Background

They said it couldn’t be done… The dealer said “impossible”. Well they were W R O N G!

This post will show you how I added factory trailer sway control to my 2014 Ford Flex Limited with Ecoboost. This information is only applicable to 2nd gen (2013+) Ford Flex vehicles.

Note that you will need special software and hardware to do this. Also, be aware that you can really mess up your car if you aren’t careful. This post tells you what I did for my car and may or may not be applicable to your specific vehicle. Be careful!

Prerequisites

You will need the following to do this:

• FORSCAN software (with extended license)
• ELM327 OBDII HS CAN/MS CAN reader (wired or bluetooth) Check Amazon or ebay
• Your As-Built information
• As-Built information for another Flex with the exact same trim and equipment as yours EXCEPT with a factory installed trailer hitch.
• As-Built Explorer software to see what changed between your car and the “donor car”.
• Experience with FORSCAN software

Finding the bytes

Although I suspect that if you change the same bytes that I did (detailed below), you most likely will properly turn on Trailer Sway Control, Ford can make changes which will make this NOT work for your particular vehicle.

The safest way to make the change is to find a car exactly like yours (same model/trim/equipment) except that it has a factory fitted trailer hitch. You can find cars online and once you have the VIN, use this link to lookup the factory window sticker to verify equipment.

Once you have the VIN of the “donor car” (and of course your VIN), download the As-Built files from ford for both cars and then use the As-Built Explorer software to see which bits have changed on what modules.

In my case, the following bits changed

ABS:
Original: 760-03-01    0601 (No Hitch)
New:       760-03-01   0701 (Hitch)

IPC:
Original: 720--01-02   8EF8 7E60 39 (No Hitch)
New     : 720--01-02   CEF8 7E60 39 (Hitch)

So, in a nutshell, Change 760-03-01 in the ABS module from 0601 to 0701 and in the IPC module, change 8EF8 to CEF8.

Making the changes

Before making any changes, be sure to backup your coding for the IPC and ABS module so that you can revert if you mess something up.

Load your FORSCAN software and connect it to your OBD2 adapter. Navigate to the ABS module and load your config. Then make the changes to the coding for that module. Save the coding and turn off the ignition and then back on.

Log into the IPC module and make the changes there. Save the coding changes and turn off the ignition and then back on.

You should now have trailer sway control.

Conclusion

I couldn’t have done it without the fine tools and information from others (F150 Forum, the makers of FORScan and tips from members here). I’m very happy that I can help others who want the factory trailer hitch and the tow rating and features that come with it, but their car wasn’t ordered with the option.