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Anyone with a 2014 GT, you can now get the "Track Key" like the boss.

TCG Member 5219

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2014 MUSTANG GT TRACK KEY

Track Key is a 50 state emission legal aftermarket engine performance software upgrade for the 2014 Mustang GT. It is not compatible with any other model year vehicle.

Track Key must be installed exclusively through US and Canadian Ford and Lincoln Dealers. Special equipment and training is required to install the Track Key software.

Recommended Installation/Labor Time: 1 hour. (Some dealers charge more than others)

Track Key has been designed to optimize your 2014 Mustang GT Manual Transmission car for track use and uses many of the same software algorithms and features employed in some of our Ford Racing turn-key race cars, such as the Boss 302R, Boss 302S, and Cobra Jet. In addition, Track Key also allows you to maintain the smooth driveability of the production car just by switching ignition keys.

Whenever the Track Key is used to start the vehicle, many engine control characteristics are changed to be more suitable for track use. These include:

Twin Independent Variable Cam Timing (TiVCT)
Engine braking
Ignition timing
Wide-Open Throttle fueling
Accelerator pedal map
Idle speed
Throttle response
In addition, the following Ford Racing unique features are added to the vehicle abilities when the Track Key is used:

Driver adjustable Launch Control, or "2-step engine speed limiting"
Driver adjustable Pit Lane Speed Control
Lopey idle (idle is as lopey as possible while still being 50 state emissions legal)
Its simple: You hold two keys: Either will start your 2014 Mustang GT. Slide the first one into the lock cylinder, give it a twist and youre treated to your stock driving setup. Or choose the Track Key and you have a track-ready car.
"From an engine management standpoint, Ford Racing has done just about everything possible to give Track Key users a full race car experience," explains Jeff Seaman, Mustang powertrain engineer. "Its not intended for use on the street for example, the deceleration is set up to preserve the brakes, and the throttle response is very aggressive. A skilled driver on a closed course will really appreciate the benefits."

As part of the Track Key software package, Ford engineers also devised a launch control feature similar to that used on the Cobra Jet race car. Using a combination of steering wheel buttons, drivers can set the tachometer needle to a desired launch rpm. Floor the throttle and the engine will rev to the preset rpm until the clutch is released, helping aid acceleration and vehicle control from a standing start.

One key, hundreds of changes
Track Key introduces the concept known as the dual-path powertrain control module. The industry-first, patent-pending innovation allows two separate sets of engine management software to exist on a single PCM, selected through the existing SecuriLock Passive Anti-Theft System (PATS) transceiver found in current production keys.

The Track Key PCM software, installed by an authorized Ford dealer after a customer takes delivery of the car, adjusts variable cam timing, spark maps, engine braking, fuel control, throttle response and other engine parameters more than 600 in total to provide a complete race car calibration. The result is an aggressive, race-bred driving experience all the way down to the lopey idle rumbling the exhaust. It is not compatible to any other model year Mustang.

"Anything that could possibly affect all-out performance is deleted from the Track Key calibration," said Dave Pericak, Mustang chief engineer. "Throttle limiting and torque management and any daily drivability enhancements are removed and replaced with a pure Ford Racing competition calibration."

When Track Key is removed and the vehicle is started with the standard key, the PCM settings are automatically drawn from the factory Mustang GT instruction set again without any additional modifications needed a huge advantage over aftermarket tuning chips and ECU reprogramming. The convenience is useful for enthusiasts who want all-out performance at the racetrack but stock drivability for their everyday driving.
 

TCG Member 5219

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Mar 22, 2005
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Sounds like they ran out of stock on the GT ecm's and decided to but in boss ecm's. Then someone said, hey we should offer the track key too on those to get rid of the rest of those box of keys sitting in my office. I bet it was something stupid like that how this came up. And Ill be honest I checked my build date.......6/20/13....DOH. Starting for cars made 7/1/13.....lol
 

Lord Tin Foilhat

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Sounds like they ran out of stock on the GT ecm's and decided to but in boss ecm's. Then someone said, hey we should offer the track key too on those to get rid of the rest of those box of keys sitting in my office. I bet it was something stupid like that how this came up. And Ill be honest I checked my build date.......6/20/13....DOH. Starting for cars made 7/1/13.....lol

Dammm that sucks lol
 

TCG Member 5219

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Mar 22, 2005
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Dammm that sucks lol

Honestly all that stuff they change with the "track key", also gets changed much better in a real aftermarket tune. Everything including the lopey idle. The only thing missing would be that badass programmable two step. With the boss, its a twostep/launch control and it WORKS. With an SCT device, you can use the neutral rev limiter as a two step for manual cars, but it works like shit. I was going to get an AED tune anyway, with lopey idle again and everything. But yeah this would be a cool novelty.

Its like $299+1 hour dealer labor to program the key and flash the ECM.
 

Dasfinc

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[MENTION=1983]Outlaw[/MENTION] Should have gotten a '14

He got a '14, so Did I, This is bad-ass...

*edit*

Assuming we have the newer build date... I'm 99% sure I do since my car had 4 miles on it when I took delivery 2 weeks ago.

*edit edit*

Just read the full article on the site... That'd be beyond bad-ass if I can get this for my car. No warranty issues, reasonable price.

[MENTION=4700]Miss Esa[/MENTION], Screw Tint :Roflmao:
 

TCG Member 5219

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Mar 22, 2005
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Sucks to be zxmustang

Im not worried about it. The boss owners that got it said it wasnt that big of a deal. Again, the factory launch control would be nice to have, but you can get everything much better from an aftermarket tune. This key is just for those people that want a little more but do not want to void warranty.

