2022 Mach-E the two FOBs are not equal

[Red Baron]

Picked up my 2022 Premium on 2/26 and was given two key fobs.

Key 1 - recognized as I approach the car and can open door by pushing button on pillar
Key 2 - not recognized as I approach car and button on pillar does not work, BUT I *can* push unlock on FOB and *then* button on pillar works.

Why the difference and how to fix?

At first I though fob 2 was not programmed by dealer, but the unlock button on the fob works, so am confused.

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[generaltso]

Maybe the battery is weak in fob 2? You could try to swap the batteries between them and see if the problem follows the fob or the battery.

 

[RickMachE]

Picked up my 2022 Premium on 2/26 and was given two key fobs.

Key 1 - recognized as I approach the car and can open door by pushing button on pillar
Key 2 - not recognized as I approach car and button on pillar does not work, BUT I *can* push unlock on FOB and *then* button on pillar works.

Why the difference and how to fix?

At first I though fob 2 was not programmed by dealer, but the unlock button on the fob works, so am confused.

There is no battery issue as you've demonstrated by using the buttons successfully.

Easy solution.

Using the vehicle's screen, you need to establish profiles, and then assign Fob #2 to a different profile then Fob #1.

 

[generaltso]

Using the vehicle's screen, you need to establish profiles, and then assign Fob #2 to a different profile then Fob #1.

Why?

 

[ARK]

Maybe the battery is weak in fob 2? You could try to swap the batteries between them and see if the problem follows the fob or the battery.

I agree it could be a battery issue, fobs often get weaker before they die as the battery reaches the end of its life.

 

[RickMachE]

Why?

Because it's not working to unlock on approach...

Pulling batteries on a brand new fob that successfully works with the buttons would not be the first thing I would try. Setup of the vehicle includes establishing profiles, and connecting the fob to the profile and the door interior set button. If the OP does that for each fob, and then the 2nd fob doesn't work when he just walks up to the vehicle, THEN I'd search for a different solution.

 

[generaltso]

Because it's not working to unlock on approach...

Pulling batteries on a brand new fob that successfully works with the buttons would not be the first thing I would try. Setup of the vehicle includes establishing profiles, and connecting the fob to the profile and the door interior set button. If the OP does that for each fob, and then the 2nd fob doesn't work when he just walks up to the vehicle, THEN I'd search for a different solution.

I'm still not understanding how profiles would prevent a fob from working.

 

[RickMachE]

I'm still not understanding how profiles would prevent a fob from working.

I'm not understanding how batteries work on a fob but walking up to the car doesn't work.

There are a bunch of features on this vehicle. Passive key is one of them. Is it tied to the profile? Or the door buttons? Have you tested two keys before setting up anything?

The fobs come from Ford programmed, the dealer doesn't have to program them. Since the door unlocks with the button, my logic says to properly setup the vehicle and see if that solves the problem.

The other issue could be user error. Is the fob within 3 feet of the vehicle? If yes, is the OTHER fob anywhere near the vehicle (like over by the passenger door with the other owner)?

 

[generaltso]

I'm not understanding how batteries work on a fob but walking up to the car doesn't work.

There are a bunch of features on this vehicle. Passive key is one of them. Is it tied to the profile? Or the door buttons? Have you tested two keys before setting up anything?

The fobs come from Ford programmed, the dealer doesn't have to program them. Since the door unlocks with the button, my logic says to properly setup the vehicle and see if that solves the problem.

The other issue could be user error. Is the fob within 3 feet of the vehicle? If yes, is the OTHER fob anywhere near the vehicle (like over by the passenger door with the other owner)?

Ah, you're saying that the setting to turn on/off passive entry follows the profile? I guess that's possible. But if no profiles have been created, both fobs should behave the same way. Mine have both always worked the same way with passive entry, both before I created any profiles and after. But I guess it's something else to try.

I don't think it's likely the battery, but since it takes less than 10 seconds to swap them, it's just another thing to try. I did have a weak battery in a fob for a different car once that stopped proximity detection from working, but the buttons still worked for a while.

 

[RickMachE]

I'm saying I don't know. But if you get a new car, and you don't do the setup process, and something doesn't work one way, but works another (indicating battery is likely fine), then that's where I would start.

We got our 2nd fob a week into it, and didn't test 2 fobs on a new car with nothing setup.

I do know that if one person with a working passive fob approaches say the passenger door, that door is going to unlock, but it's not going to unlock any other doors. So, if a person now approaches at the same time with a 2nd fob to the driver's door...

 

[mpshizzle]

I'm going to shoot from the hip here... Don't one much about the intricacies of how the key fob works. But I do know a low battery can affect proximity features since that's an "always on" function.

You could possibly remove and re-pair the key fob as well.

 

[generaltso]

I'm saying I don't know.

Ah, okay. Your proclamation of an easy solution lead me to believe you were saying otherwise. ?

I guess we've given the OP at least a couple things to try.

 

[Red Baron]

Maybe the battery is weak in fob 2? You could try to swap the batteries between them and see if the problem follows the fob or the battery.

I just put the fob 2 very close to the pillar and then the pillar button worked.

So, maybe it IS a weak battery.

 

[Neil4Real]

I'm not understanding how batteries work on a fob but walking up to the car doesn't work.

There are a bunch of features on this vehicle. Passive key is one of them. Is it tied to the profile? Or the door buttons? Have you tested two keys before setting up anything?

The fobs come from Ford programmed, the dealer doesn't have to program them. Since the door unlocks with the button, my logic says to properly setup the vehicle and see if that solves the problem.

The other issue could be user error. Is the fob within 3 feet of the vehicle? If yes, is the OTHER fob anywhere near the vehicle (like over by the passenger door with the other owner)?

Actually, the batteries being weak could hinder them operating properly as a weak battery reduces the range/strength at which it can broadcast its passive entry signal to the car. I've had this happen on all my cars when the battery is getting weak, the fob buttons still work, but passive entry doesn't unless I take the key out of my pocket and put it next to the door or it won't work at all. I've also had where the battery gets weak and passive entry still works but the car cannot detect the key enough to start the vehicle. Change batteries, boom, back to full power. It is not all or nothing.

 

[RickMachE]

I just put the fob 2 very close to the pillar and then the pillar button worked.

So, maybe it IS a weak battery.

Could be. Or, where was it when you tested it the first time? If my wife has the fob in her purse, and she has her purse over her shoulder, and therefore her body is between her and the purse, sometimes she has to turn sideways to get the purse in a direct line of sight with the door lock and within 3 feet.

Edit - the other thing to keep in mind is that it can take time, i.e. a few seconds, for the car's systems to recognize the fob. From the manual: "The intelligent access system requires a brief delay to authenticate your authorized device". If you push the button repeatedly while it's trying to authorize it, that can lead to it having issues.

Or, it could be a bad battery...

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