key questions

[coupe11]

Okay, I got one key with the 2014 Expedition when we bought it. That was all they (dealer) had.

I ordered two off e-bay (not Ford keys but the difference was $40 for two or $141 plus $85 to program/cut it from Ford). I took the two new keys to a local lock shop and they cut them and programmed them. The keys worked great for 3 or 4 weeks.

Meanwhile, since the window sticker said it had remote start I ordered a single key with the remote start button in the center of the other four (horn, unlock, lock, rear hatch unlock/open). Also not a Ford key. Took it the same locksmith and got it cut/programmed. It worked great (except for no remote start - still don't know if the Expedition really has remote start or not).

Now, to the problem. A few days ago the key I was carrying stopped working. It (using the key) unlocks the door and starts the engine but you have to do it quick or the alarm goes off. None of the buttons worked. I replaced the battery, still no good. Thought maybe I had a bad battery so I opened up a different pack and replaced it again. Still didn't work. Got to checking the other keys and found the newest key with the remote start button didn't work either. Replaced batteries in it, no luck, didn't work.

One of the first pair I ordered still worked as did the one that came with the Expedition.

Yesterday I took the two non-working keys to the locksmith shop. She checked and said one of the keys was transmitting and one was not. She checked the batteries and the one not transmitting had a dead (new from the pack) battery in it.

She told me that starting the engine and unlocking the doors were separate functions/programming and any time you removed a dead battery to install a new one you had to reprogram the key to operate the locks/hatch. I don't have to do that on the other vehicles we have.

Then she told me the key was easy to program for the buttons.

1. Put it in the ignitions switch, turn the key to the on position and back to the off position 8 times and the door locks would cycle once.
2. Press any button on the remote and it would be programmed to work with the locks/horn/rear hatch.

I did that right in the parking lot and it "fixed" the non working key which was one of the pair I bought first. Nothing in the owner's manual about this. Trying to program the key by the procedure in the owner's manual had failed to work multiple times the day before I went back to the lock shop.

So, at that point we had the original (Ford) key and the pair I'd bought first. Or so I thought. I pulled the key that had just been working that morning out of my pocket, started the Expedition up and we went to Home Depot. Got out at Home Depot and the buttons on that key no longer worked. Tried the ignition switch on/off 8 times and hit a button procedure and it would not program that key that had been working prior to me programming the other key.

So we're back to only two working keys from the four we had at one point.

Anyone run into similar issues with non-Ford keys that work, don't work, work, don't work, etc.?

 

[mrbadwrench]

From what I've read any time you program a key you need to program all your keys one after the other or the ones you don't program don't work any more.

 

[762mm]

I have a similar issue. I bought 2 eBay keys and tried to program them after having them cut at a locksmith, using my existing 2 keys (originals).

The Expedition just flat out refuses to program the aftermarket ignition keys. Here is a pic :




I spoke to an acquaintance of mine who works as a mechanic at Ford (very knowledgeable guy) and he told me that "jobber keys are garbage, always fail" and he never uses them. "Get yourself an original Ford key", he said...

I'm still hoping that the truck is simply locked to a set number of keys (I've read that the default is 4) and that it simply needs to be put in "fleet mode", where you can actually have an unlimited number of keys. This requires the Ford software at a dealer, unfortunately.

I'm going to see if he can help me out with this when he has time... but apparently, even if it works and fleet mode allows me to program them, the jobber keys will always be prone to failure.

Damn, wish I knew...



Oddly enough, I could program the door lock / unlock feature on both eBay key FOBs no problem by following the door lock programming procedure. They work fine for that. In my case, it's the ignition chip in those eBay keys which refuses to program into the PATS.

 

[Langer]

@762mm
@coupe11
I’m not sure about the 2014, but I bought 2 blanks for my 2017 XLT off amazon and had them cut and I programmed it to my truck using the 10 on-off cycle trick someone above talked about, and exclusively use the new keys. I was even able to enable remote start with no other parts/mods other than enabling the feature through forscan.
There’s a long post here:

https://www.expeditionforum.com/threads/how-to-add-remote-start-using-forscan.36477/

Here are the keys:
KeylessOption Keyless Entry Remote Control Fob Uncut Blank Ignition Car Key Remote Start for CWTWB1U793 (Pack of 2) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0184O6PFW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_TAHADb01P6KMG

 

[coupe11]

Thanks for the replies. I'll try the program them all one after the other trick today.

 

[bobmbx]

I have a similar issue. I bought 2 eBay keys and tried to program them after having them cut at a locksmith, using my existing 2 keys (originals).

The Expedition just flat out refuses to program the aftermarket ignition keys. Here is a pic :




I spoke to an acquaintance of mine who works as a mechanic at Ford (very knowledgeable guy) and he told me that "jobber keys are garbage, always fail" and he never uses them. "Get yourself an original Ford key", he said...

