Key fob works - truck doesn’t respond

[RangerRick15]

My XLT’s problem: the truck intermittently does not respond to the key fobs not app (not the recent app problem). Won’t remote start (I get the red flash, no confirmation response, so I know these fob batteries aren’t dead), won’t unlock, won’t lock, won’t SOS, just won’t do anything. I have to manually unlock it, and the alarm starts going off. It does not log the events, so I started allowing the alarm to go off every time (thinking maybe that would create a log).
It often works first start and open of the day. Some times it won’t work for 3 days straight. A few hours later, it works. It worked 90% of the time in the summer. It doesn’t work 90% if the time when the temperature is below 70. And 90% of the time it’s not working, I have a tire pressure sensor failure notification. (Related..?)
Also - every time it has sat at the dealer for a week - it never replicates the problem. I have several videos of it that I’ve shared with the dealer - even showed it to them in the bay one day, and it started working again seconds later… (ugh) It goes in later this month and they’ve vowed to figure it out.

Any one else? Just annoying little problems I’ve never had with a vehicle before.

I mean, if they don’t fix this annoying key fob receiver and sensor problem, fix the useless remote app, fix the FordPass connect in the vehicle itself, top off the transmission fluid so the first several shifts of the day don’t feel like a jerky broken transmission, or get the darn rear seat center arm rest/cup holder to fold out (it’s locked in place, unless I delatch the whole back seat rest, which I can’t with car seats).. then I’ll buy another vehicle, and not put the dozen bells and whistle I’m planning onto this one… (fox level 2, cbi rack, door / cabin insulation, diy GFC style system / topper, etc…).

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[canyonslicker]

Do you have a metal cup or container in the center console? If so it may cause this.

 

[RangerRick15]

Do you have a metal cup or container in the center console? If so it may cause this.

thank you - I often do (but I do all year round…). Today it started and unlocked, but did not work upon returning to the truck (and my cup was in my bag, not the console). Regardless, I will experiment with this tomorrow, and also check the contents around other parts of the center console. I keep the windshield fold up sun shade between the seat and e-brake; med kit and some other things in the console. I have an 18” usb charge cable draped around the shifter and back into the front console area. Often leave my phone inside the console while locked up at work (it started remotely late last night, with the phone actually charging in the front position with the cable wrapped around the shifter..). I’ll get all the metal out of there and see if it goes away. It’s so darn Inconsistent! Heck I’m a engineering program manager and deal with various antennae and electrical problems, but haven’t dug into the specs of this trucks systems. More to follow.. thanks for the advice.

 

[Charlesbrown165]

Batteries do not have to be dead in order to not work properly. My 2021 Lariat would auto start/lock/unlock with remote but the keyless handle (touch) unlock would not work on the drivers side. Replaced the batteries in key fob and it works perfectly now……go figure??‍

 

[RangerRick15]

Batteries do not have to be dead in order to not work properly. My 2021 Lariat would auto start/lock/unlock with remote but the keyless handle (touch) unlock would not work on the drivers side. Replaced the batteries in key fob and it works perfectly now……go figure??‍

thank you - I did replace both batteries in the fobs last year when this first began (a month after I bought the truck). I needed it for a project, so I could not leave it at the dealer long over the past year. The problem occurs 90% of the time I use it (daily user) intermittently, inconsistently. It just started the truck from about a quarter mile away (3rd floor vantage point, nearly empty parking lot, clear line of site) last night. It hadn’t worked in 2 days before that.

No keyless features in my XLT. (Mercedes keyless touch fobs are battery hogs though…)

 

[canyonslicker]

thank you - I did replace both batteries in the fobs last year when this first began (a month after I bought the truck). I needed it for a project, so I could not leave it at the dealer long over the past year. The problem occurs 90% of the time I use it (daily user) intermittently, inconsistently. It just started the truck from about a quarter mile away (3rd floor vantage point, nearly empty parking lot, clear line of site) last night. It hadn’t worked in 2 days before that.

No keyless features in my XLT. (Mercedes keyless touch fobs are battery hogs though…)

Main battery may cause it too, it may”check “ ok but I’ve read here it can cause problems even though it checked fine.. just saying… I’m not trying to have you throw money at it..

 

[RangerRick15]

Main battery may cause it too, it may”check “ ok but I’ve read here it can cause problems even though it checked fine.. just saying… I’m not trying to have you throw money at it..

