starting problems

[john houston]

Can anyone out there tell me how to bypass the alarm module on my RHD explorer. Basicaly I press remote button car unlocks and i can start car. 3 bad times now alarm will not switch off so car wont start.
Main daeler wants $1,000 to fit new module fitted in rear of car .Any way round this ? I am convinced that radio masts are causing this !!

 

[Jon Burns]

Hi John,

Welcome to the wonderful world of owning an Explorer. Your suspicions about Radio Masts are right. My car does not like certain locations and will NOT start when too close to some radio/cellular masts. The module controlling the alarm is located in the rear nearside wing along with the switch that controls the air ride system (its also where the jack lives and on older X's the washer bottle for the rear screen is in there too). You should try getting close to that part of the car if it doesn't want to work. You might also try using a foil emergercy blanket draped over you to shield you from the offending cellular/radio signal. I would suggest only doing this if you are really desperate and/or very thick skinned. I have found that moving the car sometimes only a few feet is enough to get the immobiliser to turn off. Also if you are a bit wary of a particular location -before you turn the car off - press the button on the fob - if the red immobiliser light in the dash does not flash you know that there is a potential for the car not to start on your return. I hope this helps.

 

[Howard]

Hi John and Jon

As another british owner I have found that as the battery gets low in the fob it starts to play up. So the doors open but it does not switch off the alarm so no start. New batteries worked for me. One other thing I discovered is that if you leave someone in the vehicle and they lock the doors with one of the buttons. Then you ask then to unlock the car with a button (you shout at your child for being silly) when you open a door the alarm goes off and the horn sounds. There is no mention of this in the handbook.

 

[sunbum]

One other thing I discovered is that if you leave someone in the vehicle and they lock the doors with one of the buttons. Then you ask then to unlock the car with a button (you shout at your child for being silly) when you open a door the alarm goes off and the horn sounds.

Indeed... already learned that the hard way myself. Whee.. Though not your fault (well, the first time anyways) you feel about as smart as a Floridiot at a voting booth. Thanks Ford.

 

[john houston]

Jons the man!
You can spot an Explorer owner .He has a foil wrap in his pocket along with the fuse to the cruise control.he
is constantly checking his tyres and carries a can of petrol.But he is always smiling.

 

[Jon Burns]

Just an update for anyone who's interested.

After Christmas I had a trip over to Holland and Germany. As I was going to be staying in Amsterdam for a couple of days I decided that I needed to get a better alarm system fitted and get the immobiliser problem sorted once and for all. I wanted an alarm with interior movement sensors and a remote starter package. So a couple of days before the holidays started I got a Clifford Concept 600 Alarm system with their Intellistart remote starter pack fitted. It has now been on the car for a little over a month.

Contrary to what Ford will tell you it is quite possible to disable the factory alarm/immobiliser so that it is permanently inoperative. No need to carry around and use two key fobs. The system I went for has plenty of extra functions which should make the car very hard to steal. It also is nice to be able to warm the car up on a cold morning from inside the house. Apart from the usual muppetry on my part (forgetting to enter the antihijack code on starting the car for example) it has been a very worthwhile investment.

Cheaper than a replacement OEM immobiliser and with way more functions. And the problems caused by that idiotic TETRA - Home Office sponsored radio system just went way.

The installation was carried out by a firm up here in the Frozen North who I have used used before and who I can recommend.

 

[SmokeGrinder]

Jon,
I’m happy to know is not just my car that will not start when it’s close to a cell phone antenna. I had to call out a tow truck last time that happened.

I’m interested to know how to disable the ford alarm on the explorer. I mean I really don’t care for the immobilizer, it's just more trouble than it's worth if you ask me. Do you have any instructions on how to do this, or is this something I need to ask Ford to do?

Also while we are on the subject of door locks and alarm systems.
Do your doors auto lock when you put the truck into drive?

Thanks,
Tom

 

[Jon Burns]

Tom,

I'm sorry to say that I don't know how you go about disabling the factory alarm/immobiliser. The people who installed my new system do. They are called Imperial Securities and they are based in Tipton in the West Midlands - 0121 557 3300.

My old system did not autolock the doors and as far as I know the oem one does not do this. My new sytem does lock the doors ( among other things).

Before you remove your existing immobiliser I would run the idea past your insurance company. They may not be altogether keen on the idea. An immobiliser when working correctly should in practice be virtually undetectable by the user - working discreetly in the background.

I wouldn't be happy leaving my truck (or any of my vehicles) without an immobiliser on it. I have had enough cars get stolen in the past not to want to repeat the experience.

Hope this helps


Jon