Keys not unlocking ford focus

Batman2017

Hi all,

I recently bought a 66 Ford Focus with just over 1000 miles on it. This morning both keys wouldn't unlock the car. When I pressed unlock nothing seemed to happen. At first I thought the car battery might of gone. I then opened the door manually and put the key in the ignition and the car started up fine. The keys are now locking/unlocking the car.

I don't want this to be a common occurrence, has anyone had any experience like this or do you know what's caused this? I'd like to be a bit more clued up before I ring the ford dealership.

Thanks

facade

Could just be interference in the specific spot you parked.

Could be caused by loads of things, amateur & military radio, TV sender units, or poorly manufactured (cheap) electronic devices like mains LED lamps.

molerat

In one of my regular parking places I have to stand no more than about 6 feet away to lock and unlock my C Max.

Strider590

I would say it's interference too, probably not malicious, but thieves have been known to use jammers to stop people locking their cars.

facade

I would speak with the dealership, so they can log that you experienced a problem while it is well within warranty. I would also try to find out where the aerial is for the central locking- usually by the drivers door.

Then if it happens again, you can try

1) hold the transmitter close to your head and press the button (It really does increase the range of the remote, I don't know what the deadly radio waves do to your brain though)
2) stand right next to the receiving aerial when you operate it.

If it is interference, you need the signal from the remote to be stronger than the interfering signal for it to work.

facade

On the aftermarket system fitted to my suzuki, sometimes the remote goes out of synch with the car, probably when the button is pressed in my pocket a few times. There is a procedure to re-synch the two (which is just hold the button down until it works on the suzuki)

wongataa

Batman2017 wrote: »

Hi all,

I recently bought a 66 Ford Focus with just over 1000 miles on it. This morning both keys wouldn't unlock the car. When I pressed unlock nothing seemed to happen. At first I thought the car battery might of gone. I then opened the door manually and put the key in the ignition and the car started up fine. The keys are now locking/unlocking the car.

I don't want this to be a common occurrence, has anyone had any experience like this or do you know what's caused this? I'd like to be a bit more clued up before I ring the ford dealership.

Thanks

Did you change the battery? If you didn't it could still just be a duff battery.

Strider590

Just to add, DON'T press the button any harder than normal. I won't make ANY difference at all, but what it will do is ruin the microswitch and cost you a new key.

macman

I'd change the batteries in both remotes before you incur the cost of a dealer visit, unlikely though the coincidence seems of both failing at once..

Gravedigger

It happened to me once and someone told me to turn on the ignition, without starting, then off and on 6 times, a bleep will be heard when you should press one of the buttons. Might work for you. On another slant, my Focus wouldn't open the boot unless I pressed the button twice.

shaun_from_Africa

It definitely sounds like a low voltage battery to me.

I also have a focus and due to my working pattern, this car is often left for 4 or 5 weeks without being driven.
It's a fairly regular occurrence that when I first get back and go to unlock the car, it won't work using the remotes but after unlocking the door manually, the car will start up okay and after that one time, the remotes will work perfectly.

It might be something to do with the once the battery drops below a certain level, no essential items such as the central locking are disabled in order to ensure that any remaining power in the battery is kept for things such as starting.

It might be worth checking the interior light, boot light and glovebox light to see if one of them is on and is draining the battery a little bit during the night.

Gravedigger wrote: »

On another slant, my Focus wouldn't open the boot unless I pressed the button twice.

That's normal on a focus (well, on mine anyway).
The boot release button has to be pressed twice in quick succession to release the catch.