Tech Question
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Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 89
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From: Troutdale, Oregon
Tech Question
My wife called me yesterday and said the check engine light was on and wouldn't go off on my 04 F150. I called Troyer's office and asked if I switched it back to the factory setting so I could take it in to Ford if it would be ok. I was assured it would. I did the switch and the check engine light is off now. I was told to put a couple of starts and stops of the ignition switch and 20 or more miles on it before I took it into Ford so any error codes would clear and they wouldn't be able to tell I had switched the settings. My question is now that the light is out and I have done the on/off thing and the miles, is it ok to switch back to the 87 performance settings. I think what may have caused the light to come on in the first place was my daughter closed the door but it didn't latch and it stayed that way all night, which may have caused some electrical error to show up. Will the engine light come back on when I switch the codes again. I would like some feed back before I do it. Thanks 
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Joined: Mar 1998
Posts: 13,385
Likes: 4
From: Virginia
As always, we cannot provide Tech Support *here* on F-150 Online - that is done only by phone or in person, as it's against the rules of F-150 Online for us to do that here - as well as the fact that it takes far too long to type it all out, and this isn't the way to do diagnosis, either. 
Nor can we tell you why your dash light came on - the only way to do that is to connect a code scanner and read the codes to see what's up, there is no other way.
Any time you flash the PCM, whether it's to return it to stock or to install a performance tune, you will automatically cause any lights to go out as you automatically erase any existing codes - and that does *not* cure a problem is there is an actual problem, that just resets the PCM and then it will take a number of drive cycles for the light to come back on. Nor will leaving a door open cause any kind of check engine light (Service Engine Soon, Failsafe Mode, or the wrench icon in the newer trucks) to ever come on - all that leaving a door open causes is the "door ajar" warning light to come on, so no, the door being open had absolutely nothing to do with any check engine light.
If you have a real problem, it's going to happen again and throw a hard code and thus show a light on the dash - but you can scan it right now for any "pending" codes.
The bottom line is, I strongly recommend that you leave the STOCK tune in it for at least a few weeks, and see if the situation occurs again - and if it does, then get it in to your Ford dealer for them to take care of it.
Last - if you are running an aftermarket intake kit, it's a good idea to disconnect the battery, remove the MAF sensor from the vehicle and clean it, using electrical contact cleaner sprayed onto the thin wires that sense the airflow - then leave it sitting for at least a half-hour to let any contact cleaner evaporate/dry. then reinstall the MAF sensor, reconnect the battery and see if that helps. Sometimes using an aftermarket intake kit can cause the oil from the air filter to migrate onto the MAF sensors wires and that can cause a lean condition - which is easily fixed by simply cleaning the MAF sensor in the 2004 & up F-150's, or the MAF meter in the 2003 & earlier trucks. No matter what intake anyone is tunning, stock or aftermarket, we recommend cleaning the MAF sensor once a year anyway, as no matter what kind of intake system or air filter you use, you will eventually get some dirt accumulated on the MAF sensor's wires.
If you clean the MAF sensor, do it CAREFULLY! It cannot take any static electricity, and you cannot have your keys in the ignition any time you connect or disconnect the battery.
Last - remember that any time you disconnect the battery, just like any time you flash the PCM, you will once again clear any codes - that does NOT fix any underlying problem, it just masks it if there is a real problem, and it can take anywhere from a few days to a month or more for it to throw a check engine light again, just depending on the severity and driving conditions, etc.
Good luck!
Nor can we tell you why your dash light came on - the only way to do that is to connect a code scanner and read the codes to see what's up, there is no other way.
Any time you flash the PCM, whether it's to return it to stock or to install a performance tune, you will automatically cause any lights to go out as you automatically erase any existing codes - and that does *not* cure a problem is there is an actual problem, that just resets the PCM and then it will take a number of drive cycles for the light to come back on. Nor will leaving a door open cause any kind of check engine light (Service Engine Soon, Failsafe Mode, or the wrench icon in the newer trucks) to ever come on - all that leaving a door open causes is the "door ajar" warning light to come on, so no, the door being open had absolutely nothing to do with any check engine light.
If you have a real problem, it's going to happen again and throw a hard code and thus show a light on the dash - but you can scan it right now for any "pending" codes.
The bottom line is, I strongly recommend that you leave the STOCK tune in it for at least a few weeks, and see if the situation occurs again - and if it does, then get it in to your Ford dealer for them to take care of it.
Last - if you are running an aftermarket intake kit, it's a good idea to disconnect the battery, remove the MAF sensor from the vehicle and clean it, using electrical contact cleaner sprayed onto the thin wires that sense the airflow - then leave it sitting for at least a half-hour to let any contact cleaner evaporate/dry. then reinstall the MAF sensor, reconnect the battery and see if that helps. Sometimes using an aftermarket intake kit can cause the oil from the air filter to migrate onto the MAF sensors wires and that can cause a lean condition - which is easily fixed by simply cleaning the MAF sensor in the 2004 & up F-150's, or the MAF meter in the 2003 & earlier trucks. No matter what intake anyone is tunning, stock or aftermarket, we recommend cleaning the MAF sensor once a year anyway, as no matter what kind of intake system or air filter you use, you will eventually get some dirt accumulated on the MAF sensor's wires.
If you clean the MAF sensor, do it CAREFULLY! It cannot take any static electricity, and you cannot have your keys in the ignition any time you connect or disconnect the battery.
Last - remember that any time you disconnect the battery, just like any time you flash the PCM, you will once again clear any codes - that does NOT fix any underlying problem, it just masks it if there is a real problem, and it can take anywhere from a few days to a month or more for it to throw a check engine light again, just depending on the severity and driving conditions, etc.
Good luck!