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AEM troubles, even on stock ED models?

7K views 26 replies 25 participants last post by  mbaessler 
#1 ·
I read in the forum here about the acceleration lag and lost MPG following the AEM on many ED trucks. It seems many of those writers have Ecodiesels that have been modified somehow before the AEM. Are there owners of stock trucks who have gone through the AEM and have had a positive experience? I have a stock 2015 ED Laramie with 65,000 miles and it runs great. Please reply to this post if you are a stock owner and have had the AEM. Much appreciated.
 
#2 ·
I have a 2016 Longhorn with 32,000 miles. Had the AEM done on Aug 2nd. I've noticed almost no difference, drives the same, mileage is the same. It hangs out in 7th gear more on the freeway is the only difference I've seen. Many people are noticing poor acceleration on a cold engine, I let mine warm up a few minutes every morning and coolant temp is up above 150 by the time I get to a point where i need to accelerate with any urgency.

All that said, I ordered the GDE tune and will be installing that this weekend. Mainly to shut off the EGR for engine longevity.
 
#4 ·
I'm having trouble with acceleration but only on the low end, usually on steep ground at slow speeds. When I press the pedal the lag time is 3 or 4 seconds before the truck responds. It does not seen to want to downshift. And it wants to release out of the downshift when is should not. I had the repairs done for the recall/lawsuit but otherwise my vehicle is stock. Its going to the dealer next week for a check.
 
#5 ·
Mine has terrible lag on acceleration until Temp gauge reaches 150 degrees (the first line on the gauge). My MPG is lower now by about 20% since the AEM. I keep track
of all fuel purchases back to the beginning and drive the same routes all the time.
 
#7 ·
I have a 2014 truck that was completely stock before AEM update. I'm the original owner and I factory ordered the truck so I can confirm it was not tuned. AEM update at 83000 miles and I started having the terrible acceleration issue when engine temp was under 150F and lost MPGs.
 
#9 ·
Stock 2015 outdoorsman and its a turd. 68K miles. My neighbors for the longest time have found me different, old school, but dependable. I now do the remote start in the dead of summer before I go anywhere. They think I've gone daft or PTSD. Somewhere in the many journeys (Florida/Indiana) since the AEM in May, I have lost 2-3 miles or more per gallon and my fond feelings for this truck. I got the watch and a new truck when I retired. Watch still works like a champ, cant say the same for the truck. I can tell you this, its nothing I've done. Check not even in the near future.
Ordered the GDE tune yesterday and got a tracking number today. Enof said.
 
#10 ·
2015 Bone stock engine and controls when AEM was completed. Pre AEM, darn snappy for a diesel, excellent cold or warm throttle response, lag was unnoticeable. After AEM terrible lack of torque or as some call it "throttle lag" below 2,000-2,100 RPM until warmed up. When warm lag indiscernible, but if the engine was turned off for about 30 minutes and even if water temp was still 190 degrees the lag would return for a period of time. AEM lowered fuel mileage by 2 + miles per gallon.
 
#17 ·
2015 Bone Stock. Exactly the same snappy performance before the AEM and crappy performance after the AEM.

tollmtn, you're not alone!
 
#11 ·
'15 with 110,000 miles. Only difference after AEM is it seems to stay in 7th more than I remember. But not positive as didn't pay much attention until started reading posts complaining about performance. I remember it shifting to 8th above about 47 now it has to be over 50, it will hold 8th down to 45 {speed limit on roads around my house}
 
#12 ·
If anything, my 2014 is more responsive at low speeds now. Throttle response off the line is better. Mileage appears to be lower for in town driving, but I haven't had it out on any trips to check highway mileage.
 
#14 ·
Stock 16 Longhorn, 148k I had the update done. Acceleration is lost in the low gears. My check engine light came in a week after it was done. I also seem to be going through about a gallon of coolant a month now. I had the dealer do a coolant flush at 152k miles I have now about 159k. Now the truck has an issue with the electronic throttle control. Truck had no problems prior to the update. I’m glad they gave us a 50k mile warranty. Hopefully whatever breaks is covered.




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#15 ·
Stock 16 with 54k, one week after AEM, check engine and glow plug light. Back to dealer on July 12, head was wrecked during glow plug removal. Still at dealership, pursuing buyback under AEM warranty. No noticeable performance issues when I last drove it in early July after AEM.
 
#18 ·
2014 with 78,000 miles. After the AEM no discernible difference on low speed lag when cold. It always had it and is about the same. It does stay in gears longer on the upshifts and less on the downshifts. I have seen no change in mileage. For me it was a non event other than the surprise of a nice check.
 
