Ford Keyless Entry & Start. Reliable?

sk8board

ninty9er wrote:

I discovered this evening that the man in the radio has gone dumb and the bluetooth isn't working...a trip to the dealer in order!!!! The car was recently with them for some crash repair (which looked write off material) but was only cosmetic and the man isn't talking now....I'm guessin someone leaned on a wire somewhere!!

they can reset it easily. I had it done in the garage before I drove it away. Simple handheld PC with a connection under the steering wheel.

ninty9er

sk8board wrote:

they can reset it easily. I had it done in the garage before I drove it away. Simple handheld PC with a connection under the steering wheel.

Brilliant. I'll take the trip with her and suggest it, cos they'll be unlikely to have had the problem already considering the beginning of the run was fairly recent

kippy

The lights flash when it locks, as you walk away (only a few feet away from the car). It works perfectly fine, and your problem would never be an issue in reality.

First thing that popped into my head when I spotted this, and some of the more recent comments about how it senses the keyfob near the car when you try to open the door is this:
What happens if the car is just outside the window or your house/office (even though it may be behind a wall), does a thief who wants to break into your car just have to try the handle and if the keyfob is close enough the door will open??
Looks like cars are getting more and more like computers, main dealer looks like the only option to fix then in future, no cheapo job from the guy down the road who knows a bit about cars.

Anyway, thats just a query and concern- best of luck with the car OP. Looks like a great deal.

MadsL

does a thief who wants to break into your car just have to try the handle and if the keyfob is close enough the door will open??

I'm waiting for the first carpark drive off theft.

Step 1 - clock a nice new merc with a keyless ignition
2. Follow it
3. Pull up next to it as it parks
4. Distract owner in close proximity to the car (got a light mate?)
5. Buddy jumps in car and hits START
6. Nice new merc for parts/export

sk8board

its an interesting idea.

Not sure about the Merc, but the Focus only works in very close proximity. As a gadget-freak I naturally had to test your theory out. It only works from inside 4 feet (I'm sure the neighbours were wondering WHAT I was at last night).

Also, (in the case of the Merc above) if someone distracted you, or dragged you out of the car, (as they can do with any 'normal' car with a key in the ignition), the car tells you that the fob has left the car, and once the thief stops the car, it won't start again as there is no fob (the fob's are coded to the car of course). If there was a key in the ignition, they could drive your car away for good and do as they please. So in the case you described above, its a much better scenario!

I had some reservations about it initially (hence the thread), but I have to say it works, and its hard to fool.

ninty9er

There's an override with the actual key blade though. You can insert it in the ignition fob and the car will start regardless of where the fob is. This was confuzzling me after the grannys one came back from the dealer. they'd obviously done that to avoid needing the fob on them(mechanics)....the car was beeping for about a week until I realised what it was when I saw the blade missing out of the fob

In this case you still cannot get into the car unless you have the fob though

Henry Ford III

I think a 3 door Zetec Connection will be my choice too.

I'd prefer the fancier 1.6 engine with 115bhp, but it's a special order.

sk8board

Henry Ford III wrote:

I think a 3 door Zetec Connection will be my choice too.

I'd prefer the fancier 1.6 engine with 115bhp, but it's a special order.

its also €1.5k more, which is a pity. Its comparable with the FSI engine range from VAG.

jesus_thats_gre

I have read this whole thread now and am not actually sure what car you bought lol. I presume it is the Focus though yeah?

sk8board

jesus_thats_gre wrote:

I have read this whole thread now and am not actually sure what car you bought lol. I presume it is the Focus though yeah?

sk8board wrote:

Hi all,

called out to the garage this afternoon.

bottom line, we purchased.

Got the 1.6 Zetec Connection.

kinda gives it away

Henry Ford III

I got a 3 door 1.6 Zetec Connection last week.

I had a few issues with it actually, which is unusual, but they have been resolved very quickly.

The speedo needed recalibrating (did this myself). The gearchange wasn't good, but a very quick adjustment to the cable sorted it. The hazard light switch stuck on - the trim surrounding the radio was incorrectly tightened.

Happy now. It's a great little car to drive, zippy enough, light on fuel, and the keyless system, voice control, and bluetooth are 100%. The sports seats and
suspension are good, and the climate control and 17" alloys make for a well equipped motor.

