I was looking at the electrical schematics for my daughter's (2002) Escape, and I cannot determine if it's possible to modify the door lock circuit to automatically lock the vehicle doors after a short delay once the vehicle has been started. I know that other Ford models do this (My wife's 04 Explorer for example).

I'm just trying to keep my daughter a bit safer... any assistance or advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm fairly good with electronics, so don't hold back... I can 'probably' create a digital circuit to activate the locks, just don't know what I should use as a trigger....

Thanks,

Todd
tmcmahon@anacomp.com

 

I've developed several circuits for 2001-2004 Escapes and Tributes, and for 2005 Escapes, Tributes, and Mariners that were NOT equipped with automatic locks.

This circuit works on any 2001-2004 Escape.



Please let me know if you have any questions!

 

That is the most dangerous thing I ever heard of. I would want to disable a feature like that, not enable it. How many times have you started your car and then got out of it? Imagine the keys being in the ignition and all the doors locked???
I also don't see the safety aspect of it...in an accident, sometimes doors that are locked cannot be opened because they get jammed, at least if left unlocked you got a chance of getting out...

I bet a lot of people lock their keys in their vehicles with this feature...I know I wouldn't want it...

Just my two cents...

 

There are a LOT of new cars with this feature. We've got a Windstar at work that has it, and AFAIK, we haven't had the keys locked in once. And trust me, if there's a place where keys can get locked in, it's where I work.

 

I'm surprised Ford didn't do this from the factory. My secretary's Five Hundred has this enabled and I think it is a great safety feature. JparK: Maybe one day when you're back in Sarasota..........

 

Someone at Ford already thought about that, as I did. I patterned all of the circuits I've designed after Ford's automatic locks, which I've had on my last two Fords (a 1999 Explorer XLT and a 2002 Explorer Eddie Bauer).

Read the lock sequences again. The doors only lock once the transmission is out of PARK, and one second after the brake pedal is released. The doors UNLOCK when the transmission is shifted into PARK. So, the driver will already be moving the car when the doors lock. If the driver stops and shifts into PARK, the doors unlock. The only thing I'll never understand is why the Feds mandated that rear doors cannot be opened from the inside without unlocking them first.

Also, AFAIK, all Fords with Remote Keyless Entry will unlock the doors if they're locked while in park and a door is opened. I also think that the doors unlock if any of the airbag sensors detect an impact while the transmission is in gear. Both of those operations are independent of any circuit I've designed, since the only output of my circuit is the lock control.

The only Ford without automatic locks was the Escape, until they started adding them to 2005 and later models manufactured after August of 2004. It's actually only a firmware upgrade to the Smart Junction Box, but SJBs weren't installed in 2001 to 2004 Escapes---just GEMs and lots of other boxes. My 2005 Escape was one of the first 2005s made, in April of 2004, so it didn't have automatic locks until I added them myself.

I've had automatic locks on every car I've owned since my 1993 Daytona, and I wouldn't want a car without them now. Just my .02, too.

 

Hey---another refugee from Escape Central! LOL

Actually, I might have been the one that pushed Ford to put automatic locks in the Escape. When I bought my 2005, I thought the locks had been disabled, until I tried the key sequence to enable them---and it didn't work. Then, I noticed Ford changed the owners manual. The first printing mentioned automatic locks, and the next two didn't.

So, after dozens of calls to Ford, and FINALLY getting a "No, your Escape does NOT have factory automatic locks..." reply, I started pestering other people at Ford for the reasons that this simple firmware upgrade wasn't done for the Escape. Two months later, Job 2 2005 Escapes started appearing with automatic locks. Go figure.

And we're going back to Sarasota in May, August, and November. We wanna find a condo, either downtown, or near Siesta Key Beach---the greatest beach on earth!

 

JPARK:

I just realized that I never responded in the thread to your posting of the schematic, and wanted everyone to know how much I appreciate your efforts.

For those of you who can't appreciate this feature: I've had a car door opened unexpectedly by strangers on two different occasions, and I do not want this to happen to my daughter. This is a feature I can personally relate to, and I will bet that you might just change your opinion if you had a similar experience. Had I realized that this vehicle did NOT have this feature (I presumed that it did) I would not have purchased it.

Todd

 

You're welcome!

And while I've never had anything like that happen (our area has one of the lowest crime rates in the country each year), automatic locks will make sure it doesn't happen. And I can definitely see your concern for your daughter.

