How hard would it be to add Homelink to my '05 Expy Limited? Can I install it myself? My Expy has a sunroof, if that makes a difference.

Thanks.

 

I looked into that when i bought my Expedition. The options were (1) buy a new sun visor with the homelink. About $180 in parts plus labor to install or (2) buy a new rear view mirror with the homelink and other features.

 

Which does the factory use on the Expy with the homelink option?

 

I have an "03" EB and the Homelink is in the visor

 

I would think the "Limited" version should have that as standard equipment.

What gives?

 

Standard in '04, optional in '05.

 

I've got an '05 EB Expy and I wanted to add the Homelink. I spoke to my dealer who said that just ordering a new visor wouldn't work because the primary wiring harness for the vehicle wasn't compatible. They said they would have to install a new vehicle wiring harness as well as the visor and they didn't even want to quote how much that would cost as it was astronomical. Now, I don't know just how accurate this is, or if the "vehicle wiring harness" thing was just an excuse.

The other option as already mentioned is replacing the Ford rearview mirrow with a Gentex model 50-GENK40 which is just like the factory mirrow only with the Homelink buttons. Other Gentex mirros will work as well but have redundant features like a compass and outside temperature sensor.

http://www.garageopenerstore.com/aurevimiwiho.html

The Gentex mirror that I mentioned will cost around $180.

 

The factory option in 2005 has the homelink buttons on the sun visor. I think putting the buttons on the sun visor is dumb. With the visor down, you cannot access the buttons. I would favor the rear view mirror as an after market option instead of the visor.

 

Well Frankly, I to have an 05 eb expy and was a bit disturbed that a truck with a 47K sticker I would have thought it would have had the homelink and DRL.. Neither of which is there but at least homelink is an option.. DRL is not even on the LIST. HOW stupid of Ford.. !! I looked at the Homelink gig and the wire your dealer is talking about is simply a 12v supply.. no biggie... no full wiring harness needed..then I looked at homelink on ebay and after watching them come and go for everything except expy I said well a little velcro pad and putting my micro door opener on my console was easier and less frogging around.. IMHO anyway.. SOrry for dissertation

 

I agree with expoman55, for the 47K sticker on my '05, it should be standard. In my '01 EB it was standard.

That said, I also agree that I don't think you will need any wiring harness changes as long as you have the lighted vanity mirrors in the visor. The Homelink is all self contained, and just needs a 12v power lead, which should be there if you have the light. It's really just a programmable remote built into the visor, that runs on the car power instead of a battery. The prices for visor were ridiculous though, my dealer wanted 318.00 and the cheapest I could find on the net was about 261.00. I just bought a little three-button keychain remote for my openers for 39.00, and velcro'ed it to the the dash.

--Mike

 

I agree with Expy Jeepin... plus think of this .. if you don't have your key the home link is Dead!

 

I know this is an old thread, but for information's sake.....
Year to year the non homelink and visors with homelink use the same wiring/connections. If you can source a visor with homelink from the dealer, Craiglsit, e-bay or a salvage yard they will bolt/plug in. I managed a swap from an 03 with a different shaped visor (I transplanted the homelink sender) to my 99 non equiped visor. The plugs were the same, but wire colors changed between those years. End result was it looks and works like the factory did it. I should have slowed down when ordering to see if it was a bolt in...I ASSUMED (wrong), but managed to make it work.

 

I may be too late to this thread, but only today I have quesitons re. Homelink on my 05 EB Explorer. I didn't even know to look or ask until we came home this week with a new Cadi that has that feature. First I looked at the original sticker from when I bought the ford.....there was no mention of Homelink being installed. Today I read in the owner manual how to program this feature, and that brought my attention to the fact that I do have the three-button control pad which is factory installed on the roof (not on a visor as others here have suggested). I have no moon roof, so apparently they opted to install the feature here, adjacent to a small compartment with a hinged door for allowing something to be stored in the compartment. I attempted to program the Homelink per instructions in the manual, but saw no indication of life. I see no way to open the control panel to see if there is anything inside. My guess is I have only a fake control panel and I do not have the homelink feature. Any one out there able to shed any light on this observation?......I suppose I am Homelink ready, but I need to purchase the guts and figure out how to install in the control box. Anyone agree?

 

When I was programming my Homelink I couldn't get it to work at first either. What I had to do after programming it was to use the learn button on the garage door opener to get it to recognize the programmed Homelink device.

Of course you're also asking about an Explorer in the Expedition/Navigator forum, so it could have a different set of programming steps.

 

Thanks for your input. I don't think my problem is unique to any particular model of ford product as far as the programming steps are concerned. Those are generic instrucitons published by the Homelink web site, so they will work with any Homelink product installed in any car (that was the same instruction given in my new 2011 Cadi which I purchased three days ago. My real question relates to the observation that my '05 Explorer has the Homelink key panel installed in the overhead console, but nothing i try will give me a blinking or solid lite on that panel. I am hoping to learn if there is an easy way to know if my Homelink panel has the electronic module installed, or might that be just a fake instrument panel.

Thanks again for your thoughts and suggestion.