Programming new key at the dealer

Steve777 · **Joined:** Fri Oct 16, 2015 11:31 pm **Posts:** 279

So I finally bit the bullet and made an appt at a dealer to cut and program in a couple of new keys (only got the one when I bought it).

Well an hour or so after they got it in, the tech came back and said that he could not program the new keys because the PIN they pulled from the dealer computer did not work??? He also said that there were several modules (the PCM and BCM, whatever they are) that are not communicating. The dealer said they would need to take the car for a couple of days to track down the problem, and call the Chrysler techs to see what's up. They theorized that someone other than a dealer might have replaced some modules. No upper limit on the cost to do this, but at least 2-3 hours of labor, plus whatever modules might need replacing...

So I took the car back, and am wondering what my next step is.

I am generally pretty good with car electronics, but have no experience with Jeep electronics (although I guess that is going to change :wink:

). And I generally don't trust the dealership, since they often seem to be clueless when it comes to the electronics of even their own cars. So I was hoping that someone here might be able to suggest some next steps.

What and where are the PCM and BCM modules in an 06 Liberty? I assume a good first step is to have a look at those and check their connectors. And are the PCM/BCM involved in programming a key or remote or is this just additional work the dealer was trying to get to do?

What does it mean that the dealer's PIN for the car does not work? Who else could have reset/changed the PIN in the car. Can the PIN be reset again, and who can do that, does it need to be a dealer?

And can anyone describe what the layout of the various electronic modules in the Liberty are, what they do and what stops working when they fail?

I know with my VW TDIs, there is the VAG-COM software which basically allows one to do almost everything a dealer can, at least as far as programming keys, remotes, engine timing etc. Does such a program exist for Jeeps?

Thanks in advance.

Big Montana · **Posted:** Sat Mar 05, 2016 4:34 pm

I just posted on this in another thread. I think the BCM is the little silver module in front and below the battery. Mine rusted through a few years ago, and it affected the communication throughout the entire Jeep. The lights on the dash would go off and on, and eventually I was locked out of my own car when the Key Fob stopped working. I triggered the alarm while dropping it off at the dealer, and I had to pull the battery. They thought that it could be the ECU, but after replacing the BCM with a new one, all of my problems were fixed. Keith at GDE told me that it's the body control module that allows all of the systems to communicate with the ECU (I hope that's what he said because that was a few years ago).

See if it's corroded or covered in moisture. Mine was packed with snow and the bracket that holds it to the frame was rusted through. It wasn't too expensive to replace.

I've had three Key Fob problems with this Jeep in the last 11 years of ownership. During my third day of ownership it wouldn't recognize the key and the Jeep would stall after three seconds. It was towed back to the dealer and the Key Fob unit was replaced. Then about 5 years later. The key fobs stopped working again, and it set off the alarm when I tried to open the door with the key. It was towed again to a dealer and they replaced the same module.

This last time, like I said, it was the BCM that had to be replaced.

I hope you figure it out.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Sat Mar 05, 2016 11:15 pm

The bcm is integrated with the fuse box. The gateway is the silver module below the battery.

Steve777 · **Joined:** Fri Oct 16, 2015 11:31 pm **Posts:** 279

Ok, I am revisiting this since a local 06 Libby has arrived in the junk yard and I am pulling parts hoping to fix this key programming and code pulling problem.

I could find the BCM attached to the fuse box on the yard's Libby no problem. But we searched all over and could not find any trace of a gateway module anywhere. From what Sam and others have said the gateway should be a silver colored rectangle bolted to the frame under the battery somewhere. We could find pics of one online. We (yard guy and me) just could not find anything like that, not even mounting holes in the expected places.

So, couple of question on this gateway module:

Any chance they may have been deleted it for 06's?

Would it still be there on a gas powered 06 Libby? Same location?

At the risk of sounding dumb or blind (or both :lol:

), could someone tell me exactly where it should be. I have looked around the battery in the engine compartment. Under the battery, on the frame and body metal down around there and nothing. Did they hide it somewhere else, maybe outside of the rail? Where is that sucker???

