Alright this has probably been brought up before but I used the search tool and could not find anything really. I'm looking to get a used x-cal 2 or 3 but I keep hearing about these being locked to one car. From what I have read it sounds like if you get a locked tuner it will cost you just as much as buying a new one. Is this true? I have also heard that an owner needs to return his car to stock before he sells it to make sure it is unlocked. Can someone confirm this? Thanks for the help guys.

 

true!

 

FOR THE X2 9400 AND THE SF 9415:

* Power up the device by plugging in to either a vehicle's OBDII port or a computer's USB port. (usb cable not included)
* Once powered up, scroll all the way down to device info.
* Press select, this will display firmware version and serial number.
* Press select again, and this will display the Tuner Status.
* NOTE: If it does not take you to the Tuner Status Window, and instead kicks you back to the Device Info Screen, Your Firmware is Old and will Need to be Updated to check the status. There is an FAQ section for this. Status will either be: Stat=Stock, Stat=Aftermarket, or Stat=Unused.

*This is the breakdown of what each one means:*
* Stat=Stock - Your tuner is half locked, but fixable. Go the the tech support page, select the Ford Xcalibrator 2 in the first drop down, select Device Update Software in the second drop down and hit Search. Download Liveload 3 by clicking the "Click Here to Download" next to it. Install this application, once installed open it up, plug in the X2. The program asks the X2 to be on the main menu. Program Vehicle is the main menu of the X2s. Press the unlock button within the liveload application. This will change the status to Unused and the tuner will then be ready to tune a new vehicle.

* Stat=Aftermarket - The vehicle is VIN locked, you need to either return the vehicle it is currently locked to back to stock, or you will need to call Tech Support and Get a Return Authorization, send it the Device and pay an Unlocking Fee ($150).

* Stat=Unused - Your tuner is not locked, go tune.

 

Yes, the seller has to return his car to stock to unlock the tuner. Plus, although rare, most tuners are only good for a total of 6 (I think) vehicles over it's useful life. Don't ask me why. It's what I heard.

As far as the cost to unlock a tuner, you might want to call Brenspeed or Bama to find out but I suspect that the cost of a used tuner PLUS the cost to unlock would be equivalent to a new one.

Oops. JR@SCT beat me to it while I was typing...

 

Same unlock fee applies to the X3, SF3, and Livewire. Another thing to keep in mind when purchasing a used SCT tuner is that they are limited to 5 vehicle changes. If you need the unlocks reset, the fee is only $65.

 

What exactly do you mean by 5 vehicle changes? Do you simply mean that only five tunes are allowed on each tuner?

 

You can use the device to program a different vehicle 5 times, as long as you return the previous vehicle to stock. There is no limit to the changes you can make to a single vehicle.

 

Thanks for the clarification. Looks like i'm going with an x-cal 2 from a local guy if the deal does not fall through.