 

if the key is in my 05 's ignition, i can NOT lock the doors with the button on the arm rest. i can leave the keys in the ignition and lock from the outside keypad.
i do not have auto lock. must be early 05. i think one indicator is white speedo & tach faces but grey guage faces on outboard guages.

 

Let me know when you're down there. I would appreciate the opportunity to hire you to do this mod (with full releases, of course!) I trust you without hesitation and would love to have this mod.

 

I dont know if this will work on every Ford. I found it on an F150 site.

How To Disable AutoLocks

Note: Manual transmission vehicles have this feature disabled at the factory. This procedure applies to most newer Ford vehicles, not just Ford trucks.

The enable/disable mode allows the autolock feature to be turned off and on. On manual transmission vehicles, when replacing the remote anti-theft personality (RAP) module, the autolock feature must be turned off by using the enable/disable mode.

The enable/disable mode is entered when the following series of steps is performed:

1. Confirm that the perimeter alarm is disarmed.

2. Close all doors.

3. Confirm that the ignition switch is in the OFF position.

Note: Steps 4 through 8 must be performed within 30 seconds.

4. Turn the ignition switch from OFF to RUN.

5. Press the power door lock UNLOCK button three times.

6. Turn the ignition switch from RUN to OFF.

7. Press the power door lock UNLOCK button three times.

8. Turn the ignition switch from OFF to RUN.

9. Verify that the RAP module chirps the horn. This indicates that the RAP module is now in the enable/disable mode and ready to accept program changes.

10. Press the power door lock UNLOCK button one time to command the RAP module to toggle the autolock/relock feature ON or OFF.

11. Press the power door lock LOCK button once to enter the command.

12. Verify that the vehicle horn chirps one time to signal the RAP module confirmation of the command. There should only be one chirp indicating that the autolock/relock feature has been disabled. If one chirp is heard, followed by a longer honk, the autolock/relock feature has just been enabled. Return to step 10.

13. Turn the ignition switch to the OFF position to exit the enable/disable mode.

14. Verify that the RAP module chirps the horn once to indicate that a feature has been changed.

The autolock and the appropriate alarm configuration are turned on at the factory on vehicles with automatic transmissions. Vehicles with manual transmissions have the autolock turned off at the factory. The RAP module returns to the prior setting any time battery power is interrupted.

 

Right above the door handle there are buttons and switches that operate the power windows and door looks. Once you get into the car push down on the button that has an icon of a door, hold down for a second and all doors will lock. I find doing this a lot easier than messing around with the electronics in the vehicle...If you keep forgetting to do this, write yourself a note, "LOCK DOORS" and tape it to the dashboard...not really that hard to do...

 

Tony: It's obvious you don't want/like this mod. Many do and Ford has seen fit to equip other models with it.

 

Thanks for looking for the procedure!

2005 Escapes/Mariners/Tributes built before August of 2004 do not have automatic door locks. Ford finally programmed the Smart Junction Box to include automatic door locks in 2005 (and later) model-year vehicles manufactured after August of 2004. My 2005 Escape is one of the early vehicles that does NOT have automatic locks.

2001 to 2004 Escapes/Tributes have no automatic locks, period. Also, the 2001-2004 electrical system (which uses GEMs and various other boxes) is almost entirely different from 2005-model-year Escapes/Mariners/Tributes (which use a "Smart Junction Box").

The exact Escape/Mariner/Tribute procedure is as follows (taken from the 2006 Escape owner's manual). It looks like the same procedure you posted, but I just wanted to quote the Escape's manual:

"
Before starting, make sure the ignition is in the 1 (LOCK) position and
all vehicle doors are closed.
You must complete Steps 1-5 within 30 seconds or the procedure will
have to be repeated.
1. Turn the ignition to the 3 (RUN) position.
2. Press the power door unlock control (on the door panel) three times.
3. Turn the ignition from the 3 (RUN) position to the 1 (LOCK) position.
4. Press the power door unlock control three times.
5. Turn the ignition from the 1 (LOCK) position to the 3 (RUN) position.
6. The horn will chirp once to confirm programming mode is
entered/active.
7. Press the power door unlock control on the door panel one time.
8. Press the power door lock control on the door panel one time. Note:
The horn will chirp once to confirm the feature is OFF, or the horn will
chirp and then honk to confirm the feature is ON.
9. Turn the ignition to the 1 (LOCK) position. Note: The horn will chirp
once to confirm the programming mode has been exited.
Repeat the previous procedure to turn the feature on or off.
"

If there is no horn chirp or chirp/honk after step 8, your Escape/Mariner/Tribute is NOT equipped with automatic locks.