FOB Randomly dead

[Zzoop28]

Last night we were at a friends and I went to unlock the bronco using the FOB and none of the buttons did anything at all. Luckily I had my FordPass app and was able to unlock and Remote Start. I was able to drive home right away, and when i got home I used to FOB to lock the doors and it worked. Has anyone come across something like this? Pretty scary if I didn't happen to have my phone along.

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[FleshTuxedo]

That's rude.

 

[flip]

Personally, no but have had several customers experience this a specific businesses. One is a vacuum repair place the other is a gas station. The theory is there is some type of interference with the fob in that specific MHz band but it's not all of the time and we don't have the time or equipment to verify. Could be something from an exterior light. The vac place has these cheesy foil string streamers hanging low over it's lot so that might contribute to it as well.

 

[EinHoden]

Not sure what caused the interference, but that is why most (if not all) vehicles with fobs have a backup. You can always unlock the doors using the key blade in the fob. If the fob battery is actually dead, you can place the fob in the bottom of the center console and still still start the engine.

 

[1st 75th ranger]

Last night we were at a friends and I went to unlock the bronco using the FOB and none of the buttons did anything at all. Luckily I had my FordPass app and was able to unlock and Remote Start. I was able to drive home right away, and when i got home I used to FOB to lock the doors and it worked. Has anyone come across something like this? Pretty scary if I didn't happen to have my phone along.

replace battery

 

[Strizzo]

Personally, no but have had several customers experience this a specific businesses. One is a vacuum repair place the other is a gas station. The theory is there is some type of interference with the fob in that specific MHz band but it's not all of the time and we don't have the time or equipment to verify. Could be something from an exterior light. The vac place has these cheesy foil string streamers hanging low over it's lot so that might contribute to it as well.

My wifes fusion would do that, randomly the fob wouldn't do anything, then it would work fine. It seemed to not want to work with the smart access if it was locked with the fob, but it wasn't consistent.

I had a location specific issue with my xterra where it acted like the fob was dying every time i was in Moab. Happened two years in a row until decided that there is just something going on there that kills the range of the fob and quit replacing batteries.

 

[Zzoop28]

Its only 4 months old, so I wouldn't think the battery would be an issue yet, but if it happens again Ill try that.

As far as interference goes, I was in a driveway with woods on one side and house on the other, standing at the drivers door facing the woods. Seems like a strange place for interference, but I've not had many vehicles with fob only.

 

[bbacon05]

I had the exact same thing happen to me last week, oddly enough I tried to used Ford Pass app to unlock it and that didn't work either. I was about the pull the key out of the fob, but decided to tried the fob one more time and it worked perfectly, and it hasn't happened since then. I thought it might be the battery, but then that doesn't make sense with the Ford Pass app not unlocking it either

 

[PaulBrownSr]

Same thing happened to me a few weeks ago and then again today. Last time I couldn’t open the door but I could start it. Today I went to Walgreens and it wouldn’t lock. I left it unlocked and when I came back out it wouldn’t start. The odd thing is before I started it in the center compartment slot, the lock and unlock were working.

Not sure what to do but I guess I’ll order a new battery.

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