Keyless remote strange behavior

[CX5_x_2]

My 2013 GT keyless remote started acting strangely about a week ago. The car is kept in the garage and is locked automatically when I walk away from it in the evening. In the morning, I always press the outside button on the passenger side door to open all the doors. I've never had a problem until about a week ago. I pressed the button in the morning and nothing happened. I walked around to the drivers side and pressed that outside button and nothing happened. I made sure that I had the remote out of my pocket, no cell phone nearby, etc. and still nothing. Even pressing the unlock/lock/alarm buttons on the remote has no effect.

This happened again this morning so I went and got the never-been-used spare remote and everything still behaves the same. Strangely, once I open the door with the actual key, everything magically starts working (the outside door button as well as all of the remote buttons). Also, everything works perfectly during the day at work.

Anyone have any similar experience? This will be a fun one to explain to the dealer. I'm still under warranty at 31K miles.

 

[cybercruiser]

Could you have, maybe, left the other fob inside the car? I'm not sure it locks, or maybe beeps a bunch of times at you first, then locks if the other fob is inside the car. Just a thought...

 

[CX5_x_2]

Could you have, maybe, left the other fob inside the car? I'm not sure it locks, or maybe beeps a bunch of times at you first, then locks if the other fob is inside the car. Just a thought...

Nope, nothing was left in the car. Also, I only had one of the two remotes on me when attempting to open from the outside. The other remote was in the house well away from the car.

 

[tobeychris]

Sounds like a dying battery in the FOB.

 

[GAXIBM]

My early 2013 fob kept requiring me to be closer and closer to work. New fob battery fixed it.

 

[NorCal_MP3]

The batteries in the FOB tend to last only about a yard. But also I have had a FOB go bad already too n

 

[Gio26NJ]

We just started having this same issue with the fob, guess I will need to replace the battery as well. Lasted strong for 2.5 years nearing 30,000 miles. Came here to see if anyone else was having the same issue and found this thread.

I believe the battery is a CR2025

 

[CX5_x_2]

Yes, the new battery worked as folks suggested. I learned three things in the process:

1. When the keyless remote's battery starts to weaken, it doesn't just stop working all together. Pressing the button on the door handle didn't work. But, once I opened the door with the key, the door handle button worked just fine. Also, I could walk 20 yards away and the lock/unlock/emergency functions via the remote worked just fine.

2. You can't rely on a spare keyless remote that has never been used. I had mine locked up in a safe since the car purchase. Clearly the keyless capability must drain the battery.

3. All of the above was with our 2013 GT. A few weeks later, our 2014 GT displayed a message indicating that the remote's battery was getting weak. It's nice to have that indication on the later model.

 

[Gio26NJ]

Just did this the other day and all is back to normal. Just a little tip incase no one has figured it out yet. When you take out the key from the fob you will see two small arrow indents pointing to the sides of the fob. With a screw driver or anything flat and sturdy gently push to the direction of the arrows and then up to easily take apart the fob. Once both are unlatched the fob comes apart very easily and you don't damage the plastic. Just an FYI.