Keyless Entry (by touching door handle) just stopped working on tailgate

[tjnoffy]

2021 OBX 4-Door. Can't find any threads on this.

Anyone else had their Keyless Entry (not the number pad, but by touching the door handle) stop working at the tailgate? Was working fine until a week or two ago. Still works at the driver's door. Can't find specific settings for it in the manual (below). My tech brain makes me suspect an OTA software update gone bad. Anyone have a fix? Trying to avoid needing a dealership service appointment.

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[2020FordRaptor]

Did you check fuses?

 

[tjnoffy]

Did you check fuses?

I glanced at the fuse listings and nothing jumped out at me as a fuse for that purpose, but I'll give it another look. Thanks.

 

[tjnoffy]

Did you check fuses?

Closest I see are a Driver Door Module and a Passenger Door Module fuse. Guess I'm pulling fuses one by one and/or off to the dealer. 🫤

 

[JohnnyBronco]

Is it the lock or unlock or both not working? Different sensors. And does the keyfob unlock and losck it with the doors?

 

[tjnoffy]

Is it the lock or unlock or both not working? Different sensors. And does the keyfob unlock and losck it with the doors?

It's both. Grabbing the handle doesn't unlock it, touching the black button doesn't lock it. If there's a fuse for that, it's not obviously marked.

Just checked the passenger door (which I don't normally use) and it doesn't lock/unlock either. Checked fuse 183 60A Passenger door module and it looks fine.

Yes, the key fob locks and unlocks all doors, including the tailgate.

It's odd that, coincidentally, the Auto Start/Stop seems to have stopped working, too, although I haven't done my due diligence on troubleshooting that. I read in the manual that running the climate control can prevent it from stopping the engine, so I need to take the truck out and shut down all climate control and see what happens. I can't imagine that running the heat now that's it's cold would completely prevent Auto Start/Stop from working when it worked this past summer with the A/C (and its compressor) running.

 

[tjnoffy]

2021 OBX 4-Door. Can't find any threads on this.

Anyone else had their Keyless Entry (not the number pad, but by touching the door handle) stop working at the tailgate? Was working fine until a week or two ago. Still works at the driver's door. Can't find specific settings for it in the manual (below). My tech brain makes me suspect an OTA software update gone bad. Anyone have a fix? Trying to avoid needing a dealership service appointment.

OK, I think I've narrowed down the problem. I believe that the battery level is too low, causing the truck to cut back on functionality when the engine is off. The display, the dash, and the overhead cabin lights don't come on when I open the door, the passenger door and tailgate don't unlock/lock on touch (driver door does, so a selective decision on the part of the system, I'm guessing), and the screen shows the below message when I turn off the engine and open the door.

The gauge on the dash showed 12.5V with the engine off, but was down to 12.2V a little bit later when I checked. The truck starts just fine, however. Anyone know the minimum battery voltage required to make everything work with the engine off?

 

[Hippydrome]

OK, I think I've narrowed down the problem. I believe that the battery level is too low, causing the truck to cut back on functionality when the engine is off. The display, the dash, and the overhead cabin lights don't come on when I open the door, the passenger door and tailgate don't unlock/lock on touch (driver door does, so a selective decision on the part of the system, I'm guessing), and the screen shows the below message when I turn off the engine and open the door.

The gauge on the dash showed 12.5V with the engine off, but was down to 12.2V a little bit later when I checked. The truck starts just fine, however. Anyone know the minimum battery voltage required to make everything work with the engine off?

I am going through the exact same thing as you are, I think the battery is bad.

 

[tjnoffy]

I am going through the exact same thing as you are, I think the battery is bad.

Maybe a bad batch of batteries, or possibly the features that are active when the truck is not running (keyless entry, etc.) wear the battery down prematurely. I also have a BlackVue dashcam system, but it's set to turn off in parking mode when the battery reaches 12.2V. That shouldn't stress a battery.

When these features were not working I measured voltage directly on the battery and got 11.6V, then turned on the accessories (but not the engine) and the battery voltage on the dash said 12.2V. Not sure how accurate the dash voltage reading is.

Anyway, I have an appointment to take it to the dealer on Monday to have the battery tested as a first step.

 

[Hippydrome]

Maybe a bad batch of batteries, or possibly the features that are active when the truck is not running (keyless entry, etc.) wear the battery down prematurely. I also have a BlackVue dashcam system, but it's set to turn off in parking mode when the battery reaches 12.2V. That shouldn't stress a battery.

Anyway, I have an appointment to take it to the dealer on Monday to have the battery tested as a first step.

I too have a BlackVue dash cam and set to the same 12.2V auto shut off. Has been working fine for over a year with no batterie problems. Maybe BlackVue change something in the software. I am disconnecting my to see if the battery problem goes away after I have my battery checked at the local auto store.

Cheers,

HD

 

[tjnoffy]

I too have a BlackVue dash cam and set to the same 12.2V auto shut off. Has been working fine for over a year with no batterie problems. Maybe BlackVue change something in the software. I am disconnecting my to see if the battery problem goes away after I have my battery checked at the local auto store.

Cheers,

HD

You should be able to just turn off Parking Mode in the settings so that you still get recordings while driving.

 

[tjnoffy]

I too have a BlackVue dash cam and set to the same 12.2V auto shut off. Has been working fine for over a year with no batterie problems. Maybe BlackVue change something in the software. I am disconnecting my to see if the battery problem goes away after I have my battery checked at the local auto store.

Cheers,

HD

And by the way, batteries are covered under the 36,000 bumper to bumper warranty, so don't buy a new one.

 

[tjnoffy]

It was the battery. Took it to the dealer today and they tested it and replaced it under warranty.

 

[Jace 21583]

Even though this thread is pretty much dead i just had this issue after my truck sat at ford for 2 months. Driver door handle would unlock and lock with passive key system, passenger and swing gate would not, as well as that same sync message of turning off to save battery. Several other things were happening, aux switches working when car off etc.......i pulled the neg batt terminal and trickle charged my batt overnight and low and behold when i reconnected it EVERYTHING WENT BACK TO WORKING AS SHOULD
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ill come back and update if the gremlins come back

 

[daveness]

OK, I think I've narrowed down the problem. I believe that the battery level is too low, causing the truck to cut back on functionality when the engine is off. The display, the dash, and the overhead cabin lights don't come on when I open the door, the passenger door and tailgate don't unlock/lock on touch (driver door does, so a selective decision on the part of the system, I'm guessing), and the screen shows the below message when I turn off the engine and open the door.

The gauge on the dash showed 12.5V with the engine off, but was down to 12.2V a little bit later when I checked. The truck starts just fine, however. Anyone know the minimum battery voltage required to make everything work with the engine off?

Thanks for your reply on this thread. It saved me a lot of time. My battery had run low because I was having the bronco on in accessory mode a lot while I worked to install some lights. Then only the driver's door would recognize the key. If found this thread, your answer, and that was my problem too.

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