I HAVE BEEN READING ALOT ON HERE ABOUT DOING A SELF UPGRADE TO A FICM MODULE. DONT THEY HAVE TO BE PROGRAMMED THE TRUCK OR IS THAT JUST FOR NEW ONES. I JUST HAD MINE REPLACED ANS "IT DIDNT TAKE" AND WAS TOLD THAT IT NEEDED TO BE PROGRAMMED BY FORD TO THE TRUCK. CAN ANYONE GIVE SOME ADVIICE OR FACTS TO THIS. THANK YOU.

 

A good start would be the "PHP FICM programmer w/strategies" thread. Keep in mind that this is on running trucks.

If the shop doing the work used the term 'didn't take', they either aren't very good at customer service or their work. At $100/hr, 'didn't take' is not an acceptable answer, IMO. Hell, I'm using an unprogrammed FICM from an 06 in my 03 as a replacement unit and it works great!

 

When you buy a NEW FICM, or a NEW half shell to fix your current FICM they do need to be reprogrammed, as they come from Ford without any program.

If you fix the FICM that is already on your truck, or put another FICM from a different truck on, no programming is required.

You can use any year FICM on any year 6.0, they are interchangable. The old models used 7 pins, the newer ones were 4 pin (easiest way to tell which is which). The 7 pins can not be fixed with a 1/2 shell, they are for 4 pins only.

I would verify that your FICM is indeed bad, there is a test procedure at the top of the page, it will take you and someone capable of turning the key and about 15 minutes, do it. Note, that weak batteries will throw funny FICM readings, so it's generally a good idea to have them load tested or fully charged when doing this test. Also test the FICM when cold (leave the truck sitting over night) and test it. Very easy to do.

Any more questions, just ask. Having them repaired is a much more permanent solution and much cheaper than a new FICM as well.

 

I HAVE HAD MY BATTERIES LOAD TESTED AND THEY TESTED GREAT. I HAD A SCANNER ATTACHED TO THE TRUCK AND RECORED THE FICM MODULE AT A "COLD" START AND IT REGISTERED A 39V AT THE FIRST TWO AND AT STARTING IT REGISTERED A 30V. AFTER THE ENGINE WARMED UP TO RUNNING TEMP, IT CAME UP TO ABOUT 41. NEVER GOT OVER THAT THOUGH. WE REPLACED IT AND TO CLARIFY THE "IT DIDNT TAKE," I DID FIND OUT THAT THERE WAS A MIS-COMMUNICATION. ONE THOUGHT THAT THE OTHER DID THE PROGRAM AND IN FACT DIDNT, AND THE ONE THAT THE OTHER DID. THEY ARE PROGRAMMING IT NOW AND DOING THE ROAD TEST TO MAKE SURE ALL IS WELL. THEY CHANGED OUT ALL OF THE FLUIDS AND PUT IN THE INTERNATIONAL FILTERS AND BRASS PLUG. DID A COOLANT FLUSH, FUEL SYSTEM FLUSH, CHANGED ALL OF THE FILTERS, NEW HEAD GASKET AND STUDS, AND FICM MODULE. IN ADDITION TO THIS, THERE WERE ALOT OF FORD RECOMMENDED UPGRADE PARTS THAT WERE PUT IN. THANK YOU FOR THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE NEW FICM MODULES. GREAT SITE AND PLENTY OF KNOWLEDGE. APPRECIATE ANY ASSITANCE.

 

No worries.

If you put a FICM in from a different year truck, it throws a "soft code" meaning it wont turn the check engine light on, but it can be picked up with a good scanner. Usually says FICM vin mismatch communication error or some jargon, it means nothing. Just means that wasn't the FICM that came with the truck, mine always says it. I swap FICM's more than I swap t-shirts.

How the hell did they do a fuel system flush? That sounds scary?

Did they have the heads decked?

 

WHAT I MEAN BY A FUEL SYSTEM FLUSH IS THAT I GOT BAD DIESEL. WE HAD TO DROP THE TANK, DRAIN IT, CLEAN IT AND PUT GOO DFUEL IN IT AND FLUSH THAT THRU THE LINES TO GET OUT ALL OF THE WATER. SORRY FOR THE SILLY LINES. WE HAD TO GET THE BAD FUEL(LOTS OF WATER) OUT OF THE SYSTEM.

 

Ok that makes sense, sorry to hear about your troubles! This is why it's so important to run Ford fuel filters (or international) some of the aftermarket units don't have the water membrane to separate the water out of the fuel!

 

SAD THING IS I HAD THE FORD FUEL FILTERS REPLACED ABOUT 2500 MILES AGO IN A MAINTENANCE CHECK. THERE WERE OTHERS IN THE BAD FUEL FROM THIS GAS STATION. THEY SHUT DOWN AND PUMPED OUT, CLEANED AND RE FUELED THEM SELVES AFTER SEVERAL COMMPLAINTS. THERE FUEL IS GOOD AGAIN. RRRRGH! I USE MOTORCRAFT FOR THE OIL, AND INTERNATIONAL FOR THE FUEL. HAD THE BRASS PLUG INSTALLED THIS TIME. THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL OF THE INFO.