Emissions issues? ST the next TDI?...

[Gone in 60]

Anyone else get a letter from a third party saying they'll pay you to take ten minutes to connect to your OBD2 port to download emission data? Sunday morning, I have an appointment to drive to Ontario (30 mins from my house), and they'll pay me $500 to download my emissions info.

Couple of thoughts.. is Ford checking emissions compliance on the FIST? Wonder what's up here...

 

[RAAMaudio]

Sounds rather fishy, I would really look into this via Google, Gov agencies, other forums, etc....make sure who you are dealing with as it is best to always be careful in such matters. $500 to look at your emissions data on a Sunday just does not seem right. A major rule of thumb is that when something sounds to good to be true it nearly always is.

Have a great new year
Rick

 

[J2FoRS]

I wouldn't let some randoms hook into my cars PCM. Could do all kinds of havoc in seconds. Who is this "third party?"

 

[me32]

Super weird. Whats the place called?

 

[frankiefiesta]

Sounds like a scam which could result in you getting your car stolen and you possibly hurt. I'd avoid going. $500 not worth it. Maybe call up ford corporate and ask if it's legit

 

[Gone in 60]

I should have prefaced my post. I did get a letter from Ford beforehand, saying that a research company was doing the study, and that if I wanted to participate to check a few boxes and send the letter back. The notification came in a separate letter later from the research company with more info. Sounded legit enough to do it.

Just wondering what they want to do with the emissions data..

 

[me32]

Could be all kinds of reasons

 

[koozy]

I haven't received one for my ST, but have for other vehicles in the past of different makes. One dating back to 2003 for my Evo VIII and another for another car in 2013 so it's not uncommon, at least here in CA. What they want is real world data.

 

[Vince62]

I'm with RAAMaudio on this sounds too good.Wouldn't truss it.

 

[15pbfist]

I run catless and straight pipe also how do they get emissions from obd2 port and not exhaust pipe?

 

[koozy]

my understanding is that they won't use your car for their analysis if it's modded. they're looking for stock cars. Smog Check inspections for 2000 and newer model year vehicles are now primarily based on an inspection of the OBD II system; tailpipe testing is no longer required.

 

[Gone in 60]

They did a quick phone interview with me to give me the address to their office and to confirm that I own the car. They didn't ask me about any mods however. Mine's stock.

CA emissions are a big deal, I can see them wanting to check here. Anyone else in CA get the letter that I did?

 

[bobjob]

When did you get it? I'm in Canada now but will be back Sunday. I've been hit up by research firms before all from my car purchases

 

[fearthelurker]

I received one as well, but when I called the supplied phone number I got the VM of an unrelated company (twice) so I trashed it.

 

[Gone in 60]

I got the letter from Ford in early December and all of the follow up shortly afterward

 

[OrangeFiST]

I'd bring the letter and phone # to my service writer at my Ford dealer. I could use the 500 bucks but it does sound too good to be true.
My own question is how do I know they're not uploading something?

 

[Gone in 60]

Well, just did it. They showed me some documentation from Ford, saying that the government requires that a small sample of cars need to be sampled to make sure each model of car is in emission compliance.

I pulled up, a girl was ready with a laptop and was in and out of the car in about two minutes. I've flashed plenty of cars and it takes a lot more time to reflash an ecu. I had to fill out a page with info about how many miles a day are driven, is car used for commercial purposes, and if it had been modified. The whole thing took about three minutes.

 

[Sourskittle]

Guess that's a great deal for $500... I'd love to give them my emissions data, lmao. They say, " Go fiesta, your drunk" and wonder how I managed to average 24mpg in 37k miles, lol.

 

[D1JL]

I have received two of those letters, I turned both down.


Dave

 

[Quisp]

Free mod money. The irony.