Scanner will not "link" to the truck

[95'lightning]

So I have a small miss at times. I figured it was an injector going out so I borrowed my friends scanner and it would not link up. I tried my scanner, more of just a code reader and code clearer, and it wouldn't link either. They both power up off the truck, just won't read codes or data.

Both cigarette lighters work, I checked all the fuses and relays, I have even went under the hood and disconnected everything one at a time and tried to get the scanner to hook up. ( I didn't know if something might have shorted out to the pcm )

At this point I just don't know what to check next.

Both batteries are new, within a month
fcim checks out at 48v
all electrical connections are good that I have found

04 f250, afe intake, 4" exhaust, everything else is stock. 175k

[jesilvas]

Has either one of those worked in the past?

[95'lightning]

I have only had the truck a couple of months. I have used both these scanners multiple times, I even hooked them up to my other car just to make sure they still worked.

[jesilvas]

As long as they've worked on that particular truck before, then something has changed lately.

[95'lightning]

Sorry, never had to check anything on this truck till now but they have always worked on anything else I have used them on.

This is the first I have had to do anything to this truck. I have worked on cars for a long time and I have never had one not link to a scanner other than a fuse being blow or something simple like that.

[jesilvas]

These trucks do take a higher end scanner to connect to them.

[dannyboy950]

Check your ground wires at the OBD II connector.

[HAM_RADIO_MAN]

A lot of scan tools don't communicate with the Ford CAN ( Controller Area Network) power train protocol. Check out these links for more info. My older Actron tool won't work on my 05 and does the same thing. I would offer that you should spend $160 on a Scangauge2, it will do way more than a cheap code scaner.

What is CAN (Controller Area Network)? :: Gendan Automotive Products

Automotive CAN Network Diagnostics

[95'lightning]

danny, I didn't think of the grounds. I'll check those in a minute.

ham, I didn't realize that these trucks were like that, those are great links. Thanks.

My scanner is a basic no nothing scanner but the one i borrowed is very nice, I'm just surprised it didn't work. I have some time off this weekend I hope to find out something. Thanks for the help guys, I'll keep you updated.

[fixxxer-upper]

As they have mentioned, cheap scanners will not connect properly. Some of the higher end generic OBDII scanners will connect but only give you the information on emissions faults. There are some "enhanced" scanners on the market. I borrowed one, and it was worthless.

I own a ScanGaugeII ($150). It is a good product to monitor live readings from the engine. It does not do a very good job scanning for codes. I had 11 pending trouble codes it could not read or clear.

Autoenginuity ($360) with the ford software bundle is a very good product if you are looking for enhanced code scanning capability, engine testing parameters, as well as live data diagnosis.

Good Luck~