On another vehicle I own (I can't tell you what it is 'cause you might laugh ) I can turn my ignition off and on in a set series to retrieve any codes stored in the PCM. I then decipher these with my manual.

QUESTION: Can I do this with my Ford? If so, what is the procedure? Thanks.

 

Crumb...I forgot to add that I get the codes by counting the flashes of the Check Engine Light. :-X23

So has anybody heard of this or what??

 

I would like to know also for future reference. I troubleshot my 97 D&$ge with the system your describing and actually found the problem in about 45 min. I was a sensor under the battery tray that somehow came unplugged.

 

Isn't that a D*dge feature?

I've never known Ford to have that functionality built into the truck. On the '93 F150, I bought a cheap "code reader" that would blink an LED and flash the CE light. The "reader" was just a simple short of a couple of connectors on the plug under the hood. Now, with EEC-V and OBD-II, the diags are probably going to require more sophisticated equipment.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 10-Jan-02 AT 00:06 AM (EST)]Yes it is a Dodge feature. OOPS, sorry guys, didn't mean to swear...

I thought that if a dang Mopar mini-van had that capability then a Mighty Ford Excursion/Super Duty would have something similar. It's a useful tool for the home mechanic or a guy who has a cynical view of most dealers.

 

Are you suggesting that a Ford would have trouble codes? Shame on you.

 

sorry monsta, spend the $100 and get it diaganosed by the dealer instead of guessing on the wrong part. better to fix it right the first time instead of guessing and spending money on parts you did not need.

parts man

 

>Are you suggesting that a Ford would have
>trouble codes? Shame on you.

Well, of course not!! These trucks NEVER have problems.

 

>sorry monsta, spend the $100 and get it diaganosed by the
>dealer instead of guessing on the wrong part. better to fix
>it right the first time instead of guessing and spending
>money on parts you did not need.


This question was more for curiousity sake than anything else. Fortunantly, I have a warranty to 100K so I'm not too worried about it. I do, however, have a dealer distrust complex. Actually it reaches out to all who I would have to turn my beloved X over for service. Even the oil change monkeys. I'm trying to get over it. I feel that being armed with the same information is the best way. Kinda like flying. I'm not necessarily afraid of flying (more so the crashing part) but when I get on a civilian aircraft my anxiety goes up. Mainly because I'm giving over control and have no idea if the guy who prepped the plane just did 4 lines and a bottle of Vodka. But when I fly on a military aircraft, I have no problems. I don't worry about giving up control cause I know all the procedures and have trust in the pilots and ground crew. It's all about information, I guess. Ya know what I'm saying?

BTW, I have diagnosed many problems with the M*par methods with no ill effects. And believe me, there were many!!

 

sorry to hear about your distrust complex. but the mechanic at the dealer has a $40,000 computer pluged into your truck that cost about $1000 a month to stay online with ford and propably about 10 yrs+ under his belt. so a quick explination on how to diag your truck would be a little tough. besides have you priced any sensors on that truck? none are very cheap so why would you want to guess and buy one when ford would do it all for free for you?

parts man

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 10-Jan-02 AT 08:16 PM (EST)]relax man....read the first sentence of my #8 post...you must work for a dealer...there still is nothing wrong with knowing before you walk in. Anything else, to me, is foolish. I want to ensure that it's done right the first time and that he and I are on the same sheet of music. Have you seen what an hours worth of mine time costs?

 

>Have you seen what an hours worth of mine time costs?

That's an issue that a lot of people forget. Our time can be worth a lot. Taking a day off to get the truck serviced or being without it for a week (or more) can be very expensive to the owner. I always factor my time value into the cost of doing something... even servicing my vehicle that is under warranty.

 

sorry for venting a little there, have people all day wanting a easy answer to a hard diag every day. we cool