TIA

flash7210 · **Posted:** Wed Sep 21, 2016 4:52 pm

Apparently the 06 doesnt have the gateway module.

ebbnflow · **Posted:** Thu Sep 22, 2016 1:42 pm

My 06 does not have a FCM aka gateway module.

Steve777 · **Joined:** Fri Oct 16, 2015 11:31 pm **Posts:** 279

Thanks guys. Glad to hear there isn't a gateway module on an 06; makes me feel better about not being able to find it.

So if there isn't a gateway module on my 06 to go bad, where else should I look for the problem of the modules not communicating with eachother? Is it likely the BCM? Where are other places to check?

This Libby is pretty stock. The only obvious "addition" is the PO put in a trailer brake controller, so someone may have fat fingered that wiring.

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Thu Sep 22, 2016 8:58 pm

Hey Steve,

Sorry I missed in your post earlier that it was an 06. As already noted the 06 does not have the front control module (aka gateway).

Unless you are having other issues that are obvious with symptoms I'm not sure communication is your issue.

Does your AC work? Does the compressor cycle? If you have a GOOD scan tool into the jeep can you read AC pressure from the ECU?

The following is the pinout of the FCM(I realize not on your 06, but these instead go into the BCM):

1 - -
2 D25 18WT/VT PCI BUS
3 - -
4 - -
5 D21 20WT/GY SCI TRANSMIT (ECM)
6 - -
7 K302 20BR/WT ENGINE OIL PRESSURE SENSOR SIGNAL
8 D65 20WT/LG CAN C BUS (+)
9 D64 20WT/LB CAN C BUS (-)
10 K303 20BR/OR WATER IN FUEL SENSOR SIGNAL
11 K305 20BR/LB A/C PRESSURE SENSOR SIGNAL
12 - -
13 K347 20BR/PK FUSED ASD RELAY OUTPUT
14 K125 16BR/DG GEN FIELD CONTROL
15 - -
16 K301 20BR/LG 5 VOLT SUPPLY
17 K304 20BR/DB FUEL LEVEL SENSOR SIGNAL
18 - -
19 - -
20 K300 20BR SENSOR GROUND
21 - -
22 K310 20BR/DG A/C PRESSURE SENSOR GROUND
23 - -
24 Z932 18BK GROUND

So, AC, generator excitation, oil pressure, etc................all of these are reported on the CANBUS, and the ECU needs them, if your BCM is not communicating to the ECU then your battery isn't going to charge right, your WIF light is likely on, and your AC wont work.

Now the SKIM, the SKIM communicates to the ECU on the CANBUS, does your jeep start and run? If so then the SKIM is communicating.

Does your gauge cluster work, at all? If so the gauge cluster is communicating.

I wonder if the dealer did not know what they were doing, with the dealer scan tool(DRBIII) you can reprogram keys and ECUs to match vehicles. I have noticed that sometimes the DRBIII will hang while trying to enter the program mode for the SKIM/TPMS.

However you need to have a key matched to the ECU for it to run - which means both the VIN and PIN need to match between the ECU and SKIM, and you can read that VIN, if that vin matches your Jeep then the PIN from the dealer should allow you to program it.

What part of the world are you in? If you were within driving distance I could possibly help as I have a DRBIII that can look into these things, the DRBIII support official ends in 05 but the key related functions all appear to work.

EDIT: Also messed up CANBUS comms will trigger a CEL on some level. Oh and the ABS pump is what reads vehicle speed, so if your speedo is working its communicating on the CANBUS.

Steve777 · **Joined:** Fri Oct 16, 2015 11:31 pm **Posts:** 279

Thanks Sam-

The AC work normally, that is compressor cycles and makes the air cold. However for whatever reason the light on the AC button does not come on when it is pressed in but the air gets cold as expected.

Gauge cluster works normally, no lights on except when the key first comes on before start. Speedo works reasonably accurately. And the battery has decent voltage on it from the Alt and stays charged. So sounds like some stuff is communicating.

