[stubbsz]

So got it the car and couldnt start it. I presented the key to the relevant part of the steering column and drove to my destination. Try my backup key with no luck. Had to keep doing so for the rest of the morning. Ex-wife handed me a set of CR2032's. Spend 10 minutes trying to open the fob... and finally went to a youtube video to finally get in.

Replaced the battery...that one doesnt work either. So I went to HomeDepot for a brand new battery. Get back in car and hit the start button without thinking... car boots up. Get home.. Key now works and I can lock and unlock. My backup key works fine to. I put the old battery back in... that works too. What is going on here? Is there a more serious problem with the car and not the fob?

 

[Ayepace]

Could just be a little oxidation on the battery contacts in the fob, or the original battery is getting weak. Taking the battery out and putting it back in will "scrape" that oxidation off enough for it to make a better contact. The old battery may work for a little while longer.

I just had a weak battery in one. Press the button on the door handle and it didn't unlock. Press the button on the fob and it unlocked. Got in the car, pressed the start button and was told the smart key not present. First time this happened I did the fob under the steering column process. Second time, I pressed the unlock button on the fob again and I could start the car. I replaced the battery and that resolved the problem.

 

[Brendon]

There is a Topix technical bulletin which describes this exact problem (right down to needing to hold the key near the steering column if memory serves right). The title is SSM75143 - Passive keys stop working after a successful BCM update

I don't access to it anymore unfortunately. Any chance you had a BCM update recently?

 

[Fnscotsman]

I have similar problems with my key fobs, they work sometimes but a bunch of times I need to hold it under the steering column to get it to recognize the fob.

 

[[email protected]]

Same thing happened to me this week. Dealer replaced batteries in both fobs and solved the problem. I put a note in my calendar to replace them again in 18 months (my I Pace is almost 2 years old).

 

[rcomeau]

I've had the same issue from day 1. The door lock buttons don't work and occasionally I can't start. I have to remove the FOB from my jeans pocket and hold it up to the window for it to eventually get the door to unlock. The failure to start usually only happens once, so it somehow eventually figures out the key is in the car.

I've had it "fixed" twice at the dealer, the latest being Tuesday (and the lock not working on Wednesday). They replaced the batteries and re-installed some software on the car (I'll have to look up the repair sheet). They claim it is fixed. The main issue is that I don't want to unlock the door using the FOB if the car is charging as it interrupts the charge (and unlocks the charge cable). I'll put the key in my front pocket tonight to see if that works (are jeans RFID-proof?).

 

[stubbsz]

Same thing happened to me this week. Dealer replaced batteries in both fobs and solved the problem. I put a note in my calendar to replace them again in 18 months (my I Pace is almost 2 years old).

It was just strange how both batteries were completely spent, then both became functional at the same time. That cycle happened again, so I switched to new as originally planned.

 

[Steveg11sings]

The problem is a faulty antenna. Mine was replaced and the problem went away.

 

[ManhattanBeachMo]

So got it the car and couldnt start it. I presented the key to the relevant part of the steering column and drove to my destination. Try my backup key with no luck. Had to keep doing so for the rest of the morning. Ex-wife handed me a set of CR2032's. Spend 10 minutes trying to open the fob... and finally went to a youtube video to finally get in.

Replaced the battery...that one doesnt work either. So I went to HomeDepot for a brand new battery. Get back in car and hit the start button without thinking... car boots up. Get home.. Key now works and I can lock and unlock. My backup key works fine to. I put the old battery back in... that works too. What is going on here? Is there a more serious problem with the car and not the fob?

 

[ManhattanBeachMo]

Hi. This sounds like what I’m experiencing except I haven’t tried replacing the fob batteries. Have you resolved the problem? Or learn anything else? Perhaps a software update issue? Thanks!

 

[Steveg11sings]

As mentioned in an earlier post I had the exact same issue. After a few visits back to the dealer they finally diagnosed the problem as a faulty antenna. Once it was replaced I have had no further issues.