My 2003 Expedition short honks 4 times on lock and 2 times on unlock

[lane87]

Correction:03 Expedition.

4 short on Lock via FOB or keypad
2 short honks on lock

I keep trying method found elsewhere on another site that worked for a few days but suddenly is not working anymore. No matter how much wd-40 I spray into the door locks and hatches along with the subsequent door slamming I do (4 each), I am getting the 4 short honks on lock and 2 on unlock again. There is no "door ajar" light and interior lights go off as normal so it doesn't seem to be door open sensor. All doors lock as well. Hood checked. Don't know what else it could be at this point and am about to disable the horn out of frustration.

Ideas?
Any help much appreciated.

Thanks,
Lane87
2003 Expy XLT 5.4L
Excellent condition internal/external
187k miles
Sunroof w/o adjustable rear side windows(unique apparently)

 

[stamp11127]

Explorer or Expedition? Title says Explorer and sig says Expy.

 

[lane87]

I just ran a quick test. If I leave a door open intentionally (back window) with door ajar light present I get:
3 honks on Lock
4 Honks on unlock

So I am getting something different and need to find a reference sheet for "honk codes" apparently.

 

[stamp11127]

Is there an aftermarket alarm installed?

 

[lane87]

Is there an aftermarket alarm installed?

Nope stock Alarm.

 

[lane87]

Could a moderator please edit the title of this thread to say Expedition rather than Explorer? Thanks.

 

[lane87]

Further investigation has turned up some interesting things.
1. It is now an intermittent issue. 1 day no problems (usually a full day) another day honkville.
2. Walking across Home Depot yesterday and I hear another truck with the very same sounding 4 honks. Then the guy turns around to get something and I hear the 2 honks on unlock. newer model F-150. I ask the guy about it and he says "the dealer said the alarm needs to be reset and it had something to do with the mechanism that makes the parking lights flash when it locks". He said it was too pricey to fix so he just deals with it.
3. When not doing the short honks, my Exp flashes parking lights once on lock and nothing on unlock. Not sure if that is normal operation but assume it is. When honks present, 2 lights flash on lock and 2 lights flash on unlock.

I think Home Depot guy has given me a good clue. I already tried "resetting" the alarm with battery disconnected and terminals shorted together for 10 sec. No difference except sequence is now:
Lock - 4 honks 2 flashes
Unlock - 2 honks 1 light flash.

Going to have to find where this circuitry for making the parking lights flash is. Probably the alarm itself?


Found this elsewhere on here for an '08 Expy:


For future reference.
2 honks = Hood is open or brake is depressed
3 honks = One of the doors is open
4 honks = Tach is not programmed
5 honks = Key is in ignition
6 honks = System is in Service/Valet mode

No Tach on an '03 so it must be something else. Wish I could find the '03 version of this!

 

[stamp11127]

What little information I've been able to find, it sounds like a vehicle security module issue. It is located behind the glove box. About all you can do is reseat the connectors.

 

[lane87]

Thanks for the advice and diagram. Reset all connectors several times now. Carefully examined the wires and seating of the each clip . all looks like its in great shape. Once re-seating worked for about half a day and then the next time no good and now it is no longer intermittent. My Expy is a full time honker. Perhaps a salvage yard replacement of the module is in order?

 

[lane87]

Just thinking out loud here...
Turns out replacing VSM requires a re-program at the dealer. $$$ Forget that. Now I am thinking it may perhaps be one of the relays in the module. Particularly the one that cycles the parking lamps on lock. Sure wish I knew what 4 honks on lock meant.

 

[Skauber]

I've never heard of 4 honks on lock. I think the '05 has the same VSM, and I got the "death code" B1342 on mine recently. Weird thing is that it was intermittent and all systems were still working, except TPMS which hasn't worked since I bought the truck. Ford said it needed new sensors.

Instead of throwing money at a new VSM (I have a VCM clone, so programming isn't an issue), I decided to check if I could find out what was wrong with the one in there. Took it out and opened it, and I noticed a riser board soldered in. I immediately suspected the solder joints, it would fit with the intermittent nature of the B1342 DTC. I resoldered them, and put it back in. Ran several self tests on the VSM and no codes came back. I'm still not sure if it's fixed, but it has been a few days since I did it and no codes yet. Will drive it a week or two before calling it fixed. Here's some pics of the VSM:

 

[lane87]

Thanks for the reply. Great info. I will pull my VSM and check relays, solder joints, etc. and report back. I would also like to hear where you got your clone unit.

 

[Skauber]

I got it off ebay, but I see there's none on there. I think it's in a grey zone legally in the US, but I'm in the Philippines where probably even the local Ford dealer has a VCM clone since the original one is too expensive.. LOL.

I have a link to a website that sells these VCM clones, but I don't know if I'm allowed to post the link here......

 

[lane87]

PM me link please. Thanks.

 

[Skauber]

PM sent

 

[lane87]

I finally took out the VSM and it looked like new. no suspicious solder joints or damaged relays. Stuck.