It does shorten the powertrain warranty to 3/36 from 5/60 or whatever it is outside of the bumper to bumper.
 

TCG Member 5219

TCG Elite Member
Mar 22, 2005
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Fuck that. Probably for less than 5 hp.

Yeah. It seems to be geared more toward throttle response and engine braking. Plus TIVCT changes for the lopey idle and whatnot. I'd be surprised if it made an ounce more hp. Its like on the C6, the popular addon to a power tune would be changing the drive by wire transfer rate to 1:1. So you ask for 30% throttle and thats what you get instantly. Not you ask for 30% throttle and it ramps up from 10% gradually getting to 20%ish before it finally gives you what you want or atleast have asked for.
 

Dasfinc

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Im not worried about it. The boss owners that got it said it wasnt that big of a deal. Again, the factory launch control would be nice to have, but you can get everything much better from an aftermarket tune. This key is just for those people that want a little more but do not want to void warranty.

It does shorten the powertrain warranty to 3/36 from 5/60 or whatever it is outside of the bumper to bumper.

I didn't see that mentioned anywhere...

*edit*

Its worded a bit oddly:

This Limited Warranty replaces the existing manufacturer's New Vehicle Limited Warranty for engine, driveline and suspension parts when a concern is triggered by TracKey

The first part of it is worded just saying the key is covered under the Bumper to Bumper:

TracKey is warranted for factory-supplied material or workmanship, when installed on a late model Ford vehicles by an authorized Ford or Lincoln Dealer, beginning upon dealer installation and registration of the part(s) with Ford Racing for the balance of 3 years or 36,000 miles / 60,000 kilometres, whichever occurs first, from the start date of the manufacturer's New Vehicle Limited Warranty.


So I'm reading this as "If your differential grenades at 40,000 miles while TracKey is being used, its not covered"
 

TCG Member 5219

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Mar 22, 2005
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I didn't see that mentioned anywhere...

*edit*

Its worded a bit oddly:

This Limited Warranty replaces the existing manufacturer's New Vehicle Limited Warranty for engine, driveline and suspension parts when a concern is triggered by TracKey

Ford does this too when they sell you and have a Ford dealer install the FRPP whipple blower kit. Except they drop the powertrain warranty down to 12/12. Ouch.
 

Dasfinc

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Ford does this too when they sell you and have a Ford dealer install the FRPP whipple blower kit. Except they drop the powertrain warranty down to 12/12. Ouch.

I can't blame them for dropping the power train warranty when they are pushing it from 6/10ths to 9/10ths.

The TracKey though sounds to be grey area... Granted, I plan on having some fun with my car after the bumper to bumper is up anyways.
 

Pressure Ratio

....
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I am sure it isn't much different that the ProCal tune you can get. Plus you get the idle change and two step. My ProCal picked up like 5 peak hp. The cleaned up throttle response and 1500-4000 rpm torque increase is what was most noticeable with it.

The ProCal was nice but no where near as good as the AED tune I have. That tune idles better than stock, has increased throttle response and makes amazing power all over the rpm range. I have had my car in three times for issues. Two times were rear end issues. They fixed it under warranty and didn't say anything. I think the only time you would have an issue with an aftermarket tune is if you damage the motor (like burn a piston) Ford may request the ECU for inspection. But people have even had motors replaced with aftermarket tunes. Every owner will have to look at the risk versus the reward and decide what is best for them.
 

Dasfinc

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Sep 28, 2007
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I am sure it isn't much different that the ProCal tune you can get. Plus you get the idle change and two step. My ProCal picked up like 5 peak hp. The cleaned up throttle response and 1500-4000 rpm torque increase is what was most noticeable with it.

The ProCal was nice but no where near as good as the AED tune I have. That tune idles better than stock, has increased throttle response and makes amazing power all over the rpm range. I have had my car in three times for issues. Two times were rear end issues. They fixed it under warranty and didn't say anything. I think the only time you would have an issue with an aftermarket tune is if you damage the motor (like burn a piston) Ford may request the ECU for inspection. But people have even had motors replaced with aftermarket tunes. Every owner will have to look at the risk versus the reward and decide what is best for them.

I saw the Peak hp gain wasn't big from the ProCal, but the dyno got really meaty from it. Which is what I'd hope the key would do as well.

Being a banger car, the 2 step would also be very nice, along with the 'fake' lope would be slick on a new set of mufflers.
 

jason05gt

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Jan 17, 2007
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I am sure it isn't much different that the ProCal tune you can get. Plus you get the idle change and two step. My ProCal picked up like 5 peak hp. The cleaned up throttle response and 1500-4000 rpm torque increase is what was most noticeable with it.

The ProCal was nice but no where near as good as the AED tune I have. That tune idles better than stock, has increased throttle response and makes amazing power all over the rpm range. I have had my car in three times for issues. Two times were rear end issues. They fixed it under warranty and didn't say anything. I think the only time you would have an issue with an aftermarket tune is if you damage the motor (like burn a piston) Ford may request the ECU for inspection. But people have even had motors replaced with aftermarket tunes. Every owner will have to look at the risk versus the reward and decide what is best for them.

I took my car into Willowbrook Ford with my Vortech and they fixed warranty issues. The law is actually on the consumer's side in warranty issues. The dealer/MFG needs to prove that the aftermarket tune was the direct cause of the issue, in your case a motor popping. Even if they don’t cover it, my understanding that they can’t void your entire warranty meaning if you pop you motor and run into a suspension issue, they still have to fix the suspension issue if the car is under warranty.

This to me seems like a pointless mod as aftermarket tunes are about the same cost and offer much more performance benefits.
 
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