Swapping in factory keyless entry?

Royal96

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Yes, I know this has been asked before. I searched, but only found questions regarding 94-95, and even those weren't really fully answered. Plus I dont know how much changed between 95 and 96.

So a couple of weeks ago I pulled out the alpine aftermarket junk that the PO installed terribly (resulting in it falling behind my clutch pedal on my drive home that evening). Normally I'd put it back and install it correctly, but the remote is the touchiest thing ever (Buttons have no pressing feel. Have to press the unlock button several times to make it work, and if you hold it a second too long the alarm sounds) and the alarm makes the dumbest chirping noise when you lock or unlock it.

I'd really just like to get the factory ford unit and a ford remote. I've heard the harness is there regardless of whether or not you have it, but unsure how true this is. Assuming the plugs are there (I haven't been inclined to tear the trunk completely apart to look yet), is this really as plug and play as some people make it out to be? I can't find any real info on it other than that the plug may or may not be there.

And if not, anyone have any experience with ancient Alpine alarms?
 

ttocs

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There might be a at least one other former installer here old enough to have worked with recent alpine alarms. No that is not a typo and you didn't read it incorrectly because alpine has not made alarms I think since around 97-98ish I think it is? With that being said though honestly alpine made some really good alarms. The siren chirp is a little funny but as this one has proven even with a bad install they were solidly made and could last a long time. The remote being worn out after 10+ yrs of use would happen to any remote when you consider how often you drop/throw your keys.

If I had my choice between an ancient alpine or a really old ford, I would pick the alpine. But with that being said alarm/keyless entries are not for anyone short of a pro installer or it generally leads to the result you had(if your lucky). I have not installed for a while now but the last shop I worked for installed a keyless for $70 and if you want a reliable keyless I would go to the shop. If you have problems later you just go back to them.
 
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Royal96

Royal96

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There might be a at least one other former installer here old enough to have worked with recent alpine alarms. No that is not a typo and you didn't read it incorrectly because alpine has not made alarms I think since around 97-98ish I think it is? With that being said though honestly alpine made some really good alarms. The siren chirp is a little funny but as this one has proven even with a bad install they were solidly made and could last a long time. The remote being worn out after 10+ yrs of use would happen to any remote when you consider how often you drop/throw your keys.

If I had my choice between an ancient alpine or a really old ford, I would pick the alpine. But with that being said alarm/keyless entries are not for anyone short of a pro installer or it generally leads to the result you had(if your lucky). I have not installed for a while now but the last shop I worked for installed a keyless for $70 and if you want a reliable keyless I would go to the shop. If you have problems later you just go back to them.

Yeah, I know it's been a long time.
Setting the alarm back up would just be a simple case of me plugging it back in and mounting it properly, so no need to take it anywhere. My main gripe right now is, without the brain plugged in, my power locks don't work. If I keep the alpine, I'll probably end up sticking it behind the kick panel if I can.
Im just curious if a new/slightly used remote would maybe click better, and if there's any way to change that god awful chirp. People have described it everything from a dolphin, to R2D2, to Tokepei. It's not quite the attention I want my car getting lol.
 

ttocs

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My only fear is that if it was not properly mounted it might not be properly wired. And by the sounds of it killing your power locks it sounds like something is off although I am surprised they work with it unplugged. Yes a new remote would certainly work better but alpine remotes were not the easiest to replace. I am not sure they ever got into the code learning tech that most use that allow you to just program the remote to the alarm. As I remember it alpine required you replace a chip on the main board to swap remotes. its a basic pop/swap type of thing but you would need to find the remote, and the corresponding chip if that is the case and that might be hard. As for the siren sure just changing to a different brand would change the sound of it as well as possibly make it louder as I can't imagine that the siren has got louder over the years. What is the model of the alarm? I will see what I can dig up.
 
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Royal96

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My only fear is that if it was not properly mounted it might not be properly wired. And by the sounds of it killing your power locks it sounds like something is off although I am surprised they work with it unplugged. Yes a new remote would certainly work better but alpine remotes were not the easiest to replace. I am not sure they ever got into the code learning tech that most use that allow you to just program the remote to the alarm. As I remember it alpine required you replace a chip on the main board to swap remotes. its a basic pop/swap type of thing but you would need to find the remote, and the corresponding chip if that is the case and that might be hard. As for the siren sure just changing to a different brand would change the sound of it as well as possibly make it louder as I can't imagine that the siren has got louder over the years. What is the model of the alarm? I will see what I can dig up.

I'll post up the model number tomorrow. The brain is in the back seat of my car right now. As for changing to a different brand to change sound, seems like a lot of work for something silly. I wonder about even just making it not make a sound when locked? Idk if it's possible, just kind of throwing ideas around.

