FDRS or Forscan for Ford F-150?

VXDIAG VCX NANO Ford/VCX SE/VCX FD Ford interface is compatible with both Forscan and FDRS software. What software to start with?

 

Both software have their place and you should use the one best suited for each job.

FORScan is great for making config changes/mods to settings as you’ve already figured out. You can reset various modules (including GWM) via FORScan. You can make changes with forscan, including Bambi mode, removed the “full screen not available”, removed the double horn honk, enable cameras at speed, change the tire size and more. Forscan lite (IOS or android) does not support editing asbuilt data of any modules. If you want to edit asbuild data you have to do it with forscan on a windowsn computer with the free trial extended license or the paid extended license.

 

FDRS is a better troubleshooting, diagnostics and firmware update tool … it’s an OEM tool designed to do exactly that. FORScan can technically upgrade firmware but seems to lag behind on versions and complete module support based on my experience. It’s also harder to figure out whether you really need an update. In FDRS, you just click the sw updates tab and it shows everything you need to update and you mash the run button. You still have to subscribe to another service get workshop and wiring diagrams and lastly FDRS is a bit of a “snitch”. It logs everything you do to Ford backend servers. It  is supposed to perform when replacing a malfunctioning module with a new one. It takes the as-built configuration from the server and writes it onto a new module.

If you don’t want to spring for the Rotunda, Cardaq or Mongoose interfaces, you can also use a VXDiag VCX FD. It’s about $200 with the Ford/Mazda license and you can also add licenses for other OEM’s if you want. I updated my 2024 truck this week because it wasn’t getting OTA and had some TSB’s I was dealing with.

It was worth a try to use the upgraded VXDiag VCX FD, especially considering some of the riskier and more expensive modules like APIM use a USB to load and flash the software anyway.