idatalink programming on 2001 ford escape

This thing has beaten me tonight and I am going to call tech support tomorrow when they are open but I figured that I would try on here and see what you guys can come up with. Basically I am using the idatalink(the multi one ADS-AL CA) and it is flashed with the proper firmware for my car.

The issue is that no matter what I do I cannot seem to program my keys into the unit. I have triple checked the power, ground and ground out when running and all are working right. I have also checked the TX and the RX wires numerous times and I know I have the right ones. My issue is that i follow the instructions which state to turn the key to ON and the LED will light up red then once it goes out remove it and quickly put in the second key and turn to ON and then remove. After this process you are supposed to remote start the car and it will work. Well after about 2-3 hours of trouble shooting I have given up for tonight. And I know that you must do both keys within 5 secs of eachother and I am sure that I am doing it as fast as humanly possible.

So yah there's the issue and if anyone can let me in on how to program these to fords it would be greatly appreciated since I know I will have a bunch of fords in my bay soon and I am assuming it is just some trick in the programming that i am missing and the instructions are not too clear(as usual). Any help would be great.

oh i forgot to mention that the remote starter works perfectly with the key in the ignition(therefore I know it is a programming issue and not anything to do with the starter) I also forgot to say that it is the Code Alarm SRT-8000(or 9000) two way combo that i have in the car.

Couple quick questions perly. When you insert the key into the ignition and turn it to the On position, does the LED on the module do anything? Flash red? Or nothing at all? Secondly, what mode are you using, that unit does not have an RS232 port so I assume Mode 2?

Does the light stay red of flashes red. If it flashes you have something wrong.

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Cris

yah it is in mode 2 and i put the key in and turn it to ON, the LED comes on(red) then goes out, then i put in the second key and turn it to ON and once again the LED comes on(red) and then when it goes out I remove the key and try to remote start the unit and it tries to start but then nothing happens and usually the LED remains solid red for a while and the car won;t start(i know its a passlock thing) so i leave the key in to clear the problem and then the car starts again but still no remote start.

It has me confused and frustrated. I am used to DEI bypasses but now my shop no longer uses/sells them and we only use idatalink so i figured that I would install on my own car to learn how they work and evidently it is a good thing I did cause if this was a customer car they would be a little wized about it not working. HOpefully this answers all possible questions.

and no it does not flash it just goes sold when the key is pout in and then goes out and stays out unless i try to remote start and then it stays solid red for a while

According to the directions the light will turn red then turn off to confirm that a coded key is being used. Then, you cycle the key again with the 2ud key. After these step try to remote start the car. If all is installed and programmed right the red light will turn green.

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Cris

StealthEs wrote:

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According to the directions the light will turn red then turn off to confirm that a coded key is being used. Then, you cycle the key again with the 2ud key. After these step try to remote start the car. If all is installed and programmed right the red light will turn green.

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and here lies my issue I know that is what the instructions say but it is not what is happening. Everything follows the instructions perfectly, but then when i go to remote start the bypass does not work.(just a solid red light when remote start activated and it locks me out for a little bit)

From the datalink module you have the pink wire going to Ignition?

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Cris

yep the pink wire is connected to ign wire from the remote starter which is in turn soldered to the car ign harness

Also, is this ( ADS-AL(TB)-FM, Ford/Mazda Lincoln/Mercury Transponder Override (V1.6)) the firmware you are using right ?

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Cris

StealthEs wrote:

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Also, is this ( ADS-AL(TB)-FM, Ford/Mazda Lincoln/Mercury Transponder Override (V1.6)) the firmware you are using right ?

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sure is and i double checked that the firmware was right so i re-flashed it and still nothing

IF you still have access to the car meter that pink wire to make sure its an actual ignition and not an acc. I'm sure you have it hooked up right but doesn't hurt to check and rule that out
Ign -     L GREEN/ VIOLET

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Cris

already did that at the shop and it all tested right, but i may look at it again tomorrow to check it for the 10th time to be sure. I don;t feel like going outside and trying to do it in the dark right now. but i am 99.99% sure it is right.

Also you used diagram B for your connector type ?

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Cris

if i recall it was the pink on the bypass to the pink off of the remote starter(which is the ign I beleive) I remember thinking how it seemed "idiot proof" at the time

yep diagram b.

on page 3 of the directions below the main diagram the are 5 ( A-E ) different immobilizer plug diagram make sure you used B to hook up your ECM -RX & TX connections. Seems like there is where you problem lies if all else is hooked up right.

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Cris

thanks for helping but i have followed the diagram to the letter and I have even tried reversing TX and RX thinking that maybe the diagram was wrong but still everytime it always ends up the same way. like i said in the first post i spent close to three hours t/s just this issue and since there are only 6 wires I have checked all of them thoroughly.

I am looking for someone who has installed this bypass on some of the newer(2001-present) fords to see what they did to program(i am not sure if you have direct experience or not) once again thanks for the help though

I have installed this mod into many ford and never had a problem with programming. Let me know what the problem was when you figure it out.
Good luck with it.

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Cris

right on and i'll be sure to let you know whenever i figure it out what is happening.

Alright so you have the connections done properly, otherwise if RX and TX were reversed the LED would flash red when the key is turned on. Secondly, I know this seems ridiculous, but the keys you are using are in fact 2 different ones? They can not emit the same transponder signal, so this technically could be where the problem lies.

Perhaps both your keys, even though you have 2, are coded with the same transponder signal?

Everything you have written confirms that you have connected the bypass correctly and are following the programming instructions correctly.

OK so tech support helped me out and even more surprising I was only on hold for maybe 5 min tops. Basically I had to program it as if it were a standard even though it is not. The quick run through(if anyone wants to know) is that you start the car with key 1 then as soon as the red LED goes out pop in key 2 and turn on the car then once red LED is out you remove the key and quickly press the programming button(solid red LED) and then you need to jump your 12volts to your main ign wire which finally makes the LED go green and it is all done.

I knew it was some weird programming issue and as usual the instructions are a little vague but I must commend the customer service for their promptness. Maybe this will help someone else with the same problem.