[slick9115]

Code Alarm makes very cheap, very good stuff. That remote start unit looks simple for those "i dont want a bulk LCD" kinda of people.

Your writeup and install is very clean, sounds like u have experience with Escapes Remote Starts.

Quick question(s):
1) Do you tie together your 'Door Sensing' and 'Illumination' wires together?
2) IF you do, do the Escapes have delayed courtesy lights? (interferences with door sensing?)
3) Do the 08s have a 'Factory Re-Arm' wire, or do they use 'Door LOCK' for re-arming?

 

[slick9115]

This particular unit is just a Remote Start with keyless entry so you do not have to hook up the door trigger wires.

Does the car still have a security alarm of any sort? You said it has remote entry so you had to tie into the door lock/unlock wires. Most people arm their vehicle (press the lock button on transmitter) after they close all the doors and start to walk away. The car honks once if all doors are closed, twice if a door is open. But according to the Owner's Guide, the alarm will be set off only these ways:

Arming the System
When armed, this system will respond if unauthorized entry is attempted. When unauthorized entry occurs, the system will flash the hazard lamps, and will sound the horn.

The system is ready to arm whenever key is removed from the ignition. Either of the following actions will prearm the alarm system:
-Press the (LOCK) control on the remote entry transmitter.
-Lock the doors with the key in the key cylinder.
-Open the driver's door and press the power door lock control to lock all the doors, and then close the door.

When you lock the vehicle using any of the three methods above:
-the park lamps will flash once to indicate the hood, each door, and the liftgates are closed.
-the park lamps will NOT flash if the hood, any door or the liftegate are open. Once all doors, hood and liftgate are closed, the park lamps will flash to confirm the alarm has been set.

When you press the (LOCK) control on the remote entry transmitter twice within three seconds, the horn will chirp once to confirm the doors, hood and liftgate are closed and locked and the alarm is set.

Triggering the anti-theft system
The armed system will be triggered if any door, liftgate or the hood is opened without using the key or the remote entry transmitter.

If the aftermarket alarm system (LOCK) button is like pressing the lock button on the inside of the door, then you would have to arm it:
1) after you took the key out the ignition
2) before you close the door and walk away

...and to open it you would have to use a key every time since you obviously couldn't press the lock button on the inside of the door if you were on the outside.

Also, how does it rearm once the remote start shutsdown (timed or manually)? According to http://webappshttp.voxdmz.audiovox.com:1025/manuals/installation/CA500_DOC_IM.pdf it states:

BLACK w/RED: Pulsed Ground Output After Shutdown
The BLACK w/RED wire will provide a 1second 300mA pulsed ground output after the Remote Start system
shuts down. This output will occur regardless of whether the circuit times out or is manually terminated.
Typically this output will be used to re-lock the vehicle doors if the doors unlock automatically when the ignition
circuit transitions to OFF

So basically it would lock after the key is pulled out, but before the door is opened... not allowing the stock alarm to be activated.

I have a headache reading wiring diagrams and imagining pulsing scenarios...

 

[slick9115]

Gotcha, I went on another one of my rants.

So, I know that you don't tie into door triggers/dome illumination. Does the factory alarm (if there was one) still sound the alarm if the doors are opened without using the the unlocked button... assuming the window were busted, lock switched turned, and door opened.