Locks: Description and Operation

HANDLES, LOCKS, LATCHES AND ENTRY SYSTEMS

NOTE: The smart junction box (SJB) is also known as the generic electronic module GEM.

Hood Latch
The hood latch system contains a latch fastened to the body and a hood latch striker attached to the hood. The latch is controlled by a primary and a secondary hood latch release handle and cables.

Front Door
The front door entry system contains a latch that is fastened to the inside of the door frame and is controlled by the exterior and interior door handles. The latch contains a door ajar switch and a door lock actuator. The front doors can be locked/unlocked by the remote keyless entry (RKE) transmitter, the keyless entry keypad, the door lock control switch or the door lock cylinder.

Rear Door
The rear door entry system contains a latch that is fastened to the inside of the door frame, and is controlled by the exterior and interior door handles. The latch contains the door ajar switch and door lock actuator. The rear doors can be locked/unlocked by the RKE transmitter, the keyless entry keypad, or the door lock control switches. The rear doors have a child safety lock feature, which is a manual lock on the inside of the rear door frame. When the child safety feature is on, the rear doors cannot be opened from the interior door handle.

Liftgate
The liftgate system contains a latch located on the bottom of the inside frame of the liftgate, which is controlled by the exterior liftgate release handle. The liftgate window latch is mounted on the upper center portion of the liftgate frame and includes the ajar switch and the latch actuator. The liftgate window latch is actuated by the release switch mounted on the license plate housing, the RKE transmitter, or the keyless entry keypad. The liftgate window glass release switch operates only when all the doors are unlocked.

Tailgate
The tailgate release handle is integrated with a lock cylinder. The 2 latches are actuated by 2 actuating rods that are controlled by the release handle and remote control.

Power Lock/Unlock
The smart junction box (SJB) controls the power locking/unlocking feature of all of the vehicle doors, including the liftgate. The determination to lock or unlock the vehicle is based off the input received from the door lock trim switch(es), the keyless entry keypad or the remote keyless entry (RKE) transmitter (if the vehicle speed is less than 5 km/h [3 mph]). Power locking and unlocking of the doors function independently of the key position, vehicle speed or transmission position. The SJB activates internal relays to supply power for the door lock actuators.

The liftgate window glass is released, using the keyless entry keypad or the RKE transmitter, and does not operate if the vehicle speed is greater than 5 km/h (3 mph).

Autolock
The autolock feature locks all the doors when all the doors, including the liftgate, are closed, after the brake pedal is pressed, and the vehicle speed exceeds 20 km/h (12 mph) or higher for a minimum of 2 seconds. This feature also relocks the doors (if any doors were open) after the brake pedal is pressed, once the SJB receives door closed inputs from all door ajar switches and vehicle speed exceeds 20 km/h (12 mph) for a minimum of 2 seconds. The autolock feature can be enabled/disabled through module configuration, the ignition switch, the message center (if equipped) and the keyless entry keypad. The autolock feature also uses inputs from the key position, the stoplamp switch and vehicle speed through the controller area network (CAN) from the ABS module.

Auto-Unlock
The auto-unlocking feature unlocks all the doors when all of the following conditions are met:
- All the doors are closed
- The key is in the run position and the vehicle was in motion at a speed greater than 20 km/h (12 mph) for a minimum of 2 seconds since the last key start. Then the vehicle comes to a stop and the key is turned to the OFF or ACCY position
- The driver door is opened within 10 minutes of the key being turned to the OFF or ACCY position

The doors do not auto-unlock if:
- The doors are locked using the door lock control switches
- The doors are locked with the keyless entry keypad or the RKE transmitter within 10 minutes of turning the key to the ACC or OFF position
- 10 minutes elapse and the driver door is not opened

Smart Unlock
The smart unlock feature prevents all the doors from being locked with the key in the ignition lock cylinder. When the SJB receives a lock command from a front door lock control switch, and the key is in the ignition lock cylinder with one of the front doors open, the SJB commands all the doors to unlock.

Unlock Inhibit Feature

NOTE: The unlock inhibit feature is configured off from the factory.

The unlock inhibit feature prevents the doors from being unlocked from the door lock control switches after certain conditions have been met. This feature is designed to prevent vehicle theft.

The conditions for the unlock inhibit feature are:
- The key is out of the ignition
- All doors are closed
- The vehicle has been locked using the remote keyless entry (RKE) transmitter, keyless entry keypad (if equipped), or the door lock control switch (while the front door was open then subsequently closed)
- 20 seconds have elapsed once all doors are closed and locked

Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) Transmitter

Explorer, Mountaineer:

Explorer Sport Trac:

The RKE transmitter initiates the following electronic system functions:
- Unlocks the driver door (with stepped unlock enabled)
- Unlocks all doors
- Locks all doors
- Releases the liftgate window glass (Explorer only)
- Activates/deactivates the panic alarm
- Commands the interior lamps on (when unlocking) and off (when locking)
- Sounds the horn once when LOCK is pressed twice within 3 seconds, and the doors are closed
- Sounds the horn twice when LOCK is pressed twice within 3 seconds, and any door is open

The RKE transmitter has an operating range of 10 m (33 ft).

