I took my 1999 F150 to the dealer to check out the SES light. He states that it is throwing a P1409 Code for the EGR Vacuum controller and also says that the PCM is faulty.

My first question is how can the PCM be faulty and throw a code at the same time? Are they just trying to get some bucks?

Second question, I have read posts concerning the SuperChips modules. Would this fix the "faulty PCM" or do I have to bite the bullet and cough up some cash for a new PCM?

Thanks

Dave

 

It sounds like your DPFE valve is bad and/or your return ports from the EGR to the throttle body are clogged..do a search and you'll find what you can do to clean those ports out and reset the computer

 

Hi Dave,

Briefly............

A P1409 code is:
EGR Vacuum Regulator Solenoid Circuit Malfunction.

Possible causes are EGRVR Circuit open, VPWR open to EGRVR solenoid, EGRVR circuit short to VPWR or GND, a damaged EGRVR solenoid, or a damaged PCM.

Check EGR vacuum regulator solenoid resistance, it should be between 26 & 40 Ohms.

Yes, it *could* potentially be your PCM - and no, nobody on the Internet can tell you if your PCM is actually bad or not - nobody can do that without doing some very detailed hands-on testing via the book procedures. The only way to get this properly diagnosed is by having a qualified Ford tech do the required troubleshooting "by the book" - everything else is, at best, a semi-educated guess.

In general, these trucks can and do have EGR related problems - DPFE sensors can and do fail, they will all fail sooner or later, we recommend replacing them at 70K miles in general - and yes, it's an excellent idea to keep the EGR ports clean, to be sure - all good advice.

If the PCM has to be replaced, remember that the MSRP on an EEC-V PCM is just under $300, so don't let them gouge you - there will be an additional change usually to initialize PATS, they may need to prep your keys, etc., so there will be some labor on top of the raw parts cost for the PCM.

Good luck!

 

Thanks for the recommendations. The dealer told me not to replace the EGR valve or anyhting else because thats what blew out the PCM.

Go figure...if that were the case, a misfire would cause the PCM to blow out?

Yeah, the dealer told me 300 for the part and labor would cost an additional 500...oh, but I would get the diagnostic fee back


Regardless, the truck seems to run just fine...

I researched at motorcraft the procedures to flash a new PCM with the factory codes, can get them online even. Dosent look too diffucult to do and would prove to me less costly than an 800 trip back to the dealer.

I'll look at the ports and see if they need cleaning etc...and of course take care of all the recommendations listed.

Thanks!

Dave

 

Hi Dave,

I should make it clear that we're not trying to dispute what your dealer's service department told you - they may very well be *right* in their diagnosis. It certainly *is* possible to have a failed or problematic component take out another component - in fact, that just happened to me recently.

I had a crankshaft position sensor failure as well as a PCM failure - the CKP (crankshaft position sensor) was allowing oil to leak thru it, having oil coming thru one of it's pins - and it could very well have been the CKP taking out the PCM, as both died at the same time. We did all the by-the-book Ford procedures for diagnosing this - we tested all the required voltage & resistance levels, all of which told us the CKP was bad - so it was replaced, but the truck still wouldn't start - though we now got the correct voltage & resistance levels for the CKP tests. With the CKP replaced, then we were able to properly re-test the PCM voltages & resistances, and found the PCM was bad as well. We replaced the PCM, and it then fired right up. Both components had in fact failed at the same time, and I have no doubt that one took out the other, as both were in fact failed and had to be replaced. Most likely the CKP was allowing oil to leak thru for some period of time (hours, days, weeks, we have no idea), and it finally hit a point or set of circumstances where the PCM just got "zapped" with some DC on the wrong circuit due to that small amount of oil the CKP was allowing to leak thru, and that fried it. One minute we were driving and everything was fine, the next minute the motor died, and failed to fire until both the CKP *and* the PCM were replaced. That's a guess of course, but seems a likely scenario.

The point being, one component taking out another certainly *is* possible - but we can't tell you for sure if your dealer is right, or if they are just dead wrong, thus it would be inappropriate for us to say one way or the other.

Now that $500 labor fee just to install the PCM is out of line, *if* they're actually quoting $500 for that *alone* - even if they did "refund" what is usually a $79.95 diagnostic fee. If that is the case, then I would seek a second opinion & diagnosis - don't let it go "untreated," so to speak.

Best of luck with this,