mdedge Posted December 16, 2009 Report Share Posted December 16, 2009 I am planning on installing a remote start this weekend and am wondering if anyone has any tips or knows how to remove the plastic around the steering column. Any help would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baum Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 No offense but if you are planning on putting in a remote start, taking apart the dash should be the easy part. Torx screws on the bottom, and the top clips to the bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThinLine Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 You need a masters degree in electrical engineering to install a remote start on these cars. Trust me when I tell you to have a professiuonal install this item. It will cost more $$ but save you maybe 3 years on your life! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgely Posted December 18, 2009 Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 Take it from ThinLine.....don't mess with your trucks ignition system. For as cheap as the remote start is, don't chince on the install. Sorry but I HAD to quote this. Truer words could not be spoken in the case of your install. No offense but if you are planning on putting in a remote start, taking apart the dash should be the easy part. G'luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baum Posted December 18, 2009 Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 You need a masters degree in electrical engineering to install a remote start on these cars. Trust me when I tell you to have a professiuonal install this item. It will cost more $$ but save you maybe 3 years on your life! Believe it or not, atleast my 09 was the same style as any other ford. Not difficult (being i was in the install field for 12 years, and do it as a hobby now). Ford has yet to adapt to all the can-bus (as for interfacing with alarm and remote starts) systems as all the other car companies. Your alarm/remote start will hook up directly to all the wires in the vehicle (meaning they are all either pos or neg triggers). Except for the PATS bypass system. This you will NEED either a bypass module that "tricks" the PATS system to believe there is a key in the ignition, or you need a key-in-box (coffin some call it) and hide a key in the car. this coffin has to be activated by the remote start, and has to transfer the signal of the rf chip in the key to the cylinder. If the wraps around the cylinder ever move guess what no vehicle start. I have had them move on me as i would re-install the column shroud. Most shops will install an aftermarket rs for starting about 250 (product and labor). An aftermarket one will give you longer ranger also. Just because yours is a Ford brand, it doesnt mean you wont get treated the same at the dealership if you have vehicle problems. The only way they may be more forgiving is if they actually install it and not you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdedge Posted December 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 (edited) Take it from ThinLine.....don't mess with your trucks ignition system. For as cheap as the remote start is, don't chince on the install. Sorry but I HAD to quote this. Truer words could not be spoken in the case of your install. G'luck! Edited December 19, 2009 by mdedge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdedge Posted December 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 Take it from ThinLine.....don't mess with your trucks ignition system. For as cheap as the remote start is, don't chince on the install. Sorry but I HAD to quote this. Truer words could not be spoken in the case of your install. G'luck! Thanks for all the "help" guys. I installed this product last night and it's working great. And contrary to what most of you believe removing the steering column plastic was probably the hardest part, a close second was where to mount the unit. The reason I didn't want someone else to install it was for the same reason I asked the question how to remove the steering column plastic. I didn't want someone else just pulling (breaking clips) and forcing with flathead screwdrivers (marring the edges of the plastic) to open the shroud. Have any of you ever had experience with an install from the "experts"? Their goal is to get the unit in as fast as they can and working when you pick up the vehicle. They could care less about how many clips they break because most customers who take their cars in don't have a strong attention to this detail. They just want their car to start remotely for cheap. I know there are people out there who try to install these things themselves to save money but I am not in this group. I want to install it so when I'm done, the car will go back together properly. So for those of you who question why I would ask how to take the steering column apart I ask you a question; how much experience do you have installing auto electronics in vehicles? Good installers with experience understand that removing plastic parts (steering columns, dash parts, door panels, consoles, etc.) fastened with hidden clips is not an easy task. Unfortunately though, most installers just pull on the parts till they come off. Then when they put them back on they do not fit near as tight as they did before. Weeks, months, years later they start to rattle and the owner blames the manufacturer, not the crappy installer. I have tons of experience with auto electronics so the wiring of the remote start was not going to be an issue. I was just looking for any tips on removing the shroud without breaking any clips. I should have clarified this so to actually get some suggestions. If anybody needs tips to remove the shroud here’s what I did. 1. Remove the upper shroud first a. Lower the tilt lever and you can see the front clips from the hole where the tilt lever is. Unhook them with a long flathead screwdriver b. Push in on the sides of the shroud and lift up. You will begin to see the throat of the next clip. Push in on the clip with a taped up flathead screwdriver c. Repeat step B until all clips are undone 2. Remove the lower shroud a. Three torx screws from underneath (2 size 20 and 1 size 21) b. Lower the front of the lower shroud and then pull forward. Also the reason to purchase the ford remote start is because you don’t have to cut any ignition wires. It is supplied with an inline harness. You still have to tap in to wires in the kick panel (locks, dome, lights, brake) but none in the ignition harness. After market you must splice in to your ignition wires. If you guys want someone else hacking into ignition wires be my guest, not for me though. If you have no experience with mobile electronics I would say to find the best installer you can to install this product for you. Don’t look for price, look for quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baum Posted December 18, 2009 Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 For reference, with a remote start you DONT need to cut any wires in the entire install. You simply tap into the ignition wires same way as you did for your locks. a good install you should be able to look under the dash and not see one trace of anyhing being installed (besides an antenna on the wimdow). NOT all Experts are in it to make a quick buck. In my 12 years of service in that industry i can count on 1 hand and have fingers left over for how many times something either broke or got scratched. At my shop (personal owned) we would NOT hide anything from the customer. If a scratched happened we would either replace the part or give a disount on the product that was installed. You go to your big box stores that is sometimes where you have to worry. They tend to hire people without no expirence. You get to your small custom (ma-pa) type shops they have LOTS more expirence and know what they are doing. Accidents happen. Cold plastic is brittle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdedge Posted December 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2009 For reference, with a remote start you DONT need to cut any wires in the entire install. You simply tap into the ignition wires same way as you did for your locks. a good install you should be able to look under the dash and not see one trace of anyhing being installed (besides an antenna on the wimdow). NOT all Experts are in it to make a quick buck. In my 12 years of service in that industry i can count on 1 hand and have fingers left over for how many times something either broke or got scratched. At my shop (personal owned) we would NOT hide anything from the customer. If a scratched happened we would either replace the part or give a disount on the product that was installed. You go to your big box stores that is sometimes where you have to worry. They tend to hire people without no expirence. You get to your small custom (ma-pa) type shops they have LOTS more expirence and know what they are doing. Accidents happen. Cold plastic is brittle. Baum, There are plenty of good installers out there (I'm sure you are one of them). That's why I said in my previous post if you don't have a lot of experience with installing these things take it to a good installer. Just spend a good amount of time identifying whose good. I used to work in a big box retail install bay and I know what it's like. When I started I had very little experience, and when I asked how to remove a door panel I was told "pull". So I pulled and learned pretty quick that plastic clips are easy to break but also easy to hide from the customer. Like you said it's for sure that once and a while your going to break a tab (sometimes quick snap together plastic just doesn't come apart), but as you know you probably break 1/10th the clips that a big box installer breaks. When I said you need to cut in to ignition wires I meant tap the wire. But any time you splice in line you increase the risk for oxidation and breaking strands of copper which will change the impedence of the wire. Why tap a wire when you can use an inline harness? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgely Posted December 21, 2009 Report Share Posted December 21, 2009 Great to hear you got your remote starter installed and working flawlessly. On a bit of a side bar.....I apologize if you were taken back by the "help" you received earlier in the thread but please note that baum's opinion was prefaced with "No offense...." so what he said was NOT intended with malice. With that being said, keep in mind that this forum is for everyone with an interest in the look, care and function of their vehicle and have abilities ranging from highly experienced to "not a clue". So in the future, if you would like to avoid opinions, please note your experience or understanding of what you're doing. I don't think anyone (with the exception of "BlazedUp") is out for sabotage or insult so just be mindful that we're all here to help and trade experiences. No need to take things to heart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdedge Posted December 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2009 Great to hear you got your remote starter installed and working flawlessly. On a bit of a side bar.....I apologize if you were taken back by the "help" you received earlier in the thread but please note that baum's opinion was prefaced with "No offense...." so what he said was NOT intended with malice. With that being said, keep in mind that this forum is for everyone with an interest in the look, care and function of their vehicle and have abilities ranging from highly experienced to "not a clue". So in the future, if you would like to avoid opinions, please note your experience or understanding of what you're doing. I don't think anyone (with the exception of "BlazedUp") is out for sabotage or insult so just be mindful that we're all here to help and trade experiences. No need to take things to heart. duly noted I agree it was my fault I didn't preface with my experience. I enjoy the boards and look forward to being an active member. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baum Posted December 21, 2009 Report Share Posted December 21, 2009 (edited) Glad to hear you got it installed. Just for reference you saved the hassle of any connections, yes you are correct on the breaking strands of wire (which in the Edge are tiny wires also). However placing a connector in-line can also cause impedience drops also. As we know 99% of "goods" in the world are made in China. 1 thing can come in 10 varriations from there, you never know how clips and wires are from there. What did you use for the bypass of the PATS? Was it the factory piece? What is your thoughs on this if it was, how was the install of it? Edited December 21, 2009 by baum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mdedge Posted December 21, 2009 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2009 Glad to hear you got it installed. Just for reference you saved the hassle of any connections, yes you are correct on the breaking strands of wire (which in the Edge are tiny wires also). However placing a connector in-line can also cause impedience drops also. As we know 99% of "goods" in the world are made in China. 1 thing can come in 10 varriations from there, you never know how clips and wires are from there. What did you use for the bypass of the PATS? Was it the factory piece? What is your thoughs on this if it was, how was the install of it? I used ford securilock kit. It worked great, easy to install and program. You glue the antenna ring around the ignition cylinder and then just program like you would a key. The only issue I had was when putting back the steering column. It seems like the glued on antenna interferes with how the steering column shroud sits on the cylinder. It's unnoticeable, but seems like a little more gap then before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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