Remote keyless entry fails in cold weather - Taurus Car Club of America : Ford Taurus Forum

sadffffff · 12-11-2012, 09:29 AM

I've got a 2001 Taurus SES 3.0L and the keyless entry fob has begun giving me trouble.

On cold mornings (say around 20F) the fob will only work inches from the car, if its even colder (like 0F) the fob doesnt work at all outside the car. Once I unlock with the key and get inside, it works again, albeit somewhat unresponsivly where I have to hold the buttons for a while. After I drive to work, when the car has warmed up, the keyless works from very far away again, and same for warm days.

The keyfob is, of course, in the house with me, so I doubt theres any issues with that. There must be a radio in the car thats started to go bad. Anyone have ideas of where to start? Thanks

pawpaw · 12-11-2012, 10:04 AM

Welcome to TCCA.
When last was the FOB battery replaced????

sadffffff · 12-11-2012, 10:20 AM

Thanks for the welcome

The battery has probably never been replaced. I had thought about that briefly when I was trying to come up with solutions, but since the FOB was always warm I dismissed that and blamed the car. Batteries are cheap, so I'll give it a shot and post back. Thanks again

sadffffff · 12-11-2012, 10:40 AM

Seems about the same. I had to be within about a foot of the door and even then it was spotty.

pawpaw · 12-11-2012, 12:04 PM

OK, so if its no better with a new FOB battery, is the vehicle battery near or at a full soc???? If so, how are the vehicle battery to engine & body ground connections?

Mystery101 · 12-11-2012, 01:38 PM

Smells like cold solder joint, or bad connections.. Correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't the receiver for the fob inside the GEM?

sadffffff · 12-11-2012, 02:59 PM

pawpaw- I installed a new vehicle battery about 9 months ago connections are all fairly clean, within reason.

Mystery- I'm thinking the same, failing joint or componant in that radio for the FOB. If its in teh GEM/easy to get at, I might take it out and poke around at it.

Thanks

12-11-2012, 09:29 AM	#1 (permalink)
sadffffff Junior Member Member Number: 51670 Join Date: Dec 2012 Chapter: Northeast Drives: 2001 Taurus SES 3.0L Visit: My Garage Posts: 4 Trader Score: 0 reviews Rep Power: 0	Remote keyless entry fails in cold weather I've got a 2001 Taurus SES 3.0L and the keyless entry fob has begun giving me trouble. On cold mornings (say around 20F) the fob will only work inches from the car, if its even colder (like 0F) the fob doesnt work at all outside the car. Once I unlock with the key and get inside, it works again, albeit somewhat unresponsivly where I have to hold the buttons for a while. After I drive to work, when the car has warmed up, the keyless works from very far away again, and same for warm days. The keyfob is, of course, in the house with me, so I doubt theres any issues with that. There must be a radio in the car thats started to go bad. Anyone have ideas of where to start? Thanks

12-11-2012, 10:04 AM	#2 (permalink)
pawpaw Devoted Member Member Number: 889 Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Virginia Chapter: Southeast Drives: 94 Taurus GL 3.8L PEP204A 99 Ranger 4.0L 4dr 5spd auto Payload & Tow pkg Visit: My Garage Posts: 1,965 Trader Score: 0 reviews Rep Power: 16	Welcome to TCCA. When last was the FOB battery replaced???? __________________ 94 Taurus GL 3.8L PEP204A 99 Ranger 4dr 4.0L 5spd Auto Payload & Tow Pkg Details are trifles, but trifles make perfection & perfection is no trifle (Ben Franklin) Our signature is a sign of a job completed, autograph your work with excellence.

12-11-2012, 12:04 PM	#5 (permalink)
pawpaw Devoted Member Member Number: 889 Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Virginia Chapter: Southeast Drives: 94 Taurus GL 3.8L PEP204A 99 Ranger 4.0L 4dr 5spd auto Payload & Tow pkg Visit: My Garage Posts: 1,965 Trader Score: 0 reviews Rep Power: 16	OK, so if its no better with a new FOB battery, is the vehicle battery near or at a full soc???? If so, how are the vehicle battery to engine & body ground connections? __________________ 94 Taurus GL 3.8L PEP204A 99 Ranger 4dr 4.0L 5spd Auto Payload & Tow Pkg Details are trifles, but trifles make perfection & perfection is no trifle (Ben Franklin) Our signature is a sign of a job completed, autograph your work with excellence.

12-11-2012, 01:38 PM	#6 (permalink)
Mystery101 Member Member Number: 32282 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Daytona Beach, FL Chapter: Southeast Drives: 1998 Taurus SE 3.0L DOHC Duratec 24V Visit: My Garage Posts: 107 Trader Score: 0 reviews Rep Power: 3	Smells like cold solder joint, or bad connections.. Correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't the receiver for the fob inside the GEM? __________________

12-11-2012, 10:20 AM	#3 (permalink)
sadffffff Junior Member Member Number: 51670 Join Date: Dec 2012 Chapter: Northeast Drives: 2001 Taurus SES 3.0L Visit: My Garage Posts: 4 Trader Score: 0 reviews Rep Power: 0	Thanks for the welcome The battery has probably never been replaced. I had thought about that briefly when I was trying to come up with solutions, but since the FOB was always warm I dismissed that and blamed the car. Batteries are cheap, so I'll give it a shot and post back. Thanks again

12-11-2012, 10:40 AM	#4 (permalink)
sadffffff Junior Member Member Number: 51670 Join Date: Dec 2012 Chapter: Northeast Drives: 2001 Taurus SES 3.0L Visit: My Garage Posts: 4 Trader Score: 0 reviews Rep Power: 0	Seems about the same. I had to be within about a foot of the door and even then it was spotty.

12-11-2012, 02:59 PM	#7 (permalink)
sadffffff Junior Member Member Number: 51670 Join Date: Dec 2012 Chapter: Northeast Drives: 2001 Taurus SES 3.0L Visit: My Garage Posts: 4 Trader Score: 0 reviews Rep Power: 0	pawpaw- I installed a new vehicle battery about 9 months ago connections are all fairly clean, within reason. Mystery- I'm thinking the same, failing joint or componant in that radio for the FOB. If its in teh GEM/easy to get at, I might take it out and poke around at it. Thanks

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