Wasted $400 on a performance chip that did nothing for my truck

I bought one of those plug-in performance chips for my 2012 F-150 from a shop in Phoenix. It claimed better gas mileage and more power, but after two weeks of testing on my usual commute to work, I saw zero improvement. Has anyone else fallen for these things or actually found one that works?

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sage_morgan752mo ago

Put one of those on my old Silverado and got the exact same result - absolutely nothing except a lighter wallet. Ended up getting a proper tuner from a guy who actually knows these trucks, had him write a custom tune for my setup, and that made a real difference in both power and mileage after about a month of driving. Those plug-in chips are basically just resistors that trick your computer into running leaner, which can actually cause issues long term if you're not careful. Save your money for a real tune or just leave it stock honestly.

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wren8262mo ago

Huh, I gotta push back on that a bit, @sage_morgan75. In my experience those little chips can actually work okay on older trucks if your timing and fuel trims are already off. Your mileage may vary but I've seen a few buddies get a solid 1-2 mpg bump on their 90s Fords without any long term issues. It really depends on how worn your engine is and what fuel you're running. Not saying they're magic or anything close to a custom tune, but calling them useless across the board feels harsh. I'd say try one on a beater you don't care about first before writing them off completely.

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