Driving Habits, Engine Sluggishness, and Computer Reflash
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Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Colorado
Driving Habits, Engine Sluggishness, and Computer Reflash
All -
I am new to the world of the F150 and would like to know more about what I can expect based on some things I have read. I understand that some owners apparently experience engine sluggishness around 5000 or so miles and the solution to this seems to be to have the dealer reflash the engines computer. I also understand that the engine computer "learns" a drivers habits during the first few hundred miles of use.
I bought a 2005 FX4 and it's currently sitting at a little over 400 miles. I have kind of driven it like a baby, but only because I'm trying to stretch gas mileage as much as possible.
1. What can I expect in the future with regards to this "sluggish" engine response and the need to have the engine reflashed?
2. Is it possible that by driving it like a baby, I'm allowing the engine computer to "learn" incorrect driving habits?
Very interested to learn more...
DMad
I am new to the world of the F150 and would like to know more about what I can expect based on some things I have read. I understand that some owners apparently experience engine sluggishness around 5000 or so miles and the solution to this seems to be to have the dealer reflash the engines computer. I also understand that the engine computer "learns" a drivers habits during the first few hundred miles of use.
I bought a 2005 FX4 and it's currently sitting at a little over 400 miles. I have kind of driven it like a baby, but only because I'm trying to stretch gas mileage as much as possible.
1. What can I expect in the future with regards to this "sluggish" engine response and the need to have the engine reflashed?
2. Is it possible that by driving it like a baby, I'm allowing the engine computer to "learn" incorrect driving habits?
Very interested to learn more...
DMad
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,200
Likes: 39
From: Easton, Pa.
In general yes,. The PCM has short term and long term abilty to alter the performance programs.
When I tow at a combined weight of nearly 12,000 lbs then unhook and run the next day, the truck pulls like bear for some time until it readjust to normal running as dictated by the driving, temperatures, barometric air pressures etc.
The factory programmming has been known to be poor on some trucks and can be improved with custom tuning by aftermarket means.
Some are lucky to get good results from a factory flash but you don't know what you will get until tried as a correction providing the truck meets the factory requirements for a reflash by a dealer. They don't usually do it on a 'fast food' basis unless there is an obvious and known reason to do it.
Even on an aftermarket tune, the PCM will still have short and long term learning ability and change performance to some degree over time.
This is one reason not to remove power from the PCM unless there is a real need to do so because this reboots the program and loses all the long and short term changes that have accumulated.
Good luck.
When I tow at a combined weight of nearly 12,000 lbs then unhook and run the next day, the truck pulls like bear for some time until it readjust to normal running as dictated by the driving, temperatures, barometric air pressures etc.
The factory programmming has been known to be poor on some trucks and can be improved with custom tuning by aftermarket means.
Some are lucky to get good results from a factory flash but you don't know what you will get until tried as a correction providing the truck meets the factory requirements for a reflash by a dealer. They don't usually do it on a 'fast food' basis unless there is an obvious and known reason to do it.
Even on an aftermarket tune, the PCM will still have short and long term learning ability and change performance to some degree over time.
This is one reason not to remove power from the PCM unless there is a real need to do so because this reboots the program and loses all the long and short term changes that have accumulated.
Good luck.
Last edited by Bluegrass; Oct 17, 2005 at 11:17 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,200
Likes: 39
From: Easton, Pa.
With the advent of electric controlled transmissions, the electronic engine control (EEC) has changed to Powertrain Control Module = PCM, for short.
The programing has been greatly enlarged to the point there are well over 1000 codes and functions addressed, allowing the module to think for it'self based on how you drive it and how the mfger want to run the engine within progrsamming limits.
As you see, how it controls is often not to the owners likeing.
The programing has been greatly enlarged to the point there are well over 1000 codes and functions addressed, allowing the module to think for it'self based on how you drive it and how the mfger want to run the engine within progrsamming limits.
As you see, how it controls is often not to the owners likeing.