Lightning Software Updates using FDRS

[rugedraw]

I picked my new 2023 Lariat SR at the dealer on April 9, 2025 at a SUBSTANTIAL discount off MSRP.
Shortly after taking possession and reading some of the many threads in these forums, I became aware that my vehicle didn't have all the technological advances that others seemed to have, such as:

• Remaining battery percentage on dash
• Apple Maps EV integration
• Karaoke app

I set my Software Updates to take place at 1:00am on any day, but after a month, no updates occurred.

I sent a PM to @rugedraw with my VIN and he replied:


So, I read the entire 103 pages of this thread before I decided to purchase:

1. Mongoose-Plus J2534
2. Powermax 75amp charger
3. Buffalo 500GB External SSD with USB

On Saturday, May 17, I downloaded and installed the Mongoose and FDRS software on my Windows laptop. I purchased a 2-day FDRS license and went to work updating my Lightning.

After what seemed like 24 hours sitting in my truck running 30+ updates, only the BCM remains to be updated.

Thank you to all for sharing your FDRS knowledge, especially @rugedraw .

I even went as far as to modify my truck with FORScan to enable Glare-Free Headlights and 50/50 Side Camera View.

I would like to say kudos to you for taking my advice and taking matters into your own hands. The vast majority of people do not. Whether it is due to the expense of the equipment, fear of messing something up or both, most people do not do what you did. When I first bought my truck, I was b*itching and complaining on the forums about everything I was missing, and how the dealers don't know or can't help, and Ford's OTA process is garbage and blah blah blah. It only took you a few weeks of ownership to realize that when a vehicle falls behind, there is only one way to do it and that is to do it yourself. So again, kudos to you for trusting a perfect stranger on the internet and taking the plunge. Enjoy the truck you paid for.

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[Lake Placid Lightning]

Welcome to the dark side. So this was a new truck that had been sitting for 1.5 to 2 years? It hadn't been activated as a loaner or demo? You may have personal reasons, but if you don't mind go ahead and tell us how much they lost on that truck for sitting that long. It just makes more of us that paid $80K to $100K a bit more jealous of the deal.

Not a loaner or demo.
41 miles on odometer when I took delivery.
MSRP on window sticker was $72,000.

• Agreed upon purchase price was $40,000
• Sales tax was $2,800
• Doc fee was $175
• Tire fee $12.50
• Other misc. fee $10

Out the door price was $42,997.50

 

[B177y]

Not a loaner or demo.
41 miles on odometer when I took delivery.
MSRP on window sticker was $72,000.

• Agreed upon purchase price was $40,000
• Sales tax was $2,800
• Doc fee was $175
• Tire fee $12.50
• Other misc. fee $10

Out the door price was $42,997.50

 

[GDN]

Not a loaner or demo.
41 miles on odometer when I took delivery.
MSRP on window sticker was $72,000.

• Agreed upon purchase price was $40,000
• Sales tax was $2,800
• Doc fee was $175
• Tire fee $12.50
• Other misc. fee $10

Out the door price was $42,997.50

You may be the winner for deals. Other have looked and looked for older model trucks sitting on lots, interesting how this one had been missed, maybe because it is an SR, but many of those have sold. Congrats and welcome to the club. At least you know up front what you are into with the SW.

 

[Lake Placid Lightning]

You may be the winner for deals. Other have looked and looked for older model trucks sitting on lots, interesting how this one had been missed, maybe because it is an SR, but many of those have sold.

There is still one white 2023 Lariat SR remaining on my dealer's lot:
https://www.morrisford.com/wholesal...ightning-6d933b820a0e094a77320f080b4c80f0.htm

 

[Scorpio3d]

I would like to say kudos to you for taking my advice and taking matters into your own hands. The vast majority of people do not. Whether it is due to the expense of the equipment, fear of messing something up or both, most people do not do what you did. When I first bought my truck, I was b*itching and complaining on the forums about everything I was missing, and how the dealers don't know or can't help, and Ford's OTA process is garbage and blah blah blah. It only took you a few weeks of ownership to realize that when a vehicle falls behind, there is only one way to do it and that is to do it yourself. So again, kudos to you for trusting a perfect stranger on the internet and taking the plunge. Enjoy the truck you paid for.

I would recommend to always trust a stranger on the Internet!
But seriously…I can see how it would be a bit intimidating if you had never dealt much with software and updating other computers/electronics plus the fear of screwing up your truck. If I did not have friends in the business that had (showed me hands on)helped me in the past I probably would have been very hesitant to do it but FDRS is pretty much bulletproof and thus pretty hard to screw it up if you have the proper battery maintainer!

 

[PJnc284]

FDRS is pretty much bulletproof and thus pretty hard to screw it up if you have the proper battery maintainer!

Dealers seem to screw that part up regularly. Took me 8 months before I went down the FDRS rabbit hole. It and Forscan tends to resolve the major complaints of waiting and Ford pushing out half baked OTAs (see BC 1.4 and WAL toggles missing).

