Tuner locked...
 

So I have only used my tuner on my car and I went back to stock and now it won't let me tune... The status says unmarried so why won't it tune? I did not even know it had a limit or does it? Wish these things came with better instructions. Has this happen to anyone? If so plz help. Thanks.m

How many unlocks does it have left?

Are you trying to use it on the same car that you set back to stock?

If not, then the problem might be that the computer code is different and so the tune won't load to the wrong code?

Do you have the latest update?

I bought it new and have only used it on my car. I never was aware about unlocks left or what it meant... I do remember saying it had 5 but now it says 0. status says unmarried.

Once at 0 you can no longer use the tuner. You will need to contact SCT and see how much they charge to add more unlocks to it. If it is anything like a married tuner its $150.

But I thought you can tune as many times as you want on the same car? I want a refund now! :P

Well every time a tune is removed and the stock tune is put back on the ECU counts as an unlock.

So say like you have a 93 race tune on, but wanted the 87 street tune. So you put the stock tune back on, and then uploaded the 87 tune. That was an unlock used up. I wish they did it by VIN so if you do that with the same car, but unfortunately they don't do that.

Unlocks only have to do with moving it from one car to another - if all you are doing is changing tunes on the same car it doesn't affect the unlocks. Setting it back to stock and then loading a new tune on the same vehicle will not trip an unlock. Setting your car back to stock and loading a tune on a different vehicle will trip an unlock.

Otherwise mine would have been locked a LONG time ago. I was testing tunes for Doug at C&L and changed tunes several times a day testing different configurations and options. Always set it back to stock and then loaded the new configuration.

And with the tuner only having 5 unlocks total it would be pretty bad since most change tunes for the track. After 5 track visits the tuner wouldn't work if it was set up the way you thought.

This. Changing tunes on the same car doesn't use up an unlock. Only changing from one car to another. If it's an issue with old firmware, then I'd contact SCT before updating it or doing anything. Good luck to you though...I'm thinking you're gonna need to cough up $150 to get it unlocked.

When I returned my car to the stock tune it tripped the unlock.

If it's done that more than once, then you should contact SCT. That's not normal, and shouldn't be happening. I've already changed tunes twice, and I've only lost one unlock.

It shouldn't be tripping an unlock returning the car to stock. Call SCT tech support because something is wrong. As long as it is being used on the same car it shouldn't unlock by changing tunes or going back to stock.

Called SCT and showed them some screen shots. They said I had a rare case where Ford forgets to write the VIN on the PCM so that's why my tuner would always think I was using it in different car. They will reset my tuner for no cost :-)

Good. But what is to stop it from happening again? Tuner update? Have the dealership reflash your car? Did they give a suggestion?

They said they would program my tuner to sync with my car without locking up again. Don't know how but hopefully it works. Yea it's weird my PCM has no VIN.

I honestly don't think it has to do with that. I thought I remember reading about a glitch in some of their old firmware that would cause that. I'm thinkin' it's their firmware issue. Do you recall what version you have/had?

I have the iTSX and when I check the vehicle info it did say my PCM was blank. Either way I am just glad not paying any fee for the unlock.