Anyone have a TCU out of a 2017 escape, or related at as reasonable price?
I had a rather bad experience at a Ford dealer. I explained the my 3g modem had been disbled by Ford and I wanted the 4g upgrade kit. The sync tech didnt believe me. He spent 2 hours on it, agreed with me, and I was charged 2 hrs labour (Almost $500.00).
They then proceded to tell me it could be as much as $5000 for them to do the upgrade with no guarantee’s. Really? Ill never darken their doorway again.
The same dealer wants almost $900 for the upgrade kit. joke. I think I can get one at a on-line parts house for $535+shipping. Maybe, unless I can find a cheaper way. Right now, theres no transiever on ebay at a reasonable price. Wherre are you guys looking? I also tried car-part.cpm but they dont have an option for the TCU.
Transceiver
Product ID: HSZ-14G229-EH
Control Module (antenna)
Product ID: NL1Z-19A390-A
Your 3G modem was not disabled by Ford. 3G service was cancelled by AT&T that the Ford TCU’s use.
You should have gotten several letters warning about the 3G network being turned off and it was all over the news. Ford sent you a letter that they would sell you a kit and a dealership would install it for free. That time has now expired of course.
You need a 4G modem to return service. The wrecking yards are full of them.
Hi Bill, In Canada, 3g is still active.
I have confirmed with cell providers. I have also confirmed thru the FordPass help that the modem hass been disabled. Either way, I’m not here to debate this.
I bought the vehicle 2 weeks ago, and am now learning that the fusion energi’s were singled out for not getting the 4g modem in 2020.
Also, where I am, the pick and pulls only have older vehicles (2010 and below).
So, I don’t see anything helpful in your post.
Thanks though.
Well now that I know you’re in Canada I am not going to debate it either, LOL. I have a 2020 Energi and had to do the upgrade but I had Ford do it. Not sure why Ford would disable your TCU even though 3G is still active in Canada but who knows how those contracts are written.
@warlock12118 Has done some swapping of these TCU’s and might have the info you’re looking for to maybe even swap it yourself.
I agree it was stupid of Ford to use the 3G TCU’s that late in the game. I am sure it came down to $$$.
3G is still live in Canada until the full sunset in Dec/2025.
That said it can vary by province, city and who owns the cell tower as they can opt to not repair 3g gear as it breaks.
As an example 3G sunsetted in Winnipeg a while back.
The best bet on the non-dealer Energi TCU upgrade from what I’ve seen so far is either a 2018-19 Escape or a 2017-2018 Fusion Ti/Platinum (non-Energi), look for a HS7T-14G229-MR.
Drop in the AB from a 2018 Fusion Ti/Platinum Hybrid, change 754-01-01 to B132-** (you need to get this to activate as a non-Hybrid/PHEV first), save it and after ForScan writes it do a master reset of the APIM.
When it comes back up, with the ignition (ready to drive) on change 754-01-01 to B133-xx, save it without the ignition cycle and then what the PIDS (we’re pretty much following F150Chief’s doc page 5 on the activation) till it goes to factory mode.
Flip 154-01-01 to B132-xx and you should see if finally go to to waiting for authorization, once it gets there, close ForScan and try to activate using FordPass.
After it activates in FordPass you go back into the TCU using ForScan and change 754-01-01 to B832-xx and the Energi functions should show up in FordPass over the next day or so.
@bill32399 you were correct then, I am in Winnipeg (and apparently 3g is dead).
I always wonder when I am told info by people directly in the businessand its not quite right. Who knows where this person actually lives that told me this though.
I’m not blaming, I am in problem reslution mode. The dealer I went to closed their door on me in a real hurry, lol.
I do enjoy tinkering, and since you guys have completely pionered the fix, I just need to follow instructions.
The hardest part looks like taking the two rear side panels off to get the package tray out.
The good news is the wiring is there. You just need the TCU and Forscan to program the TCU and your good. You just need a J series or first Gen K series TCU. @warlock12118 Might know better than me which ones you need to buy. I have not spent much time on the Fusion.
The actual TCU used for the official upgrade is an H series.
In addition to the patch antenna, one of the things required due to the placement location is a antenna extension cable. You can use a Fakra Z M-F cable for this.
