alarm issues and one other thing

[Knuckle66]

All,

I'm not sure if this is the right place for this but here I am. Basics on my car, 2020 EcoBoost, active security package, all digital dash, the car has 12K on it. I can answer any other questions about it as necessary. The car still has the factory warranty on it.

I'm having problems with my security system and Ford is stumped and I'm quite frankly tired of it. Ford replaced both key fobs and the ECU. He's stumped and keeps trying to kick it back to Dearborn which seems to be falling on deaf ears. He also says when looking in the ECU it's coming back as if the panic button on the fob is being pushed. I don't have a way to read this, I know there's a tool that I've read about on this site but I can't remember what that is now.

1. You cannot unlock the car just by having the key fob with you, the alarm will go off.

• This includes, using either door handle, or just popping the trunk.
• The alarm will stop after about 20 seconds.

2. The alarm randomly goes off for no reason.

• This happens after you lock the car, usually after about 20 or 30 seconds the car gives a second chirp after I hit the lock button twice to confirm it's locked.
• Other times the alarm will just start going off instead of the second chirp.
• The alarm will stop after about 20 seconds.

3. Before the fobs were replaced, you could place your hand in the door handle and the car would unlock, then opening the car door would set it off. After replacing the fobs, the alarm will go off once you place your hand in the door handle. It still unlocks the car, but the alarm goes off immediately.

4. Loud noises will set the car off. Lawnmowers, starting my truck (it has an after market muffler), basically any loud could set it off.

5. Once the alarm has gone off, the car is usually pissed off and will just go off randomly. I have no time table as for when the car is no longer pissed off. At some point it will start to act normal.

6. Once the car is pissed, unlocking the car gives a weird delay 2 chirp. But nothing happens after that.

7. After the fob replacement I can now lock the car by using my thumb, this does not change the outcome for anything above. It's just something new.

***On a different issue that just irritates me. The car should be telling me what's playing on SiriusXM in the center part of the dash when the car is in normal mode. It doesn't do this, some times it displays a musical note, and sometimes it doesn't display anything. This happens if I'm using Android auto or not, it does not matter. Now if I'm listening to a podcast with Android Auto, it does display what I'm listening to. I know the infomat was 100% reset when I bought the car, all of the previous owner's settings and stuff was completely wiped out.

I'm sure I'm missing something so please ask away.

Sponsored

 

[spedy7]

That's a weird one. I'm assuming by ECU you mean the BCM? The BCM will control all alarm functions and monitor doors ajar and receive inputs from the overhead intrusion sensors. If the tech at hand is good, they should know to monitor the BCM's alarm event PIDs (4 of them) and see what's triggering it...and not hitting the panic button when searching for the car in the lot lol.

Do you have an aftermarket alarm or dealer installed alarm? Those usually are installed poorly and I've had to repair or remove many of them. Dealer alarms usually have a square thing with a blinking light screwed in on the lower drive side of the dash - they're mainly for keeping people from stealing it on the lot and then bypassed with a chip when the vehicle is purchased.

Outside of that, I've dealt with F-150s for water leaks into the BCM causing all sorts of weird stuff and corroding connectors - not to say Mustangs are exempt. Have you had the windshield replaced or noticed any water leaks? Even OE windshields haven't been installed with the best sealing lately...

The only other things I could think of is an incorrect signal to the BCM from a door ajar switch/intrusion sensor (crossed/shorted wire/failed component) or (rarely) the BCM software isn't correctly configured for the car.

If the alarm is really being set off by the panic button, I'd probably look into the RTM (radio transceiver module - receives RF from the key and TPMS sensors) as both key fobs have been replaced.

 

[Knuckle66]

That's a weird one. I'm assuming by ECU you mean the BCM? The BCM will control all alarm functions and monitor doors ajar and receive inputs from the overhead intrusion sensors. If the tech at hand is good, they should know to monitor the BCM's alarm event PIDs (4 of them) and see what's triggering it...and not hitting the panic button when searching for the car in the lot lol.

Do you have an aftermarket alarm or dealer installed alarm? Those usually are installed poorly and I've had to repair or remove many of them. Dealer alarms usually have a square thing with a blinking light screwed in on the lower drive side of the dash - they're mainly for keeping people from stealing it on the lot and then bypassed with a chip when the vehicle is purchased.

Outside of that, I've dealt with F-150s for water leaks into the BCM causing all sorts of weird stuff and corroding connectors - not to say Mustangs are exempt. Have you had the windshield replaced or noticed any water leaks? Even OE windshields haven't been installed with the best sealing lately...

The only other things I could think of is an incorrect signal to the BCM from a door ajar switch/intrusion sensor (crossed/shorted wire/failed component) or (rarely) the BCM software isn't correctly configured for the car.

If the alarm is really being set off by the panic button, I'd probably look into the RTM (radio transceiver module - receives RF from the key and TPMS sensors) as both key fobs have been replaced.

So he called it the ECU but BCM is what he replaced yes. This is the factory installed alarm, no aftermarkets at all. Since they replaced the BCM one would have to hope they programmed it correctly... Though I have no way of knowing.

As far as I can tell there are no water leaks, I have the car in the car wash at least 3 times a week right now and I don't see any water at all in the car. Since I am the second owner of the car I have no way of knowing if I'm still on the original windshield or not, but since the car only had 6K on it when I bought it, I'm going on the assumption that it's OEM.

I'll suggest that he change the RTM, I know I had said something before to him about it since it happens with both keys, but he said Dearborn said to replace the fobs so that's what he did. Hopefully this is what Dearborn tells him to do as well. Otherwise I'm going to go nuts and tell him to start replacing every sensor until we find which one does it.

