Can An ECU Be Reprogrammed?
The ECU/PCM can be modified/reprogrammed by a myriad of aftermarket systems, a process that is commonly called 'Chipping'
The Electronic Control Unit (ECU) and Powertrain Control Module (PCM) - which is often a combination for the ECU and the Transmission Control Unit (TCU) - control over a hundred different factors in your Ford vehicle and can be likened to the brain of your vehicle. There are many Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) that can occur in the various modules and systems of your vehicle, and the PCM will provide a good indication of what the fault is via the DTC and illuminate a "Check Engine" light on the instrument cluster.
The ECU/PCM can be modified/reprogrammed by a myriad of aftermarket systems, a process that is commonly called 'Chipping'. These modifications are not designed, validated or tested for your specific vehicle and market, and will often come with various trade-offs that the aftermarket suppliers are willing to make. However, many of these trade-offs can make your vehicle illegal (for example, emissions compliancy will change when the fuelling is modified from the original version fitted when the vehicle was new), unreliable and sometimes even dangerous. These modifications may also cause your insurance coverage to be voided, and where they affect the performance of related components in your vehicle, may also void your New Vehicle Warranty coverage for those components.
If you're considering modifying your ECU/PCM at any time, please discuss this with your local Ford dealership . Sometimes a Ford-approved calibration may be available which will have been validated by Ford's engineering team, and approved for use with your vehicle. These will not negatively impact your New Vehicle Warranty coverage and are designed to upgrade the performance of your vehicle.