Torque & the $15 bluetooth dongle covers most of what I need until now. I need to read other modules in the car, specifically the air suspension parts on a 2008 Expedition. I know from google that some codes get generated with a C prefix, I just need to be able to get to them before I start throwing parts at this thing.
Can it be done with a bluetooth dongle (I dont see why not)?, if so let me know what apps would work. I dont mind paying for one. FordSys is a free app, but looks like it only talks to a few modules - it didnt show any faults.
Plug in readers? HF Zurich brand? Lemme know. I only found a thread from 2017 so maybe there is something newer out there?
In reply to Kendall_Jones :
I have considered buying something but have not yet.
In this thread, Foxwell was recommended.
I wound up getting the harbor freight Zurich zr15. It claimed to have some bidirectional test capabilities but I never got that far as I only needed to reset my codes.
The only weird thing was that I could not get this thing to update its firmware. I would take it back but hf now charges a 20% restocking fee on code readers. I'll call the tech support number and see if they can help.
Are you using IOS or Android?
If you are using Android, I suggest getting FORScan.
It is basically a reverse engineered version of Ford's IDS and is very capable.
There is also a PC version that does a lot more. Register for an extended license.
I haven't found a better tool for diagnosing Ford's.
Kendall_Jones said:Can it be done with a bluetooth dongle (I dont see why not)?,
You will need to step up to an actual scantool in order to read the other modules, just like you will need to step up to an actual scantool to get full functionality when looking at the engine computer.
The reason OBD-II-readin' apps are so cheap is because OBD-II was designed that way. The government specified a generic standard that everyone had to adhere to as a bare minimum, so that you did not have to buy a manufacturer specific scan tool like in the bad old days before OBD-II. However, the automakers were free to expand well beyond that minimum, and for that you DO need greater than generic capability.
Chassis control (what the C stands for. B is Body and P is Powertrain, and U is network communication) is not something that will increase pollution if left unrepaired so it does not need to be available "for free" through generic.
dps214
Reader
2/20/20 10:09 a.m.
Pretty sure forscan should do what you want. Free but you probably need the desktop (windows) version and a full license which is also free but has a time limit IIRC. Works with a standard cheap OBD reader (though you'll need either one with a USB connection or a computer with bluetooth) with some minor re-wiring to access the ford specific modules. Just needs to be able to read data from a different pair of pins in the OBD port, it's a super simple job and there's plenty of documentation on how to do it online.
Forscan is awesome. With a standard bluetooth dongle and my laptop I was able to see all the Ford modules and even add a key to the system and it worked perfectly. The software made me feel so powerful it gets me to put a +1 for any Ford since I can access so much of the car.
