsStandard service requests to known ECU
Functional (broadcast)0x7DF (request) / all ECUs respondAll ECUs process; only those that support the service respondService discovery; TesterPresent broadcast; OBD-II mode 0x01
OBD-II functional0x7DFLegacy: all OBD ECUs may respond on 0x7E8–0x7EFEmissions-related services; must not use security access

Summary

NRC 0x25 (wrong session) and NRC 0x33 (security access denied) are the two most common integration failures — always verify the session and security state before investigating protocol-level issues. NRC 0x78 is a feature, not an error: it allows ECUs to perform long operations (flash erase: up to 30s) without violating P2 timing. The tester must not resend the request after receiving 0x78 — doing so is a protocol violation that causes many ECU implementations to abort the operation and return NRC 0x22.

🔬 Deep Dive — Core Concepts Expanded

This section builds on the foundational concepts covered above with additional technical depth, edge cases, and configuration nuances that separate competent engineers from experts. When working on production ECU projects, the details covered here are the ones most commonly responsible for integration delays and late-phase defects.

Key principles to reinforce:

  • Configuration over coding: In AUTOSAR and automotive middleware environments, correctness is largely determined by ARXML configuration, not application code. A correctly implemented algorithm can produce wrong results due to a single misconfigured parameter.
  • Traceability as a first-class concern: Every configuration decision should be traceable to a requirement, safety goal, or architecture decision. Undocumented configuration choices are a common source of regression defects when ECUs are updated.
  • Cross-module dependencies: In tightly integrated automotive software stacks, changing one module's configuration often requires corresponding updates in dependent modules. Always perform a dependency impact analysis before submitting configuration changes.

🏭 How This Topic Appears in Production Projects

  • Project integration phase: The concepts covered in this lesson are most commonly encountered during ECU integration testing — when multiple software components from different teams are combined for the first time. Issues that were invisible in unit tests frequently surface at this stage.
  • Supplier/OEM interface: This is a topic that frequently appears in technical discussions between Tier-1 ECU suppliers and OEM system integrators. Engineers who can speak fluently about these details earn credibility and are often brought into critical design review meetings.
  • Automotive tool ecosystem: Vector CANoe/CANalyzer, dSPACE tools, and ETAS INCA are the standard tools used to validate and measure the correct behaviour of the systems described in this lesson. Familiarity with these tools alongside the conceptual knowledge dramatically accelerates debugging in real projects.

⚠️ Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

  1. Assuming default configuration is correct: Automotive software tools ship with default configurations that are designed to compile and link, not to meet project-specific requirements. Every configuration parameter needs to be consciously set. 'It compiled' is not the same as 'it is correctly configured'.
  2. Skipping documentation of configuration rationale: In a 3-year ECU project with team turnover, undocumented configuration choices become tribal knowledge that disappears when engineers leave. Document why a parameter is set to a specific value, not just what it is set to.
  3. Testing only the happy path: Automotive ECUs must behave correctly under fault conditions, voltage variations, and communication errors. Always test the error handling paths as rigorously as the nominal operation. Many production escapes originate in untested error branches.
  4. Version mismatches between teams: In a multi-team project, the BSW team, SWC team, and system integration team may use different versions of the same ARXML file. Version management of all ARXML files in a shared repository is mandatory, not optional.

📊 Industry Note

Engineers who master both the theoretical concepts and the practical toolchain skills covered in this course are among the most sought-after professionals in the automotive software industry. The combination of AUTOSAR standards knowledge, safety engineering understanding, and hands-on configuration experience commands premium salaries at OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers globally.

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