Thanks for all the spoon feeding guys.
I had been reading every thread I could find before coming here.
I guess with all the reading, I wasnt thinking for myself. The part number for the Fusion TCU was the hot ticket. $90usd still came out to almost $250cdn after shipping, but still making the upgrade palitable. This tip did it for me, thank you!
I did know about the antenna and antenna extension cable. I’m going to go with the ford antenna just so there are no hidden codes at all.
The area that will be new to me is working with a full version of forescan. I do have the approved hard wired dongle, so I’m good there. Now that I have the modem on its way, I’ll get registered and start playing with it (At least this way I’ll understand what it being said as far as programming the switches).
I’m looking forward to the new learning. Thanks again for the pioneering, documenting, and helping me.
As a reference, here’s the part number’s I’ll be using for antenna and extension cable.
Ford: NL1Z-19A390-A antenna
Antenna to be determined
I can’t imagine anyone can confirm if its a Fakra Z F-F or a Fakra Z F-M ?
I think my confusion comes as I’m seeing both, and thats probably from some guys not using the factory antenna. I can’t find any pictures that show the end on the Ford antenna. I can see the TCU is a female end.
If you are using the patch antenna that was part of the Energi update kit you use a Fakra Z M-F extension to connect to the TCU from the antenna.
If you are using the standard Ford PIFA antenna HS7T-19K351-AA (front right corner by the child seat anchor in the pic above) you would use a Fakra Z F-F cable.
The learning does not stop.
You mean I can get a HS7T-19K351-AA and a short (looks like 3 ft will do it) Fakra Z F-F cable and not be taping the antenna to a trim piece?
This looks like a much cleaner install.
Yes sir,
You can see the layout on my back deck picture, I taped down the cable to keep it from blocking the BECM cooling vent.
Side note on the H series TCU, you may need ForScan 2.4.x to raise the calibration of the TCU to rev M of the calibration. When I updated on my H that came from the factory with rev G using IDS it required me to update to go to rev J first and after that it offered rev M. ForScan will allow you to go to rev M directly but I don’t know if there is something in rev J that has to be there first before rev M will work correctly.
Updating the TCU calibration takes roughly 45 - 75 minutes depending on the adapter used, make sure you have the ignition on (not running) with a good battery charger attached. With headlights off, HVAC and audio off my 2018 Hybrid had ~10A of draw.
I’m not to concerned about Forescan even though I have never used the licensed version. It’s a great tip to move to the M firmware in steps. I have not read these tips yet. Awesome!
Thanks for the tip on the big charger, I would have used something like a 3amp battery tender. Clearly, that would have not ended well for me.
Funny enough, my biggest stress comes from the thought of ruining the rear pillar panels taking them off/on. I found a video on a 2017, so I’m hoping its very similar. It looks easy, but I know this part can easily go bad.
You guys have provided amazing info.
The pillars are actually called out in the 4G TCU upgrade TSB for the Energi with replacements on the approved kit parts list.
My advice, nylon trim tools and a pair of long needed nose pliers.
The way the trim comes apart is:
pull the sill plate first
pull the weather strip aside to pull the trim that runs up the wheel arch, you may not have to pull it entirely. Pay attention to the way it fits under the seat corner, its a little strange.
pop the rear upper trim next to the rear windshield, watch for the rear defroster connections and antenna amp (the defroster grid is your AM/FM antenna)
the trim around the quarter window comes off easy with the exception of the front top corner, there get it forward far enough to see where the clip goes into the body, get the needle nose pliers between the clip and the body and rock it out.
I just did this upgrade a few months ago on my sons 2020 FFE with a JL3 TCU and the Ford PIFA antenna. Happy to provide any assistance I can if you still need. I used this site and printed instruction on how to remove the rear deck and panels. https://www.fofusion2.com/ford_fusion_2013v_2020_service_manual-1942.html
Thank you! I’m waiting on the purchased stuff to show up. I was hoping I could just remove the 3g antenna, and use the same bolt to install the new to me 4g antenna.
Did you end up needing 6 feet of antenna cable, or was 3 feet enough?
Side note, you might be the first person I’ve run across that had Ford do the exchange.
Any chance you could post the current TCU AB to see what the differences are if anny between to Hybrid and the Energi alert bits?
