2012 ford flex wont program

Question

I have a 2012 Ford flex. 80 bit SA keys. service # 001a06251596. Running t harness in standalone mode.

When I start the program process, I get the confirmation in step 4. However, when I get to step 14 the red and blue  stay illuminated. At this point, if I start the vehicle with the key and turn it off, it will stay running. It will not shut off with the foot brake, It will only shut off if I unplug the evo-all.

Answer 1

Looking at your service number, seems the module was not flashed properly (disconnected too fast, lost connection, or had the wrong Toggle setting in the Flash-Link Manager). The options are all "funky" : https://fortin.ca/en/support/001a06251596/

 

To reset the entire unit, including the options, you must follow this procedure. This will clear any previous programmed data and also reset all options back to default. You would need to go back into the options afterward to re-enable stand alone remote start . This is the reset procedure:

1. Hold down programming button while plugging in datalink connector.
2. Let go of button when LED is RED.
3. Push and hold button again until all three LEDs start to alternate.
4. Disconnect unit, she is now reset.

 

As for the programming. Nowhere during the programming procedure, should you have to actually start the truck. Only ignition needs to be on.

• When inserting the key the first time, the RED LED will flicker. If it does not flicker Off-ON, the module is not detecting key-sense or Rx - Tx (light blue, light blue black wires).
• After cycling the 1 st key the third time (step 14), you should see your door locks cycle. The programming procedure is the exact same procedure as what a dealer would do to program a new key to the car. The third time cycling a key, will cycle your door locks. This confirms the timing of the entire programming sequence and that you have allowed the truck to enter programming mode.

 

 

Comments

I understand that starting is not part of programming. It was just an observation. I will attempt the reset

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Ok, the reset has fixed the actual rs issue, however, for some reason I still am not able to program the bypass function. After  step 14, the red led does not flash 10x, red and blue stay on, ignition also stays on unless I unplug the 4 pin connector.  At this point, if I leave a key near the ign, the vehice will rs and shut down properly, however  if I dont have a key in, the security light flashes, the vehicle wont start and the alarm goes off. Both keys are SA. I feel like I am doing something obviously wrong, but I am following the steps.

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Hi Joel,

Just call tech support when you have the vehicle ready so someone can see where and when something is happening / not happening.

 

1-877-336-7797

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OK, a call to tech support after another trip to the customers house, I was informed the vehicle needs yet another trip to the dealership to have the spare key removed from the programming of the vehicle. So before I send the customer back to ford, is there anything else I should know,  to avoid a 3rd trip, so I dont find out after another failed attempt at programming?  Car can ONLY have 2 80 bit keys programmed by dealer. Nothing else. Is there anything else that will cause this not to program?

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I will sound repetitive in the below comment but I personally cringe whenever i hear something about going to the dealer. It's rare but it does happen if by factory the BCM is locked for programming or too many keys already exist in the BCM (its limited). 

 

What's the most important about this vehicle is the timing when cycling the keys On-Off. Also, 2 master keys are required.

 

One thing about this vehicle and a few other Ford trucks. The way any aftermarket module is programmed, is the same as if you programming a third key. The procedure of using 2 master keys cycled on-off, on-off, on-off is too allow the vehicle to into programming. If the timing is correct 3-5sec on etc, on the third key cycle, the vehicle door locks will cycle to lock or unlock, this is confirmation form the car that the BCM has allowed key programming. If the door locks to not cycle on  the third on-off, try playing around with the timing, i.e : instead of doing 3sec on, try 5sec

 

Basically, if your door locks do not cycle at the end when cycling the first key a second time, this would mean one of two things. I am hoping the reason you may be having problems is the 2nd one below.

1. The vehicle is BCM is locked or has already reached the maximum number of keys allowed.
2. The timing is wrong. Try, as mentionned, 5 secs on. Try leaving a pause between keys.

 

You do not even need to be trying to program the EVO when doing the key cycling. That procedure, as mentionned, is a Ford way of allowing the BCM to enter key programming. Meaning, to test your timings, just follow key1 on-off, key2 on-off, key1 on, until you have the right timings down. You do not need to be trying to program the EVO to let the vehicle enter programming, it will do it on it's own.

 

When programming the EVO, do not do the first part about Can-Bus programming (steps 1-6 i think). Just start directly at the transponder programming section, Can-Bus will get programmed at the end anyway.

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Well this is where your advice, and what I get from tech support differ. I called to go through with them per your last post and 1 sentence into the conversation, the person said that I can not program the module to the car if the vehicle has any more than 2 keys. I mentioned the vehicle will hold more than 3 keys. He said it doesnt matter, Only 2 could be programmed before the evo could be programmed. and the spare key would have to be programmed to the vehicle afterward. It made no sense to me, but what do I know? I misunderstood and thought that the locks would cycle to confirm that another key had been programmed, not confirming that the vehicIe was in programming mode. I could have saved some headache. I appreciate the help and tips you have given me here. I feel that the tech support when I call in has been less helpful.

