ford ranger 4x4 XL Plus

I would say the beefed up wiring would be relating to better corrosion resistance and added factory wires located at the right areas for rotation lights, work lights and radio/comms devices.

It would be a more plug and play type loom.

The 80a/h aux battery may be for a fridge but I would say it is more then likely for a second isolated start battery just in case the main battery dies.

There would be another 100 small things they would also do to make it more mine spec.

It's probably the same wiring harness they fit for the Police pack. Which has an auxiliary wiring harness to power emergency lights, Police radio and computer.

The cops seem to prefer these and other dual cab utes these days over the Falcon utes with the prisoner module on the back because they can carry 4 coppers in full rig AND still have somewhere safe to shove the crims when the job is done.

The decision to go to dual cab utes was made because of weight limitations and more recently the discontinuation of the Falcon and Commodore utes.

Most departments are going to cab chassis modules now so the can use them for many years to come on many models.

If you reverse engineer it, it's an xlt without carpet, cooler, climate control and other useless crap, and all the stuff you really want in a tourer for less money. Man, I should sell cars :)

I don't think they would of dumbed down the canbus, the canbus would not affect anything they want to fit.

Canbus is not as scary or accessory upgrade limiting as some may think.

The smart alternator setting is only software driven that can be enabled/disabled by the dealer.

Or left out of the car in the case of mazdas. Mine still drives around with the bms fuse in the glovebox due to fords inability to master their own software on 4 occasions now.

Mazda uses a dumbed down battery charging system, what you will find is Mazda BT50 doesn't have the full smart charging system not because of function or technology but cost..... Mazda doesn't want to pay for the licencing fees for the technology...... one of many reasons the Mazda are cheaper..... the fee many be $600 per vehicle.

We did some software changes for a special application we had on Holden Commodores, it had to be done in the USA.... the physical cost of rewriting the software per vehicle was a about $200 but the licensing fee was $700 per vehicle.

The physical hardware used is very cheap, where these companies like Bosch, Denso, Delphi and others make their money is the licensing fees charged to the vehicle manufacture to use their concepts and technology.

85% of Apples Iphone cost is made up of licencing fees and not hardware.

Don't know if it's Fords inability to master their own software or the dealerships technicians....... myself and many others have had it turned off by Ford.

olcoolone facinating thank you

gbc,
my smart charge was disabled by a small country dealer not long after the software was released. Tis your dealers that are the problem.

No, the canbus is apparently 'confused' by the accessories attached to the vehicle. They can pull out the section of code, run the new code over it, then when they try to put it back my ute refuses to take it. I know it should be a simple job but my cabbage patch kid just likes to be different.

Mazda simply omitted the battery management module. The plugs are there, just no module. Bloody smart move in hindsight ;)

QUOTE"No, the canbus is apparently 'confused' by the accessories attached to the vehicle"

This sounds like a dealer cop out....... dealers are quick to point the finger and most times what they are pointing to isn't the cause, we had a problem with our ranger cutting out every now and again...... they said it was caused by the ARB bull bar. Ended up being a faulty crank angle sensor.

If your Ranger doesn't accept the change there is something wrong somewhere and I would say it's the dealership tech or their computer...... ask them the elevate the problem and get a Ford trouble shooter to look at it next time he's in town.

I would be getting to the bottom of the problem whilst it's still under warranty as you may need a reflash/update done on it later in life.

The only way a canbus can be confused is if someone has interfered with the canbus.... canbus either work or doesn't work.

I would remove all the accessory wiring and then try it, if there is a problem with the canbus chances are it is upsetting something else.