Rear doors don't unlock when shutting off the vehicle

[Dr Plastic]

:frustrate:frustrate:frustrate

Is this a software issue of some type? My 2013 Explorer XLT would unlock all the doors when shutting off the vehicle. For some reason on my new 2015 Limited the rear doors stay locked after putting the vehicle in Park and I then have to unlock them via the unlock button on the door. The child locks are not engaged and I have searched the menus and the owners manual to no avail. Is this something that has to be activated by the dealer? It is very annoying when I have passengers in the back that cannot get out without me unlocking the doors.

TIA

 

[Ecobeast88]

My 15 sport is the same way and it's annoying. Child locks are OFF but still won't open from the inside after being turned off. Curious what others are like.

 

[Dr Plastic]

Glad to know others are experiencing the same issue!

 

[Ecobeast88]

I would mention something to my dealer but I know it's already "normal and was designed that way" so I'm not gonna bother lol. People that ride in the back say it's like being in a cop car....you can't get out.

 

[peterk9]

:frustrate:frustrate:frustrate

Is this a software issue of some type? My 2013 Explorer XLT would unlock all the doors when shutting off the vehicle. For some reason on my new 2015 Limited the rear doors stay locked after putting the vehicle in Park and I then have to unlock them via the unlock button on the door. The child locks are not engaged and I have searched the menus and the owners manual to no avail. Is this something that has to be activated by the dealer? It is very annoying when I have passengers in the back that cannot get out without me unlocking the doors.

TIA

Did the doors initially lock by themselves (auto lock)? Do the doors unlock after you have turned the ignition off and open the driver's door?
Another, possibly dumb question, have you enabled the auto unlock feature?
After you put the vehicle in Park, do you turn off the ignition? If not, then the doors will stay locked. That is the way it is designed to work. If you put it in Park and shut the vehicle off, then the doors should all unlock assuming the feature has been enabled.

Autounlock Feature (If Enabled)
The autounlock feature unlocks all the doors when:
• the ignition is on, all the doors are closed, and your vehicle has been
in motion at a speed greater than 12 mph (20 km/h);
• your vehicle has then come to a stop and you switch the ignition off
or to accessory; and
• you open the driver door within 10 minutes of switching the ignition
off or to accessory.
Note: The doors will not autounlock if you electronically lock your
vehicle after you switch the ignition off and before you open the driver
door.

Peter

 

[Dr Plastic]

Autolock and autounlock features are enabled. All doors lock when taking off. All doors unlock when I grab the outer drivers door handle when getting in the vehicle. When I shift into park and shut off the vehicle only the front doors unlock and even grabbing the rear inside door handle, the rear doors will not unlock unless I press the button on the door to do so just as if the child locks are enabled which they are not (empty nester and have no need for them). I do not lock the vehicle from inside prior to exiting the vehicle, I use the sensor on the outer door handle.

 

[peterk9]

Autolock and autounlock features are enabled. All doors lock when taking off. All doors unlock when I grab the outer drivers door handle when getting in the vehicle. When I shift into park and shut off the vehicle only the front doors unlock and even grabbing the rear inside door handle, the rear doors will not unlock unless I press the button on the door to do so just as if the child locks are enabled which they are not (empty nester and have no need for them). I do not lock the vehicle from inside prior to exiting the vehicle, I use the sensor on the outer door handle.

In re reading the excerpt from the manual in my previous post, I don't believe the doors are meant to unlock after you shut the engine off until you open the driver's door. Then the doors should all unlock. If that is the case then I would say everything is working as intended. All 3 conditions must be met.

Peter

 

[Ecobeast88]

On my 15 sport after I park and ignition is OFF, If I get out mine don't unlock the rear doors unless I use the remote or unlock button from the inside or open the door myself from the outside. Both autolock and unlock features are on according to the display. Although I made sure the "child lock" was off and it didn't feel like it was connected to anything when I turned it. Who knows maybe they forgot to hook up the 2015s child locks?

