Tuners Are Poised to Go Crazy After Ford's Secured ECU Has Been Successfully Hacked | Carscoops

      The exploit is also effective on other popular Ford models such as the Bronco, F-150 Raptor, and more.

      7 hours ago

      by Stephen Rivers

      The S650 Mustang ECU is now completely tunable after HP Tuners managed to crack it this month. Dyno tuners now have the ability to start developing their upgrade packages. Early results with one slightly modified Mustang suggest promising outcomes.

      When the S650 Mustang debuted in 2022, it was met with great excitement but came with one frustrating limitation: Ford had locked its ECU, which prevented tuners from accessing it. This effectively halted attempts to unlock further performance—until now.

      HP Tuners has successfully cracked Ford’s MG1CS036 ECU, enabling genuine tuning access and consequently more power. Dyno tuning requires access to various essential parameters, and the lack of this access left many owners unable to tune their vehicles without a third-party ECU. Now, the restrictions have been lifted from several late-model Ford cars. Horsepower figures are set to rise across the nation.

      Additionally: Ford Will Not Provide “Unauthorized Tuners” Access To The Mustang S650.

      Previously, owners of the S650 Mustang had access to a range of aftermarket parts, but tuning them was challenging. Aside from installing a completely new third-party ECU with a custom tune, the only other viable option was to use a daisy chain setup emulating a tuned vehicle’s gains. Although Ford provided its own aftermarket kits and tunes, these came with their own hefty price tags.

      What HP Tuners has enabled is essentially the unlocking of the ECU, allowing trained professionals to make necessary adjustments. This change isn’t limited to the Mustang; it affects a full range of vehicles, including the 2021-2023 F-150 (including the 2023 Raptor R), the 2021-2025 Bronco (including the Raptor and Ranger Raptor), the 2022-2023 Expedition, and the 2024-2025 Mustang GT and Dark Horse.

      That’s a significant list of vehicles likely to appear more frequently at your local dyno shop. First noted by Ford Authority, one shop, Palm Beach Dyno, has already experimented with the software and shared an overview of potential outcomes. In the video below, Ken from PBD demonstrates tuning a lightly modified Mustang.

      Ultimately, he manages to achieve nearly 30 additional horsepower and 20 lb-ft of torque in fourth gear. While the car has some modifications, this serves as a promising indicator of what owners can anticipate. Importantly, this new unlock does not necessitate a trip to a dyno to experience some of the advantages.

      More: BMW Tuners Are Already Attempting to Address the New X3’s Design.

      Dyno shops like PDB provide remote tuning, which is typically more expensive but eliminates the need for an in-person visit to the shop. Notably, those interested in remote tuning will require an MPV12 or newer OBDII device, or HP Tuners’ own RTD 4.

      Credit: HP Tuners

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Tuners Are Poised to Go Crazy After Ford's Secured ECU Has Been Successfully Hacked | Carscoops

The vulnerability is also effective on other well-known Ford models such as the Bronco, F-150 Raptor, and others.