Alot of discussion on this Flash apparently once the upgrade is done your towing becomes restricted. After I had mine done and it has happen 6-7 times you'll get the wrench on the message center and reduce engine power message and the truck will go into limp mode. This last week I had to limp for over 125 miles off and on. Because you can pull over and shut the engine off it will reset the PCM and continue on until it happens again. normally this will happen pulling a grade, but I've also had it happen everytime after regeneration pulling my 37 foot trailer. If I had it to do over again I would not get this upgrade and for furture upgrades I'll be skeptical.:nono:
PCM upgrade 11B23
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I had the re-flash a few weeks ago. Just pulled my 5er for the first time since the re-flash yesterday. Didn't even have the usual 2,000 lbs of toys on board. The truck has lost significant power! The truck now struggles to maintain speed over the smallest inclines on the highway. Can't imagine what it will be like this summer trying to run into the mountains with the bikes in the back.
Wow, what a big mistake I made having this done.
Anyone know if it is possible to go back to the previous version?
Wow, what a big mistake I made having this done.
Anyone know if it is possible to go back to the previous version?
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i wish i could go back also although my mpg have gone up unloaded from 13 to about 16 i had noticed the other day getting my camper ready for the season that i have less power then i did last yr i worried about our camping trip next weekend
Well a new flash was supposed to come out today? I’m going to be leaving on a trip with my trailer on Friday and hope that I don’t have problems. I’m sure if someone got the new fix flash today, they will post it.
I brought my truck into Ford yesterday for the tire recall and they didn’t know about it yesterday and said that they were not updating PCM till they heard from Ford
I took senix advice and pulled my trailer on a pre-trip trial, and I don’t think that I’m going to be a happy camper, in Tow/Haul mode I didn’t go into “LIMP HOME MODE” but it was ugly. I wish I would’ve read his advice before I let another dealer install the new flash a few weeks ago.
Umm... By "ugly", can you be more specific?
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I have a feeling for those of us who tow around the GCWR of 23-24K it will throw it in limp mode.
Lesser weights are probably ok.
Problem is when you tow heavy and that engine temps start to come on strong it throws it in limp mode.
It thinks there is a blockage in the cooling system. It is trying to shut you down to cool off.
Lesser weights are probably ok.
Problem is when you tow heavy and that engine temps start to come on strong it throws it in limp mode.
It thinks there is a blockage in the cooling system. It is trying to shut you down to cool off.
I was going to keep my thoughts on the flash to myself until I towed and got the whole picture, but since you asked. It seems to me that the only gain was a little increase in MPG and there seem to be less Regens. But there was an increase in turbo lag and loss in HP when driving empty. In Tow/Haul mode the down shifting was really ruff, when I let off the throttle it down shifted to a point that I think it almost drag the back tires. I don’t know if the transmission is still mapping it’s self, but I wonder if most of the other owner’s truck are going into “LIMP MODE” only in Tow/Haul mode. And if most of the problems are with the F350s and bigger trucks.
So the way I see it, I’m going to be traveling with a GCWR of 22,000 pounds and before the flash, my truck didn’t make a noise or break a sweat. Now I just don’t know and don’t have a warm and fuzzy feeling.
So the way I see it, I’m going to be traveling with a GCWR of 22,000 pounds and before the flash, my truck didn’t make a noise or break a sweat. Now I just don’t know and don’t have a warm and fuzzy feeling.
Ford Called
Ford customer service called yesterday 5/18/2011 and advised me the new update is out and will be available to dealers Thursday or Friday. I will be contacting my dealer today and schedule update. I'll keep all posted as to the outcome.
Ford customer service called yesterday 5/18/2011 and advised me the new update is out and will be available to dealers Thursday or Friday. I will be contacting my dealer today and schedule update. I'll keep all posted as to the outcome.
My fiver is relatively light...less than 9K gross...so it really doesn't stress the truck much. The highest coolant temp I saw was a tad over 210F...EGT about 1200 max and usually more like 850-900. There are some serious upgrades on the way...a couple 6% for several miles in addition to some lesser grades. Seems like it's either up or down the whole way...probably accounts for the 9 mph. I usually run in Tow/Haul in the mtns altho I've notices some pretty harsh downshifts too. It also seems to not upshift soon enough, just letting it wind up to 3K rpm or so. I usually switch it out of T/H then. T/H mostly seems to help going downhill. Anyway, we're heading out in a couple weeks for Yellowstone/Glacier so it'll get another workout then, Hope it hangs in there. Haven't heard from my dealer about the new flash.
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My Job 1 08 runs great with the new flash. I never had any issues towing (10k lbs) or any limp mode problems. That being said, there is a 5/18/11 updated flash. My truck is at the dealer today and I asked about the brand new flash. I'll let you guys know if the do it and if it works any better.
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108 Posts
Just great! Been away from the forum for a few days so I was unaware of the limp mode problem while towing heavy. I leave for a trip tomorrow afternoon with my 5er and it's heavy. Funny, a few of you mentioned the hard down-shifting. That is the problem I had with the upgrade first time around. After Senix suggested a do-over all has been fine. Except that I haven't towed with except back to the RV dealer and that was on back roads where I couldn't really tell any difference. You guys now have me worried about pulling on the interstate tomorrow. Problems with 2 little ones in the truck on the interstate is not going to fun at all! Here's hoping for the best!
Senix, it was cold & rainy yesterday when we drove up here...(well, cold for here...40's) and rainy and snowy and foggy. Our trips are more often in the summer heat (100+ in Phoenix and 80's up in the mtns). So it might have been different if it had been warmer. The fan does come on then on the steeper grades but this is my first trip with the Insight so I don't know what temps I was getting then...I suspect more like what you saw. I need to decide whether to get the newest flash before I head to Montana in June/July.
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691 Posts
Had a nice long chat with the SM at my local dealer here in ID today (Thurs noon MDT); when I asked about this, he could not find anything on a new TSB or replacement/update for TSB 11B23.
Hope someone has some solid detail on this soon. But on the other hand, I'm not currently towing and my truck has been fine since 11B23 was applied last month.
TIA,
- Don
Just another datapoint - I talked to the Ford Customer Service representative that helped work through the issue of my PCM becoming a brick once updated with 11B23 (truck is now up and running with new PCM, 11B23 applied)
He had no knowledge of any revision subsequent to 11B23.
My truck is now running normally; did a tow over the california coastal mountains, all went well. But still I don't totally trust it....
He had no knowledge of any revision subsequent to 11B23.
My truck is now running normally; did a tow over the california coastal mountains, all went well. But still I don't totally trust it....
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371 Posts
I wonder if they will request that those who had the previous ones done update to this latest one? While I had the problems that everyone else had with the previous one...those have been taken care of...or at least so far. Regardless, I still feel some uneasy about it.
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