Disabling exterior courtesy lights

[Halwg]

Interceptor...pretty cool name! Since I've heard that, I see it's on the back of all the police Explorers around here!

 

[Sgt1411]

Damn old folks

I was hopeful when mez and sgt mentioned IDS for the dark car feature. The new interceptors at my department don't honk when a door is closed while running, are we sure its not programmable in IDS? There's got to be a way lol!

I've even considered wiring a switch to cut power to the horn but I don't want to go ghetto like that

My understanding is the Interceptor version remote start is a very basic system with the older simple fob, not as sophisticated as the longer fob and system the retail Explorer uses with PEPS door handles.

You cant get PEPS on the police interceptor.

If they have those door handles its not a true Interceptor.

 

[Pete165]

My understanding is the Interceptor version remote start is a very basic system with the older simple fob, not as sophisticated as the longer fob and system the retail Explorer uses with PEPS door handles.

You cant get PEPS on the police interceptor.

If they have those door handles its not a true Interceptor.

yeah my mistake i realized that after I posted. they dont have the fobs or push button start

 

[Riley]

Damn old folks

I was hopeful when mez and sgt mentioned IDS for the dark car feature. The new interceptors at my department don't honk when a door is closed while running, are we sure its not programmable in IDS? There's got to be a way lol!

I've even considered wiring a switch to cut power to the horn but I don't want to go ghetto like that

But the Interceptors don't have the keyless fob, which is what is causing the horn to honk when left running and it's out of the vehicle.

 

[CaptChaos029]

Msrp $20

Anyone have any luck with the dealer enabling the "Dark Car" feature through IDS. Just Bought a 2015 Explorer XLT Yesterday. Put 500 miles on it conducting a surveillance last night and the $^%# courtesy and interior lights were driving me nuts when I tried to get out of the vehicle discretely. For $3X,x...XX dollars I would expect a simple option to turn off this feature like on all my previous vehicles. Talked to the dealer today and they are going to research it but said it would probably cost me extra $$$ because it is not a defect. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

UPDATE 08/06/2014

Just received call from local dealer. They have been in contact with FORD and will enable feature for $89.95. Seems like a ridiculous price after what the vehicle costs new. Give me back my Dodge!

UPDATE 08/07/2014

Interceptor Utility window sticker shows MSRP of $20.00 for this option. After regaining my composure spoke with dealer again today and the dealer is going the extra mile. Should have it taken care of Tuesday.

 

[mez4406]

The dark car feature is enabled/disabled through programmable parameters in the BCM

this is right from the factory shop manual can only be done with an IDS computer it was an option meant for police veh but anyone can have it programmed in. unless you have an IDS you have to pay someone to do it. It is an option and the software to the bcm has to be reloaded for it its not as simple as a switch on off.

 

[jmr061]

Wow $90 bucks, it should take a tech start to finish 15 minutes to complete and that is if has to turn the computer on and let it boot up!

 

[mez4406]

yup 1hr min charge Im sure it took it more than 15min from time he got the keys pulled it in wrote up the paper work etc. but not an hr. Just keep in mind I have my own ids which costs alot of money roughly 3000. Im looking at another laptop they dont last long when you use them in a shop they get banged up alot. and I just paid my quarterly license fees it aint cheap to have the computer that does the work. And thats not including the 100k I have in tools over the last 25yrs. and at 100k I have a cheap toolbox compared to most guys. But my shop usually will cut it to half hour if your a normal cust and its something simple like that.

 

[jmr061]

yup 1hr min charge Im sure it took it more than 15min from time he got the keys pulled it in wrote up the paper work etc. but not an hr. Just keep in mind I have my own ids which costs alot of money roughly 3000. Im looking at another laptop they dont last long when you use them in a shop they get banged up alot. and I just paid my quarterly license fees it aint cheap to have the computer that does the work. And thats not including the 100k I have in tools over the last 25yrs. and at 100k I have a cheap toolbox compared to most guys. But my shop usually will cut it to half hour if your a normal cust and its something simple like that.

I am aware of how much IDS is as I own my own. No I am not a dealer or a shop. My point is as a customer I shouldn't be paying the dealer for the time they spend figuring out how to do, charge me for the actual time spent doing what was expected.

I have been dealing with people who have wanted some changes made involving IDS (including turning off dark car) and I find it amazing that most dealers apparently are very unfamiliar and not comfortable with IDS module programming.

 

[mez4406]

Sorry I could rant about that all day but that is a ridiculous summary. I cant think of any profession that works that way. As far as being unfamiliar with it there is usually two guys in a shop that are good with that kind of stuff lets call them very computer literate and they usually do it 90% of the time. IF you ask the others there they dont know.

 

[peterk9]

mez4406, I believe that is the way it is at the dealership I go to for service. A couple of techs that seem to do most of the more computer orientated work. Also, the clock on your work order begins when the tech starts working on the vehicle, which sometimes requires some diagnostics before the actual repair work begins. The only department that has given me any breaks on cost is the parts department. I don't think most modern dealerships operate the same way as the ol' corner garage.

Peter

 

[mez4406]

I will say my dealership has a one hour min but we charge 75 first hr then full price after that and sometimes for brake work etc easy stuff we only charge 75 p/hr the whole job. and if its something stupid for a good cust we will waive the 1hr charge and go with 1/2 hr. of course something really small like wipers or air filter theres no charge for labor. We are kind of hoping it catches on. Just a word of warning this is not walmart if you come up to the service counter screaming thinking your gona get whatever you want its not gonna happen! But we try to be fair about it anyway.

 

[peterk9]

I think there are dealerships that may do the same. I haven't really had any work done on my vehicles (Ford or Lincoln) except for oil changes and tire rotations. Anything else was warranty work and I don't see the costs on the invoice. I know that a few times they gave me a break on the installation of my Winter wheels because they included it as a tire rotation with the regular service. The dealership has been a family owned business for over 62 years.

Peter

 

[jmr061]

Sorry I could rant about that all day but that is a ridiculous summary. I cant think of any profession that works that way. As far as being unfamiliar with it there is usually two guys in a shop that are good with that kind of stuff lets call them very computer literate and they usually do it 90% of the time. IF you ask the others there they dont know.

We are all entitled to our opinions. So if the dealer spent 3 hours on the phone with Ford finding out how to do it, you would charge the customer for those 3 hours? But then the next guy who comes in and wants the same thing done doesn't get charged for that time cause you already figured out how to do it. Makes perfect sense to me.

 

[mez4406]

Ok to be honest in that situation, I and most of techs I know wouldn't charge 3 hrs you would have punched off it by then that would be a special circumstance. Or and intermittent concern to spend that much time on the phone usually in a case like that the dealer may pay me my time but only charge the cust half that or something. Of course that can vary largely depending on how good a cust you are dealing with. etc etc etc. I have spent many hours chasing problems on many occassions and got the time I had into it. And other times had to eat some of the time it happens. Thats what I meant by we try to be fair about it. I know I can tell you I am more fair than most other techs. Im sure someone somewhere got charged more than whats fair. I WANT my cust to come back and by more fords.