HELP...electrical issue (Alarm?)

SHINTON

SHINTON

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 17, 2005
Location
Triad area of NC
The Excursion is having a few glitches and at the moment will not do anything/respond, HELP!

Ok, will give you more info than you need but maybe you will spot the issue.

First..Clifford alarm system installed by previous owner, includes remote start and basic alarm.

Second..stupid door sensor in drivers door has been out a month or so, has not been a real problem to date other than the dome light and running boards stay on for 10 minutes after leaving. (And I cannot turn on the alarm since the door is open, so the Clifford has not been used for a month or so)

Third...about a week ago, headlights just stopped working, I had running lights, fog lights, etc. Dealer took a look and found "loose wires" and blown fuse and fixed. (They still work at the moment btw)


Ok...so went to work yesterday, shut off as normal, locked doors via the PDL, etc. Did NOT arm Clifford system.

12 hours later ready to go home...noticed alarm LED was flashing rapidly. Pulled out my key fob to "disarm" and nothing, but fob is working (I see an LED that shows it is transmitting)

I figured alarm would go off, but nope, opened door (with key), ok, tried to turn Excursion on and flashers now start flashing (but no siren)....again I attempt to use key fob and the manual control on clifford to 'disarm' but no such luck.

The "normal" dash lights to indicate glow plugs warming and all the others are NOT COMING ON at all. THEFT does flash every 10 secs or so....and naturally you turn to start and no response.

We disconnected batteries for a minute, reconnected, same thing, flasher on, nothing responds. We disconnect them overnight and I snag another ride home.


This morning, reconnect batteries, flashers are NOT on (yeah, maybe something reset), I go inside and turn alarm to valet mode via instructions. Alarm system does NOT seem to respond in any way (supposed to chirp, etc) Alarm LED is NOT, NOT flashing at this point.

Turn key to start position, radio comes on, can turn on headlights, a/c is working, but NO DASH LIGHTS indicating anything else is actually happening and will not start/crank. THEFT continues to flash every 10ish seconds or so.

So...that is where I am now. Left batteries connected, locked doors (via PDL in door, not using alarm fob)....system does not respond at all to alarm keypad or my fob.

I tried flipping the key several times to see if that made a difference and nothing....

At times, I truly hate all the electronic crap on this truck, door sensors, etc etc, more stuff to just go wrong.

So..please HELP, is there any place to "reset" anything I havent done already by unhooking power overnight?

I figure the issue is with the alarm system (Clifford) but really hard to tell at this point?

Sam Hinton
 
Sounds like you are in start disable mode because it thinks you had a theif.

There should be a relay somewhere in your starter wiring, it is bypassing you solenoid probably. At least that is how the one I installed worked. I had to cut the main power wire and put the alarm relay in the line.
I would try running a jump wire past it.
 
Part of your problem may very well be the door switch.

Alarms can be funky for sure, and I wouldn't be surprised if it got damaged.

Assuming it's installed well (look and see how the connections were made, judge for yourself), I'd try and buy another unit, and just "plug & play", to minimize downtime.

To get ya going in the meantime, like the beast said... sounds like you've got one (or more) "disable" circuits on your system, controlling at least the starter, possibly the ignition circuit as well. sometimes these remote starters are an in-line deal, where you cut the wire you're powering (instead of just applying power to the wire). In this case, if the unit goes bad, you can get the symptoms you described.

You could call Clifford's tech support... They might be able to help?

Good luck man...
 
Don't know if it helps or part of the issue, but the various dash lights do not come on:

For instance, the odometer is not displaying, nor the coil light, but when i turn my headlights on to HIGH BEAM, that does show.

Sounds like they cut out the entire ignition sequence for that to be true?

It seems somewhat professional...but the Ex has been a bit "buggy" electrically since I have owned it:

Door sensor...which is a real common problem, to the point I started describing it at dealer and a mechanic hollered TWO HOURS. (So they do them alot it seems....)

PDLocks seem to "lock" going down the road at random....my wife just giggles when I tell her to quit making fun of it....she says it is possessed.

Headlight deal....

Alarm going off (with horn) was causing the horn fuse to blow...

I swear I am about to take it to Carmax and get a check....and go buy a NEW non-wrecked car. (I realized little stuff would go wrong with wrecked rig, just HATE all the electric crap)

Sam...will try Clifford tech support...Hinton
 
I work in Randleman, not too far from K-Vegas. Maybe I could come buy after work with my meter and we could track down enough to at least get you running.
 
Beast, we may go that route if all else fails. The truck is actually in gso...

On hold with tech support right now, my uncle will bring his meter today/after work and we will start tracing it. I may holler at ya if we reach a dead end, but my guess is we will begin the UNinstall process since I am betting we had a system that has died.

(I doubt I spend 2-300 on another system)

Sam
 
SHINTON said:
(I doubt I spend 2-300 on another system)

Sam
Click to expand...

Find out the model #... I have a bunch of links I check when looking for electronics...
 
