How To: Add a keypad to factory keyless entry - 1993-1994 Explorers | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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How To: Add a keypad to factory keyless entry - 1993-1994 Explorers

NICE59FORDF100

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(NOTE: I will be adding pictures later this evening)

Howdy, and welcome to another wonderful rendition of my 'How To:' series. this time around, we look at the first gen keyless entry systems offered on 1993-1994 explorers (limiteds had it standard, you can get it as an option with the electronic group package on xlt's and eddie bauers). So if you have a first gen, and you have a factory key fob and/or a blinky green anti theft light, this mod is for you!

Materials needed:
  • ford key pad with metal keeper (this can be any style you choose)
  • wiring pins from a 93-94 taurus rke module
  • connectors (two male, two female) from another explorer (two actually) that you will use to build an adapter harness.
  • basic tools
  • grinder/cutoff wheel/dremel
Components that need to be removed:
  • driver door panel
  • driver kick panel
  • driver rocker panel
  • driver rear quarter panel
  • driver door speaker
  • parking brake assembly (just to be moved out of the way)
Before we begin, you will need to procure some parts. go out to your favorite salvage yard and find two explorers with keypads. you will need to remove the door panel and speaker, and you will cut off the green connector with about 5 inches of wiring on both sides (one male connector with pigtail, and the female connector with wiring) Do this twice (two different explorer)

next, find another explorer with a keypad you like, and remove entire keypad assembly with the connecotr. DO NOT CUT ANY WIRES. this will be the keypad you install in the vehicle.

Next, find a early 90's Taurus (93-95) with a keypad already installed. once you do, located the black RKE module in the trunck area, and cut off the long connector at the bottom of the module with as much wiring as you can. this is the part you will take home for step 7.

Now that you're home, time to install

1) begin with disconnecting the battery. when doing anything electrcial, always do this. no need to blow fuses.

2) remove driver side door panel, driver kick panel, driver rocker panel, and driver rear quarter panel. dont forget you will need a torx T-50 to remove the seat belt bolt up top. remove the driver front speaker. Also, remove the parking brake as this will aid in running wires to the door later

3)Remove the electronic shift control computer (if equipped).

4) locate the remote keyless entry module. it will be a black box with three connectors and an antenna on it. Remove the module from the metal bracket, and disconnect the three connector and antenna. Write down the 5 digit code as this is the factory keyless entry code!

5) Isolate the longest connector as this is the one will be adding 7 wires to in order to install a keypad.

6) remove the red connecotr keeper inside the connector with a jewler's flat head screwdriver. you will not need to remove any wires from this connector.

7) Install the 7 wires you procured from a taurus RKE module as follows:
A) Red wire (keypad 9/0 input) goes into pin 2
B) Light Green/Red wire (keypad 3/4 input) goes into pin 3
C) Brown wire (keypad common) goes into pin 4
D) Light Blue wire (keypad illumination) goes into pin 8
E) Yellow wire (keypad 7/8 input) goes into pin 11
F) Yellow/Black wire (keypad 5/6 input) goes into pin 12
G) Light Blue/Yellow wire (keypad 1/2 input) goes into pin 13

Note: You are wiring the Explorer connector to basically mirror the Taurus connector regarding the 7 wires above. Again, you are only adding 7 wires to the connector in the back of the truck.

8) Run these seven wires up to the driver side kick panel via the rocker panel chanels beneather the rocker covers. Note: if you are using different color wires than the ones listed above, please make notes of what wire/color does what!

9) Take your newly made door harness adapter and feed it though the door wiring loom. you want the connector that the keypad plugs into to stop and reside right next to the white power mirror connector.

10) once your adapter is through the door jamb, solder your 7 wires from the RKE module to the corresponding colors on the green connector with the pigtails. Notice you will have 8 wires in the connector, the extra being a Black wire. this wire will be ground, so spice on a ring terminal and connect it to the grounding bolt located in the driver kick area

11) once everything is soldered, reconnect all connectors in the vehicle and plug in your new keypad. reconnect the battery and test keypad. if you press any button, the keypad should illuminate. if you press the 7/8 and 9/0 buttons at the same time, the vehicle should lock. now type in the factory five digit code. if everything is working correctly, the driver door will unlock. press the 3/4 button within five seconds of entering the five digit code, and the rest of the doors will unlock. if everything works correctly, proceed to step 12

12) wrap up the 7 wires you ran with electrical tape and reinstall the door speaker, parking brake, and all trim panels. leave the door panel off.

13) using the keypad as a templete, mark on the driver door where you want to install the keypad. measure several times as you are about to cut a hole in the driver door shell! once the templete is made and the measurements marked, use your favorite cutting tool and cut out the hole. cut a little small so you have room to trim to make the keypad fit snug. test fit keypad.

14) once the keypad is fitting correctly, tape off the area and use a self primer to paint the exposed metal to prevent rusting. let dry

15) once the paint is dry, install the keypad anbd the keypad keeper inside the door. run the harness along the inside of the door, making sure it will not interfere with window operation. plug in keypad and retest keypad functions. if everything checks out, reinstall the door panel and you are now done!

So yea, real easy to do, and you dont have to rewire anything as your explorer is already set up for keyless entry with a keypad, just Ford never included it as an option. Hope this helps!!
 



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Is the factory code the only one that will work or can you program a different code like the later models offered?
 






Yes you can, the programming sequence for a personal code is the same as a second gen
 






I'm guessing this won't work on 91 92 explorers? did 91 and 92 not come with factory remote entry I assume? Anyway to do this on a 92? I've wanted this ever since My family got our expedition and we use the keypad to get in every single time.
 






I'm guessing this won't work on 91 92 explorers? did 91 and 92 not come with factory remote entry I assume? Anyway to do this on a 92? I've wanted this ever since My family got our expedition and we use the keypad to get in every single time.

This mod, as it is written out, will not work on 91-92 vehicles. Those years did not come equipped with a factory keyless entry system. to add a factory keyless entry system takes a bit more work and wiring with relays and diodes. Ive added one ford factory keyless entry system to a 91, but it took a lot more work than i had anticipated because the door lock system is wired differently between those vehicles with keyless entry and those vehicles without keyless entry
 






This mod, as it is written out, will not work on 91-92 vehicles. Those years did not come equipped with a factory keyless entry system. to add a factory keyless entry system takes a bit more work and wiring with relays and diodes. Ive added one ford factory keyless entry system to a 91, but it took a lot more work than i had anticipated because the door lock system is wired differently between those vehicles with keyless entry and those vehicles without keyless entry

So in other words with a good wiring diagram, some sort of door lock module or something from a 93/94? and beating my head against a wall I could do it?
 


















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