Key Fob Issues
 

I very recently purchased a 2013 GTS 86 and hoping you guys might potentially know abit more about what's up or some tests I could run.

My key fob doesn't unlock the doors or trunk for my car, but the cars indicators will flash showing that it's received the signal from the fob (sometimes it wont do this though), the car will also detect keyless entry for the fob with the interior lights turning on when I bring the fob up to the door.

Last night I was out cruising with some friends and when I went to turn the car on with the push to start button, it wasn't picking up the FOB and kept flashing the key logo on the dash, eventually it picked the FOB up. The door panel controls in the car to lock both doors don't work either.

I've looked at the door lock/unlock fuse in the engine fuse box and it isn't blown, I've replaced the battery in the key fob, and I've tested the battery with a reading of 12.67V after letting it sit overnight. I'm thinking it could potentially be an issue with the key FOB? Although I'm unable to test with the spare as the seller had it at their old address as they moved recently and he is sending it in the mail, but it wouldn't explain why the door panel lock/unlock buttons don't work?

Any ideas would be super appreciated as I'm abit out of my comfort zone with the new car and I'm apprehensive at the moment on doing anything wrong

i would pull the drivers side door panel and check the connector on the window/lock control unit. possibly loose.

Just pulled it apart, connections all look secure, should I possibly look at replacing the lock control unit?

Have you looked at the data PIDs and done output tests with a manufacturer-level scan tool? Have you looked at the wiring diagram?

Do not throw parts at problems.

better yet, use a volt meter on the door lock solenoid wires to check to see if they're getting a voltage signal when the button is pressed.

do not throw expensive software at problems!

If he intends to do this regularly, he should give himself the means to do it. I'm not asking him to drop $2K on an autel, I've seen less official versions of techstream floating around on here.

Poking at the door lock actuators ("s" because I presume he checked that the door locks weren't operating for BOTH doors) won't tell him why the immo transponder wasn't responding, and unless he plans to scope the transponder antenna with a DSO and decode the signal manually, looking at the data pids with a scan tool or software is how he's going to do it.

Good lord, he might even find a DTC in there to help him along.

Do you really think he knows what you are talking about?
I sure don't.

he said both the door buttons don't work and the transponder doesn't work. i don't see why we need to immediately delve into advanced canbus coding techniques...

start simple first. every tech manual should cover this.

we need to figure out why the door buttons don't actuate the door locks. for that, we only need a volt meter. hell, use a test light.

he was on the right track checking fuses first, now that he verified the fuses are good, we're moving on to other potentials. in this order, there's could be a wiring/connector issue, a switch issue, a solenoid issue, or finally a programming issue. there could also be an issue with all or none of them at the same time.

but there's absolutely no reason to jump to the bottom of the list and troubleshoot the computer code without first verifying the mechanical and electrical parts tying the entire system together are in good functional order first.

the fact that the car flashes the lights when a transponder button flashes means that the transponder is correctly synced to the car. the fact that the door buttons don't work means that there's something else not working beyond computer code.

Reading PIDs is not advanced canbus coding techniques, it's literally the simple first step you advertise.

Before you start poking at a car, it's easiest and simplest to know what is going on, the easiest way to know what is actually going on without taking anything apart is to kindly ask the stinkin brainbox what it's doing. What signal is it getting? What action is it taking once it has received that signal? It might seem intuitive to press the unlock button and watch a DVOM poked into the door lock actuator, but what then? if you see no reaction, is the control module at fault? why? was the output even turned on or was it inhibited for some other reason?

You want to talk first step? How high up in the diag tree is too high?

Robbah, you heard it here first. Forget the $10 meter, forget the $5 test light. You need $800 of computer diagnostics software first, otherwise just junk the car.

Funny you should throw out a number like that, if someone is unwilling to pirate, you can sub to TIS on a 2-day, monthly or yearly plan.

$65 gets you a 2 day login WITH bidirectional diag and module programming. And as I've said earlier, if he wants to diag his issues himself, a j2534 usb cable is something he should look into getting anyway.

But he doesn't have to do any of this. He doesn't have to listen to you or me.

Bring it to a shop then.

^^^so much this^^^
Basic computer skills are way more common than enough understanding of basic electrical principles and how to measure.

Assuming the ubiquity of breadDoughs laptops, mehScreen is the no-brainer choice.

3/4 of the people out there I wouldn't even let them touch a computer.
Regardless of age.

I think I'll take your advice and bring it to a shop, I don't have enough experience yet with cars to feel comfortable enough and it does look quite confusing to me right now. I really appreciate the help you've given me and I hope it might help someone else who has the same problem I have.

Thankyou for trying to help me sort out this problem, as I've mentioned above I will just take it into a shop because I feel like my experience isn't at a high enough level at the moment to tackle this problem, I see where RZNT4R is coming from trying to set me up for future problems and I appreciate his and your knowledge on the problem, I didn't mean for you guys to argue over this, I hope everyone who commented has a wonderful day and I'm very thankful for the input you've given me! Sorry I could not use everyone's advice to solve the problem myself, but I will continue to work on developing m skills and hopefully return the favour to other owners down the line!

I will come back to this thread and post an update on what the mechanic found wrong in my car incase someone happens to stumble upon my thread and their problems match mine.

Ok, yeah. But the same goes for DIY system troubleshooting, or even old-school automotive work.

Props to OP for recognizing limits and heeding advice.

Problem is 3/4 of the people mentioned wouldn't heed advice and try to fix it on their own before taking it in.

Also definitely props for listening.
But also the fact that that is said proves my point.

True! OP's response is the refreshing exception.

I hope I didn't come off as trying to dissuade you. While I fix cars for a living, I don't want to be a gatekeeper of knowledge and I try to give advice to do things right the 1st time and sometimes I bet I can come off as an ... ass?

Keep in mind, cars are made by people are a fixed by people and since you probably are a people, you can probably fix cars. There's a TIS rip (of just the shop manual part) and that'll be your starting point for most things. Bookmark it, save it, print it and store it in a binder, just never be without it! Most things will have steps, and if you have a head at the top of your body and you follow those steps, you'll get to your problem eventually in the vast majority of cases. You'll probably need some tools along the way, but eventually you'll be fine.

My last comment is because my only issue is, and promise me this, if you start trying to fix something, don't give up halfway and bring a half discombobulated mess to the poor mechanic who'll have to sort it out ;) It's best to scope out a job and decide if you should tackle it before touching too many things, basic checks are fine but keep in mind when you're the second guy hitting an issue, sorting out the real problem from what the previous guy did can be a headache, and will add to the diag time in the end. I see a lot of dealer inventory used cars and I'm often the 2nd or 3rd guy hitting those things and man, it gets rough.