The dealer is checking this all under warranty. Ford Engineering support was requested the last time I had it in for this (6 months ago - reported no similar cases at that time). It occurs far less in warmer weather, so we opted to try again this winter. I’ll have them check the battery out, and possibly try an alternate battery - it doesn’t auto-stop/start right now either. Figured it could be the weather, but even in the 60’s in wasn’t, after several hours of driving.

thank you

 

[RangerRick15]

Update: (tried those things around the center console no change)

truck remote started this morning, drove 45 minutes on the highway. Did my appointment, back at the truck 1.5 hours later, 35 degrees out, key fob works, truck doesn’t respond. I had place the metal cup, water bottle, left the window shade there, and the usb cable. (Photos before and after).

Then I removed everything from the console area. Including unplugging the usb cable - since USB ports are inherently quite EMF noisy connectors. Then, started the vehicle and turned it off a couple of times. Attempted to lock the doors with the fob - nothing. Used the electronic door locks, shut the vehicle, and attempted to use every function on the key fob: nothing.

no change related to the objects around the center console.

 

[Lone]

While we're at it, who's stupid idea was it to put the mirror control on the dash?

 

[gttafoya]

Does the second key do the same thing?

To me it sounds like the fob has a broken trace on the circuit board causing the random operations.

 

[VegasRanger]

Is your damper installed properly?

 

[KJRR]

Is it the right keyfob? I'm sure it is but I've been known to grab the wrong one and wonder why it doesn't work.
Your keyfob looks different than mine also. Probably the remote start.
Maybe disconnect the battery in the truck for a few minutes to reset everything?
Sorry, no other ideas but will throw anything out that comes to mind

 

[RangerRick15]

Does the second key do the same thing?

To me it sounds like the fob has a broken trace on the circuit board causing the random operations.

Correct - same problem, both keys and app, all don’t work with the truck T the same time, and all work when they work.

Just stopped by the dealer and demonstrated the problem, and the laundry list of issues to address starting on the 24th…

it could be the main battery issue mentioned above. The fob, TPM, and auto/stop/start all don’t work intermittently right now.

THOUGH I THINK WE ALL KNOW THE REAL PROBLEM IS THAT I HAVEN’T INSTALLED THE DAMPER, yet….. (the Rousch one looks pretty high performance…)

 

[HarryManback]

I would bet $10 that this is a problem with the truck battery

 

[RangerRick15]

OP Update - 1 week at the dealer and I picked it up today.

1. I'm at 10,700 miles so they performed the 10,000 maintenance as well. (The works)

2. Auto-start/stop not working. Found the system was off due to battery state of charge. Tested battery, failed. Replaced battery. Now working.
- This could also explain why the TPM and key fobs are currently working? Maybe... but...

3. The FordPass App and in dash features were not working. Diagnosis is the Telematics Control Unit (TCU) is bad. And is on back-order. But they 'expect it in 2 weeks'.

a) They said this is why the app features aren't working, but - and this is where they lost me - b) that the key fob will be having problems as well because this unit is faulty, and the key fobs talk to the vehicle through it. I agree with a, not necessarily b. The key fobs are actually working currently (but... it's entirely intermittent, so we shall see over the next week, possibly the TCU is the only problem, and the key fob being ignored is a symptom).

(7) Telematics Control Unit (TCU) Location - "FordPass Connect Modem" | 2019+ Ford Ranger and Raptor Forum (5th Generation) - Ranger5G.com

4. Complied with TSB20-2339. (I started getting the cold start rough engine and shifts that feel like you just got rear ended). We'll see tomorrow morning.. But, the truck is reset, and re-learning. Drives great (for what it is, un-tuned, low octane, mushy breaks and all - I'm cheap and I love it).

5. Rear seat / center console stuck. After dropping the vehicle off I found the TSB19-2146 thread on here about the seat back. I'll be adding a couple of washers, because it does take excessive slams on point to latch it back. The center console I haven't found anything - for, but - we were able to free it. Had to press in on the arm rest quite hard, then pull the latch, then it releases easily. If / when it gets stuck - simply pulling the latch only compresses the stuck plastic parts, making it worse. It has difficulty latching and staying up as well.

6. @RANGER PRIDE - I have still yet to install a damper... so I'm likely to continue to have problems until I do.... so... I'm going to order a damper and trailer brake controller while the 15% off FORD15 sale is going on... probably a CBI rack, and some rear struts at the least.

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