Don't try remote start with the doors open

[vfral1]

...It was hot outside so I opened the hatch and driver door, THEN had the thought that I've never tried the remote start, so I gave it a try. Vehicle started properly, BUT the climate control did not kick on as I wanted/expected. The fan blew at full blast, but no A/C, and the MFT screen was dark.

Hmmm, that's weird I thought; so I shut the hatch, got in, and pressed the start button. BIG MISTAKE; "no key detected" warning screen appears, 5 seconds later, alarm starts. Weird thing is, the key was in my pocket like always.

Not sure exactly what I did next as I was embarrassed and in a small panic trying to figure out what went wrong. I know I pulled the key out of my pocket and hit the panic button. Alarm stopped; car still running, blasting hot air out of the vents.

Then I got out the owners manual, thinking I could find an answer in there. Yeah right.

So, back to the start button; once again, "no key detected", alarm starts. Ready for it this time, quick disarm.

Okay, think man, sitting in my new $40k blast furnace, looking like an idiot.

Oooooh, put your foot on the brake and try start/stop button, you idiot! Viola, motor shuts off, hooray!

What now? I decide to step out of the vehicle, since it is still 110 degrees in there.

Once outside, I decided that it would be best to just start over. So, I close all the doors, lock the vehicle, and then attempt to enter like I would have before I got the stupid remote start idea.

Got in, foot on brake, press start button...vehicle starts like normal, MFT comes to life, climate control with A/C begins doing it's thing...whew, lesson learned.

Just thought I'd share to save someone else the trouble.

 

[1995E]

It would be nice though to open the doors and have the A/C blow the hot air out. How can having the doors open cause that kind of affect?

 

[Joe Dirt]

Sorry- but "$40k blast furnace" made me lol...


Is this the owners manual you got with your Ex?

 

[chimoman]

Yup, Your an idiot. LOL. This happened to us last weekend. Doors weren't open though. Weird! Not sure. You must have confused the computer. It probably said. What kind of idiot turns the AC on with the doors open. Then said hey the doors are open I better turn on the heat. But seriously, here are a couple of questions.

What temp was it outside when you hit the remote start?

Did you have your cell phone in your pocket with the FOB?

Did you have any electronic equipment on you?

 

[chimoman]

...It was hot outside so I opened the hatch and driver door, THEN had the thought that I've never tried the remote start, so I gave it a try. Vehicle started properly, BUT the climate control did not kick on as I wanted/expected. The fan blew at full blast, but no A/C, and the MFT screen was dark.

Hmmm, that's weird I thought; so I shut the hatch, got in, and pressed the start button. BIG MISTAKE; "no key detected" warning screen appears, 5 seconds later, alarm starts. Weird thing is, the key was in my pocket like always.

Not sure exactly what I did next as I was embarrassed and in a small panic trying to figure out what went wrong. I know I pulled the key out of my pocket and hit the panic button. Alarm stopped; car still running, blasting hot air out of the vents.

Then I got out the owners manual, thinking I could find an answer in there. Yeah right.

So, back to the start button; once again, "no key detected", alarm starts. Ready for it this time, quick disarm.

Okay, think man, sitting in my new $40k blast furnace, looking like an idiot.

Oooooh, put your foot on the brake and try start/stop button, you idiot! Viola, motor shuts off, hooray!

What now? I decide to step out of the vehicle, since it is still 110 degrees in there.

Once outside, I decided that it would be best to just start over. So, I close all the doors, lock the vehicle, and then attempt to enter like I would have before I got the stupid remote start idea.

Got in, foot on brake, press start button...vehicle starts like normal, MFT comes to life, climate control with A/C begins doing it's thing...whew, lesson learned.

Just thought I'd share to save someone else the trouble.

Some other things may be the following. Usually when you hit remote start the doors are closed. Opening the doors starts a sequence, your doors were open when you hit the remote start. This may be a security function. If someone were around your car before you hit remote start and it was open they could sit in the vehicle. If they were in it hiding, you hit the remote start and the doors lock. Your a woman. You think your vehicle is safe because it's locked. You jump in and a bag goes over your head and the lights go out. Just a thought, all be it far fetched.

 

[chimoman]

Just read the manual, sounds like the passive anti theft system. I noticed that when it happened to us the doors locked when the wife got in the car. There is a certain sequence that has to be followed to make it happen. It is accidental but possible.

The following is from the manual.

I guarantee you hit the lock button when you got into the Ex. The wife did and she had the same experience you did.

ARMING THE SYSTEM
The system is ready to arm whenever the ignition is off. To arm the
system, do one of the following:
• Press the control on the remote entry transmitter.
Note: If you press the control twice on the remote entry
transmitter within three seconds, the horn will chirp once to let you
know that all doors, the hood and the liftgate/trunk are closed. If any
of these are not closed, the horn will chirp twice to warn you that
they are still open.
• Press the driver or passenger interior door lock control while a
front door is open, then close the door.• Lock the doors using the intelligent access (if equipped) method
(press the lock area in either front door handle).
• Press and hold the 7 • 8 and 9 • 0 controls together on the keyless
entry pad to lock the doors (driver’s door must be closed).
After locking the doors using any of the methods above, the turn signal
lamps will flash once indicating that the perimeter alarm is in the
pre-armed mode and will become fully armed in 20 seconds.
When fully armed (after the 20 second pre-arm mode), any IA keys (if
equipped) found inside the vehicle are disabled/inoperable and will not
start the engine. Press button to re-enable them.
Locks and Security
157
2011 Explorer (exp)
Owners Guide,


You have 12 seconds to disarm the system in a variety of ways. Hope this helps. Freak accident, but possible. Your door was open, you got in and accidentally hit the lock button and closed your door.

 

[vfral1]

Yup, Your an idiot. LOL. This happened to us last weekend. Doors weren't open though. Weird! Not sure. You must have confused the computer. It probably said. What kind of idiot turns the AC on with the doors open. Then said hey the doors are open I better turn on the heat. But seriously, here are a couple of questions.

What temp was it outside when you hit the remote start?

Did you have your cell phone in your pocket with the FOB?

Did you have any electronic equipment on you?

It was probably about 85 degrees outside, but this was after work and the Ex had been sitting in the sun all day and the interior was blazing.

I keep my cell phone on a clip on my waist, but that is where I ALWAYS have it, so there was nothing out of the ordinary there.

No other electronic equipment.

It didn't like being started remotely with doors open.

 

[MJN]

I had same thing happen to me. Door was open when I tested the remote start. I assumed a triggered the anti-theft system but the only way I could reset it was by getting out, closing the doors, removing the manual key from the back of the keyless entry remote and manually opening the door using the actual physical key. Does anyone know a better way to reset the system when this happens?

 

[chimoman]

Its covered in the manual. Several ways to do it. Hit the panic button on the FOB.