viper 5901, 2009 ford fusion
Printed From: the12volt.com
Forum Name: Car Security and Convenience
Forum Discription: Car Alarms, Keyless Entries, Remote Starters, Immobilizer Bypasses, Sensors, Door Locks, Window Modules, Heated Mirrors, Heated Seats, etc.
URL: https://www.the12volt.com/installbay/forum_posts.asp?tid=109018
Printed Date: June 23, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Topic: viper 5901, 2009 ford fusion
Posted By: sn0wballz
Subject: viper 5901, 2009 ford fusion
Date Posted: November 18, 2008 at 1:32 PM
Hello Everyone. Just posting in hopes that someone could help. I'll try to keep this short, but I doubt that will work. I'm hoping there is someone out there that knows something about the 5901.
I recently purchased and had the new Viper 5901 installed in my 2009 Ford Fusion. It was installed by a local shop here, Audio Express.
This system is relatively new (been out about 2 months I think), and I think sense it is so new, my shop that installed it has no idea how to get it to work properly. I'll just list my issues and see what you guys think.
First, there is a feature on this remote that allows you to view the temperature inside the car. The problem here is the temp that is reading on the remote is about 30 degrees too high. In the morning when it is about 30-40 degrees outside the remote will read around 60-70 degrees. This causes me to lose functionality such as having the car start or cut off when it reaches a certain temperature. As well as other things dependent on the temp.
I asked my dealer about this and they said they'd have to research it because they do not know where the sensor is.
Second problem is I have the ability to cut my rear-defroster on/off (I think) BUT the light on my switch inside the car is never illuminated. The shop says this will be impossible to do because of some wiring limitations(I have no idea wth). They say that when the car is started, the defroster will automatically cut on. I guess I just have to hope that is true, right? Also there doesn't seem to be a way to cut it off once it's on. (but then again, how do I know it's on in the first place) lol.. This is nuts.
The next thing is related to the above problem. They hooked up the defroster to an auxiliary switch on the remote. The problem here is, the remote has an input specifically for the rear-defrost that when turned on, it shows the icon that the defroster is turned on (on the remote). I don't know which way I'm supposed to turn it on. I'd like the latter. Also the system has the feature to automatically switch the defroster on when the temperature inside the car is below 50 degrees.. Which won't work for me now (see number one)
Last but not least, this remote also has the ability to change the icon and text of the auxiliary inputs. The dealer had no idea about this until I told him. The user guide says that you need the bitwriter programming tool, my shop said that they do not have one and that it is too expensive.
Basically I guess I'd like to hear from someone with experience on any of this. And maybe someone could offer me guidance on what I should do. Obviously I should talk to who installed it, but I really do not have confidence in these guys anymore and it doesn't seem like they know much about this remote.
I paid about $750 for everything and I'd love to get my money's worth.
Thanks in advanced.
Replies:
Posted By: soundnsecurity
Date Posted: November 18, 2008 at 2:30 PM
i bought my bitwritter on ebay for $70. chances are that shop is jerking you around.
"Second problem is I have the ability to cut my rear-defroster on/off (I think) BUT the light on my switch inside the car is never illuminated. The shop says this will be impossible to do because of some wiring limitations(I have no idea wth)."
not sure what you mean? are you trying to say that you have toe feature but it was never installed, or that it is suposedly installed but you want the light to turn on.
as for the temp sensor and the aux labeling i have no idea but everything should be in the install manual and your shop is too lazy to figure it out
Posted By: ckeeler
Date Posted: November 18, 2008 at 2:35 PM
1. the sensor is located inside the unit itself. the problem is that the inside of your vehicle is hardly ever going to be the same temp as it is outside. most every unit ive seen that has this feature has this problem. not much if anything at all can be done about that. 2. sometimes it is impossible to turn on the rear defroster from the switch on the dash and the defroster has to be tied into at another point that will not light up the switch. HOWEVER.......they should have it installed so that you can activate it from the touch of a button on the remote and it should be setup so that you can see on your remote that it is in fact on. also you should be able to turn it off by hitting the same button again, and of course the remote should show that to be the case. it should NOT be connected so that it just comes on when the remote start is activated, what if you wanted to use it in the summer time to cool off the inside and the defroster was on too? that would be just silly. LASTLY........go to another shop that has a bitwriter. for them to not have one is absolutely crazy as well.
Posted By: sn0wballz
Date Posted: November 18, 2008 at 2:44 PM
soundnsecurity wrote:
"Second problem is I have the ability to cut my rear-defroster on/off (I think) BUT the light on my switch inside the car is never illuminated. The shop says this will be impossible to do because of some wiring limitations(I have no idea wth)."
not sure what you mean? are you trying to say that you have toe feature but it was never installed, or that it is suposedly installed but you want the light to turn on.
I have the feature but the light on the switch inside my car does not turn on.
Is the bitwriter an easy tool to use?
Thanks for your reply.
Posted By: sn0wballz
Date Posted: November 18, 2008 at 2:50 PM
ckeeler wrote:
1. the sensor is located inside the unit itself. the problem is that the inside of your vehicle is hardly ever going to be the same temp as it is outside. most every unit ive seen that has this feature has this problem. not much if anything at all can be done about that.
