kevin phillips Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 anyone purchase the pds software yet i won a pds system on the pts giveaway a few years back and now it says enter code to update every time it boots up pds how much,worth it or not ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 I thought it was like $250 for a new subscription but don't quote me on that. You see, I don't have one like most guys. The damn things have been on back order for about a year now. It seems to me that if you use your PDS then I would think it's worth the money, especially since you didn't have to pay for it in the first place! (yes, I am jealous) I always thought that if I had my own I would ask my company to split the cost for the subscription or even have them pay for it since it will be used on their customers vehicles. I supply the tool, they pay for the updates... fair enough... I would prefer to have my own because it will always be ready when I need it and it wont be all !@#!?$! up from careless co-workers! My /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/2cents.gif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Warman Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 I know I've seen the prices and info on http://www.motorcraft.com - http://www.fordrotunda.com has had it too (including the support toll free numbers. If you have access to inford or fmcdealer, you also have access to fordrotunda.... I recall $350 being the number, but I have a better chance of being mistaken that Keith... FWIW, if your shop has it's own PDS, I would set mine (if I had one) up to access the shops docking station and see what happens. IIRC, at least one of our VCMs is over two years old (though neither of our two PDSs is) and I haven't been asked to perform anything other than the usual updating rituals.... HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dieseltech Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 To: All Ford and Lincoln Mercury Dealership Principals, Service Managers and Service Technicians Subject: Portable Diagnostic Software (PDS) Notices for 2008 Focus and 6.4L Diesel Engine DISCONTINUATION OF PDS MODULE REPROGRAMMING PDS will not reprogram modules on the 2008 model year Focus (all engines) and 2008 Super Duty (6.4L Diesel engine only). These vehicles have been singled out as the first to be removed from the PDS module reprogramming support list due to their use of coordinated module programming and the new ISO14229 communication protocol. Support for coordinated module programming and programming of ISO14229 modules requires a large amount of Pocket PC memory that is in short supply and this memory cannot be expanded. Use of the required Secure Digital (SD) card will not resolve the memory issue. We are limited by the amount of main memory included in the Pocket PC architecture. Please keep in mind that the Ford Integrated Diagnostic System (IDS) is the all-inclusive Ford diagnostic, service function, and reprogramming tool. PDS HARDWARE SUPPORT The Dell Axim X3/X3i Pocket PC will be removed from the PDS approved device list in July 2007. This decision coincides with the manufacturer's planned date to cease support for this device. QUESTIONS Questions should be directed to Jeff Daugherty, JDAUGHER@ford.com, at (313) 323-6803. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 Well that makes my decision for me as far as going with the PDS or using my laptop as a personal IDS. All I need now is a VCM and the adapter cables and I am set. Oh yeah, they are still on back order. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/rotz.gif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Warman Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 Early in 06 one of our ASSET apprentices came back from school saying he'd heard that PDS was going to become obsolete - the supposed date of it's demise came and went and I thought it was just another one of "those" rumours..... Looks like the beginning of the end for the PDS... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin phillips Posted January 7, 2007 Author Share Posted January 7, 2007 thanks guys i found the update is 350 a year i think i will add a few hundred more to that and buy a laptop i wonder if the pds was hooked up to the shops vcm if it would set a ok number in it anyone try it yet? thanks kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Warman Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 You should be able to take one VCM and use it with about any "processor" with no problems... the only concerns I can see is from a software incomapatbility. Many PDS or IDS updates bring VCM updates along with them and the VCM "version" has to match the scan tool version... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FordTechCA Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 PDS is on borrowed time as it is. it was almost done away with before it was ever released and umless pocket pc's start coming with more base memory i really dont see it lasting much longer(2 years at the most) the posting by Ford about module programming kinda makes me believe that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Warman Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 Even then, the PDS should still be pretty good as a handheld scanner.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FordTechCA Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 yeah PDS does ok for what it is. one of the things(during beta testing) we tried to get Ford to add to IDS and also PDS was generic obd2 abilities. as you can see our requests fell on def ears. another thing that was requested and is still requested to this day is fuel system tests on vehicles that have frp sensors, but we keep getting the same old not enough memory to make it work story Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Warman Posted January 10, 2007 Share Posted January 10, 2007 Just as well, Rich... my old lookers can only take so much of that dinky little screen I (and every time I put on my reading glasses, the smart remarks surface...). One of the services we provide is a government mandated "Out of Province" inspection. Used vehicles, imported into Alberta, must undergo a pretty extensive inspection to be allowed registration. This includes polling the ABS module and the RCM for codes. We were "encouraged" to purchase a capable aftermarket scan tool. Sadly, Alberta puts up a good "face" and nothing to back it up. Once the vehicle is register here, the owner is allowed to let it decay into a rolling disaster as he/she sees fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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