2nd post, please be kind
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2nd post, please be kind
hello,group, glad to have found you,.....I bought a new 04 150 SCAB with 4,6 and 3:73,s XLT at VISTA FORD in OXNARD CALIF. on Oct.13th and was treated great by the way. I had read a post in here about reflashing the pcm after breakin to increase mpg. Well, when I took it in for the first oil change at 5000 miles I asked about a reflash, and the service "person" came back and said, "there,s no such thing" GREAT!!! So, where did I go wrong? Would Calif. emission rules have anything to do with this? one other thing, have any of you ever added an under the hood light to one of the new ones? and is any known lock available for the glove compartment? thanks for any input,.. Randy
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Randy, man don't sweat it. This forum is quite relaxed, any questions are good ones. Much has been written regarding the PCM flash. In a nutshell, take your rig back to the dealer and tell them when you step on the throttle the truck hesitates which causes an unsafe condition (ie.. getting on the freeway from the ramp). Personally, that is how I got my truck reflashed, no questions asked. Much more info can be found by doing a search within the forum group.
As for the other questions I have no experience with either an underhood light or lock on the glove box.
Welcome!
As for the other questions I have no experience with either an underhood light or lock on the glove box.
Welcome!
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I had the same experience when recently when I tried to get mine reflashed at the first oil change as well and was told "there is not a dealer in the US that would do this for free. We will do it but for $85.00 dollars." Therefore you are not alone. Next time I will mention the throttle response. Welcome to the forum..as a new member myself, I found that it is very informative, and has a great group of helpful members..
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Randy.......Here in Michigan a dealer told me the same thing "that its not being done for free",.. BULL S!. Well with further researching among friends, a friend of mine is a service advisor at a local dealer. He informed me that it is the service dept itself that is trying to make the extra buck on these pcm reflashes. They are just waiting for us to come in and ask and trying to squeeze the $85.00 an hour labor rate from us when it normally can be done in 20-30 mins. If the customer complains more about price then they are instructed to then try to get half {$40-$45). Ford has already approved "100% warranty payment" for this repair/upgrade. Some dealers just don't want to be bothered with it all together. Some will with no problems. I went to a different dealership and mentioned what happened at a competitor Ford dealer and they did it with open arms and a smile. Go to another dealer until you find one that will do it and make them "your service dealer". Good-Luck!.........Don
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That's correct advice on reflash. Here in Southern California I have heard the whole range from 'There is no such thing as reflashing' to 'Sure, why not'. Each dealership is different. Some of the technicians are totally unknowledgeable on these trucks, ranging up to excellent. Take it somewhere else.
On the underhood light, I followed someone else's idea for an under the Tonneau light, went to Wal-mart and bought the Coleman Tent light. It's a magnetic based portable battery light. I stuck one against the rear inside of the bed, so at a touch of a button my Tonneau is lite. Just right for finding that rolled away can at night. You could put one on a fender well under the hood. Then it would always be there, and you could move it in an emergancy. Cost under ten bucks.
Chris
On the underhood light, I followed someone else's idea for an under the Tonneau light, went to Wal-mart and bought the Coleman Tent light. It's a magnetic based portable battery light. I stuck one against the rear inside of the bed, so at a touch of a button my Tonneau is lite. Just right for finding that rolled away can at night. You could put one on a fender well under the hood. Then it would always be there, and you could move it in an emergancy. Cost under ten bucks.
Chris
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Originally Posted by bobri
I had the same experience when recently when I tried to get mine reflashed at the first oil change as well and was told "there is not a dealer in the US that would do this for free. We will do it but for $85.00 dollars." Therefore you are not alone. Next time I will mention the throttle response. Welcome to the forum..as a new member myself, I found that it is very informative, and has a great group of helpful members..
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From: Marion, VA
Originally Posted by Toreador
I was told by my dealer that they would do any reflash updates to my truck for free for the first three years of the warranty. After that time they would charge me. I'm not sure I would accept a reflash since I like the way my truck is running now.
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RE: Glove compartment lock
Don't know if one is available for retrofit, but the glovebox door itself isn't exactly armored. If someone with a $1.59 screwdriver wants in, he's in. You may want to consider a locking steel box that can be bolted to the floor under the passenger's seat. Forget who make them (Tuffy?), but they're around.
Everyone on this site was a newbie at one time or another. Don't worry about asking too simple a question.
Don't know if one is available for retrofit, but the glovebox door itself isn't exactly armored. If someone with a $1.59 screwdriver wants in, he's in. You may want to consider a locking steel box that can be bolted to the floor under the passenger's seat. Forget who make them (Tuffy?), but they're around.
Everyone on this site was a newbie at one time or another. Don't worry about asking too simple a question.
Last edited by PaulC; Feb 14, 2005 at 10:27 AM.