Keyless entry doesn't sense my hand on the door handle

[Tim Vogt Sr.]

We got some winter weather recently and at the same time my 2021 Lariat has had to stay outside for a few nights. Yesterday and today I find that my doors will not unlock when I grab the door handles (Intelligent Access).
Any ideas?

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[AzScorpion]

When this happened to me it was because my battery was low and needed charging. I now keep a maintainer on it 2-3 days a week.

 

[erty176]

Battery low in key fob or truck, or I've had ice underneath the door handle so it wouldn't pick up that I grabbed it. Also doesn't work so hot with thick winter mits.

 

[Tim Vogt Sr.]

I parked the truck in a heated garage overnight and the system is back to normal.

 

[pbethel]

I wonder if unplugging the smart charge sensor on the negative battery post in cold weather might help keep battery fully charged?

 

[KJRR]

We need heated door handles so we don't have ice buildup and a need to wear gloves.

 

[wanted33]

As suggested, check the battery in the FOB before you go any further. I had to buy a FOB battery for my '13 F-150 a month after I got the truck. There's no way of knowing how long those batteries sit before they are used.

 

[puckdodger]

As suggested, check the battery in the FOB before you go any further. I had to buy a FOB battery for my '13 F-150 a month after I got the truck. There's no way of knowing how long those battery sit before they are used.

This.

The dying battery in my old GM fobs would cause all sorts of havoc when running low. Lights would flash, alarm gets triggered for no reason. New battery and no more gremlins?

 

[gttafoya]

I find that the touch doesn't always work if I have my wireless headphones in the same pocket as the key fob.

I first thought it was the fob battery, but multiple tests showed that it was interference from other electronic devices (headphones and phone). And by tests - I mean that I spend about an hour with both keys in the garage trying to recreate the conditions that kept me from opening or locking the doors by touching the handle. fob in pocket with nothing, fob in pocket with phone, fob in pocket with headphones even wrapping the fob in aluminum foil.

it's repeatable, but not 100%. so I take my chances and keep the headphones and keys in the same pocket to avoid having to carry a man purse.

If I do get a man purse, do I also need to get a damper? OR, If I get a damper, do I need to get a man purse?

 

[puckdodger]

it's repeatable, but not 100%. so I take my chances and keep the headphones and keys in the same pocket to avoid having to carry a man purse.

If I do get a man purse, do I also need to get a damper? OR, If I get a damper, do I need to get a man purse?

Damper leads to man purses, man buns,, and manicures. Three words with "man" in them, but no Real Man I know would ever get any of them!!!

 

[quangdog]

In the last 2 days I've noticed an interesting similar issue... with a twist:
I have a '19 Lariat, which has the Intelligent Access (touch sensitive door handles) on all 4 doors. It works reliably (as in, all the time) on the driver's door. Over the last 2 days, suddenly it does not work at all or only intermittently on the other 3 doors. Is this also likely a battery issue in the truck? Or in the fob?

 

[RedlandRanger]

In the last 2 days I've noticed an interesting similar issue... with a twist:
I have a '19 Lariat, which has the Intelligent Access (touch sensitive door handles) on all 4 doors. It works reliably (as in, all the time) on the driver's door. Over the last 2 days, suddenly it does not work at all or only intermittently on the other 3 doors. Is this also likely a battery issue in the truck? Or in the fob?

My first guess would be a battery in the fob. My guess is the receiver is close to the driver's door and the battery in the fob is getting weaker so sending out a weaker signal that can't be picked up farther away. But that is a TOTAL guess. Batteries are cheap, so....

 

[alcohenusa]

In the last 2 days I've noticed an interesting similar issue... with a twist:
I have a '19 Lariat, which has the Intelligent Access (touch sensitive door handles) on all 4 doors. It works reliably (as in, all the time) on the driver's door. Over the last 2 days, suddenly it does not work at all or only intermittently on the other 3 doors. Is this also likely a battery issue in the truck? Or in the fob?

Most likely a low or failing truck battery. I had the same issue and it resolved after I fully charged the battery. Currently, our Ranger is lightly used and mostly short trips.

 

[quangdog]

Most likely a low or failing truck battery. I had the same issue and it resolved after I fully charged the battery. Currently, our Ranger is lightly used and mostly short trips.

I suspect low truck battery as well - as there are other symptoms that point to that as well (auto start-stop NEVER works, always says it is charging the battery, etc).

I currently have an appt with the dealer in roughly 2 weeks to check the transmission fluid level, as well as apply any outstanding updates to the ECM/TCM. I'll have them check the battery as well. In the mean time, I'll pop in a new key fob battery as well, to see if that makes any difference.

Thanks!

 

[AzScorpion]

Most likely a low or failing truck battery. I had the same issue and it resolved after I fully charged the battery. Currently, our Ranger is lightly used and mostly short trips.

Mine was the trucks battery too. I noticed that the only door the IA would work on was the drivers door. The other 3 were dead and even the drivers you could tell was a weak "click" when it activated. Sure enough the battery had a dead cell and was replaced under warranty. Ever since I hook up a maintainer to it if I know it's going to sit longer than a couple days and it's been good for over a year now. As you're aware the heat out here kills them very fast!

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