The thing that bothers me about this dealer is that I can tell him until I'm blue in the face that you have to wait for the car to settle, usually 30 secs or until you hear the second chirp to go test. He'll lock the car then go open it immediately with the door handle, which works. I show him if you wait it will go off. Then once I show him the car goes into full on Christine mode and will just go off when you arm the system again. It's so frustrating since this is basically a new car. It was certified gold. I'm starting to think that doesn't mean a dam thing.

 

[spedy7]

So he called it the ECU but BCM is what he replaced yes. This is the factory installed alarm, no aftermarkets at all. Since they replaced the BCM one would have to hope they programmed it correctly... Though I have no way of knowing.

As far as I can tell there are no water leaks, I have the car in the car wash at least 3 times a week right now and I don't see any water at all in the car. Since I am the second owner of the car I have no way of knowing if I'm still on the original windshield or not, but since the car only had 6K on it when I bought it, I'm going on the assumption that it's OEM.

I'll suggest that he change the RTM, I know I had said something before to him about it since it happens with both keys, but he said Dearborn said to replace the fobs so that's what he did. Hopefully this is what Dearborn tells him to do as well. Otherwise I'm going to go nuts and tell him to start replacing every sensor until we find which one does it.

The thing that bothers me about this dealer is that I can tell him until I'm blue in the face that you have to wait for the car to settle, usually 30 secs or until you hear the second chirp to go test. He'll lock the car then go open it immediately with the door handle, which works. I show him if you wait it will go off. Then once I show him the car goes into full on Christine mode and will just go off when you arm the system again. It's so frustrating since this is basically a new car. It was certified gold. I'm starting to think that doesn't mean a dam thing.

I guess it's just waiting then, sounds like it might get escalated to the local field engineer and then it's up to them on what to do next. If it was me doing diag and having the information provided, I'd be monitoring the alarm event PIDs and then do what sets off the alarm as well as look for any aftermarket things that might not have been removed since it's pre-owned. Ford OE windshields usually have Soundscreen marked on them somewhere on the lower portion - even if you haven't noticed a leak, there still could be a small leak and would be best to check the connectors for corrosion, which should've been done before replacing the BCM.

Hopefully they can fix it, sounds like a fun one to find to me as long as everything checks out and the tech and Ford's tech support is competent.

 

[RagmopInKona]

LOOK and see if an Apple "air tag" or android tracker has found it's way onto your vehicle.

 

[Knuckle66]

I guess it's just waiting then, sounds like it might get escalated to the local field engineer and then it's up to them on what to do next. If it was me doing diag and having the information provided, I'd be monitoring the alarm event PIDs and then do what sets off the alarm as well as look for any aftermarket things that might not have been removed since it's pre-owned. Ford OE windshields usually have Soundscreen marked on them somewhere on the lower portion - even if you haven't noticed a leak, there still could be a small leak and would be best to check the connectors for corrosion, which should've been done before replacing the BCM.

Hopefully they can fix it, sounds like a fun one to find to me as long as everything checks out and the tech and Ford's tech support is competent.

Is there a way for me to monitor the PIDs myself? Like using something like FORScan? Which just for the record, I know nothing about, but I see it show up in the forums.
I don't see anything that says Soundscreen. It does have the Ford logo. See attached image.

 

[spedy7]

Is there a way for me to monitor the PIDs myself? Like using something like FORScan? Which just for the record, I know nothing about, but I see it show up in the forums.
I don't see anything that says Soundscreen. It does have the Ford logo. See attached image.

Looks like an OE windshield, most aftermarket ones don't have a Ford logo. If you have Forscan, I think so. I've never used it, but the PIDs you'd be looking for would be alarm_event1-4. Worth a try if you have a laptop and USB-DLC cable (see what works on their website).

 

[Knuckle66]

@spedy7 so it turns out you were right. It had an aftermarket remote start installed by the pervious owner. I had no idea it was there, and neither did the dealership that sold it to me. My Ford dealer wanted me to pay for the removal but Manchen's Ford in Missouri took care of that cost for me. Yes I'm name dropping, those guys were awesome to deal with when I bought it and they stand by their car even now. How many dealers can and will do that for someone who bought a car and left the state with it?
I can't really knock my dealer but I did have to twist their arm to get them to take a serious look at it. I had to open a ticket with Ford to get it resolved.
Anyway after they removed the remote start the car acts like it should. I can't believe this messed with the cars sensitivity for vibrations and everything else but there you have it. Now I have to get used to locking the car. I actually stopped locking it because of the alarm just randomly going off.
If I knew better what to look for I probably would have found it. But I'm glad I didn't, and I'm glad I didn't attempt to remove it on my own. Since this car is under warranty it's better Ford take care of it than me messing something else up.

 

[ORRadtech]

Glad someone finally found the cause and fixed it at no cost to you.
I'm kind of amazed no one prior had bothered to at least look at the wiring harness. It's not like aftermarket stuff like that blends in, it's pretty obvious.
Curious if removing that alarm fixed your Sync issues?

 

[Knuckle66]

No the sync issue with the Sirius XM not displaying is still there. And I forgot to ask them about it when I picked up the car because I was so happy the alarm issue was fixed. I'll have to take it back to them for that. Everyone keeps saying its a setting, but I've been through every setting I can find and I don't see anything like would fix it. I've reset the unit twice now, and nothing.

 

[Johnny Rockit]

Glad you got the alarm issue fixed. I would have probably shot my car. Interested to see what the Sirius XM solution turns out to be.

Sponsored