[hetzlercraig80]

I have an 05 Taurus and I recently bought two new key fobs for it. I had no problem getting them programmed, however they have no range. I have to stand either next to the door or be in the car itself for both of them to work. I am wondering if there is an antenna on the GEM or if the GEM itself has gone bad? Another question I have is, is the GEM located on the fuse box located on the drivers sidekick panel? If anyone has any ideas why I have a range issue here, let me know! Thanks

 

[Automender12345]

Where did you get the key fobs from? Maybe there are defective or have dead batteries..

 

[aleo101]

I have an 05 Taurus and I recently bought two new key fobs for it. I had no problem getting them programmed, however they have no range. I have to stand either next to the door or be in the car itself for both of them to work. I am wondering if there is an antenna on the GEM or if the GEM itself has gone bad? Another question I have is, is the GEM located on the fuse box located on the drivers sidekick panel? If anyone has any ideas why I have a range issue here, let me know! Thanks

I've purchased after market fobs and the range is pretty good- I'd first change the batteries in your fobs. Go so far as to do a voltage check on the old battery and the new one. Then do your range test again. Could be they have been sitting around for years. Not exactly tons of demand for those FOBs, ya know. I have 2007 Taurus.

 

[hetzlercraig80]

I have checked the battery voltage, and it is right around 12.63. I am an ASC Master Certified Auto Tech, however I do not specialize in Fords and therefore I am asking for help with specific nitty gritty Ford problems. Every vehicle has its own nitty-gritty specifics. I specialize only in European, Audi Volkswagen. I have also replaced the batteries me fobs and it did the same thing. If I am sitting in the car the fobs work perfectly well and all functions work well. As soon as I step out of the vehicle, I have no signal reception. I am wondering if the GEM , which is part of the fuse block in the kick panel of the driver's side, needs to be replaced totally or if there is an antenna wire that has broken or gone bad, I don't know?? I have read other articles saying that I just need to unplug all three of the connectors that plug into it and clean them out and replug them in. Perhaps that will work, however based on my experience as a technician it seems that there is a problem with the GEM itself. I'm just not experienced on Ford products, and just need some input if anyone has any similar experiences of this happening. Let me know!

 

[aleo101]

I have checked the battery voltage, and it is right around 12.63. I am an ASC Master Certified Auto Tech, however I do not specialize in Fords and therefore I am asking for help with specific nitty gritty Ford problems. Every vehicle has its own nitty-gritty specifics. I specialize only in European, Audi Volkswagen. I have also replaced the batteries me fobs and it did the same thing. If I am sitting in the car the fobs work perfectly well and all functions work well. As soon as I step out of the vehicle, I have no signal reception. I am wondering if the GEM , which is part of the fuse block in the kick panel of the driver's side, needs to be replaced totally or if there is an antenna wire that has broken or gone bad, I don't know?? I have read other articles saying that I just need to unplug all three of the connectors that plug into it and clean them out and replug them in. Perhaps that will work, however based on my experience as a technician it seems that there is a problem with the GEM itself. I'm just not experienced on Ford products, and just need some input if anyone has any similar experiences of this happening. Let me know!

Based on what you have added, I am assuming you never had a key fob that 'worked' from a reasonable distance? As you know, programming the fobs is pretty easy and I believe you can have up to 5 fobs per car. I am mentioning this so if you have another, older, working fob from anohter (GEN 4) Taurus you can program it to your car and have a 'known working' fob to use as the control. If that 'working fob' ALSO works ONLY inside, or very close contact, then at least you have elimitnated the fobs as the problem.-- I guess I am saying check confirm fob before going further into the electronics. Kinda the way I replaced my washer nozzles this moring-- Took hood blanket down, changed nozzles, put blanket back in place and tried nozzle--squirted little then stopped! I opened hood, took down blanket again, everything looked right--Turns out-- I was out of washer fluid!

 

[helifino]

I've seen many horror stories about the poor range of aftermarket fobs. The GEM is indeed colocated with the interior fuse panel. IIRC it does have an antenna, running up the A pillar

 

[hetzlercraig80]

So there is a possibility if the gem has an antenna running up the a pillar that it could be a broken wire? I have taken off the trim piece on the a-pillar on the driver side, however I did not see any wire running alongside of it. Unless that wire is inside of the color itself and not visible??