What diagnostic for FORD?
I am wondering what diagnostic do you suggest me to use for Ford’s models. I know a very good one is VCM2 with IDS software, but I would like to know if it is the only one for Ford. Is it? Or are there other choices?
Top 4 Ford diagnostic programming tools:
VCM2 IDS
Forscan
UCDS with UCDSYS software
FoCom
Top 1: VCM2 IDS Ford
IDS
You can buy a VCM II and lease out time to use IDS from websites that partner with Ford. I think it is around a $80 a day, It isn’t something most people consider and I haven’t looked into it too hard.
Hacked IDS on VMWare
A good VCMII clone (from a trusted source) can be had for £165 and is a good choice for anyone thinking of doing firmware updates with FORScan. It’s much better & faster than an ELM27 or ELS27 adapter for firmware flashing.
Good source of best VCMII clone:
https://www.obd2shop.co.uk/wholesale/high-quality-ford-vcm-ii-diagnostic-tool.html
Top 2: Forscan
forscan is very good and free and works with vcm2, Google it
Forscan work with cheap elm but no module programming, also vcm2 works with this software
Tried forscan today on mazda 6 with vcm2 clone. Worked brilliantly for what I needed. Only thing is the name reminds me of part of a dick… Lmao, probably gotta have English as 1st language to understand that one
Started with FORScan on 2018 F150 Lariat FX4 Sport (501A) 3.5L GTDI w/ Max Trailer Tow (1/31/18 delivery).
the changes I made:
Auto Start/Stop – disable (haven’t done the optional display or button yet)
Double-honk w/ key disable (gotta do this on my other Ford also!)
2 Push Panic button on Fob
GT Display option
Engine & Transmission Temps above display (FANTASTIC when I start towing!)
Fake Engine Sound (* I used the EASY version on this one, because I was skeptical the single value change would not remove other functionality. It worked, and kept the other value location I was watching unchanged.)
Top 3: UCDS with UCDSYS software
1). Ford UCDS Clone
– full mode activated, access to existing sections of the software, such as: VBF Loader, Update Wizard and Direct Config.
– with 35 tokens: token only need for mileage programming & ECU chip tuning function.
– Support the reconfiguration of the car, the engine firmware stock firmware
UCDS Ford VS Ford VCM II:
Similarities:
UCDS 1.26.008 has the same data as the ids v102.
Both UCDS and VCMII can support online and offline programming.
Differences:
UCDS can do these that VCMII can’t:
1. special functions like: VBF LOADER, UPDATE WIZARD, DIRECT CONFIG
2. UCDS support more vehicles than vcmii
3. UCDS support odometer correction, while VCMII can’t
4. UCDS support the reconfiguration of the car, the engine firmware stock firmware, chip tuning, vcmii can’t.
5. VCMII support key programming, while UCDS can’t.
6. The price is big different, UCDS Ford is much cheaper (£36.50 on obd2shop.co.uk) and best VCMII for £165.
2). UCDS Original device
This tool is powerful, can do module programming, mileage correction, chip tuning and it also work with forscan software. Assbuild data, Direct coding and much more.
Top 4: FoCom
FoCom is also good tool but it costs 100€ more than UCDS Original
I’ve used Focom, I had a £13 clone adaptor and it worked great on my Ford Fiesta, I’ve coded injectors with it, new keys and I had a problem with dashboard eeprom corrupted, and it also fixed that by pairing the ECU to it.
Focom only buy original focom adapter because the software will burn clone adapters.