#19 ·
'15 ed big horn, 61500mls 4" lift 33X12.5 open country AT X tires.
Had AEM done in early July (about 3k miles ago), lag about the same as pre AEM, fuel economy about the same (though ive noticed evic is off by 1-1.5 mpg vs hand calculations).
Will be doing a tune once I get my check, but that was always the plan for,the truck.
 
#20 ·
My stock 14 with 68,000 miles is pretty much the same under AEM. I loaded up the truck and pulled the boat for vacation up the mountain and got the same MPG as the past 5 years. In town driving is the same. I do have a lag if I slow down then accelerate like when I am coming to a red light and it turns green. It isn't too bad but noticeable.
Met a guy with a 16 who pulls a camping trailer up the same mountain I do. He says he cannot keep up speed on inclines, I had no problem. His is a 4WD but mine is not. Not sure if there are any other differences like differentials but I cannot figure out why there would be a difference.
I suggested he pull his MAP sensor out and clean it. He did but there was no difference in the truck performance going uphill.
 
#21 ·
Hi, I have a 2015 ED that was flashed about 3 weeks ago. At first I did not notice a difference but after about a week I noticed a huge difference in "throttle lag/turbo lag". I put those terms in parentheses because I believe that the true problem is in the transmission and its shift parameters. The truck does not want to downshift when needed. Going up a slight incline after the truck has been in a higher gear is near impossible at first. It will not downshift appropriately and stays in 2nd gear way too long. I nearly have to push the pedal to the floor before it recognizes the need to shift. I played around with Tow/Haul mode today to see if it made a difference and it did not. I live in California so a GDE tune is not an option but may opt for the Sofaking tune soon as I have heard positive reviews about it.
 
#23 ·
I believe that the true problem is in the transmission and its shift parameters.
Of all the issues that have been noted as "post-AEM", this is one that I might be able to get on board with. I still have no issues that I didn't have before the AEM. My truck runs very well, gives great mileage and other than a "tailgate soft drop strut" is stock. I have never liked how quickly it shifts from first to second or how long it lugs in sixth, fifth or fourth before downshifting. However .... I think it was very much the same prior to the AEM update.
 
#22 ·
Bone stock 2016 as well...41K when I had the AEM done the only thing different has been a decrease of about 1-2mpg and as others have noted a longer stay in 7th gear before upshifting to 8th. I have mostly used the remote start, even in the summer, so the engine was warmed (at least a wee bit before I got in). No appreciable lag from a dead or slow roll start and when I tromp the pedal it moves! No issues...Again, as others have noted when the check clears I'll be doing the GDE tunes engine & tranny....Cheers!
 
#24 ·
Stock '16 Laramie 4x4, 37,000 miles. I challenge all who claim little or no turbo lag post AEM to go find a hill to climb, especially when the engine is below 150 degrees. I believe you will experience the turbo lag that others have posted here. I live at the bottom of an approximate 1/4 mile, 10% grade. It is the only way to head out of our neighborhood. I always let the engine warm up about 2 minutes before leaving, but the engine is nowhere near 150 degrees at that point. The truck does fine through 1st and second, but becomes almost unresponsive when it up shifts to third. Punching the accelerator to get it to downshift back to second causes the truck to lurch violently. Yes. If I tear up my neighborhood street, exceeding the speed limit, I hardly notice any lag. This, of course would be a very bad practice with a cold engine. I have been avoiding all this by locking the trans in second until I am over the crest of the hill, but this is not right. The engine and transmission modules ought to work together to smoothly deal with this minor hill climb. By the way, even with the coolant temp above 150 there is still a turbo lag climbing a hill, it is just not as noticeable as with a cooler engine. I had ZERO turbo lag problems per AEM. Also, my hand calculated mileage is 2-3 mpg worse than pre AEM both in city and in highway driving.
 
#25 ·
Is anyone having excess Regens after the AEM? I have had 1 the first 46,000 miles and now 14 after the AEM. All of these have been after long trips at start-up ether the next day when the engine is cold or when the engine is hot after stopping fro groceries or stopping and filling up. These Regens should of been happening in the background and not that many as when running on the freeway the engine is most efficient.
 
#26 ·
The new tune does not allow the highway-closed-egr solution which drastically reduced the amount of regens that took place. With the AEM (or a 2018 or 2019 classic Gen2) you get the regens as if you're constantly rolling around town. even worse is you still need the highway speed to conduct them unless you do the trickery thing which I can't explain but somehow you plug into a programmer and tell it to do the regen while parked and it high idles through it.
 
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