PowerBoost 1.5 - We Need More Than Idiot Lights

[turbopilot]

UPDATE:

PowerBoost 1.5 now available here. Otherwise instructions below for v1.4 still apply.

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The F-150 PowerBoost is a complicated machine with many systems. The instrumentation provided by Ford is not adequate to understand the systems or to troubleshoot system malfunctions. At the very least Ford instrumentation should provide for a "Novice Mode" and an "Expert Mode". When a system malfunctions, the owner has no way to capture the information related to an event and relay that information back to the dealer or Ford. As we have found many malfunctions will clear any trouble codes after the next normal cycle of the truck. Dealers will often turn away an owner who presents with what appears to be a normally functioning truck that has experienced a previous failure event.

It is not expensive for the owner of a PowerBoost to observe system parameters in detail as they change and capture trouble codes as they appear. I think every PowerBoost owner should have a device running in real time to capture the operating parameters of the truck provided by various PIDs.

Here is version 1.4 of the OBDLink PowerBoost dashboard I have been working on. Most changes moving from v1.3 to v1.4 were to format and colors to make display more readable with one glance in full sunlight. This dashboard was built on an IOS device. I am still on searching for other useful PID's.

As usual change the file extension from .pdf to .stg before trying to import the file into your device with the OBDLink app.

The OBDLink Mx+ OBD2 adapter is available here on Amazon. OBDLink app is available in the app stores. The easiest way to export and import dashboards is with DropBox.

This version of PowerBoost was formatted on an iPhone. You may experience problems importing this file into an Android device. The second dashboard with this import is just a place to try out various PID's.

There is a lot of information displayed on one dashboard in this version. With the iPhone mounted in the right position all the information is viewable. Information top to bottom is GPS derived position information from the phone, engine information not available on the dashboard is in the middle and both DC electrical systems information is displayed at the bottom.

For those running IOS on an iPhone with Siri enabled you can quickly take a screen shot by simply saying "Hey Siri take a screen shot" to capture an event. If you are also running CarPlay on the same iPhone when you tell Siri to take a screen shot you will not only get a shot of the iPhone screen but you will also get a shot of what ever screen is being displayed on on the Sync 4 screen. This is handy if you are running a navigation app through CarPlay to the Sync 4 screen to document your position at the time of a screen shot. Both screens will be saved to "Photos" on the iPhone.

Here is a screen shot of version 1.4. In this version I have added the amp draw associated with the high voltage compressor motor of the PowerBoost air conditioning system. It can be one of the largest current draws found in the PowerBoost other than the traction motor. Below the compressor amp display is the high voltage amp draw going to the DC/DC converter. The "State of Charge" (SOC) of each electrical system battery is displayed in red at the bottom of the screen. These parameters are probably the most useful information supporting normal operation of the PowerBoost.

Below is a link to this dashboard's import file. The file carries a "dummy" .pdf extension. This extension must be changed to a .stg extension for import.

This is a link to directly download the dashboard .stg file without the need to change the file extension.

My export dashboard was set up using the 2022 PB PID's available even though I have a 2023 PB. So to use the export and get the PID's to import right it is possible you may have to set up OBDLink as a 2022 PB.

If the Ford PID's do not import correctly and default to the speed PID here are the Ford specific PID module locations. Click the gauge to enter "Edit Display" menu, then select "Display Configuration", click the banner that says "PID" then click the banner that says "Ford, Lincoln, Mercury", then find the module as listed below. Scroll through the module PID's until you find the right one and click it. A check mark should show by the PID. Then hit the "Back" button several times until you are back in the dashboard.

• HV Bat Temp

• HV A/C Compressor

• DC/DC HV In

• 14 V Bat Amps

• DC/DC Amps Out

• 14 V Bat

• 280 V Bat

• 14 V SOC

• 280 V SOC

As usual please comment with any suggestions to make this display more useful. It is a work in progress. On my wish list is that OBDLink would make their app CarPlay capable then all of this information could be displayed right on the Sync 4 large display.

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[Eskram]

With a road trip coming up, I'll be looking into this. I have a USB OBDLink EX I use for Forscan, but this might be useful, and fun, to monitor during the trip.

 

[23STX]

For a non Powerboost would most of this still work? I’m guessing I can just delete the Hybrid Pids?

Also, by any chance is there a thread with a step by step on how to download this? I just received my OBDlink MX+ this week and would like to set it up similar to this dashboard.

eta: Amazing work by the way. I am just now finding out how deep the rabbit hole can get

 

[turbopilot]

For a non Powerboost would most of this still work? I’m guessing I can just delete the Hybrid Pids?

Also, by any chance is there a thread with a step by step on how to download this? I just received my OBDlink MX+ this week and would like to set it up similar to this dashboard.

eta: Amazing work by the way. I am just now finding out how deep the rabbit hole can get

I think it will work but I have no idea what PID's are shared. Just ask questions as we have folks on the forum who know this app much better than I do.

 

[Snakebitten]

Ummm. I doubt that. Lol

I'm pretty sure you have browsed through the Ford/Lincoln/Mercury pid library as much or more than anyone on the forum.

Or put another way, I passed you the baton a while back and have no intentions of chasing you down.

