Are you talking about the VCM clones? such as this ? http://www.xcar360.com/ford-vcm-ids.html

If so - I would love to know some one who has one, and more about them.

If not, can you tell me what it is you are talking about specifically? If I could spend $300 and get a tool that will read all the module codes for my 04 f150, I would happily buy it to avoid future dings from the dealer, since I have always serviced my own vehicles.

 

You need to take into acount the dealer has several thousand $ tyed up in the machine and the tech has many hours invested in learning to use it and they are both in buisnes to make a proffit im sure when you go to work you expect to be paid. If a buisness doesnt make a profit then soon they are out of buisness. Its called capitelisem.bubbabud

 

ehh we don't need to take in account the money that dealership tied up in machines or mechanic's learning. They did that when they set the hourly rate. To pay an hours rate for a 10 minute job is BS.

 

my dealer charges $95 diag fee for codes or any diag. gives the tech at least 1.0 hour of flaged time if the customer declines it.

 

My airbag light came on and the dealership wanted $90 to read it so i came back to the forums and started looking around. I found out that sometimes the little light that displays the state of the passenger airbag, above the radio, can go out sometimes and that will throw a code.

I just took it apart and made sure everything was secured and it actually came back on and the code went away, but some people went and bought a new bulb from radioshack and soldered it in for $2. It seems a bit ridiculous that the airbag system can be dependent on that one little light bulb, but pretty easy fix.

 

^ this is true... I had my center panel out once and forgot to hook the light back to the wire harness and it caused the air bag light to come on in speedometer guage cluster.... Plugged it back up and good to go....

 

I bought the Actron CP9190. http://www.actron.com/product_detail.php?pid=16317

It is supposed to read all the Ford CAN codes, but haven't had a problem yet where I needed it on body or air bag modules to verify. The kit was over 5 bills list, but got it on Amazon for under 3 and comes with all the common cables and a case. Thing works like a champ on the other stuff and does real time data logging and such to download to PC for review. Not the best out there, but for the hobbyist, it does a good job and cost nothing to pull / clear codes at my convenience and when a code pops up, it tells you what it is, not just the number. And yes, have been on many other vehicles belonging to family and friends, so it has saved hundreds of dollars in scan fees.

For me, it works just fine so far, but I am 100% sure there will be a code at sometime I can't access, but will cross that bridge when I get to it.

PS: I would have loved to get a PC based unit, but at the time they were soooooooooo expensive to get all the "modules" for the software. I didn't see this Rotunda unit and would have needed a universal all vehicle unit, not just Ford specific.

 

I have already done a lot of research - and as I said, my light is solid, never flashes. I checked power on both sides of fuse 19 and now all I have left is to pull the codes.

 

Yeah the whole onboard system, what can read it, etc. is a bit murky to me. If I knew that a CAN bus scanner would have access to MOST modules I would definitely get one.

As I said the clone VCM units are a gamble - so much so that I wouldnt make it at this point.

Can you tell me if you can read the RCM module with your Actron 9190?

 

What is the RCM module? Obviously I haven't tested it....