Key not Present
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Joined: Apr 2018
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From: Alaska
Key not Present
Jumped out of my truck today at the store, went to lock it and wouldn't do anything. Go back to truck try to lock it nothing then try to start it and says key not present, but could now lock unlock doors with fob. Auto start worked but again no key present so no driving. Ended up having to put key in cup holder hole to get the truck to start and drive. Then it is constantly reminding a key not present and that memory recall is not allowed while driving even though I didn't press the button. Changed the battery in fob and problem doesn't go away.
Anyone else have this issue?
Anyone else have this issue?
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Joined: Aug 2018
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When you say lock/unlock the doors with th fob, are you talking about the lock/unlock buttons, or the ability to grab the door handle to unlock / push the button to lock?
If you are using the fob buttons, check to see if you can unlock by grabbing the door handl, leave those buttons alone. Or try your other fob.
if you were just grabbing the handles and they were working, but starting didn’t work, then you probably have a bad interior antenna or wiring. Several antennas work together to identify the fob is inside vs outside the vehicle for security and safety purposes, if a single interior antenna is shot, you’re SOL until you get it fixed.
Every vehicle that has those no-blade keyfobs (and every OEM) has what is called a “back up pocket” in case the battery is dead. This uses a different radio frequency and antenna system than the normal unlock and push button start systems.
there is a module called the RTM that communicates with the different antennas on your car for key searches, that module could be bad: the specific wires or the input circuits those wires attach to, that are used for the internal antennas, could be problematic: fried circuits, loose, disconnected, broken off connectors, wires shorted to ground or battery, etc.
you could have rodents eating the wires that service the various antennas needed to search.
are you under warranty? Take it in, that should be covered by bumper to bumper.
if you’re not under warranty, yuck... that won’t be cheap (labor time) to resolve.
If you are using the fob buttons, check to see if you can unlock by grabbing the door handl, leave those buttons alone. Or try your other fob.
if you were just grabbing the handles and they were working, but starting didn’t work, then you probably have a bad interior antenna or wiring. Several antennas work together to identify the fob is inside vs outside the vehicle for security and safety purposes, if a single interior antenna is shot, you’re SOL until you get it fixed.
Every vehicle that has those no-blade keyfobs (and every OEM) has what is called a “back up pocket” in case the battery is dead. This uses a different radio frequency and antenna system than the normal unlock and push button start systems.
there is a module called the RTM that communicates with the different antennas on your car for key searches, that module could be bad: the specific wires or the input circuits those wires attach to, that are used for the internal antennas, could be problematic: fried circuits, loose, disconnected, broken off connectors, wires shorted to ground or battery, etc.
you could have rodents eating the wires that service the various antennas needed to search.
are you under warranty? Take it in, that should be covered by bumper to bumper.
if you’re not under warranty, yuck... that won’t be cheap (labor time) to resolve.
Last edited by NavyMSU; Sep 12, 2018 at 10:27 PM.
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Joined: Aug 2018
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If the lock/unlock buttons work, but the “intelligent access” doesn’t, the fob could have a bad antenna or circuitry that serves the “intelligent access” feature. Try your other fob, if both get the same problem, it’s the vehicle, if only one fails, it’s that fob and either it’s a battery issue or you need to buy a new one. Might be under warranty?
Thread Starter
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Joined: Apr 2018
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From: Alaska
Thanks for advice. Happened a couple times since then so made an appointment. It is rather strange that it seems to only happen at this one place I go to. Might just be frequency interference or it could be the Illuminati but either way letting the dealer figure it out.
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Oh snap; specific location? Yeah, it’s probably electronically noisy!
Before going in to the shop, test it every few yards away from that store. If there is a very obvious and repeatable pattern, start looking around.
are there restaurants nearby (the type that might use a bunch of microwaves), are there any electronics shops nearby, they type that sells radios and antennas and all that hardcore stuff? Is there some power transformers on a pole really close to that parking lot? Those xformers could be bad and need replacing.
is there any suspicious work vans nearby, maybe the police or fbi are surveilling somewhere nearby and have a lot of electronic communications systems.
definitely verify it’s the location.. should be easy to run some tests by driving nearby and going further and further until your key is reliable.. drive in different directions from that place too.. do it when there is little traffic so you can stop your car and attempt to start it again without any danger.
Before going in to the shop, test it every few yards away from that store. If there is a very obvious and repeatable pattern, start looking around.
are there restaurants nearby (the type that might use a bunch of microwaves), are there any electronics shops nearby, they type that sells radios and antennas and all that hardcore stuff? Is there some power transformers on a pole really close to that parking lot? Those xformers could be bad and need replacing.
is there any suspicious work vans nearby, maybe the police or fbi are surveilling somewhere nearby and have a lot of electronic communications systems.
definitely verify it’s the location.. should be easy to run some tests by driving nearby and going further and further until your key is reliable.. drive in different directions from that place too.. do it when there is little traffic so you can stop your car and attempt to start it again without any danger.
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From: Midwest USA
Could be EMI from store automatic door openers that use radar, internet dish antennas, nearby cell towers or even high voltage utility wires.
If any of those are the culprit, i guarantee Ford will come back with 'no problem found'.
Once more again, did your 2nd spare key fob work in that location?
If the spare fob works, then its on Ford.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Apr 2018
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From: Alaska
Haven’t tried second fob yet will do that this weekend. I did go back to same spot, parked at different locations and was able to recreate the problem. If my second fob does it I am going to have to eat somewhere else or buy a lead suit to wear. If it is doing that to my truck what is it doing to my body Hehe.