VXDIAG VCX FD for Ford Mazda

I heard the VXDIAG VCX FD Ford J2534 works great, so I tested it with Ford FDRS and a two-day online subscription. Everything went smoothly.

First, you need to install VX Manager and make sure to set it as a J2534 pass-thru device, NOT Ford VCMII, or FDRS won't recognize it.

Then, I flashed all my modules, including GWM and IPMA. The tool itself works fine, but setup is key. If you don't configure it correctly, you'll run into issues.

One super important thing-make sure you have a stable battery charger connected while flashing. The IPMA update takes nearly 3 hours, and if the battery voltage drops, the process could fail.

Funny thing, FDRS actually detected that I was using a VirtualBox VM, which was pretty impressive. But no big deal-I switched to a regular Windows 10 install, installed the VXDIAG drivers, and everything worked perfectly.

For GWM updates, turn ignition OFF, open and close the driver's door, don't remove the flash drive, wait 10 minutes, then turn ignition ON, wait for the SYNC update confirmation, and only then remove the flash drive. Also, you must update GWM before APIM, or it won't work.

The tool does exactly what it's supposed to do, no issues at all!

Little buggy. Works with windows

Using Forscan was no problem at all definitely recommend it.

Just wanted to share my recent experience - over the past few days, I managed to update most of the modules on my car.

My vehicle was built in May 2023. Since there haven’t been any SSP ��recalls�� in Canada, Mazda dealers aren‘t getting paid by the factory for workshop time unless it‘s an official recall. So they’re not really motivated to do any updates on their own.

I asked the dealer to check a few issues I knew had TSBs (technical service bulletins) that required software updates, but they just told me they couldn’t replicate anything and said everything was working as expected.

Since I have some experience with Ford IDS and GM Tech2, I decided to give MDARS a try.

I �� m using a VCX FD as my J2534 passthrough device �� it’s not a VCM2 clone, just a cheap Chinese tool. I‘ve used the GM version with Tech2 in the past with no issues, and it worked fine with MDARS too - though of course, your mileage may vary. All I had to do was install the J2534 drivers using the VX Manager app.

When updating the door module, I did get a bunch of system error messages popping up, but they all cleared up after the update finished, so it wasn’t a big deal. In the end, I was able to update nearly every module within the 72-hour subscription window - around 15 to 18 modules in total, and many of them had multiple updates (like going from version H to version L).

One big tip: make sure you turn off Windows updates and set your laptop’s power plan so it doesn‘t go to sleep, even when plugged in.

Also, disable your antivirus. I didn‘t run into any problems, but just to be safe - I used an old work laptop with a fresh Windows 11 install dedicated to stuff like this.

The device can properly recognize my vehicle (2016 Ford F150). The diagnostic data updates quickly. It reads a bit faster than Autel.