Yosemite Sam
Active Member
During the last three weeks I joined Expedition Forum, which I will be eternally
grateful, and during this time I inquired about a couple of situations I had with
my Expedition. Several members responded with their thoughts and ideas about how
to deal with my situations on my Expy. I eventually was able to figure out how to
solve my promblems based on common sense and input from other users. Then I found
Forscan!
Most users of Forscan seem to acquire it simply for its ability to re-program
different modules on the Ford vehicles and customize their vehicle's different
attributes using Forscan and users' trial and error knowledge by creating spread
sheets to display their efforts. And it works great for that!! But that ain't
all folks!
Little did I know, from reading users' notes and comments on this forum that the
Forscan program allows you to do MUCH more than that! Example: during the last
couple of weeks I had a problem with a "Liftgate Ajar" warning on my 2017
Expedition's dash. I THOUGHT it was one of the two sensors on the lift gate itself
but it turned out to be the glass window in the liftgate. (I didn't even know the
glass window opened until I got into this and another user informed me that yes,
indeed the window does open.) In any case, it took me several days to acquire this
information and thusly cure my problem. (It was a dirty sensor on the window latch.)
Now comes Forscan! I have delved into the workings of Forscan and have come to find
out that Forscan will show you every sensor on the Expedition and what its current
state is! I pulled up the sensor states for all the door sensors; hood, left and
right, front and back doors, AND the sensors on the lift gate and its window! It
shows their current state (ajar or not) all printed out right in front of me! I
could have solved my liftgate ajar problem in five minutes if I had known this.
This is just a small inkling of what all Forscan can do! It is an incredible piece
of software....and it's FREE! This piece of software can display exactly
what your vehicle is doing in real time. I sat there and observed the catalytic
convertors' temperatures as I raced the engine (~700F). I can watch the fuel rail
pressure in real time, the battery voltage, transmission states, you name it,
and it goes on and on....
I see Soooooo many questions on this forum that could be answered simply and quickly
by plugging in Forscan and analyzing the sensors....in MANY cases it will tell you
exactly what the problem is just by reading the sensors and using a bit of common
sense!
People, for the price of an interface, ~ $20.00 you can have the greatest problem
solver for your vehicle! Just load Forscan onto your laptop, plug the interface
in and connect it to your OBDBII jack on your vehicle and you're there!
I have NO pecuniary interest in Forscan, any interface or anything connected with
Ford or Forscan. I just felt it was necessary to put my two cents into the pot and
let people know what they are missing! Unless I'm not seeing users' posts regarding
Forscan, I think there should be a forum branch just for adding users' information
on setting up Forscan and using it to monitor and/or display vehicle sensor data.
It is one of the best troubleshooting methods available! If more "mechanics" would
learn how to use Forscan there would be a whole lot less time wasted on nailing
down a vehicles' reported problems...
grateful, and during this time I inquired about a couple of situations I had with
my Expedition. Several members responded with their thoughts and ideas about how
to deal with my situations on my Expy. I eventually was able to figure out how to
solve my promblems based on common sense and input from other users. Then I found
Forscan!
Most users of Forscan seem to acquire it simply for its ability to re-program
different modules on the Ford vehicles and customize their vehicle's different
attributes using Forscan and users' trial and error knowledge by creating spread
sheets to display their efforts. And it works great for that!! But that ain't
all folks!
Little did I know, from reading users' notes and comments on this forum that the
Forscan program allows you to do MUCH more than that! Example: during the last
couple of weeks I had a problem with a "Liftgate Ajar" warning on my 2017
Expedition's dash. I THOUGHT it was one of the two sensors on the lift gate itself
but it turned out to be the glass window in the liftgate. (I didn't even know the
glass window opened until I got into this and another user informed me that yes,
indeed the window does open.) In any case, it took me several days to acquire this
information and thusly cure my problem. (It was a dirty sensor on the window latch.)
Now comes Forscan! I have delved into the workings of Forscan and have come to find
out that Forscan will show you every sensor on the Expedition and what its current
state is! I pulled up the sensor states for all the door sensors; hood, left and
right, front and back doors, AND the sensors on the lift gate and its window! It
shows their current state (ajar or not) all printed out right in front of me! I
could have solved my liftgate ajar problem in five minutes if I had known this.
This is just a small inkling of what all Forscan can do! It is an incredible piece
of software....and it's FREE! This piece of software can display exactly
what your vehicle is doing in real time. I sat there and observed the catalytic
convertors' temperatures as I raced the engine (~700F). I can watch the fuel rail
pressure in real time, the battery voltage, transmission states, you name it,
and it goes on and on....
I see Soooooo many questions on this forum that could be answered simply and quickly
by plugging in Forscan and analyzing the sensors....in MANY cases it will tell you
exactly what the problem is just by reading the sensors and using a bit of common
sense!
People, for the price of an interface, ~ $20.00 you can have the greatest problem
solver for your vehicle! Just load Forscan onto your laptop, plug the interface
in and connect it to your OBDBII jack on your vehicle and you're there!
I have NO pecuniary interest in Forscan, any interface or anything connected with
Ford or Forscan. I just felt it was necessary to put my two cents into the pot and
let people know what they are missing! Unless I'm not seeing users' posts regarding
Forscan, I think there should be a forum branch just for adding users' information
on setting up Forscan and using it to monitor and/or display vehicle sensor data.
It is one of the best troubleshooting methods available! If more "mechanics" would
learn how to use Forscan there would be a whole lot less time wasted on nailing
down a vehicles' reported problems...