As for the alarm getting louder over the years, seems pretty loud when I've accidentally set it off sitting in the car! That remote is ridiculously touchy.
 

ttocs

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changing a siren is not hard it would require 2 wires and a screw/bolt for mounting. Some alarms have the option to turn the arm/disarm chirps off when I have the model number I can find out. Post a pic of the remote as well
 
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Royal96

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Oh, you mean a different brand siren? Thought you meant a whole different brand security system.
 
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Royal96

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This probably doesn't help much for now but this is the remote I have:
31E3ak9cJqL.jpg
 
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Royal96

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My only fear is that if it was not properly mounted it might not be properly wired. And by the sounds of it killing your power locks it sounds like something is off although I am surprised they work with it unplugged. Yes a new remote would certainly work better but alpine remotes were not the easiest to replace. I am not sure they ever got into the code learning tech that most use that allow you to just program the remote to the alarm. As I remember it alpine required you replace a chip on the main board to swap remotes. its a basic pop/swap type of thing but you would need to find the remote, and the corresponding chip if that is the case and that might be hard. As for the siren sure just changing to a different brand would change the sound of it as well as possibly make it louder as I can't imagine that the siren has got louder over the years. What is the model of the alarm? I will see what I can dig up.
Alright, the model number is SEC-8027A
 

ttocs

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if you want to change the sound its as easy as swapping the siren/horn under the hood, not the main unit. I have installed that alarm but it was long long ago in a galaxy far far away... A quick search for the model number in google came up with a place that said the could replace alpine remotes but I have not actually worked with them or heard of them. I might be able to dig up a manual and possibly a remote on 12 volt industry forum I am on but there are no promises made even though it has the best chance.
 
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Royal96

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if you want to change the sound its as easy as swapping the siren/horn under the hood, not the main unit. I have installed that alarm but it was long long ago in a galaxy far far away... A quick search for the model number in google came up with a place that said the could replace alpine remotes but I have not actually worked with them or heard of them. I might be able to dig up a manual and possibly a remote on 12 volt industry forum I am on but there are no promises made even though it has the best chance.

No promises needed, I appreciate all the help so far. I didn't know changing the sound was as easy as changing the siren under the hood, mainly because it makes different sounds when it does different things.
 

Z06killinsbf

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There might be a at least one other former installer here old enough to have worked with recent alpine alarms. No that is not a typo and you didn't read it incorrectly because alpine has not made alarms I think since around 97-98ish I think it is?

I had an Alpine alarm installed back in like 2002-03, it worked great IMO.
 
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Royal96

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I guess I really should have reworded the OP, not so much to say the system was junk, but rather that the po installed the main unit with zip ties above the clutch.
 

ttocs

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ideally you should be able to look up under the dash and not see the alarm nor its connections just for the security sake of the alarm. It just makes it harder to bypass the alarm if you can't find it or its connections I could take my entire dash apart and you would think there was no alarm but I went through some extra steps the usual installer would not go through to ensure it was a bullet proof install. I took my time over 2 days to ensure everything was done right where as the average installer would have to do 2-3 alarms a day to be productive. Its just not possible to make both the install boss nor the customer 100% happy as its a balance between the two.

Still not sure why the door locks are not working with the alarm plugged in and fine with it out. the connections for it are probably behind the drivers kick panel. Pull it out and look for a couple of relays or an alarm module to actuate the door locks on two wires pink/yellow pink/green in color. Check the connections and see if they look ok, get me a pic if you can.
 
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Royal96

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ideally you should be able to look up under the dash and not see the alarm nor its connections just for the security sake of the alarm. It just makes it harder to bypass the alarm if you can't find it or its connections I could take my entire dash apart and you would think there was no alarm but I went through some extra steps the usual installer would not go through to ensure it was a bullet proof install. I took my time over 2 days to ensure everything was done right where as the average installer would have to do 2-3 alarms a day to be productive. Its just not possible to make both the install boss nor the customer 100% happy as its a balance between the two.

Still not sure why the door locks are not working with the alarm plugged in and fine with it out. the connections for it are probably behind the drivers kick panel. Pull it out and look for a couple of relays or an alarm module to actuate the door locks on two wires pink/yellow pink/green in color. Check the connections and see if they look ok, get me a pic if you can.

You have that backwards - locks work fine with module plugged in, don't work when it's unplugged. The module has been unplugged since I removed it because I havent had time to climb under the dash and mount it somewhere securely.
 

ttocs

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ah ok then. If I remember correctly alpine was one of the few brands at that time that the door lock relays were on board. So disconnecting the alarm would be just like taking part of the circuit out.
 

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