I'm still hoping that the truck is simply locked to a set number of keys (I've read that the default is 4) and that it simply needs to be put in "fleet mode", where you can actually have an unlimited number of keys. This requires the Ford software at a dealer, unfortunately.

I'm going to see if he can help me out with this when he has time... but apparently, even if it works and fleet mode allows me to program them, the jobber keys will always be prone to failure.

Damn, wish I knew...



Oddly enough, I could program the door lock / unlock feature on both eBay key FOBs no problem by following the door lock programming procedure. They work fine for that. In my case, it's the ignition chip in those eBay keys which refuses to program into the PATS.

IIRC, yes there is a limit to the number of keys that can be programmed, but you can also "delete" those keys (useful if you buy a used car...cancels any spare keys that may be floating around in the wild).

 

[RogerD1959]

Remote start, using a Ford Smart Key.
Press button 2, Lock Button once.
Press button 1, 2x button twice.
2, 1,1, should take less than three seconds to complete the process.
Engine starts, parking lights stay on.
If you go into the MFD menus's on the left MFD display. Select the following options using the left steering wheel navigation buttons. Navagate through the menus using the up or down button, then the right arrow button to get into the submenue. Once you get into the submenue related to Vehicle, if the remote start option is visible the vehicle is so equipped. The following menus after selecting remote start have to do with how the environmental controls are set automatically by the remote starting process, its all very inituative. The time submenue of duration has to do with the length of time the engine runs and then automatically shuts down.

NOTE: The remote start system limits the number of times you can remote start the vehicle, then you are locked out of the system for a rest period, actually, you need to start the vehicle normally for the rest period to reset and allow you to use the feature again. That all said, as my system is set, I have 3 15 minute remote start cycles before the rest/reset needs to be done. Total remote start runtime of 45 minutes.

NOTE2: If you want to shut the vehicle down while the engine is running after the vehicle has been started remotely press the 2x button once and the vehicle will shut down, and return to standby start. You can remote start one or two more times depending on the remote start cycle you stopped the engine in. Then the engine remote start enters rest/reset, you have to start the vehicle normally. Or, you can enter the vehicle with the engine off and start it normally. The press brake and push start button procedure.

NOTE3: The standard as built remote start option WILL NOT INTERFACE AND/OR FUNCTION WITH THE FORD SYNC APPLICATION, FORD PASS, FOR STARTING, LOCKING, UNLOCKING THE VEHICLE VIA A CELL PHONE. I am going around and around with my Ford Dealer on this. They tell me a seperate module needs to be installed, $ 185.00+ and you must pay a monthly fee for the service. I think its a bunch of hooey, like the heated steering wheel, one Ford Tech swears, my vehicle did not have, but did, when I set it up using FORSCAN.

Final note:

The grey market remotes you purchased. Not trying to be rude or tacky, but...
Do they have, "Made in China", on them?
Take into account your time, as time is money, time has value, so lets say, $18.00 HR.
Wear, tear, fuel, on your vehicle. The feds say something like $0.52 per mile.
The $80.00 you paid for the two no longer functioning remotes.
The $$$$ you paid for the remote with the remote start button. That apparently does not work either.
Cost of your dissapointment, frustration, anger, aggravation? Priceless? Going to need a jury trial for that to be figured out.

Point is, add all that up, even if it does not quite equal what Ford wanted for a factory key, (I think it exceeds that price), here you sit, LIKE I HAVE FAR TOO MANY TIMES TO COUNT! Dumb, stupid, angry, with nothing that works. By the time you buy the Factory Ford Key so everything works properly. God, this frustrating project now exceeds five or six hundred dollars!! Not much of a bargain, especially since you told the wife she could not have those Prada red pumps she wanted cause you could not afford it. Now she is royally rubbing the salt in the old wound you have from your key issue!!!

I am the first to admit I am a grumpy old miser! Learn from me, some things you just can't bypass. I have come to learn, "Made in China", on electronic auto parts, not blessed and baptized, by the auto maker, means run like hell the other way! Don't believe me, shoot me your mailing address, I can send you one of half dozen ELM-327 diagnostic code readers for the OBDII I have. Made in China, they sort of work, sometimes, mabey, never, actually depends on the way you are facing when you plug it in.

Oh, yea, the other place something, Made in China, can be blessed and baptized, and approved for use. HERE AND ON THE FORSCAN FORUM. Any where else, well, here's your sign.

Sent from my SM-G950U1 using Tapatalk

 

[mquick5]

I don't have any of those remote start menus on my 17 model. But was able to purchase the keys through Amazon, and activate the remote start via forscan without issues.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

 

[bobmbx]

What is that bracket in your photos?

 

[coupe11]

Well, tried the two non-working keys yesterday (with the 8 on/off turns of the key) and neither would program.

Odd as one of them was working right up to the point the other day where the 8 on/off turns of the key programmed one of them that is still working.

I'm going to get my scan tool from my son and see what I can do with it.