Anyone replaced/programmed a Driver's Door Module on a Town Car?

[Kaysboat]

I have a weird problem on the 2007 Town Car I have narrowed down to a faulty driver's door module. When I parked the car, there were no issues, but when I started it up the following things didn't work:

1. Keyfob locks and trunk release
2. Driver's seat
3. Power mirrors
4. Dome light does not come on when door opens

I'm fairly sure it's a faulty driver's door module, and can get one off ebay and replace it no issues. But, I understand they need to be programmed. Does anyone have any experience with that, or know any other info about these I should know (beside buy the exact part number replacement)?

Thanks.

[sly]

You should check the grounds under the driver side of the dash and kick panel and the fuses first to rule out a bad connection or blown fuse causing your trouble.

[TecNickal]

Ah yes. I'm all too familiar.

Yes, all of these items do come back to the Driver Door Module.

For your car, you can use any Driver Door Module from any 2006-2008 Town Car. Keep in mind a 2008 Town Car will have TPMS enabled, so it'll start whining on the dashboard about that if you get one from a 2008. You could get one from a similar era Crown Vic or Grand Marquis but will probably be missing functions.

If you have a laptop and a obd2 adapter, you could use ForScan to validate inputs/outputs from the box to make sure everything is otherwise OK.

2003-5, and 2006-8 Town Cars do have flakey door modules - usually with solder joint failures inside the plastic box. Constant door slamming plus cold temps don't give them great durability.

[GM_Guy]

With all those functions down, wiring/grounds as Sly suggests. Unless the towncar is different, power seats is just a switch on the door panel and doesn't communicate with the ddm, same for power mirrors.

[Kaysboat]

Humm, ok. Thanks for the info on the parts.

Yesterday, the functions started and stopped working randomly (basically every time I opened and closed the door). Fairly sure it's a bad connection. TechNical, I assume the solder joints you were referring to are internal to the box and can't really be fixed?

[friskyfrankie]

The joints can be fixed if you are adept with a soldering iron. I would also check all the wiring harnesses going into the unit especially the ones going through the rubber cover going into the door. That last part may take some doing.

[Kaysboat]

I was lucky enough to find two modules with the same part number at a junkyard, but neither car had any key fobs and I couldn't find the keyless door code (stickers were not on the trunk hinges).

I think that I can install the box, and everything should world minus the keyless entry (not too concerned about that) and the key fob. I think if I take it to a Ford dealer, they can reprogram my fobs to work with the "new" module and reset the keypad.

Is that correct?

I don't mind mechanical stuff, but I hate electrical and especially programming issues.

Thanks.

[sly]

Call the dealer first of course, but yes, they should be able to.

[Kaysboat]

I did the swap today and things are a bit better. The door lock buttons work, the radio turns off when the door is opened, and the seat warmers work. The fob doesn't work, and the power seats don't work. Both junk yard modules performed the same, but they were out of a Grand Marquis (seats should still work though as the MGMs had the power seat switches in the doors) and the part numbers were identical.

I will keep an eye open for a Town Car module.

[Vinci]

I did the swap today and things are a bit better. The door lock buttons work, the radio turns off when the door is opened, and the seat warmers work. The fob doesn't work, and the power seats don't work. Both junk yard modules performed the same, but they were out of a Grand Marquis (seats should still work though as the MGMs had the power seat switches in the doors) and the part numbers were identical.

I will keep an eye open for a Town Car module.

The keyless module is easy to program in FORScan. That will make your fob work, and any other fob you want to add. I recall there is also another way to program a new fob without FORScan, you should be able to Google it. Something like turning the key from start to run 8 times in less than 10 seconds?

WRT to the seats, there could be one of two things going on - 1) If you have memory seats, I think they do communicate with the DDM. If the DDM is not a TC memory seat DDM, it may not be recognizing the seat switch. 2)There is one hot lead that has something like 7 splices, 6 of which are in the harness right at the bottom of the door where the harness comes through the door below the speaker. One of those splices I believe goes to the seat switch. Make sure you have voltage to the seat switch.

Failing all that, it's a seat switch.

[Kaysboat]

Just reprogrammed the fobs. That is a sweet trick (move key from off to run about 8 times, locks cycle, push lock and unlock bottoms, programming done). Thanks for the tip.

As far as the seats go, maybe (probably) the Grand Marquis' didn't have memory seats. I'm not too concerned about that in the short term as I'm the only one who drives the car, but will keep a look out for a Town Car module and/or just get it programmed at a dealer.