The RKE transmitters can be programmed using a scan tool or by using the remote keyless entry transmitter programming procedure.

Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) Transmitter Lock/Unlock Control - Lock
The RKE transmitter feature requests that all the doors be locked when the lock button is pressed. On any press of the lock button with all doors closed, the SJB provides 1 flash of the parking lamps. If any door is ajar, no flash occurs. As soon as the last door is closed, the SJB provides the flash of the parking lamps. If 2 presses of the lock button are received within 3 seconds the horn chirps once, and the parking lamps flash twice to indicate that all the doors are closed and locked. If any door is ajar when the second lock request is received within 3 seconds of the first, the RKE transmitter feature requests the SJB chirp the horn twice without flashing the parking lamps to indicate it locked all the doors, but 1 or more doors are ajar. When the key is in the ON or START position, the parking lamp flashes and horn chirp confirmations do not occur.

Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) Transmitter Lock/Unlock Control - Unlock
The RKE transmitter feature provides lock/unlock functions independently of key position or transmission position. The RKE feature will not unlock the doors if the vehicle speed is greater than 20 km/h (12 mph). The RKE transmitter feature provides a stepped (if enabled) process for unlocking the doors. Upon receipt of the first request for unlocking the doors, the RKE control feature requests the SJB to unlock the driver door only. If another unlock request is received within 3 seconds of the first, the RKE transmitter feature requests the SJB to unlock all the doors. This feature can be changed to global unlock, so that all the doors unlock on the first press of the unlock button.

Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) Liftgate Glass Release (Explorer, Mountaineer)
The RKE transmitter feature provides liftgate release function independently of key position. The vehicle speed must be less than 5 km/h (3 mph) for this function to work.

Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) Transmitter Memory Seat
The RKE transmitter feature provides memory seat/adjustable pedals easy entry feature. When the unlock button is pressed, the drivers seat and adjustable pedals move to the desired memory position (the seat and pedal position corresponds to the transmitter being used). This feature can be enabled/disabled.

Panic Alarm
The panic alarm feature provides audible and visual alarms which are evident from the exterior of the vehicle. The panic alarm feature requests that the parking lamps are flashed and the horn sounds until deactivation. The flashing of the outputs occurs simultaneously. Activation of the panic alarm is accomplished by pressing the panic button on an RKE transmitter whenever the key is in the OFF or ACC positions. At all other times this feature is disabled. Deactivation of an active PANIC alarm is accomplished by any of the following actions:
- A second press of the RKE transmitter panic button
- The key is switched out of the OFF or ACC position
- A period of 2 minutes and 45 seconds has elapsed since the initial activation

Keyless Entry Keypad
The keypad, located on the exterior of the driver door, provides a method for customers to access their vehicle without a key or RKE transmitter. The keypad feature:
- Locks all doors
- Unlocks the driver door
- Unlocks all doors
- Programs/erases the customer key code
- Enables/disables auto-unlocking
- Enables/disables autolocking
- Releases the liftgate window glass

The keypad feature operates independently of key position status, vehicle speed, or transmission position. When a keypad button is pressed, the keypad buttons illuminate to provide better visibility. If the lock all doors command is entered or 5 seconds have elapsed since the last button press, the illumination is turned off.

Each vehicle equipped with a keypad is programmed with a 5-digit entry code. This code is provided to the customer through a wallet card in the Owner's Literature. In addition, this code is available through a scan tool and is also printed on the SJB label. When entering codes, each digit must be entered within 5 seconds of the previous button press.

Locking the Doors with the Keyless Entry Keypad System
It is not necessary to enter the factory set or personal code prior to locking all doors. To lock all doors, press the 7/8 and 9/0 controls at the same time.

Unlocking the Doors with the Keyless Entry Keypad System
To unlock the driver door, enter either the factory set code or a personal code; each digit must be pressed within 5 seconds of the prior digit. The interior lamps illuminate.

To unlock all doors, enter either the factory set code or a personal code (driver door unlocks) and press the 3/4 control within 5 seconds.

To open the liftgate window glass, enter the factory set code or a personal code (driver door unlocks) and press the 5/6 control within 5 seconds.

Anti-Scan Feature
To provide added security, the keypad is disabled for 1 minute after 35 button presses without a valid entry code being entered. The keypad illumination flashes during this 1-minute mode with all functionality disabled except for 7/8 and 9/0 still being allowed to lock the vehicle.

Anti-Scan is turned off after 1 minute of keypad inactivity.