 

[majorgearhead]

Dealers seem to screw that part up regularly. Took me 8 months before I went down the FDRS rabbit hole. It and Forscan tends to resolve the major complaints of waiting and Ford pushing out half baked OTAs (see BC 1.4 and WAL toggles missing).

Though Ford does have an APIM update that enables these being sent to the early access folks. So far the update does not show up in FDRS for us non-EA owners so we have to wait for it. How long? Who knows. Hoping it shows up in FDRS in the next month so I can just apply it myself. The only issue is there is no way for us to check if we have updates and decide to then purchase FDRS. We have to bug some of the perpetual license folks on here to check for us. I wish Ford had a more reasonable software package price for shade tree “mechanics”.

 

[mr.Magoo]

Though Ford does have an APIM update that enables these being sent to the early access folks.

So, you're saying that if you apply the latest and greatest FDRS updates today, it still doesn't give you the WAL toggle ?

I wish Ford had a more reasonable software package price for shade tree “mechanics”.

I personally think that a $50/2 day license and the fact that they allow anyone to buy it, is VERY reasonable.

They could easily price it at $10,000 with a 90% discount to certified/registered shops effectively killing the tinkering market and all the headaches that comes with it.

 

[Jesse-Infotainment]

The latest APIM update is now available in FDRS. It was jsut released as of this morning for mine.

Some reason late Build 24s stopped at LR and never got NG.

So mine goes straight from LR to NM.


22 up Lightnings should have it showing now along with Mach E

Ice Trucks are also showing it from 22 up

 

[majorgearhead]

So, you're saying that if you apply the latest and greatest FDRS updates today, it still doesn't give you the WAL toggle ?

Yes. The update that adds the toggles back has only been released to EA members. It does not show up in the latest FDRS pull of modules needing update. Hopefully it will in a few weeks. Until then I enabled it in Forscan some time ago, so I am not too worried.

I personally think that a $50/2 day license and the fact that they allow anyone to buy it, is VERY reasonable.

They could easily price it at $10,000 with a 90% discount to certified/registered shops effectively killing the tinkering market and all the headaches that comes with it.

For the use of it, yeah it is a decent price. The problem is paying the $50 just to find out there are no updates available for my trucks modules. I wish they had a better mechanism to check our vehicles that doesn’t involve monopolizing the time of perpetual license holders on this forum. I am 100% invested in FDRS except I can’t stomach a year subscription for just my truck so I rely on the kindness of the perpetual license holders here to tell me what updates I have pending at which point I decide to spring for the license and break out my 100A power supply, cable, and laptop.

Oh and their billing system is ATROCIOUS. To date I still get billing errors when trying to purchase the license myself. This makes it necessary to call their number and have a rep put it through using my same information. Just an awful process, and near impossible if I want to grab a license on the weekend. This apparently happens to a lot of people, and Ford Rotunda is less than -1000% interested in fixing it for some shade tree mechanic.

 

[majorgearhead]

The latest APIM update is now available in FDRS. It was jsut released as of this morning for mine.

Some reason late Build 24s stopped at LR and never got NG.

So mine goes straight from LR to NM.


22 up Lightnings should have it showing now along with Mach E

Ice Trucks are also showing it from 22 up

As of a day ago I had no APIM updates. I hesitate to ask anyone to check my VIN again, but alas here I am. I don’t want to purchase the sub if I don’t have it available.

 

[bmwhitetx]

For about $30, you can get 3-day access to PTS. It will show:
- Modules that have an update pending
- Service history, which shows the FDRS log files the dealer actually did during service (FDRS also shows this)
- All OTA history, and if it installed or not
- Access to Workshop manuals and wiring diagrams for any Ford vehicle.

BUT, you can’t update the modules. That requires FDRS.

@Jesse-Infotainment - I got the APIM OTA a couple days ago. The module strategy (F188) is now PU5T-14G676-EF. Before it was EC. Does that sound right?

 

[21st Century Truck]

As of a day ago I had no APIM updates. I hesitate to ask anyone to check my VIN again, but alas here I am. I don’t want to purchase the sub if I don’t have it available.

FYI: any (decent, kind-hearted) Ford dealership Service Advisor can almost instantly check their PTS screen for Your VIN, often over the phone if they are familiar with You, and tell You if there is an update pending for Your Ford that's less than about 90 days old, and which update it is.

I rely on this to judge whether to pop for an FDRS 2-day license.

For example, I know I have the frunk module update (meh) pending... and I'll wait for a major one to show up before I'll spend the $50.

Hope this info is useful for Your situation.

 

[majorgearhead]

FYI: any (decent, kind-hearted) Ford dealership Service Advisor can almost instantly check their PTS screen for Your VIN, often over the phone if they are familiar with You, and tell You if there is an update pending for Your Ford that's less than about 90 days old, and which update it is.

I rely on this to judge whether to pop for an FDRS 2-day license.

For example, I know I have the frunk module update (meh) pending... and I'll wait for a major one to show up before I'll spend the $50.

Hope this info is useful for Your situation.

Very useful in my situation. I didn’t even think to do this. Let me see if my dealer is willing.

Thank you!

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