Where is the keypad module for a 1990 Town Car?

[TecNickal]

Where is the keypad module for a 1990 Town Car? I know the 95-97 have it inside the driver door.

[mcninetyone]

I'm pretty sure that it's behind the glove box.
I could be wrong though!

[gadget73]

thats where it lives on an 80s model. Reasonably sure its still there in '90. Its more off to the kick panel side though.

[TecNickal]

Ahhh - and I was looking in the trunk!!! now I want to go take the door panel off and see if I see all the wiring still in the door panel for it... if so I just need to cut a hole in the door for the keypad and install.

[DerekTheGreat]

Is that keypad module the same module that controls the autolock feature? Ashley's 89 has it and mentions it in her owner's manual but my 88 says nothing of the sort. There are a couple 89's at the boneyards I could pinch if it's a plug & play deal.

Oh, be sure to grease up the bare metal spots on the door when you're done, wouldn't want cancer to set in.

[gadget73]

yeah, that keypad.

If you don't have the option the wiring won't be there. The lock circuits work entirely differently with and without auto-lock. With the module, the lock and unlock relays live inside that unit. Without it, you've got just a pair of standard relays doing duty. The driver's door also gets it's own unlock relay vs just being connected with all the rest on a non-keyless car. It was optional, but by now a lot of the keypads are dead. I've actually got a piece of trim from a keyless entry car with a good keypad, but its not an option on my car. One of these days I do plan to figure out how to install it, even if its bridged into the stock system in a slightly odd way. I did figure out how to modify the hardware to change the factory key code. No idea what I did with that module but I've got my notes for how to change one to use whatever code you wish.

[DerekTheGreat]

Cool.

By autolock do you also mean keyless entry?
My car has keyless & illuminated entry like her car does but with hers you can get the locks to automatically lock when the car is put in gear by pressing some sequence (found in her owners manual but not mine) after you punch in the unlock code. I tried the same thing with mine but no dice. That's where I got the idea of swapping out my 88 module for an 89 if it was simply plug and play, like premium amp to JBL amp goodness.

[gadget73]

yeah, keyless entry goes with that automatic lock thing. Its all in the same module.

That function was standard on all of those modules. I know Scott's '86 had it.

Do your reverse lights work? It works by watching for the reverse light circuit to switch on and back off. If those don't work, it'll never see that you shifted through the gears to lock the doors.

[DerekTheGreat]

Oh, it's odd then that her owner's manual has instructions on how to turn that feature on and off but mine does not. They have the same generic content about the keypad though.

My reverse lights work, I tried entering the sequence multiple times with no success so I figured it was a model year thing. Perhaps the module is bad? Ashley says I can have hers if I give her my ride height sensor :/

[gadget73]

you could check it for input from the reverse light just in case the connection is broken somewhere.

Do the locks work if you hit the lock switch in the car? If not, the lock relay is probably toast. You can usually fix that by opening it up and polishing the contacts. Its not real hard to dissect. I forget the particulars but its a locking tab of some sort and then the guts slide out. The relays are open contact types right on the board.

[TecNickal]

Found keypad code in the trunk!
Now to hunt down the module under the dash.no auto lock currently working and no visible missing connector inside the door panel. No idea if reverse lights work.

[DerekTheGreat]

Right on the hinge or something, right? Hopefully they didn't just gak the wiring harness at the time of R&R but it's possible. I've seen some rather stupid things at junkyards that only someone with zero fucks to give would do.

Gadget, the locks work if you hit the switches or even if you use 7|8 + 9|0 on the keypad. All that stuff works, like enter key pad code then pressing 3|4 opens all the other doors and/or pressing 5|8 opens the trunk.

[gadget73]

relays onboard are fine then, sounds like its not seeing input from either the reverse light circuit or the seat switch. Pretty sure there is a seat switch input anyway. I don't have the book in front of me.

[DerekTheGreat]

Aye aye, I'll get the manual in front of me and then go digging. Probably do that the same time I fiddle with the speakers.

[TecNickal]

So for the module, passenger side of dash, look at the A pillar that comes down to the footwell. if you look up under the dash in that corner, you'll have a box with 3 plugs and if it's a car that uses a remote clicker, you'll find an antenna wire coming out of it. That's your keypad module. And contrary to popular belief - the 90 - 94 modules DO print the code on the box, i checked on a 91 and a 94. 1 bolt removed will lower the module from the dash.