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I haven't found any information on the forum concerning this so I thought I would share to save others time and money. I bought a 2018 STX 9 months ago which came with the 3-button remotes (lock, unlock & panic). I added the factory alarm and remote start which allowed me to use the factory remotes by pressing "Lock Unlock & Lock" to start the truck. I always buy a spare key and remote just in case so I inquired with the service adviser if I could use the 4-button remote with the dedicated start button and LED feedback. After 2 visits I was told it "should work" by my local dealership (not very convincing) and I also checked compatibility with an aftermarket internet sales site which corroborated that as well. I took the new switchblade keyfob blank to my local key shop which cut the blank for $25 so I could begin the programming procedure and after 3 attempts following the owners manual instructions IT DID NOT WORK. I confirmed the battery was installed correctly in the new remote and the LED feedback did blink red indicating it was working but it would not start my truck or anything else. Now I am out $77 and still have no spare. DO NOT TRY TO REPLACE YOUR 3-BUTTON REMOTE WITH A 4-BUTTON AS THEY ARE NOT COMPATIBLE. If anyone has any additional information or knows something other than what I have discovered please feel free to share.
I haven't found any information on the forum concerning this so I thought I would share to save others time and money. I bought a 2018 STX 9 months ago which came with the 3-button remotes (lock, unlock & panic). I added the factory alarm and remote start which allowed me to use the factory remotes by pressing "Lock Unlock & Lock" to start the truck. I always buy a spare key and remote just in case so I inquired with the service adviser if I could use the 4-button remote with the dedicated start button and LED feedback. After 2 visits I was told it "should work" by my local dealership (not very convincing) and I also checked compatibility with an aftermarket internet sales site which corroborated that as well. I took the new switchblade keyfob blank to my local key shop which cut the blank for $25 so I could begin the programming procedure and after 3 attempts following the owners manual instructions IT DID NOT WORK. I confirmed the battery was installed correctly in the new remote and the LED feedback did blink red indicating it was working but it would not start my truck or anything else. Now I am out $77 and still have no spare. DO NOT TRY TO REPLACE YOUR 3-BUTTON REMOTE WITH A 4-BUTTON AS THEY ARE NOT COMPATIBLE. If anyone has any additional information or knows something other than what I have discovered please feel free to share.
First off, I don't think you added the "factory alarm & remote" but rather Perimeter Plus, am I correct? This gives an adjustable level of exterior shock warning and remote start capability. Next an STX is pretty basic in function so there isn't much hidden that you could use to make that remote functional beyond Perimeter Plus. I think that fourth remote start button is for use with the push button start option trucks. Third it appears at some point through the model run Ford decided not to make FOB programming an end user function. I know this is in your owners manual but like myself, others went down this rabbit hole to find it fruitless. It seems to be something that can only be done using Ford's IDS software. Forscan will not do it. You can try to get the dealer that confirmed it will work to marry your FOB and see if it works. That would be the only recourse. Otherwise thanks for trying and the heads up!
There are a few reasons wanting the 4-button remote. Convenience with a double tap of the "Start" button, the Lock/Unlock/Lock doesn't always work from inside the house which brings me to my primary reason I wanted the 4-button is "Feedback". The truck is so quiet I can't tell from inside if the truck started or not and the 4-button have LED lights to indicate Start or Failure. This is not an issue since I added a Flow Master Dual Cat-back Exhaust with the Super 40 muffler which affords me positive "Start" feedback. I still don't have a spare working keyfob and I purchased 2 from eBay but have not been able as you pointed out to get the truck into learning mode despite instructions in the owners manual and Youtube videos to the contrary. I did use forscan to add the Raptor splash screen, remote window Up/Down and enable Bambi mode for the headlights though.
The 3-button FOB runs on 315MHz and the 4-button FOB runs on 902MHz. You won't be able to get the 4-button FOB to work with your truck's keyless unless you replace the transmitter receiver to the correct one. The only thing you should be able to get it to work with is starting the truck in the ignition.
The alarm/remote start you added is not factory, but rather an add-on. Even if from Ford it is still an accessory add on. It plugs into the back of your OBD port and interfaces with the truck that way. It intercepts the lock/unlock signals and triggers the start up process when a certain combination is achieved. I've seen Lock/Unlock/Lock or Lock/Lock/Lock.
The 4-button receiver is the longer one. The 3-button is the shorter one. Sorry, but you won't be able to get the 4-button to work like they said it would. If you do want it to work - replacing the receiver is all that is necessary since you already have the 4-button key cut and you have FORScan. However, once you move to the new 902MHz receiver, your 3-button FOBs will no longer work for keyless.
06-08-2019, 04:25 PM
Replacement switchblade keyfob 3 vs 4-button
