oem remote start won't work in single digit outside temps

[Fred02X]

I have a question regarding a remote start system I had installed at a Ford dealership......it works fine in the warm weather and even in the cold, but when the temp outside gets into the single digits the car won't start using the remote start. It will cycle the fuel pump on and off but won't even crank. I don't know exactly how cold it has to be for it to not start. It will start just fine using the key in the ignition though. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

 

[MONMIX]

move to a place that does not have single digit temptures

 

[IAmTodd]

Maybe with the cold temps the battery is outputting as much juice and the unit recognizes that and won't let it start.

 

[Fred02X]

Sounds logical, I guess I will have to take to the dealership and see if there isn't something actually wrong with it. Maybe the battery is just low enough on juice for the remote start to not work but enpugh for it to start with the key in the ignition? Any one else? tia

 

[BigBadWimp]

Dude, it's single digits... Your batteries in your fobs and what not just don't function as well. That happens with any batteries in that cold of weather.

 

[IAmTodd]

Dude, it's single digits... Your batteries in your fobs and what not just don't function as well. That happens with any batteries in that cold of weather.

Dude, it responds to his remote, the starter just doesn't engage!

 

[BigBadWimp]

How do you know it responds to his remote?

 

[pear]

BBW..........I'd like to believe his fobs are inside where it's nice and warm......... I'd say the 12volt under the hood would be a good place to check. As for how we know it responds to the remote??? We read this above......."It will cycle the fuel pump on and off but won't even crank."

 

[BigBadWimp]

BBW..........I'd like to believe his fobs are inside where it's nice and warm.........

Yeah I was hoping you wouldn't notice that...

 

[IAmTodd]

Yeah I was hoping you wouldn't notice that...

And I'd hope you to notice what he stated above. The fuel pump doesn't randomly start itself.

 

[VOATMJ1]

If there is enough juice in the battery to start it with the key, then it has enough juice to start with the remote. Single digit temps should not interfere with the remote starting...after all, that is what the remote start was designed for.

My remote start works just fine at temps WELL below zero, of course it was not installed by Ford.....

 

[IAmTodd]

What I'm thinking is the remote start computer monitors the voltage, since its cold and reading lower, maybe its not permitting it?

Have you checked for loose wires?

 

[Fred02X]

No I haven't checked for loose wires, I wouldn't know where to start looking and besides I live in an apartment where the parking lot is covered in snow. Well, obviously I'd need to look at the starter, and there is a reciever on the inside of my windshield near the headliner so I'd need to look around there as well, but I'm thinking it has to be the battery. I can go outside when the remote start won't work, put the key in the ignition and start it, hit the button on the fob for the remote start and it engages so I can take the key out and go back inside and let it run for a little bit, so it has to be the battery, right? Anywho thanks for all the advice guys, I have a friend who has a battery charger, I will see if I can make it over to his house and hook it up and see if it works, btw how would I go about reading the voltage on the battery with a voltmeter to see if the battery is low? I think he has one that I may be able to use. Thanks.

 

[taxx]

I think your over analyzing it. Take it back. When I put in my code alarm CA640 last year there was a recall on the unit for cold weather. It got cold last year while I waited on the new unit to show and it did weird things too. Wouldn't start in the extreme cold, sometimes would just randomly set off the alarm at night. Its the electronics in the box in the truck acting up nothing else.

Since last I heard ford remote starts were made by code alarm, I think you should take it to the dealer and let them worry about it. It may be a battle, but I am sure you aren't the only one having the issue. See if you can't get the model number of the unit and check around. If you can find who it is made by and ford is giving you trouble call the manufacture and see if they have had any problems. But first step is back to ford. Its not the truck at all, everything acts normal for you when you start it.

 

[Fred02X]

Well, my wife had it installed while I was deployed from 02-03 and we can't find a receipt or anything with a model number. Regardless it's going back to the dealer probably when I take it in for them to finish fixing my liftgate struts that they never sent me recall info for. :fire: