Reprogramming ABS unit with forscan help needed

[haynes1]

Hey all, hope someone can help me out with my problem, i've got a Galaxy 2007 1.8 tdci.

My ECU died on me, sent off to ecutesting but they could not test it as they don't have the software for it! I bought a replacement ecu kit which came with cluster, ecu, bcm, key & transponder ring. I've installed it all on my car but i still keep getting immobilizer active message. Error messages i got from Forscan was ABS Module sent invalid data (something along those lines) After a bit of digging i am led to believe that the ABS Module is part of the immobilizer in this car, unfortunately the donor car i got the ecu kit from is now crushed so no quick change possible! From my research apparently the abs needs to be reprogrammed to the new vin from the ecu kit & then do the PATS bit on it. I am also led to believe that because my car is an older version i can do it via forscan (i have extended licence) rather than IDS.

Can anyone guide me on how to do this as i have absolutely no clue how to do it.

[unofix]

3 minutes ago, haynes1 said:

From my research apparently the abs needs to be reprogrammed to the new vin from the ecu kit & then do the PATS bit on it. I am also led to believe that because my car is an older version i can do it via FORScan

I can confirm that the ABS unit is part of the PATS security system.

Sad to say that the functionality to programme ABS units was removed from FORScan some years ago now because of safety and legal concerns. Perhaps someone on the forum may have more knowledge about that.

As far as I'm aware, only some of the larger Ford main dealers have the capability to programme ABS units and none of them will re-programme a second hand unit. They will of course sell you a brand new ABS unit and programme it for around £800ish

There are also two companies somewhere in the UK that also have the necessary equipment to re-programme  used ABS units but I don't have any information on how to contact either of them.

[unofix]

You could of course just put all of the original equipment back and then re-programme the replacement ECU using FORScan which can be done. Your original ECU files "AsBuilt" can be automatically be downloaded using FORScan from the Ford servers.

[haynes1]

22 minutes ago, unofix said:

You could of course just put all of the original equipment back and then re-programme the replacement ECU using FORScan which can be done. Your original ECU files "AsBuilt" can be automatically be downloaded using FORScan from the Ford servers.

Really??? Wow! I looked at some cloning services but they said SID206 is hard to do. I thought i'd just get my original ecu cloned. 

If i can re-program the ecu myself i'll give it a shot as i've got nothing to lose. I would greatly appreciate a guide of what i need to do. Additionally i only have 1 original key for my car and i recall reading somewhere that i need 2 keys for PATS, but i don't know if this applied in my case?

[StephenFord]

5 hours ago, haynes1 said:

Additionally i only have 1 original key for my car and i recall reading somewhere that i need 2 keys for PATS, but i don't know if this applied in my case?

As far as I'm aware, a decent auto locksmith would be able to program a 2nd key for you. (you cannot do it yourself with only one key). You need a properly registered '2nd' key to the PATS system, many locksmiths (including Timpsons) will simply 'clone' your original key, so what you end up with is 2 x keys that will work, they'll start your car, but are useless for programming as the car still thinks it only has one key registered...

[unofix]

Using a fully licensed version of FORScan and a good ELM327(modified) cable or the new vLinker FS cable you should be able to programme in a new key to the PATS system. This can only be done for cars built before 2013.

As Stephen has correctly said many locksmiths will simply clone your existing key which personally I think is a very bad idea, but it kind of works. As far as the car is concerned you still only have one working key, just that you have two copies of it.

 

[unofix]

5 hours ago, haynes1 said:

if i can re-program the ecu myself i'll give it a shot as i've got nothing to lose. I would greatly appreciate a guide of what i need to do.

search the FORScan forum for full details:

https://forscan.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=5

[haynes1]

So an update on my situation, i decided that i was not up to the task of completely bricking my car, so i put back all my original equipment, took my stuffed ecu & donor ecu to bloke in Birmingham that does ecu cloning, he managed to clone my ecu for me, he had to open my original and & do something, can't remember what, but he managed to copy the contents including the immo stuff.  Came home plugged it in & immobilizer is still active! I was gutted that it didn't work. I used forscan to check codes only thing coming up was from the BCM b10d7:94 Unexpected Operation.  I found a pdf online that suggest this may be down to a transponder issue with the key or the transceiver ring, i recalled when i bought the ecu kit i wanted to put the transponder from that into my current key, the locksmith guy tried to dig it out but eventually gave up and said its molded into the plastic & just cloned the transponder for me & used my keyblade on another fob. 

I looked at my original keyfob and could see it had been butchered a bit, today it took it to a different keysmith & asked him to check if my transponder was working, low & behold it was dead! I got quotes for a new transponder to be programmed to my car and the cheapest quote i got was £140 plus vat for just 1 transponder and no new keys involved. I thought about it & said what the heck, i'll give it a bash with forscan, worst that could happen is already done.  I only have 1 key blade for it, i took the cloned transponder from the ecu kit & i took a transponder from a mate that's got 3 keys, went onto forscan deleted all known keys, and started programming new keys. I followed forscan screen instructions and by a miracle managed to get 2 keys programmed, i did a module initialization & prayed! Bingo, my car started and no immobilizer messages! Did another scan for codes and no codes at all.

Don't know if i got lucky in this whole issue, but the takeaway here is forscan is awesome and i managed to do the programming with used transponders, something i was sure wouldn't work. 

Thanks to all that tried to help out! Key cover now added to insurance 😆

[Jimpster]

I got a new key [flik] used forscan wiped all keys held in PATS and recoded 2 new ones, followed a youtube vid worked perfectly both keys are recognised and operate as they should. Transponders was my only squeaky bum moment as to which i had or needed.

[StephenFord]

14 minutes ago, Jimpster said:

I got a new key [flik] used forscan wiped all keys held in PATS and recoded 2 new ones, followed a youtube vid worked perfectly both keys are recognised and operate as they should. Transponders was my only squeaky bum moment as to which i had or needed.

As spoken before recently, I upgraded to a 'flik' remote key  I now have 3 registered keys to my car, confirmed by my garage who was checking if I had any outstanding codes from a recent cluster repair.

[Jimpster]

https://ohptools.com/blogs/news/how-to-program-your-transponder-keys-using-forscan