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It's possible and happens, that when the dealer programs the two first keys before shipping the vehicle to a client, that  they disable spare key programming afterwards. I believe that's what the tech support agent you spoke too may have meant.

 
The door locks cycling as a confirmation of entering programming is supposed to be the case for all 80-bit trucks / SUVs and the Focus.

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out of curiosity, do the 40 bit cars cycle locks when you enter programming mode?

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not that i am aware of no, they may though (but i doubt it).

 

40 bit keys though, you can just use the 1 key programming method using the DCryptor. Even if the BCM would be locked or whatever, Dcryptor always works since it basically makes a virtual copy of the key.

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Thank You for all of your help.....Are the HA keys 40 bit or 80 bit?

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HA is 40-bit. Is that what it says on your keys?

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By what I have read, an 80 bit vehicle will not accept a 40 bit key, however a 40 bit vehicle will accept an 80 bit key. Is this correct?

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Ford can program a 40-bit encryption on an 80-bit SA key but cannot program an 80-bit encryption on a 40-bit key.

 

If your key says HA on it, you have a 40-bit. If this is the case just use programming 3 in the below installation guide. It uses the DCryptor to make a virtual copy of the key, only 1 key is required for programming.

• STAND ALONE EVO-ALL & THAR-FOR1 (T-Harness) & Ford - Revision 20131217

 

If it says SA, we need to test Pin 1 at the transponder connector to see if the wire tests as ignition or key-sense.

• Tests as key-sense = 80-bit encryption
• Tests as ignition = 40-bit encryption

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OK, well, here is where my frustration lies. We have a 40 bit vehicle. My first call to tech support, when I told them the keys I had and the issue I was having, the person said that since i had an ha and an sa that the vehicle had a duplicate key and I did not have 2 master keys. I would need 2 SA 80 bit master keys. The vehicle would have to go to the dealership and be reprogrammed with 2 80 bit masters (it was). Nowhere was the red flag raised that it was a 40 bit and all that needed to be done was change the method of programming (on top of the jacked settings that you corrected for me)  

Robert I greatly thank you for all of your help, however I am extrememly dissappointed in the phone technical support that were on 2 occations quick to dismiss me and cost my customer money. I think fortin makes a great product, and You have been a great help, however this could have been resolved weeks ago by being told that it was a 40 bit system, and not being told that It was an 80 bit system that had a key added.  

To recap the misinformation:

I didnt think that an 80 bit vehicle would accept a 40 bit key, however I was told that this was the case...

As long as I have 2 master keys, I can program to 80 bit as long as all spots arent filled. I was told over the phone this was not the case.

These are not misunderstandings. I asked to verify and clearly asked "so this has to go back to the dealer for  xyz?"

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The number 1 reason why this happened is because the guide is clearly pointing that the vehicle is supposed to be 80-bit SA key. You should not have been told though that an 80-bit vehicle would accept 40-bit. This makes no sense, it's 100% the opposite. You can use an SA key to program the HA 40-bit encryption on it. The guides will be fixed to reflect and fix this very soon. Ford Flex only started 80-bit in 2013.

 

So to run down. The truck is actually a 40-bit HA key. Client got a key added to the vehicle and the dealer used a SA key to program a 40 bit encryption (perfectly normal, not the first time i hear this). I personally should have just asked you in the beginning what it said on the keys but i never did, all i saw was the mention of SA keys in the original post and didn't look further.

 

The solution right now would be to use the Dcryptor programming procedure. I personally always use Dcryptor on 40 bit keys Ford. BCM spare key programming disabled or not, DCryptor programming does not care.

• Note that... The regular 2 Key programming for 40-bit keys should also work as long as the BCM spare key programming was not disabled after that SA key was added to the car.

 

Call me directly if you want 1-877-336-7797 ext: 259 or Alex ext : 251

 

 

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It is fine.  I am not upset with you for asking or not. I also admit my ignorance with what the vehicle will or will not accept.  I have never had any issues with you or any other bypass company prior to this point with a 40 OR 80 bit key. The frustration lies with the path I was sent down the first time I called. That person knew that I had a 40 bit and 80 bit. In fact that was how I found out HA was 40 bit, they still told me that I needed to have 2 80 bit SA masters (knowing I had a  fully functioning ha). I am no expert on ford's encryption. If someone who does support for a company  that makes bypass modules, states that it is an 80 bit vehicle will accept a 40 bit key, but not program the module, who am I to think this is incorrect?

Then being told that all but the master needed erased, not because the vehicles spots will be full, but because the evo all just wont accept programming if there are more than 2 keys and that I needed another trip to the dealer, was the icing on the cake.

It wasnt until I decided to look into the function of the system further that I realized the possibility of this being 80 bit was very slim. Then you confirmed it is 40 bit.

Thanks for your help.

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I'll do my best to get this HA vs SA story cleared out with the other tech support guys. Just to make sure they understant the Ford key encryption.

 
I'm extremely just glad right now everything added up as to why you were not able to program the module.