Found This under the dash, but no wires to connect it.

[mountainman182]

Hello,
So a bolt holding my OBD2 port came loose. While I was under there reattaching it, I found a Smart Data Link module behind the dash. It wasn't plugged into anything. I'd love to get it plugged it and activated (as well as add in a factory remote start capability).

Does anyone know what the J1 plug is supposed to look like that goes into these? (The J1 port is the one under that curved cover). I can't do much without figuring out how it ties into the harness. (Sorry I'm a bit frustrated that it had this module in there but not connected in)


I've also noticed some discrepancies in the ForScan software (a car built to go to Washington State USA, but it has a bunch of European/Canadian settings enabled by default in the asbuilt. We do have a lot of Navy folks up here so it could be it got reprogrammed when they stationed overseas). One big example is the temp warning on the dash (a lane with a snowflake on it). Apparently, it's a European exclusive feature where when the temp gets low enough, it comes on yellow at first, then red if it gets even colder (I think the thresholds are 40 and 32 Fahrenheit).

 

[Handy Andy]

I've never seen one of these - on mine I have a GPS/Rain sensor glued to the front glass, but nothing like what you've got.

IF there are any string of digits on it, might want to run that thru the internet and see what it comes up with.

As for my car, I too have that "Freeze warn" icon but no way to tell if the system can activate it - seen a couple of seasons so no light on the dash tells me it is not enabled for my car.

By - what you mentioned as a "Smart link" - how can you recognize this as being one?

These modules as you can see by the connector - are unique for a specific application - you might want to reconsider the notion of seeing what it can do - it can disable the car preventing it from restarting and can leave you stranded if these modules are what I've seen before in other cars. There are modules that when addressed by the system - send a type or set of instructions to enable other addresses that are hidden in many of the OEM parts of the car and add in or close out - features because of (by programming) the country it thinks it's in, or region of the world is not agreeing with the GPS location and it's confused.

Had a friend recently "brick" his Ford due to a Forscan incomplete upgrade condition - still do not know if he can even get his OEM profile back to get it going again. But this was caused by a profile upgrade that needed all night to complete - and he didn't use a battery trickle charger to keep the memory alive - which the system's battery died part-way thru the process.

 

[mountainman182]

So it's A Smart Data Link. It's supposed to be a way for cars that don't have the telematics control unit (unlike how my wife's 2018 Escape has one) to be able to use the car with FordPass.

My 2019 Fiesta didn't come with a TCU, and I can't order one for a retrofit as none of the 2019MYs seem to have come with it.

The part number i run has it compatible with 2017-2020 Fusions, 2016-2019 Fiestas and 2016-2019 Focus.

It's apparently the upgraded/updated part to this one with the 3g/4g conversion due to 3g networks being shut off:
https://www.fordpartsgiant.com/part...l=&extra1=&extra2=&filter=(18535;28210;46942)

I used ForScan to save an entire set of modules backups of my car (i did have DTC errors about it losing contact with the TCU, i disabled that option in ForScan which made it go away, but it makes me wonder if im missing a harness, or if the previous owner took out the harness (might be one of those paranoid folks that think Ford is evil-ly tracking them for nefarious reasons).