Car key buttons do not respond or seem to connect to the car. (Meaning - the central locking will not lock or unlock)

I can open the car via the passenger door as the drivers door lock is worn. Then I have to lean through & open the driver door. Does anyone know how to resolve this & also a rough idea of the cost ???
Thanks

 

the fob contains a battery, it could be flat or corroded, or bust,
another keyfob can be added to focus mk1, so remote locking can be used, providing, your system is working, you will have to programme it in,
very simple to find out the process online,

 

As long as the keyfob batteries are good.

Go under dash drivers side and there's a GEM module with a row of coloured plugs, flip the yellow locking levers over , disconnect the plugs and reconnect them.

Then key in ignition from 0 to II 4 times QUICKLY (under 5 secs), should be a chime from the car, then press a button on remote, same chime again which tells you the fob is learnt. If you have more than one fob you need to program it at same time or it won't work either.

 

I tried to code my mates 2 key fobs in and it would either code one or the other.

 

The fact you are manually having to unlock the door, suggests it's a problem with the C/L, rather than the key fob!

Therefore, I would start here...

Martin

 

Did you do the key on/off thing then press button on one fob then the other fob within 20 secs?

 

If the central locking doesn't work at all there's a 20 amp fuse in the fusebox behind the glovebox, but Ford in their wisdom put it BEHIND the fusebox so you have to remove the fusebox and twist it round on the wires to get to the central locking fuse.

 

Correct, number 63.

Martin

 

I have just gone outside in the dark & I could not locate the switch. However I did simply key the ignition 4 times as stated. Then I pressed the fob. I got the chimes & it connected.

This worked straight away & it seems to have made my fob even more responsive ! Amazing and thanks.

I appreciate that my car is old. However, other than the fuel pump going once & the regular annual service, the car has never let me down in 9 years of owning it. Not bad for a car that is 14 years old...

Can anyone explain why this happened ?

 

So it is working now?

The remote seems to have lost it's partnership, it does not explain why the C/L did not work with the key though!

Martin

 

Hello Martin

Yes a slight miss understanding -
The C/L does work (when using the key in a door. But much more effective with the passenger door as the barel in the driver door is worn)

But yes the remote is working even better now ! I can be further away from the car & it locks & unlocks like new...

I have heard of people going directly to Ford & being charged £200 to have new keys & door barels set up !! I had also been reading on forum's that the MK1 FOCUS is known for this as a common issue.

I know there are ways around this sort of thing.

Thanks for your help
I appreciate it.

 

If new (unprogrammed) keys are learnt to the PATS (immobiliser) system (not just the locking fob learn as you have done) then the car has to be connected to the Ford IDS diagnostic computer, and the garage have to access Ford ETIS for activation codes to program the keys. Where I work they charge an hour labour for that £80 + vat.

 

A few points on this:
I don't think GEM module is relevant, didn't that come in later (Mk1.5) - this seems to be an early Mk1 (like mine).
The locking system has 3 effectively independent components in each key (2 for a non-remote):
1. The blade, cut to the relevant code, enables lock barrels (including ignition) to turn.
2. The immobiliser chip, enables starting/firing of engine. With 2 valid keys/chips known to the car you can program more. With just one you need Ford or an auto security specialist to add the second.
3. The remote functions lock/unlock/boot. These are programmed separately (all together) but you do need one working key (blade, maybe immobiliser) to get the car into "remote learning" mode.

You can easily program a key to remotely lock/unlock that has the wrong (or blank) blade and no/wrong/invalid immobiliser chip. As noted above it's independent.

 

Vehicles equipped with GEM module sometimes get a lock out situation where it's not possible to pair fobs to it, hence the disconnection that resets the GEM module.


edit - just checked GEM was fitted from 8/2001 build.

Where does OP state his year of car?

 

14 years old he said. So presumably no GEM.
Didn't think mine had one.

 

Ah missed that vital part of the cryptic clue.
Which was posted AFTER the original post.

 

Oddly the Drivers Manual has all the information about programming extra keys (and deleting unwanted/lost ones) re the immobiliser function, but says nothing about the remote locking - easily Googled though.
I've printed off a correct version (there are some that are fairly close and work with luck and others that are just plain wrong) and slipped it into the manual.

 

Just had the exact same problem and found this thread.

Thanks GVK, worked a treat!

 

Happy to help.