Key fob works - truck doesn’t respond

[RangerRick15]

My TCU came in within 2 weeks, but I had to wait a bit to coordinate an appointment (on me & my schedule). Install was quick, I had the truck back within 4 hours. I wanted to wait several weeks before posting an update to see if any of my problems would still present. 3-4 weeks and flawless so far.

Everything has been working better since the TCU was replaced. The battery levels are more normal, the key fob works, and the FordPass App and features work - didn’t even have to reinstall or do anything with the app, it began working as soon as they installed the new TCU. The new battery they gave me a couple months ago fixed a few problems, but the bad TCU is possibly what was causing excessive parasite drain on the battery beforehand.

I haven’t installed a damper yet, though - so I’ll probably still have problems until I do…

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[NibblesNbits]

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…).

My 2020 XLT would not unlock with key fob. I tried second key fob with same result. Opened door with key but no lights and nothing with key in ignition. I then manually opened all doors and tailgate and on the last door to open the lights came on. This is the first time so I will tell the dealer and wait for the second time to occur. No metal cup in the center console but I did remove a USB cord from under the dashboard. That would never have occurred to me.

 

[RangerRick15]

The problem came back once the weather dropped below 70 degrees again. Started in October. It's so inconsistent.

Though, with my kids in the car the other day - I had them lock it from inside and I ran into a store pick up some food. When I came out, it wouldn't respond to the key fob - typical of the problem I started this thread for. Before I used the key, I ask my son to unlock it from the doors. None of the doors would unlock or allow them to open using the lever, or the electronic lock/unlock buttons. So, I keyed in, then turned on the ignition to disable the alarm.

My son said the dash said "security mode". So, I read the manual on that. I don't have inteli-key. But, I read everything else applicable in the manual. Nothing about passive IR sensors inside the vehicle - but other vehicles I owned had them.

So, now I'm curious if there is a passive IR sensor inside the vehicle that arms "when the vehicle is locked and the ignition is off" (that's when the security system is armed). And, if temperature fluctuations during mildy cold weather, with the cab heating up (greenhouse effect), are causing my security system to 'go into a security mode', which disables the key fob and other sensor communications. [searching this now...]

Still doesn't explain why the tire pressure sensor (TPS) also alerts offline when the problem occurs. I'll still say: the battery performance has been better since the new battery; and the problem has been less frequent since the new TCU - but, it still exists and is very annoying.

Probably should just break down and install a damper - I think that ought to fix it.

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