The only "odd" symptoms were when I got these new keys/remotes and tried to program them in. I tried adding the remotes since in theory you only needed one working one (which is all I have) to do it. Just would not work. I went thru the sequence dozens of times. Never would seem to get into that "program mode". Then I took it to the dealer, he cut the keys but said he could not program them in key or remote, the whole communication thing.

I can certainly believe that the dealer did not know what they were doing (most don't it seems). Later at home though my neighbor brought over his scan tool (a fairly fancy one with a Chrysler module). His tool just could not read anything, and he was just trying to read it as a generic Chrysler.

So something seems to be up. It would be great if you had the time to look at this. I don't think I am too far away from you; I'm in the foothills W of Boulder, but get up to Loveland fairly often. Where are you locate or what's a convenient location for you?

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Fri Sep 23, 2016 12:12 am

Steve777 wrote:

Thanks Sam-

The AC work normally, that is compressor cycles and makes the air cold. However for whatever reason the light on the AC button does not come on when it is pressed in but the air gets cold as expected.

Gauge cluster works normally, no lights on except when the key first comes on before start. Speedo works reasonably accurately. And the battery has decent voltage on it from the Alt and stays charged. So sounds like some stuff is communicating.

The only "odd" symptoms were when I got these new keys/remotes and tried to program them in. I tried adding the remotes since in theory you only needed one working one (which is all I have) to do it. Just would not work. I went thru the sequence dozens of times. Never would seem to get into that "program mode". Then I took it to the dealer, he cut the keys but said he could not program them in key or remote, the whole communication thing.

I can certainly believe that the dealer did not know what they were doing (most don't it seems). Later at home though my neighbor brought over his scan tool (a fairly fancy one with a Chrysler module). His tool just could not read anything, and he was just trying to read it as a generic Chrysler.

So something seems to be up. It would be great if you had the time to look at this. I don't think I am too far away from you; I'm in the foothills W of Boulder, but get up to Loveland fairly often. Where are you locate or what's a convenient location for you?

I am in Fort Collins. I should have some free time next Tuesday - Oct 3, then I am out on the road again for awhile. We would need your keys and the PIN for the VIN you think the vehicle has in the ECU. I'm assuming mechanically the keys fit the cylinder correctly?

Best I know of the "program mode" is that it takes two working keys to do this, but I have never messed with it before.

profdlp · **Posted:** Fri Sep 23, 2016 12:50 am

Sir Sam wrote:

...Best I know of the "program mode" is that it takes two working keys to do this, but I have never messed with it before.

I have done it for my '07 and it does indeed take two keys. (I'm assuming you are talking about the self-programming trick done by switching old and new keys in the ignition.)

WWDiesel · **Posted:** Fri Sep 23, 2016 10:27 am

I bought two new keys w/remotes on line and programed both of them using the self program technique; but as stated by others this does require two working communicating keys to use the self program function... :roll:

Note: The buttons on the working keys don't have to work, but two keys chips have to be able to communicate in order to get into the programing mode...

These are the instructions and procedure on how to perform a self program:

Jeep Liberty Key Programing Instructions:

Steve777 · **Joined:** Fri Oct 16, 2015 11:31 pm **Posts:** 279

Sir Sam wrote:

I am in Fort Collins. I should have some free time next Tuesday - Oct 3, then I am out on the road again for awhile. We would need your keys and the PIN for the VIN you think the vehicle has in the ECU. I'm assuming mechanically the keys fit the cylinder correctly?

Best I know of the "program mode" is that it takes two working keys to do this, but I have never messed with it before.

I can make it up to FtCo next Tues. Let me know where and when.

As for the PIN, Not sure where I'd get that. Is it in the owners manual somewhere (I do have the manual if that's it). Or is it a dealer scanned thing?

papaindigo · **Posted:** Fri Sep 23, 2016 1:11 pm

Any DCJ dealer should be able to pull your PIN based on your VIN but you will likely need picture ID and your vehicle title/registration to prove it's your vehicle before they will give you the PIN. Might want to call beforehand to be sure.

Programming new key at the dealer

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