Weird MK7 (2007) Key Fob issue!

[reesv01]

Good afternoon all

Well after a lovely summer, it seems like the rain is back for good! So seen as this puts a bit of a damper on my camper conversion work, there is one thing I'm hoping to get sorted today.

When I first purchased my MK7 (2007) LWB High Top 2.4 Transit last year, the previous owners told me they spilt some liquid on the key fob and it stopped working. Being a bit IT savvy I thought in my head "Ah hopefully a quick fix with a new case and battery!"

Well this kind of appears to be the case... I've soldered in a new battery and put the fob back into a shiny new case, however this hasn't fully solved my problem. (Original blade key, which works to unlock and start the van)

Looking at the reprogramming instructions for the Transit (of which there appears to be many!) I've found the on/off 8 times, press a button on the fob, on then back off trick to be ALMOST working...

I don't get any chime or locking/unlocking of the doors after 8 turns, but if I press a button (this is with the key back in the off position), the central locking works! YAY I thought, until I turned the ignition back on and off (in order to finish the squence), to find removing the key, it stops working!

So again I do the same 8 turns, the key fob again is working fine, unlocking and locking several times... but then again it stops!

Am I just not finishing the squence correctly? Any thoughts on this? - I've read after it starts working, you need to turn on and then back off within 10 seconds to 'save' the key.

After a couple of trips to Wales this year, finding I have to crawl through the hole in the bulkhead I've made, at 3am in the morning, due to a call of nature is not the way forward! (Can't open the sliding door from the inside when the van is locked at night!).... so this is really something that'd make a great difference.

Any thoughts or ideas welcomed and thanks in advance for any insights!

Vince

[reesv01]

Okay so after 3 unsucessfull attempts at this, this morning, after programming, I've started the van and left it running for a bit... I've just jumped back in and now the key fob is working as it should!

Not sure what's caused this as I've done the same sequence about 30 times in the past 2 days in a desperate attempt to get it to work... some folk suggest the key fob charges in the barrel, but seeing no connection from the metal blade to the pcb inside, I'm not sure how this could be the case, inductive charging prehaps?

Anyhow, now it's working, I won't be touching the programming until the next time it dies!

Happy with the result

[blue estate]

Right 1st things 1st mk7 needs a computer to access key programming
Have a check of the batteries under seat as well as a front battery with low voltage can cause you locking problems


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[Airthies]

Right 1st things 1st mk7 needs a computer to access key programming
Have a check of the batteries under seat as well as a front battery with low voltage can cause you locking problems


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

+1
& you should be able to unlock side door from inside with the turnie knob at the rear of the door. (if it's there)

Sent from my anu5 using crapatalk

[reesv01]

Hmmmm well I thought it was all working... what I've found now, is that if I start the van, turn it off, the key continues to work for around 7-8 seconds. If I continue to press buttons on the fob, this carries on working... as soon as I stop pressing buttons for around 7-8 seconds, it stops working.

If I then start the van back up, turn it off, the fob starts working again, but stops after the same length of time.

My batteries could indeed do with replacing, but currently one is showing 13 volts (possibly due to the split charge relay, the leisure battery is probably power....

Yep I've susssed it!

What as happening, was the leisure battery split-charge relay was keeping the aux battery charged, as soon as this relay closed, the remote locking stopped working.

So yes indeed it is a battery issue, was my split charge relay causing strange results!

Thanks all, new battery for me next pay day!

And Airthies - I wasn't aware of that, but unforuntately having a board covering the side door... will be sure to take this off and invetigate! Thanks

[bambi mk 1]

Right 1st things 1st mk7 needs a computer to access key programming
Have a check of the batteries under seat as well as a front battery with low voltage can cause you locking problems


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

+1
& you should be able to unlock side door from inside with the turnie knob at the rear of the door. (if it's there)

Sent from my anu5 using crapatalk

+ turning it on and off 8 times is only for a mk 6











=

[reesv01]

Ah okay, found a few different sources stating different numbers... is it 4 for the MK7 then, or?

Also a quick question about the batteries, with the transit having 2, are they both for the same uses or different? See mentions of aux battery, suggesting one is maybe for other electrics, whilst the other maybe just for cranking?

Cheers

[Altransit]

You can't self program a Mk7 key, as said, that's a Mk6 thing, Mk7 has to be done using Ford IDS or similar software.
Your key is probably OK as it starts the van and works the c/locking sometimes.
The key itself does self charge from the ignition, unless the internal battery is broken.

Your front (aux) battery is dead, which is why the c/l only works immediately after the van has been charging it. If you turn on the ignition, it will also work, because the rear (starting) battery gets switched together with the front, for starting.

[reesv01]

Ah okay, so in this case then the remote fob was always programmed, the new battery solved the fob issue, but the van batteries were what was causing the fob to only work occasionally, in connection with the relay switch to the leisure battery, which caused it to work even more sporadically (depending on whether the relay was on or not).

So in conclusion to this problem:
- No remote key fobs can be programmed on any MK7, without Ford IDS or other software
- The aux (front battery) needs to be in good working order to operate any programmed remote fob
- If you have a split charge relay, and unhealthy main batteries, you'll find the remote fob may or may not work depending on whether the relay is on or not (on for a few seconds after running the van, due to the increased voltage from the alternator).

Well it all makes sense now Thanks everyone for the input, hopefully will help others if in this particular (probably uncommon!) problem.

[knobby1]

Dead or dying batteries are quite common, often manifests itself by showing ----- on the speedo sometimes, lots of other electrical gremlins happen too along with the C/L not working properly.

Lord Knobrot