Hey guys how are ya? Sense I don't have the L anymore, I've gotta ask. Some ford cars keypads work while the car is running, some don't like my Cobra. I saw a crew cab f150 keypad's worked last night, but my Cobra doesn't. Would anyone know if there is anything I can do to get my keypads to work while the car is running?
Thanks much, Shane

 

Yes, It does.

 

My Lightning does and so does my Dad's Lincoln...

 

mine works

 

thanks for the replies. The reason I ask is because I just got a keypad for my Cobra and it doesnt work when the car is running. (that is the main reason I got it!)
It is just like a keyless entry keypad, just with #'s on it... (kinda like having a garage code on the side of your house...)
It unlocks the back trunk, and locks and unlocks the doors like a key fab would. It just doesnt work either when the key is on.

There has to be a way to get around the way the key pads are killed when the key is on. (the Lightning does it I dont know why the Cobra doesnt) Any suggestions, I dont even know where to start?
Shane

 

because the keypad on the trucks is hard wired into the keyless module, and wired to work when the key is on. The keypad you add to a mustang is nothing more than a key fob transmitter with a code to it. On the cars and trucks, the key fobs dont work if the key is on, so that explains why the "wireless" keypads don't either.

 

That was the original question of this thread and 3 people said the keypads do work while the Lightning is running. The other night I tried it on a crew cab f150 and they worked.
I know the # pad i bought is just like the keyless entry keypad that came with the car. It locks, unlocks the car and pops the trunk just like a regular keypad would. I understand it is the exact same thing as the keypad, kind of like a garage code on the side of the house.
I'm just trying to get my cobra to operate like the Lightnings do...

 

Is the keypad you installed in your Cobra hard wired to the vehicle? If not, it won't work. Most of the aftermarket keypads work like your keychain fob. Your keychain fob won't work while the car is running either.

 

Yeah I got that much. I know the keypad I installed with #'s is just like the keyless entry fab. I just wanted to have it outside the car, so I could run in somewhere real quick, and be able to lock up my car. Then come back, and be able to unlock it with the keypad/fab. But neither work when the car is running. I've got that much. What I need to try to figure out is if I can get the fabs to work somehow while the car is running. (like they do on the Lightnings)

 

When I had my 95 F150, someone posted that you could cut a wire on the brain(?) for the key fobs and they would work with the truck running. But someone else said that the A/C would not work with that wire cut.


Can you get a Mustang with a factory keypad? If so can you add it like we do for the Lightnings that don't come with it.

 

I want my ac to work, there has to be something I can do besides just cut the wire... What do you mean by can I get a factory keypad? Arent they the same between the Lightning and the Cobra? They are just programmed for each car, and internally different between the pcu and the car? (because the fabs work on the Lightnings) But they dont on the Cobra. If it was that easy, I would just cut a wire if I knew what one... But I dont want to sacrafise anything important like ac.

 

The keypad you got is like a key fob using a radio signal, the Lightning keypad is hard wired in.

 

The Lightnings before 03 had the same key fobs right? (it wasnt till 03 when the Lightnings started coming with the keypads)
Is there any way you can think of that I can enable the fobs to work through the radio signal while the key is in the on position?

 

If you get an aftermarket autostart system you can get it to work. They make some that work with the manual transmissions...a little scarey but it does work. I had one in my 98 Cobra. They aren't that expensive either, if you just go for the Autostart without the alarm. You can then leave your car running while you have the doors locked. Just a thought. Other than that, if you find a good stereo shop they may be able to bypass something to allow it to run. Not sure what's involved though.

 

Ford put the plug for the key pad in the door starting in 2000. I have a 01 that had the key pad put in before I got it. I also have a remote starter, so I don't use the factory key fob any more. The remote starter fob works with the truck running.


As far as the fob working with the car running, I only know about cutting the wire. I never looked into it any more when I found out about the A/C.