No key detected

[Love to hike 1224]

So lately, I keep getting the message that no key detected, sometimes, it won’t even let me turn the bronco on. What could be causing this, I have a new battery in my key fob and in my bronco.

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[DALOLA]

Don't assume the new fob battery is good, I ran into a batch of bad "new" batteries. Check it with a voltage meter if you have one, or try another battery. Assuming it starts when you put the fob into the dead battery start spot in the console?

 

[GoHawks63]

Also, I have noticed, not just with the Bronco, but with my other cars, that your phone can interfere with the key fob signal if it's in the same pocket as your fob.

 

[Brian_B]

There are also dead spots inside the Bronco where it can’t see the key

In the tray all the way under the HVAC control and in the front of the door side pocket and anywhere in the cargo area are dead spots for mine

 

[Dr Dan]

I found in an old remote that it only worked when I squeezed the whole thing together. It turns out the spring (that is also the contact) for the battery was not putting sufficient pressure to make contact. I did a little disassembly and bent the spring up. To test if it's a remote issue or a Bronco issue, try using the 2nd key.

 

[DALOLA]

There are also dead spots inside the Bronco where it can’t see the key

In the tray all the way under the HVAC control..

Interesting... that's usually where I put my fob, it's never failed to connect in that location. I wonder if your fob battery is weak?

 

[Brian_B]

Interesting... that's usually where I put my fob, it's never failed to connect in that location. I wonder if your fob battery is weak?

Could be the molle panel I have mounted on the passenger footwell, or the cables I have going through the dash for stereo upgrades, or something.

 

[MayhemMike]

My fob is on a carabiner that I hook on my pants belt loop. So far I have never had the no key detected.

 

[redone17]

On a side note - how the hell do you get the obnoxious chimes that they added to the 2025 models disabled???

 

[DaddyO]

My key is not detected intermittently as well and I carry it on a carabiner on my belt as well. I have to turn so it’s near enough to the handle to unlock and open the door. Then I have to place it under the dash near the start button for it to recognize it. Dealership “says” they can’t reproduce the issue.

 

[VirginiaHeritage]

On a side note - how the hell do you get the obnoxious chimes that they added to the 2025 models disabled???

Shutting your door and putting your seatbelt on before pressing Start will quiet some of them. There are other chime options you can turn off in the settings menu of the infotainment screen.

 

[B. Walker]

I had the No Fob detected issue ~6 months ago on my 4 month old (at the time) 2025 badlands SAS. There's a few posts on here if you do a search.
In my case, we just got back from a weeklong camping/fishing trip in the Mammoth Mountain area, so my Bronco sat in the driveway for that week, we took my F-350 to haul camping gear, float tubes ect. We got back and went to move cars out of the driveway and the Bronco got the "Fob Not detected" massage, I tried the second fob, no go, put them in the little pocket in the center console, no go, new fob batteries, no go, charged the starting battery (it sat for a week), no go.
I called ford and had it towed to the dealership, but.... with the way it was sitting in the driveway they had to tow it from the front. Since I could not put the ignition in Accessory mode it would not shift into neutral or go into flat tow mode to free the rear wheels. I did the manual override with a screwdriver under the boot and moved it into Neutral, but..... with anti-roll away safety system, after a couple feet the parking park locked up and it would not roll. I've read the ignition has to be in Accessory Mode to turn off the parking brake, which I could not do...... so they towed it on skates to the dealership.
After being at the dealership a week they determined the BCM failed and since I bought it from them 4 months prior, they graciously replaced it under warranty. no problems since.

I hope I'm missing something with the parking brake issue, not being able to put the ignition in Accessory mode to unlock the parking brake and put it in flat tow mode makes you a stationary brick, if this happens a down a long 4x4 trail and you can't be towed out.... I have to be missing something....

 

[jayMD]

This happened to me yesterday. I used the app to start it, pressed start once I got in. After I pressed start, the No Key Detected message popped up. I clicked ok and was able to shift into reverse and start driving. The message came up again as I was backing up. I was worried about getting stranded somewhere, so I traded out for the spare fob. Same thing happened with the spare, got the message multiple times and was able to continue driving, but it stopped after I got out of the driveway.

When it happened again today, I clicked unlock on the fob and the message didn't come up anymore.

 

[Jeff_M]

I leave the fob in both my Bronco and Lexus (in the garage) and this happens occasionally with both of them. I just reach down and jiggle the fob in either car and off they go.

 

[Gonzo]

Apparently 12 degrees overnight is enough to make the battery too cold to use?! Left my key in the car overnight. Brought it inside for 20 minutes and boom > back to normal

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