I understand it's not going to be the same as it is outside, but I was thinking that it should still accurately (or atleast almost) read the temp INSIDE the car. If my car has been sitting over night in 30 degree weather, the reading on the temp shouldn't be 60 degrees.
ckeeler wrote:
2. sometimes it is impossible to turn on the rear defroster from the switch on the dash and the defroster has to be tied into at another point that will not light up the switch.
HOWEVER.......they should have it installed so that you can activate it from the touch of a button on the remote and it should be setup so that you can see on your remote that it is in fact on. also you should be able to turn it off by hitting the same button again, and of course the remote should show that to be the case. it should NOT be connected so that it just comes on when the remote start is activated, what if you wanted to use it in the summer time to cool off the inside and the defroster was on too? that would be just silly.
I think you're right about how they hooked it up(the rear defrost). I could live with not seeing the light IF they were able to do what you explained with the button on the remote and being able to see it on the display when its off or on. My alarm has this feature, but they did not set it up in this way.
Thanks for your reply.
Posted By: ckeeler
Date Posted: November 18, 2008 at 2:55 PM
sn0wballz wrote:
I understand it's not going to be the same as it is outside, but I was thinking that it should still accurately (or atleast almost) read the temp INSIDE the car. If my car has been sitting over night in 30 degree weather, the reading on the temp shouldn't be 60 degrees.
yea its not the coolist thing to have someone break it to you that thats just how it is, but well........thats just how it is.
Posted By: sn0wballz
Date Posted: November 18, 2008 at 2:59 PM
ckeeler wrote:
sn0wballz wrote:
I understand it's not going to be the same as it is outside, but I was thinking that it should still accurately (or atleast almost) read the temp INSIDE the car. If my car has been sitting over night in 30 degree weather, the reading on the temp shouldn't be 60 degrees.
yea its not the coolist thing to have someone break it to you that thats just how it is, but well........thats just how it is.
Well if that's the case I'm not going to stress that one as much. I still think it needs to work, as I paid for it to work. But oh well. I'll let my shop try to figure it out anyway.
Posted By: ckeeler
Date Posted: November 18, 2008 at 3:05 PM
sn0wballz wrote:
Well if that's the case I'm not going to stress that one as much. I still think it needs to work, as I paid for it to work. But oh well. I'll let my shop try to figure it out anyway.
i think it stinks as well but its kinda a munufacturer thing. i will say though for as much money as you paid it is definitly worth it to have them setup/ install it the way you wanted. which really is the way it was intended to work anyway. i dont know anything about Audioexpress, but i do know that a qualified shop and installer would not have any trouble getting done what you need.
Posted By: kgerry
Date Posted: November 19, 2008 at 3:43 PM
i will play with mine this afternoon and get back to you.... these models are an absolute bugger to program if you dont have a Bitwriter... plus the Bitwriter CPU has to be replaced and the data chip upgraded to be able to program these new units... so beware of buying one on Ebay...... I just checked my Interior temp and it reads 08C which should be about dead on.... i programmed my remote for Celcius, being a Canuck... the sensor is internal to the brain (probably just a thermistor on the PCB) BTW, i don't know where you are from... but we just got these in stock last week! ------------- Kevin Gerry
Certified Electronics Technician
MECP First Class Installer
Owner/Installer
Classic Car Audio
since 1979
Posted By: w_huisman
Date Posted: November 21, 2008 at 2:14 PM
kgerry wrote:
i will play with mine this afternoon and get back to you.... these models are an absolute bugger to program if you dont have a Bitwriter... plus the Bitwriter CPU has to be replaced and the data chip upgraded to be able to program these new units... so beware of buying one on Ebay......
I just went through this. Bought a brand new bitwriter off eBay for $65. Finally got it, hooked it up to my brain, and it says it doesn't recognize the system.  Found some help on here and figured out it needs an updated firmware chip. There goes another $20 to some eBay seller. Now I'm sitting around waiting for that to show up. 
So the best advice I can give is to ask the seller what version of firmware the bitwriter is running prior to bidding on any new or used unit off eBay. ------------- Python 950 Remote Starts in our
00 Chrysler Town & Country, and
03 Ford F250 6.0L Powerstroke
Posted By: sn0wballz
Date Posted: December 09, 2008 at 11:49 AM
Just wanted to offer an update here. I am still having the same problems as stated in the original post, and even now my remote is acting funny.
Occasionally (actually more often than not), the remote will not receive a transmission back to it giving me confirmation of the commands (lock, unlock, remote start, etc)
I don't think it's a range issue, as I have walked far away from my car and still had success. It seems like if the car has been sitting for a couple hours with no activity, that's when it stops sending/receiving the signal back.
Anyway, my shop is ordering me a new 5901 system. I've lit a fire under them so to speak, so we'll see what happens.
Posted By: sn0wballz
Date Posted: January 16, 2009 at 10:32 AM
Here's an update, thanks to all who helped.
As I said, the shop ordered me a brand new unit. They replaced everything for me, and hoooked the rear defroster up to its dedicated switch.
Temperature now reads as accurate as it seems it is going to get, rear defroster is turned on with the correct button and I am not having any issue with the remote receiving signals back (I think this was fixed with the antenna replacement)
No complaints anymore.
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