PCM Replacement

[cruza]

my manual 2004 fiesta has a water damaged pcm, can i get another one from the wreckers and it will work?...cheers

[happy1]

Hi,
Apologies for no response by anyone for almost 2 months.
Have you got it sorted?

Yes the wrecker module will be re-usable, but it has to be programmed in by Ford or someone with a Clone IDS tool, or a VCM tool.
Believe also Forscan app can do the coding job.

Cheers,

[cruza]

Thanks for the reply, I know nothing of some of the things you mentioned, but I will look them up and see what they are about, I am not to bad on a computer so if I can find an app that is windows based, I might get somewhere, thanks again

[Luke Plaizier]

I haven't been here much since christmas, sorry.

It's a little bit fiddly, but it can be done.

The easy part is to find a VCMII or a Nano VXDiag tool on ebay or VXDiag.net - they are chinese clone hardware diagnostic tools that can be connected via USB to a Windows computer. They will usually ship with a bootleg copy of a piece of software from Motorcraft called 'IDS' - which is the same software that is at all of the Ford dealerships. If you get the software up and running with the tool, then you are good to go.

FORScan is a piece of software written to copy much of what IDS does, but it can do it with a cheaper ELM327 tool, although it can still work in with the VCMII or Nano VCX using what's called a 'J2534 Passthrough' mode. It's just that the ELM327 tool is not as fast and may not support programming modes for the ECU - which requires voltage to be applied on one of the pins of the OBD2 DLC connector.

But from there it can get a bit tricky, because the dealers usually get a lot of training, and you'd have to figure out how to do the actual module install steps yourself. You usually have to select a 'Module Install' setop from the iDS Module Programming menu, that shares the VIN between all modules and sets up the PCM with a bunch of information it needs. Then you have to run a PATS to get the keys and fobs all programmed in to allow the keys to start the car. The radio may need to be unlocked as well.

I've done all this on a BA Falcon, but not on a WQ Fiesta - but the technique should be roughly the same.


Luke

[cruza]

Thanks for the reply and the bloody good explanation, I can do the first part but will fall in a hole with the pats part as I only have one key, so I am going to pull the motor and box (148k) and scrap the body, surely someone in ford land will want a cheap power train.......cheers and thank you again👍

[Luke Plaizier]

PATS using IDS an be done from scratch regardless of how many keys you have. In fact, that is the method you (or a Ford dealer) would use if you have lost ALL your keys, and you had to program them from scratch - as long as the keyshafts had the right cut on them. I've certainly done that myself using the clone tool and bootleg software.


Luke

[cruza]

Bugger, now you have said that, I’m going to just have to have a go, saw some stuff for $40 on eBay, if you see a bloke wandering around with big tufts of hair missing, it probably me..... hahaaaa cheers mate