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A couple of months ago my daughter picked up a 2004 Escape. I could not get it to program in new remote entry FOBs. It would enter remote programming mode (key from OFF to RUN 8 times in ten seconds), and cycle the locks once but not cycle the locks when you hit a key on one of the remotes. The original remote still worked so I knew that it had not erased all the old remotes out when it entered programming mode.
I ordered in two new remotes thinking that the two I had left from another vehicle were not the correct type (though that did not explain the original remote not being erased.) The two new remotes also did not work. After trying the new remotes today several times I plugged in my scan tool and there were only a couple of 'low voltage' codes but I was not sure when those codes might have been set. After 5-10 minutes pulling up PIDs related to PATS to make sure it was not disabled from allowing new keys (and maybe remotes) from being programmed it would not start, the battery was dead! The battery was only about 12V with engine off, about 14V with car running and while starting would drop to about 7V.
So, off to the parts store, get a new battery, install battery. Check that car starts, check charging voltage, etc. Try to program new remotes (took two tries to get it right as you have to wait until right after it cycles the locks) and it worked fine. My conclusion is that the low battery voltage prevented the computer from going into programming mode properly.
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