Hello All,

Just wondering if anyone else has encountered the same problem as me.

I have a 02 X Limited and it seems as though the key fobs deactivate after about a minute of shutting down the truck. But as soon as you hit any key on the key pad they start working again. They will also continue working as long as you want to lock and unlock the doors without letting a minute elapse.

Another odd thing is that the dealer read the unlock code as 9 11 9 11 9. He then used the datalogger and found my real unlock code. The Ford dealer is stumped as to why my remotes act the way they do and the finding of the door code with a 11 in it. They want to start going through testing things but at 80 bucks an hour I an a little reluctant.

They say it could be my VSM (Vehicle Security Module) but they cannot find it. I am pretty sure its located somewhere inside the GEM unit.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Chris

 

I don't believe that there is any direct relationship between the keypad on the drivers door, and the keyless entry remotes. It is correct that the keypad on the door is controled by the GEM module, at least this is where you need to look for the pre-programed code. And the keyless entry remotes are controled by the VSM. The unusual code that was pulled by the dealer was probably one that someone programed themselves so it was easy to remember. You can always add one code on top of the factory pre-set, but it does not erase it. I suspect that somehow power is being turned off when the vehicle sits (do you have memory seats, and are they forgetting their pre-sets too?), and only when you touch one of the buttons on the drivers door keypad does the vehicle "wake up". I know when I touch one of my buttons, the lights come on in the vehicle. Did you try and re-program the remotes?. Did you take a look and see if there were any fuses blown (I think the GEM has its own). Is your door adjar light remaining on when all the doors are closed?. Any of these things could cause the battery rundown protection to activate, and I don't think the remotes will work when it is on. If you unlock the door with the key, and the interior lights come on, will the remotes work then?.

 

Thanks for the reply, But how can someone program an 11 when the key pad only goes 0-9. My seats remember thier settings fine. When I hit a button on my door just the key pad lights up nothing else but my remotes then work. I have not looked at any fuses but I will at lunch. The door ajar light is only on when a door is open. I think you may be onto something with the battery rundown protection. I am going to do a search on it. When I unlock the door with the key no lights come on and the remote still wont work.

Thanks for your advice

 

I guess I am going to question the dealers interpretation of the code that they pulled. I'm not sure if this is correct, and if it is then I would think the module is faulty.

 

I was in the shop when they pulled the code and I actually saw the 9119119 and questioned them as to why they had 7 numbers when we should only have 5. They informed me that it was 9 11 9 11 9 I guess there are little spaces between the 9 and the ones. This battery rundown protection may be whats causing the problem with the remotes. And a bad GEM could probably cause the battery to drain. A new GEM is $225 from my local dealer then I have the cost of getting both of my PATS keys programmed to it and the challange of getting the truck to them or changing the GEM in thier lot. Dang I wish I had one of thier computers would make this alot cheaper and faster this will be the 4th time having my computer read at an average of 40 bucks a shot.

 

Where do you live??

 

I live in Wisconsin between Green Bay and Milwaukee