Good Idea. Don't go near Ford.

Once they have finished their next round of flash "Upgrades" due in September, the rumour is that the Upload function of the ECU's will be PASSWORD protected.

Diagnostic codes will still be available, to keep the ACCC happy, but uploading Flash to the ECU's will be no more and that includes CAPA and SCT boxes.

Unless you know the NEW password for your car (which they are talking about having dealer specific) there will be no way to upload a flash.

Unless you know the NEW password for your car (which they are talking about having dealer specific) there will be no way to upload a flash.

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Can others confirm if this is likely??!

I would have thought that fair trading rules would prevent this - as anyone should be able to have their own password for their car.

I would have thought that fair trading rules would prevent this - as anyone should be able to have their own password for their car.

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Apparently they have run it through Fair trading and as long as the Diag codes are avaialbe that's all they are concerned about.

They have argued since it is THEIR ECU with their code in it, it is Copyright and no one else has the ability to write code or modify code within the box (A bit like someone sitting down and modifying the Internals of Windows XP).

So if no-one else is supposed to be able to modify it (esp during warranty period) then the ACCC don't have an issue with it.

Its the same issue as trying to get Ford to reveal what version of Firmware Ford have relased, which ones were in the cars at delivery and what they have been upgraded to.

You ring ford and ask, they will tell you in is Propriety information and wont tell you more than that.

As far as Ford are concerned, the ECU is THEIRS and not the customers.

Looks like the strap on is on its way back

Good Idea. Don't go near Ford.

Once they have finished their next round of flash "Upgrades" due in September, the rumour is that the Upload function of the ECU's will be PASSWORD protected.

Diagnostic codes will still be available, to keep the ACCC happy, but uploading Flash to the ECU's will be no more and that includes CAPA and SCT boxes.

There is already a security protocol in the data stream. This was done in Pre-BA days...

Unless you know the NEW password for your car (which they are talking about having dealer specific) there will be no way to upload a flash.

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Dealer specific passwords? Sounds all a bit Star Wars to me!

The probability of this happenging? ZERO. And, we know

I would have thought that fair trading rules would prevent this - as anyone should be able to have their own password for their car.

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Apparently they have run it through Fair trading and as long as the Diag codes are avaialbe that's all they are concerned about.

They have argued since it is THEIR ECU with their code in it, it is Copyright and no one else has the ability to write code or modify code within the box (A bit like someone sitting down and modifying the Internals of Windows XP).

So if no-one else is supposed to be able to modify it (esp during warranty period) then the ACCC don't have an issue with it.

Its the same issue as trying to get Ford to reveal what version of Firmware Ford have relased, which ones were in the cars at delivery and what they have been upgraded to.

You ring ford and ask, they will tell you in is Propriety information and wont tell you more than that.

As far as Ford are concerned, the ECU is THEIRS and not the customers.

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Then we all would have agreed to a licencing agreement when we bought the car saying we bought the hardware and the 'rights' to use thier ECU or PCM.

I for one did not.

Also how would dealer specific passwords work if I sold my car interstate an kept/lost the log book. The new owner's dealer would have no idea who the original dealer was to ask them the password.

I'm not so sure about licensing agreements- proprietory embedded software is present in everything these days- fridges, dishwashers, irons, electric shavers and toothbrushes, etc!

Just look at your mobile phone- good example of complex embedded software. Nokia service centres for one update the firmware whenever you go in for a service- but we don't agree to any terms to use it.

Seriously though, if Ford wanted to lock people out, they could. As stated above, provided they don't impede the ODB-II protocol, or the current standard they are aspiring to for diagnostic code retrieval, they are free to do as they wish!

It is their software after all. Interesting that LS1-Edit and it's variants, (Kalmaker, etc) are still going strong.

Maybe Ford secretly want a small community of people to be able to modify their cars. There is some good free press in the performance community that they are easily modified currently- does it help sales or build the brand??

Brett

Edited July 4, 200521 yr by bkofoed

I'm not so sure about licensing agreements-  proprietory embedded software is present in everything these days- fridges, dishwashers, irons, electric shavers and toothbrushes, etc!

Just look at your mobile phone- good example of complex embedded software. Nokia service centres for one update the firmware whenever you go in for a service- but we don't agree to any terms to use it.

Seriously though, if Ford wanted to lock people out, they could.  As stated above, provided they don't impede the ODB-II protocol, or the current standard they are aspiring to for diagnostic code retrieval, they are free to do as they wish!

It is their software after all.  Interesting that LS1-Edit and it's variants, (Kalmaker, etc) are still going strong.

Maybe Ford secretly want a small community of people to be able to modify their cars.  There is some good free press in the performance community that they are easily modified currently- does it help sales or build the brand??   

Brett

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Or alternatively go to a Ford dealer. I will start doing some mods to my car through my dealer knowing that I will have full warranty on my vehice. Sure it will cost me a little more but then again I will have piece of mind driving.

Passwords. I wouldn't be worried. Anything can be cracked and I'm sure a program to crack the password would easily coded.

What man can make, man can break.