Hi

I have a '99 AU Fairmont with Smartshield (not Smartlock because it's the update model) that immobilised itself a few weeks ago after a simple battery disconnect and has been sitting in the driveway ever since. We tried the "key on" routine and it still won't start. The hand symbol won't disappear when you turn the key to "on" and the car doesn't crank over at all but when you lock up the car with remote the hand flashes like normal.

All fuses and relays are fine. I had a friend come over with a Scan Tool and he couldn't get in to read the ECU. Everything else checks out fine. No error codes or anything like that. I had the ECU sent off to a guy that checks and repairs them and even he can't read it and has told me that I need to tow the car to Ford for them to fix.

I'm wondering - am I able to simply swap ECU's over? For example, swap it over with say an xr6 type? Would I need to change the BEM aswell? I've heard that xr6 ECU's handle cam and other mods quite well (my current mods are JMM Dev1 + Streetfighter cam - Unichip sitting in the drawer ready for install when the car is back on the road)

The issue I have with taking it to Ford is that if it turns out that I need a new ECU then I'd rather pay to change mine to something different instead of paying for another stock one.

I really don't know what to do here so any advice would really be appreciated.

Yep, straight swap to the AU XR6 ECU, nothing else needed.

but as far as i know the smartsheild is part of teh BCM not the ecu...

Fords dont have a BCM

But yes, smartsheild and smartlock are part of the BEM, and have nothing to do with the ECU other than giving the 'OK' signal to the ECU to start when the car is disarmed and keyed successfully.

the ECU and the BEM need to be linked. you cannot change the ECU without taking it to ford and getting it linked to your BEM.
if you get a ECU,BEM and ignition and key from the one car you can swap the lot and it will work.

this is the way we get wrecks running if they turn up without a key.

Isnt there a relarn procedure, similar to that of Smartlock when you relearn the Key to the BEM ?

not that im aware of. i know on some yankie cars there is a sequence of switches to re-program the key. ie ingnition on - off 3 times . press the rear demist switch , boot release 3 times then the ignition on - off again
key is now ready for use

In the manual for the AU there's a procedure for re-coding the keys.

only for smartlock.

you have to have a "parameter reset" done to your bem, only done at your local ford dealer

Yes, but there are alot of things which ford suggests can only done by them, which are and can be done by your every day joe blow.

There must be someone who works at ford who can tell us more about this procedure.

I DO WORK AT A FORD DEALERSHIP AND THIS PROCEDURE CAN ONLY BE DONE A NGS TOOL OR A WDS TOOL

There is a learn procedure for BEM to Key but not for EEC to BEM.
I recently wired up an AU2 5.0 into an XH ute that had it's EEC blown up by a dodgy auto electrician. It had to be taken to a dealer to have it's new EEC reinitialised to suit the BEM/Key. The EEC itself does receive the unique serial data code from the BEM...it is not a simple, common to all code like smartlock. This code must be flashed into the EEC by a WDS/NGS.
You could do this yourself if you reverse engineer the Ford code and had reflash cable/procedure .

Pete.