Sam sounds like they have put a relay to cut the power to the ign power. If you want I can give you all the wire information you could need.
 
Intelliguard 7000 btw folks....here is a quick update. Per the instructions from Clifford to "disconnect" the alarm so the truck would start...

I have two modules Intelliguard and Intellistart. Tried disconnecting Intellistart...nada.

Dug my way into where Intelliguard was and 3 plugs. One is small 4 prong, one 24 prong and one big 4 prong.

I have the wiring/installation instructions and the large 4 prong is where they splice into the ignition.

I pulled the 24 pin, thus disconnecting the alarm system (per clifford) and all the others were hooked up and nothing. (I rehooked up intellistart just in case, tried with/without it connected, tried various ones connected and not but all the various ones did not work.)

Ok...so NOW...the current conclusion is this, the circuit in the alarm for ignition is default setting to closed (not working)....if the default setting was OPEN, then disconnecting it would have worked/re-opened it and the ignition would have then worked.

To prove the above, this evening we will pull the big 4 prong again and jump the pins, thus eliminating the alarm system from ignition altogether. (At least that is my current theory, possible the stupid intellistart may have spliced in here too and will have to trace wires.)

So...basically tonight we will attempt jump/bypass the alarm (& remote start if needed) so that we are back to just basic FORD ignition. IF it starts, then will prob make it perm.

IF IT DOES NOT WORK....then the issue is in the ford ignition system...any ideas on what we would have to look for there?

(One other board mentioned ECM...sigh...would it give the no start/no ignition at all symptoms while allow radio/a/c, etc to come on?)

Sam...thinking of buying pre-electronic crap vehicle if one exists...Hinton
 
I had '00 350 PSD, that the electrical was giving me all kinds of problems out of. Like radio stayed with key out, lights stayed on at random times. Horn would just go off when parked in driveway (ended up pulling the fuse) but long story short didnt have a warantee on the truck at the time and rather than paying $$$ for the stealership to fix it I waited for it quit acting up for a couple of days and went and traded it. I noticed it acting up the worst after it rained real hard or a couple days of steady of rain. I think water was leaking in somewhere and shorting some stuff out. Not sure if that could be related to yours or not but thought I would mention it....
 
neptco19 said:
I had '00 350 PSD, that the electrical was giving me all kinds of problems out of. Like radio stayed with key out, lights stayed on at random times. Horn would just go off when parked in driveway (ended up pulling the fuse) but long story short didnt have a warantee on the truck at the time and rather than paying $$$ for the stealership to fix it I waited for it quit acting up for a couple of days and went and traded it. I noticed it acting up the worst after it rained real hard or a couple days of steady of rain. I think water was leaking in somewhere and shorting some stuff out. Not sure if that could be related to yours or not but thought I would mention it....
Click to expand...

dude...sucker keeps acting up, I am gonna trade it in. It will be fixed when I trade it, but to prevent more junk it may be numbered in days now ....was talking about it last night/today...maybe get a 2006 Wranger Unlimited Rubicon and trade in the Excursion and then sell my YJ. Have a true daily driver that I can wheel too.

Sam
 
SHINTON said:
I have the wiring/installation instructions and the large 4 prong is where they splice into the ignition.

I pulled the 24 pin, thus disconnecting the alarm system (per clifford) and all the others were hooked up and nothing. (I rehooked up intellistart just in case, tried with/without it connected, tried various ones connected and not but all the various ones did not work.)

Ok...so NOW...the current conclusion is this, the circuit in the alarm for ignition is default setting to closed (not working)....if the default setting was OPEN, then disconnecting it would have worked/re-opened it and the ignition would have then worked.

To prove the above, this evening we will pull the big 4 prong again and jump the pins, thus eliminating the alarm system from ignition altogether. (At least that is my current theory, possible the stupid intellistart may have spliced in here too and will have to trace wires.)

So...basically tonight we will attempt jump/bypass the alarm (& remote start if needed) so that we are back to just basic FORD ignition. IF it starts, then will prob make it perm.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you are on the right track with jumping the pins, they would have to be jumped to work since they splice into your system. You could try seeing if you have continuity with it plugged in, would be the same as jumping pins. If you have the wiring/installation instructions it should be easy to figure out.
Well if they are good instructions that is.
 
Thx for the help folks, we determined for sure last night the clifford is the culprit. We bypassed it out of the ignition sequence and all is well. The clifford is getting removed this weekend and the wiring will be put back to normal/stock!

I will lose the remote start ability, but I can handle that...

Checked into a key fob from Ford and they want $70, plus an hour of labor to code it to the Excursion. (Another key is $24 and incl in the hour of labor programming) Anyone know of other options like buying on ebay and somehow coding myself?

I have exactly ONE key..

Sam
 
remote entry systems are cheap cheap...
 
Hey Sam, bring that thing to Mt. Airy, and Ill put you a new keyless on with a lifetime warranty for 125.00, PM me if youre interested.
 
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