Key count (tune detection)

[dn1984]

I have an idea. We all know that Ford knows you had a tune on the car if you have an abnormally low key count for the age/mileage. But what counts as a key count? Does the car need to actually turn over or turn on, or does turning it to accessories mode count? Do they track WHEN the car is turned on and off? Could we theoretically get around this detection but simply turning the car on and off a couple hundred times per 10-12k miles after flashing back to stock to get around this detection?

Sponsored

 

[ice445]

How about just accepting the risk of a tune? Thinking of ways to commit warranty fraud seem kind lame to me, if you tune and break something major, it's pretty lame to expect Ford to pay for it. Not only that but I wouldn't want to sit there pushing the button hundreds of times before loading the car onto a towtruck. To answer your question I'm pretty sure it counts key "cycles", I.E. the amount of times the vehicle has been started, not just the ignition being turned on.

 

[Vlad Soare]

I'm sure I'm missing something, but how does a tune affect the total number of key cycles? With or without a tune, you'll still turn the engine on and off before and after each drive, won't you? Will a tune somehow render the BCM (or whichever module is responsible for this task) unable to count the key cycles from then on?

 

[FruityJudy]

I'm sure I'm missing something, but how does a tune affect the total number of key cycles? With or without a tune, you'll still turn the engine on and off before and after each drive, won't you? Will a tune somehow render the BCM (or whichever module is responsible for this task) unable to count the key cycles from then on?

It resets the key cycle count everytime you reflash. So if you tune then return to stock at 35k miles and take the car to a dealer with 6 key cycles. That would throw a red flag

 

[ORRadtech]

I'm sure I'm missing something, but how does a tune affect the total number of key cycles? With or without a tune, you'll still turn the engine on and off before and after each drive, won't you? Will a tune somehow render the BCM (or whichever module is responsible for this task) unable to count the key cycles from then on?

I could be completely wrong here but a tune is sort of like a reset to the computer. The first thing you do is save the factory settings then, when you load the new tune, you've basically uploaded a completely new program which resets everything. If something happens and it needs to go to a dealer the process is reversed, the factory tune is restored and everything is reset again.
It is, or can be, warranty fraud depending on what it's being taken in for.

 

[dn1984]

How about just accepting the risk of a tune? Thinking of ways to commit warranty fraud seem kind lame to me, if you tune and break something major, it's pretty lame to expect Ford to pay for it. Not only that but I wouldn't want to sit there pushing the button hundreds of times before loading the car onto a towtruck. To answer your question I'm pretty sure it counts key "cycles", I.E. the amount of times the vehicle has been started, not just the ignition being turned on.

it's more about the fact that Ford can and will deny a warranty repair on something unrelated to the tune, if you are tuned. if you fight it, you better have plenty of dough for lawyer fees

 

[Bluelightning]

I could be completely wrong here but a tune is sort of like a reset to the computer. The first thing you do is save the factory settings then, when you load the new tune, you've basically uploaded a completely new program which resets everything. If something happens and it needs to go to a dealer the process is reversed, the factory tune is restored and everything is reset again.
It is, or can be, warranty fraud depending on what it's being taken in for.

The stock tune parameters are reset when you re-flash the stock tune, and the key count gets reset to 0.

Sponsored