Talking to my friend who is the service manager at a Ford dealership, he was metnioning how Ford is discouraging tuning (or any kind of tampering) with the car's programming of any of it's modules. Something about how to program a module it has to come from Ford itself, and once it is programmed once, that is it.

He also mentioned something about when hooking up a car to the computers that there will be some code in the car that has to match a code from Ford before any changes are allowed. This code changes every 7 days, or something to that effect.

To be honest, everything he was saying was too technical for me to understand, but the gist was that Ford is locking out the performance tuners and guys like me how try to retro fit stuff into their cars like the navigation, sync, or the LCD clusters. Those days are over.

Can anyone chime in on this and dumb it down for me?

Cheers

 

I would have to say your friend is mistaken or misunderstood something. There is no way Ford would and legally prevent people from modding or tuning there cars. When we buy our car from Ford, its our car to do as we each please to it. If we want too tune it, that's out right. Its our car and can do with it as each see fit. Ford may frown on people tuning their vehicles but when I pay for it , I can mod it anyway I want.

 

They can't stop us, no.

But they can make it hard - as they have already begun to. Warranty of course is out the window.

But I was hoping someone can comment on the technical side of this and what it all means for us retro modders and tuners.

 

I was going to say the same as jim just said. "Warranty is out the window". Like it or not cars are becomming more and more computer controlled and it seems Ford will slowly make it not worth the car owners effort to modify or upgrade their car "unless" Ford gets it's cut. I'm not singling out Ford as being a bad guy. I envision this trend with all auto manufactures in the future.

 

I think if Ford was interested in getting a cut of the tuning market , they would offer a performance tune too purchase. I don't see that at all. I don't see Ford carrying what someone does with their car once they buy it. Ford got their money. Ford is not in the performance mods businesses. Ford just wants too sell cars and what someone does with it after they purchase , that's the owners concern.

Granted there is Ford Racing but I thought they were separate entity from Ford who sells cars.

 

I wonder how many times in the past that Ford has had to deal with warranty claims that are a result of someone messing with the vehicles tune, which clearly voids the warranty.

"it had an aftermarket tune", "no it didn't", "yes it did"

Either they'll make it easier for them to tell, or make it so that it's not so easy for average joe tuner to make critical changes to a system.

 

Very true but companies like Steeda, Bama, big name tuners will always figure a way around the computer system. Its just a computer and all can be manipulated. Lol

 

re-read: I said 'average joe tuner'


However I do think that with the level of complexity of the systems today and how much the vehicles depend on them, I can see Ford trying to protect themselves and the product they have put out, as well as the driver.


Not just warranty stuff either. I'd think broader.
With everything that's hyper connected these days.
The good part, it's a computer and it can be manipulated.
The bad part, it's a computer and it can be manipulated.....

 

Totally agree bro. I tried to look this alleged information up on the web and nothing on it at all.

 

I think this is why they are adding so much tuning in the car as you buy it stock. You will able to adjust steering and suspension, throttle response, shifting firmness and shift rpm's.
Plus if they add more power how much will there really be left to get out of the car with an aftermarket tune? Right now tune only only gives you 10-15rwhp.

 

^ just 10 - 15rwhp...whats with all the advts i see around for 60hp+ with a tune...

 

Yes this is it with tune only. If you add a CAI that would be another 10-15. If someone tells you 60rwhp run. Adding some timing. leaning it out and adjusting VVT is not going to give you much. Some in the beginning were leaning it out big time, adding a ton of timing and messing with the knock sensors and might have been getting 30 but then things were going boom. To get the most you need tune, CAI, headers, o/r X and Boss intake.

 

I highly doubt that Ford would Cut It's Nose Off to Spite It's Face. Today's Buyer has Too Many Other Choices, and Today's Younger Buyer Expects to Be Able to Tune Their Car. If Ford were to do something to prevent Tuning Buyers would just Shop Elsewhere. It would be Stupid, Especially if they are trying to lure Younger Buyers away from the Import Market, as well as Alienating a Core Following of Mustang Owners that Modify and Tune Their Cars as Well. Just My Thoughts.

 

IIRC, isn't the Challenger's ECU very difficult to tune? I suspect the competition will be doing the same in the future if they haven't already.

I'm pretty sure they're not worried about the demographic that wants to alter the tune profile. There are very few of us to begin with and even fewer have the dough to buy a brand new car.

 

For every 100 mustangs I see 1 Challenger. There is a reason Chrysler doesn't sell that many Challenger units. Not being able to tune it may be on that reason not too buy list.

 

100 percent agree. Ford would loose way too many sales on the mustang. You will be able to tune but buyer beware if something goes wrong. Lol

 

As was stated before, those of us that performance tune or retromod are GREATLY in the minority. Ford will not be losing sleep over us. But they are certainly making it so they can tell that you have done something. Which is fair.

I'm seeing my service manager buddy next week, so I'll see if he can explain it better to me.

 

I've been told that some vehicles have an encrypted ECU that requires quite a bit more research in order for tuning software to function correctly.

However, I highly doubt that Ford would take steps to prevent companies from tuning the Mustang.

The Mustang has the strongest aftermarket following of any domestic vehicle IMO, and I don't see any reason why they would discourage people to modify their Mustang.

That's one of the best things about them

I think your service manager buddy needs to spend more time on the forums or do a little more homework before jumping to such a conclusion. Lol

Nick C.

 

Chrysler has already done this. I owned a challenger srt8 and when the 392 version came out, it was untuneable and there were actually some people who bought the 392, then sold at a loss to buy the earlier generation. To this day I don't believe the 392 is tuneable yet and it came out in 2011.

As mentioned here already the lack of aftermarket support for the pre-392 cars was poor enough that it was a primary reason why I sold the car I had. If I had bought the 392 with no aftermarket capability (other than exhaust and shifter) I would have went nuts.

 

Chrysler is the only manufacturer I'm aware of that goes to these lengths to prevent ECU's from being tuned.

I wonder if that is the case for all FIAT cars?

Nick C.