My truck got towed today...

[feusaf]

Got my Bully Dog Triple Dog GT on Wednesday from Alligator Performance and did the software update on Thursday. Left work early today to install it and download a program while Bully Dog tech support was open...just in case.

Turned out it was a good thing I did it during their business hours...The downloader got hung up at the last "Turn Key to Run Position" and froze...nothing I could do worked. Tech Support walked me through some possible fixes and nothing worked. Truck would turn over, but wouldn't start...we figured that had to do with the PATS not knowing my key anymore. We tried to reload the stock program about five times, all to no avail.

The last option we had was to get my truck towed to the dealer to get the computer re-flashed. Had the wrecker showed up on time, we would have gotten to the dealership in time to get it back today. By the time the wrecker got here and got hooked up, we had 15 minutes to get to Ford before they closed for the night. Good thing was they got my Ex pulled into the shop and have it sitting in the right bay to get started on it first thing Saturday. Yes, I said Saturday. They're bringing a Powerstroke Tech in tomorrow just to reflash my computer and they're not charging me any extra.

Bully Dog says they want my programmer back to see what's going on and they also intend to reimburse me for the reflash and maybe the tow.

Kudos to Bully Dog tech support! They spent two hours on the phone with me trying to figure out what was wrong and exhausted their collective knowledge and intend to help me get everything fixed.

I really believe that the PO flashed the computer with a Hypertech and never flashed it back to stock. I checked the all over the truck to make sure there wasn't another chip anywhere that I didn't know about.

Please refrain from the comments of "You shoulda bought a TS or a PHP or a TW chip." I bought the GT because that's what I wanted. I didn't want a 6-pos chip because I didn't want to install gauges on the pillar and I liked what Bully Dog had to offer.

On the bright side, I was fortunate enough to get towed by another Ford...would of been a little more embarassing if they brought a different wrecker!

[dazdillenger]

lol-sucks. I was driving through NC towing a fairly heavy load when my faithful gt42 overboosted and blew my valves open. bent 13 pushrods and broke 3 rocker arms. The worst part? I had to get towed to a hotel by a DODGE!

[feusaf]

Got the truck back at 9:30 AM this morning!! My hat's off to Hamilton Big Country Ford! Final bill was $165 with tax. $102 for the tow and $49.99 for the re-flash and key re-program. Tech said there was no program in the computer...the Bully Dog couldn't reload the computer...now I need to wait until Monday to call Bully Dog and see how they want me to ship the programmer back so they can tell me what happened.

Now I just need to find time to hang my new MBRP 4" exhaust. Probably going to have someone else do it since I have a ton of yard work to do tomorrow and am getting knee surgery on Tuesday. I have just run out of time.

[STANGMAN893]

Every time I change tunes I lose my key programming.I tried a sct same thing and now have a superchips and does the same thing.The only one that didn't do it was my bullydog and I got rid of that one to save my trans.Luckily I work for a dealer and do my tune changes at work but am looking into a ts switchable chip.

[feusaf]

Is the only way to reprogram the key to PATS via the dealer? The biggest reason I went with the Bully Dog was because its supposed to work with the PATS in the 7.3 Ex's. If I continue to have problems, I'll probably invest in a TW or PHP chip, then trade the Bully Dog off for a monitor or gauges.

[STANGMAN893]

Unfortunately you have no choice but go to the dealer when you lose programming.The only other thing is a locksmith or invest in some expensive software.The other thing to is make sureyou have at least two keys at all times.I keep four because if you end up down to one key dealer too.I keep
four and program them myself if I lose one.