Ford ran diagnostic check for engine and radio stopped working

[dmindock]

The check engine light appeared on my instrument cluster and I went to Ted Britt Ford in Chantilly, VA to have the car checked out. I drive a 2009 V6 mustang with 17000 miles on it. Upon attaching the diagnostics computer to the car to get the diagnostics code the Pioneer Avic F90BT radio I had in the car stopped working. The mechanic blamed the radio failure on the radio. He said he had never seen this before and it was obviously a bad radio. They also had no answer on why the check engine light was lit. I scheduled an appointment for latter that week. As I left Ted Britt Ford and on my way home the radio came back on after 15 to 20 minutes of driving. Latter that week I brought the car back and the radio went out again when the diagnostics computer was connected to the vehicle. It turns out that the car computer turnes off the power to the radio if the factory radio is not installed for 15 to 20 minutes. The cambus system polls each component of the car and if the radio is not seen then it turnes the power off to the port for a limited amount of time. I for one cannot understand how Ted Britt Ford could not have known this happens. This must happen to every aftermarket radio installed in a new mustang. I cannot belive they charged me money for diagnosis just to tell me that the car computer is working as it should. I feel as though I got seriously ripped off by Ted Britt Ford. And what of the check engine light. They claim it was a loose gas cap. The car has an alarm for a loose gas cap and the alarm did not light up. Must be a new way to generate revenue.

This ad is not displayed to registered or logged-in members. Register your free account today and become a member on Mustang Forums!

[157db]

Originally Posted by dmindock

The check engine light appeared on my instrument cluster and I went to Ted Britt Ford in Chantilly, VA to have the car checked out. I drive a 2009 V6 mustang with 17000 miles on it.

Upon attaching the diagnostics computer to the car to get the diagnostics code the Pioneer Avic F90BT radio I had in the car stopped working. The mechanic blamed the radio failure on the radio. He said he had never seen this before and it was obviously a bad radio. They also had no answer on why the check engine light was lit. I scheduled an appointment for latter that week. As I left Ted Britt Ford and on my way home the radio came back on after 15 to 20 minutes of driving.

Latter that week I brought the car back and the radio went out again when the diagnostics computer was connected to the vehicle. It turns out that the car computer turnes off the power to the radio if the factory radio is not installed for 15 to 20 minutes. The cambus system polls each component of the car and if the radio is not seen then it turnes the power off to the port for a limited amount of time.

I for one cannot understand how Ted Britt Ford could not have known this happens. This must happen to every aftermarket radio installed in a new mustang. I cannot belive they charged me money for diagnosis just to tell me that the car computer is working as it should.

I feel as though I got seriously ripped off by Ted Britt Ford.

And what of the check engine light. They claim it was a loose gas cap. The car has an alarm for a loose gas cap and the alarm did not light up. Must be a new way to generate revenue.

pULL YOUR OWN CODES NEXT TIME FOR A RIP OFF FREE EXPERIENCE...
fricken caps locks...

[tx_zstang]

Did the engine light come on shortly after you installed the radio?

Ford not being able to pull the code, that's bs, IMO. They likely made up the gas cap thing to tell you.

Seriously though, as you've found about about the CAN intercomponent communications system, if the main ECU detected that one of its components was not responding, it could through a relevant code. The radio is one of several systems connected to and communicated with on the CAN network (ok so 'network' is redundant here).

But if that is the case, that a code is being thrown because of the radio, that seems like a poor design, as the radio is not a critical component!