Trans Temp. thru Kenwood

[1oldtimer]

Hi All,
Not quite sure where to post this question due to the different variables.
I have a Kenwood DNX994s installed in my 13 Expy EL. It has the ability to hook up to the ODB2 connection and allows me to read different PIDs for the vehicle. The whole reason I installed this was to be able to monitor the Trans Temp while towing. It was awesome in my 08 F250, so I knew it had to work in my 13 Expy, right? Well, I have more options than I want, but I don't have the trans temp.
Does anyone have any ideas what I could do? Is this something the dealer can turn on for me as far as the PIDs go? The Kenwood has the option for me to assign it to whatever gauge placement I want but it is grayed out due to no signal. I have scan for PIDs through the Kenwood but it is never located.
I appreciate any and all of your help. Yupster, Loki ??

 

[ExplorerTom]

Is there a way to program gauges? Like ScanGauge and their “xgauges” or the custom gauges on an UltraGauge?

I bought an UltraGauge when I had my 2000 and had them program it to display trans temp. Then I sold the 2000 and got a 2014. Should be plug and play, right? Nope. I had to reprogram the UltraGauge to display trans temp.

I’m wondering if it’s the same with your problem.

 

[1oldtimer]

I don’t have anyway to program the unit. The selection is grayed out which is crazy. I asked my mechanic at the dealership and he’s stumped as well. Only thing he said was that possibly because the transmission tem came from a TCM to the PCM???? I don’t know. I do know it’s driving me nuts because I don’t want to have to add in another system like scan gauge or something else. I love the fact that the Kenwood has the ODB II feature, so got to figure this out.

 

[ManUpOrShutUp]

If it isn't pulling the data and you can't program it, you're probably SOL.

The dealership mechanic could be on to something as to the why. Brian L. (FordTechMakuloco) mentions in one of his videos that Ford moved the controls from the TCM to the PCM at some point in order to reduce costs.

 

[Franklin Jones]

Is there a way to program gauges? Like ScanGauge and their “xgauges” or the custom gauges on an UltraGauge?

I bought an UltraGauge when I had my 2000 and had them program it to display trans temp. Then I sold the 2000 and got a 2014. Should be plug and play, right? Nope. I had to reprogram the UltraGauge to display trans temp.

I’m wondering if it’s the same with your problem.

**thread hijack** How did you get the UltraGauge to display trans temp? I've fought and fought and fought with mine to the point I dont use it because it never displayed correctly.

 

[ManUpOrShutUp]

**thread hijack** How did you get the UltraGauge to display trans temp? I've fought and fought and fought with mine to the point I dont use it because it never displayed correctly.

Which UltraGauge do you have? The MX can be programmed for trans temp if it wasn't ordered pre-programmed. UG can provide the code if you email them.

 

[Franklin Jones]

Which UltraGauge do you have? The MX can be programmed for trans temp if it wasn't ordered pre-programmed. UG can provide the code if you email them.

MX. I went back and forth with UG over and over and they kept giving me bad codes, then got mad at me for asking again.
"try this."
Didn't work.
"ok, try this."
Still didn't work.
"We don't know. Maybe it's not supported?"

Long story short, if you can post a pic of your coding, it'd be appreciated.

 

[ManUpOrShutUp]

MX. I went back and forth with UG over and over and they kept giving me bad codes, then got mad at me for asking again.
"try this."
Didn't work.
"ok, try this."
Still didn't work.
"We don't know. Maybe it's not supported?"

Long story short, if you can post a pic of your coding, it'd be appreciated.

 

[rwmorrisonjr]

I had the same issues with my Kenwoods and Maestro units. That’s why I’m going with an analog gauge and sender from the transmission pan. Sometimes simpler is better.

 

[ManUpOrShutUp]

I had the same issues with my Kenwoods and Maestro units. That’s why I’m going with an analog gauge and sender from the transmission pan. Sometimes simpler is better.

That's not actually simpler though ... An UltraGauge, ScanGauge or similar would be the simplest route.

 

[rwmorrisonjr]

That's not actually simpler though ... An UltraGauge, ScanGauge or similar would be the simplest route.

After everything I’ve seen here about getting them programmed, I disagree. Ford made this needlessly complex by blocking access to the information to begin with, and I want to bypass all that.

 

[purevw]

Hi All,
Not quite sure where to post this question due to the different variables.
I have a Kenwood DNX994s installed in my 13 Expy EL. It has the ability to hook up to the ODB2 connection and allows me to read different PIDs for the vehicle. The whole reason I installed this was to be able to monitor the Trans Temp while towing. It was awesome in my 08 F250, so I knew it had to work in my 13 Expy, right? Well, I have more options than I want, but I don't have the trans temp.
Does anyone have any ideas what I could do? Is this something the dealer can turn on for me as far as the PIDs go? The Kenwood has the option for me to assign it to whatever gauge placement I want but it is grayed out due to no signal. I have scan for PIDs through the Kenwood but it is never located.
I appreciate any and all of your help. Yupster, Loki ??

I have a 2011 with a Kenwood / Maestro combo. I have never tried to see transmission temps in my vehicle but may have a suggestion. The Maestro has to be flashed with firmware for the spefic vehicle. People are suggesting programming the Kenwood, when the Maestro may be the problem. If it is greyed out, then the Kenwood is saying it's unavailable. You might take your question to a Maestro forum, as Maestro firmware can be updated and the problem may be something they missed for your particular vehicle. Maybe they could write a patch to enable it.

 

[ManUpOrShutUp]

After everything I’ve seen here about getting them programmed, I disagree. Ford made this needlessly complex by blocking access to the information to begin with, and I want to bypass all that.

Ford hasn't blocked access to anything. Trans temp is outside the standard protocols for just about every vehicle on the market. Nonetheless, you can pull it from every Expedition out there with nearly every halfway decent OBD tool on the market.

You can get the UltraGauge MX pre-programmed for Ford. Then you just plug it in to the OBD port and you're done. Some people fail to get it pre-programmed though or they carried it over from a previous brand vehicle, in which one would need to program it (I had to reprogram some functions for my wife's Honda as she brought the UG over from her Mazda). That's, literally, just typing in a provided code though. If you would rather go through a couple hours of labor versus plugging a device into the OBD port though, have at it.

 

[Fastcar]

I had the same issues with my Kenwoods and Maestro units. That’s why I’m going with an analog gauge and sender from the transmission pan. Sometimes simpler is better.

The temp you want is from the line to the cooler for true temp. The oil in the pan has been cooled.

 

[1oldtimer]

Well, we hooked up a decent scanner to it over the weekend. It can read the trans temp. But what fails to show up when testing the idiot lights is, no trans temp warning light. Maybe just the wrench shows up if there is an issue. But without the idiot light, I doubt that I will ever get the Kenwood to read the Trans Temp. I could be wrong, but I thnk its a lost cause. I do plan on calling iDatalink and talk to them about it an see what they say.