 

[turbopilot]

Ummm. I doubt that. Lol

I'm pretty sure you have browsed through the Ford/Lincoln/Mercury pid library as much or more than anyone on the forum.

Or put another way, I passed you the baton a while back and have no intentions of chasing you down.

I have done a lot of browsing in the PID library. I am sure there is some good stuff still to be discovered but it is really tough without some PID documentation.

 

[23STX]

I think it will work but I have no idea what PID's are shared. Just ask questions as we have folks on the forum who know this app much better than I do.

Ok, I’ll bug you a bit. For some reason whenever I try to change from pdf to .stg it automatically goes back to pdf.

On IOS by the way

 

[turbopilot]

Ok, I’ll bug you a bit. For some reason whenever I try to change from pdf to .stg it automatically goes back to pdf.

On IOS by the way

Works fine for me in MacOS.

Download to MacOS, then put it in a Dropbox folder. Next setup OBDLink IOS app to download .stg file from the Dropbox folder.

There may be other ways to import but that is how I first got @Snakebitten first dashboard.

 

[23STX]

Works fine for me in MacOS.

Download to MacOS, then put it in a Dropbox folder. Next setup OBDLink IOS app to download .stg file from the Dropbox folder.

There may be other ways to import but that is how I first got @Snakebitten first dashboard.

12
I was trying to do this through ICloud. Let me see if I can try Dropbox

 

[turbopilot]

12
I was trying to do this through ICloud. Let me see if I can try Dropbox

Here is a direct link to get the .stg file without going through .pdf conversion for this forum. Let me know if it works.

 

[23STX]

That worked!!! Thank you. Let me finish setting it up.
edit: Looks good, I’ll try it out tomorrow morning. Thank you for help.

 

[Samson16]

The F-150 PowerBoost is a complicated machine with many systems. The instrumentation provided by Ford is not adequate to understand the systems or to troubleshoot system malfunctions. At the very least Ford instrumentation should provide for a "Novice Mode" and an "Expert Mode". When a system malfunctions, the owner has no way to capture the information related to an event and relay that information back to the dealer or Ford. As we have found many malfunctions will clear any trouble codes after the next normal cycle of the truck. Dealers will often turn away an owner who presents with what appears to be a normally functioning truck that has experienced a previous failure event.

It is not expensive for the owner of a PowerBoost to observe system parameters in detail as they change and capture trouble codes as they appear. I think every PowerBoost owner should have a device running in real time to capture the operating parameters of the truck provided by various PIDs.

Here is version 1.4 of the OBDLink PowerBoost dashboard I have been working on. Most changes moving from v1.3 to v1.4 were to format and colors to make display more readable with one glance in full sunlight. This dashboard was built on an IOS device. I am still on searching for other useful PID's.

As usual change the file extension from .pdf to .stg before trying to import the file into your device with the OBDLink app.

The OBDLink Mx+ OBD2 adapter is available here on Amazon. OBDLink app is available in the app stores. The easiest way to export and import dashboards is with DropBox.

This version of PowerBoost was formatted on an iPhone. You may experience problems importing this file into an Android device. The second dashboard with this import is just a place to try out various PID's.

There is a lot of information displayed on one dashboard in this version. With the iPhone mounted in the right position all the information is viewable. Information top to bottom is GPS derived position information from the phone, engine information not available on the dashboard is in the middle and both DC electrical systems information is displayed at the bottom.

For those running IOS on an iPhone with Siri enabled you can quickly take a screen shot by simply saying "Hey Siri take a screen shot" to capture an event. If you are also running CarPlay on the same iPhone when you tell Siri to take a screen shot you will not only get a shot of the iPhone screen but you will also get a shot of what ever screen is being displayed on on the Sync 4 screen. This is handy if you are running a navigation app through CarPlay to the Sync 4 screen to document your position at the time of a screen shot. Both screens will be saved to "Photos" on the iPhone.

Here is a screen shot of version 1.4. In this version I have added the amp draw associated with the high voltage compressor motor of the PowerBoost air conditioning system. It can be one of the largest current draws found in the PowerBoost other than the traction motor. Below the compressor amp display is the high voltage amp draw going to the DC/DC converter. The "State of Charge" (SOC) of each electrical system battery is displayed in red at the bottom of the screen. These parameters are probably the most useful information supporting normal operation of the PowerBoost.

Below is a link to this dashboard's import file. The file carries a "dummy" .pdf extension. This extension must be changed to a .stg extension for import.

This is a link to directly download the .stg file without conversion.

As usual please comment with any suggestions to make this display more useful. It is a work in progress. On my wish list is that OBDLink would make their app CarPlay capable then all of this information could be displayed right on the Sync 4 large display.

Thank you for sharing your expertise with the group in this way. Amazing.
Kyle

 

[turbopilot]

Thank you for sharing your expertise with the group in this way. Amazing.
Kyle

Post screen shots. I would like to see formatting on other devices.

 

[Samson16]

Post screen shots. I would like to see formatting on other devices.

I meant amazing contribution. I'm just now digging around my electronics storage bins for an old iPhone or iPad, and then I need to purchase the OBDII stuff. Down the rabbit hole I go

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