Recommended.

sk8board

its now 18 months on, and the car has been absolutely as expected, excellent.

However, just this morning ....

I went out to the car as usual, opened the drivers door, tossed my jacket (car/hse keys in the pocket) into the passenger seat, and closed the door to go around the back and open the rear passenger door for the young fella ... and it was locked! Nothing would open the car, all doors and boot were locked solid.

i.e. the keys were in the car, and it had locked itself.

I eventually got a spare house key from a neighbour and used the spare car fob that was in the house, and now everything is back to normal using the original fob. But how the heck did it lock itself? Was thinking it might be the mobile phone, which was in the same pocket, messing up the RFID.

Any ideas?

ninty9er

Don't toss the keys in the car again??

Maybe the battery power in the key is low.

On a slighlty unrelated matter:

have any of your lock buttons stuck. The driver's door one on the grandparents is stuck. it's fixable, just a matter of getting to the dealer for 10 minutes. Just means you have to use the fob rather than handle to lock from the driver's side.

Stevie Dakota

Henry Ford III wrote: »

I got a 3 door 1.6 Zetec Connection last week.

I had a few issues with it actually, which is unusual, but they have been resolved very quickly.

The speedo needed recalibrating (did this myself). The gearchange wasn't good, but a very quick adjustment to the cable sorted it. The hazard light switch stuck on - the trim surrounding the radio was incorrectly tightened.

Recommended.

That's shoddy build for you, should have bought a Renault Henry.

Henry Ford III

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

That's shoddy build for you, should have bought a Renault Henry.

No thanks. It's been 100% since then btw.

tred

Henry Ford III wrote: »

I disagree. The extra for a better equipped better trimmed and sportier Zetec is well worth the extra dosh.

big time, you bring you car back for a trade, and its LX , its parked wiht the rest of the Avis rentals....and knockdown trade. Zetec at a minimum if ur buying one id say.

delly

sk8board wrote: »

its now 18 months on, and the car has been absolutely as expected, excellent.

However, just this morning ....

I went out to the car as usual, opened the drivers door, tossed my jacket (car/hse keys in the pocket) into the passenger seat, and closed the door to go around the back and open the rear passenger door for the young fella ... and it was locked! Nothing would open the car, all doors and boot were locked solid.

i.e. the keys were in the car, and it had locked itself.

Since you don't know how it happened, the thoughts that your kid could have been locked in would give me nightmares, unless he's old enough to open the doors himself of course.

Stevie Dakota

When was the last time a key let you down? Keyless entry/go is just another stupid gadget that WILL go wrong at some stage.

return guide

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

When was the last time a key let you down? Keyless entry/go is just another stupid gadget that WILL go wrong at some stage.

agreed,

electric windows, power steering, electric starting motor, who needs them ?

keefg

return guide wrote: »

electric starting motor, who needs them ?

Crank handles for the winner!!!

sk8board

I've tested it again this eveing, over and over, and its working perfectly (in other words, it knows when the fob is IN the car, and doesn't lock). I've even put it in the drivers door pocket, and it wouldn't lock, but held it against the door from the outside (i.e. width of the door from being inside) and it knows the difference perfectly every time.

My wife uses this car as her daily driver, and as a techno-phobe she loves the Keyless and also the integrated bluetooth. When you have a child in your arms getting him into the car twice daily, you'd appreciate the value of this extra.
Ditto for bags of shopping, you walk to the boot, and its already open.

anyhoo, life goes on .....

ninty9er

sk8board wrote: »

I've tested it again this eveing, over and over, and its working perfectly (in other words, it knows when the fob is IN the car, and doesn't lock). I've even put it in the drivers door pocket, and it wouldn't lock, but held it against the door from the outside (i.e. width of the door from being inside) and it knows the difference perfectly every time.

My wife uses this car as her daily driver, and as a techno-phobe she loves the Keyless and also the integrated bluetooth. When you have a child in your arms getting him into the car twice daily, you'd appreciate the value of this extra.
Ditto for bags of shopping, you walk to the boot, and its already open.

anyhoo, life goes on .....

Have you condiered something in the jacket could have caught the lock button??

sk8board

ninty9er wrote: »

Have you condiered something in the jacket could have caught the lock button??

yep, but there was nothing, and it wasn't as if I pelted it into the car. Also, the buttons take a firm press.
Will put it down to a freak for now, and watch to see if it happens again.