 

[Dr Plastic]

As Ecobeast88 stated, even after opening the drivers door they still do not unlock.

 

[peterk9]

On my 15 sport after I park and ignition is OFF, If I get out mine don't unlock the rear doors unless I use the remote or unlock button from the inside or open the door myself from the outside. Both autolock and unlock features are on according to the display. Although I made sure the "child lock" was off and it didn't feel like it was connected to anything when I turned it. Who knows maybe they forgot to hook up the 2015s child locks?

Do all the doors unlock when you grab the front outside door handle? Assuming you have it set up that way. I wonder if any other 2015 owners have the same issue?

Peter

 

[Dr Plastic]

Yes, that is why I find it odd and frustratingly annoying!

 

[MikB]

I really haven't paid much attention to this but, I have had the setting set up to only have the drivers door unlocked when exiting and to have all the doors unlock when exiting. The one thing I did notice and only may have some relevance to this is that it would seem the two ignition keys are different in that one is set up to be an 'admin key' for the my key feature.

I was having a problem trying to find a feature I know I have while scrolling through the settings and it wasn't showing me that feature and some others that would normally show up. I had programmed a my key setting sometime earlier but, hadn't noticed that it took away the ability to manipulate some of the features. I must have gone through all features 10 times before I thought of using the other key. I had gone into the owners manual to see what could be done before and came across the my key setting and instructions on clearing this feature but, with the key I was using, the admin setting would not work. That's when I decided to use the other key. It was the key I should have been using all along apparently as it turned the admin feature on. So, I carry that key now.

This may have little or nothing to do with the current issue in this post but, if you are not aware of the differences in the two keys you have, it may be helpful in resolving this issue. Just a guess.

 

[johnnnyo]

Anyone figure out yet how to have the rear doors unlock when car stops, engine turned off and drivers door opened?

 

[peterk9]

Anyone figure out yet how to have the rear doors unlock when car stops, engine turned off and drivers door opened?

Does the passenger door unlock? Have you enabled the autounlock as per page 62 of the Manual?

Peter

 

[MorganT]

Does the passenger door unlock? Have you enabled the autounlock as per page 62 of the Manual?

Peter

I have auto lock and auto unlock turned ON. When I drive my vehicle the doors lock automatically. When I park and turn the ignition OFF the ONLY door that unlocks is the driver. The lift gate will open but no other doors. Even from the outside. If my vehicle is in park but the ignition ON then the only door that opens is the driver (from inside or out) very very annoying when I’m trying to get kids out of the backseat for daycare and I have the vehicle running. I’ve never had a vehicle do this. All my other vehicles have unlocked all doors when in park no matter if the car is running or not.

 

[peterk9]

I have auto lock and auto unlock turned ON. When I drive my vehicle the doors lock automatically. When I park and turn the ignition OFF the ONLY door that unlocks is the driver. The lift gate will open but no other doors. Even from the outside. If my vehicle is in park but the ignition ON then the only door that opens is the driver (from inside or out) very very annoying when I’m trying to get kids out of the backseat for daycare and I have the vehicle running. I’ve never had a vehicle do this. All my other vehicles have unlocked all doors when in park no matter if the car is running or not.

Welcome to the Forum.
Although I may be mistaken, I thought that there is a setting to have just the driver's door unlock or to have all doors unlock. Unfortunately, I don't have an Explorer to check this out and didn't see it in the manual. Just this which also mentions it should work with the ignition OFF.
Autounlock Feature (If Enabled)
The autounlock feature unlocks all the doors when:
• the ignition is on, all the doors are closed, and your vehicle has been
in motion at a speed greater than 12 mph (20 km/h);
• your vehicle has then come to a stop and you switch the off ignition
or to accessory; and
• you open the driver door within 10 minutes of switching the ignition
off or to accessory.
Note: The doors will not autounlock if you electronically lock the vehicle
after you switch the ignition off and before you open the driver door.

Peter