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Key fob working intermittently

oharris

Well-Known Member
Joined
October 31, 1999
Messages
154
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City, State
Peyton, CO
Year, Model & Trim Level
'96 & '98 XLT V8, '00 XLS
The key fobs for my 2000 explorer quit working. I replaced the battery and that didn't seem to help. I recently bought a 98 explorer that didn't come with any remotes so I decided to see if I could program the remote for it, and it worked. The next time I tried it with the 2000 it worked again, so I thought I was all good. Yesterday, after work the remote wouldn't unlock the 2000 again. This morning I tried it again at home and again the 2000 wouldn't unlock. I could hear the 98 unlocking though. I was standing 5 feet from the 2000 and probably 50 feet from the 98 so it wasn't a range issue. Do I need to replace the RAP module? Could there be a wire that has a bad connection? Thanks in advance.
 



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The key fob for my ST seemed to start working intermittently about a month ago. I replaced the battery with some inexpensive one I'd picked up at the Dollar Store. It worked for about a week and started only working intermittently again, then it stopped working completely. I took a more expensive battery out of one of my working spare remotes and put it in the ST's remove. It's been working fine ever since. Cheap batteries...?
 






i would start with a new battery and potentially a new key fob. the RAP system can be checked and tested with a scanner i believe. it would throw codes. i think mainly B codes.
 






The problem is not with the fob. Like I said up above, the fob will open my '98 Explorer without fail. I will check the codes though, didn't know that would be reported.
 






If the FOB isn't at fault, you have a RAP module issue. It's the box that lives in the left rear cargo area in front of the jack. The older RAP modules had a small antenna, later Ford did away with the antenna. I believe you could swap the RAP module with another one from a '00 without any issue. If you have the door keypad, be sure to note the code off the replacement module's sticker, as your door code will change.
 






If the FOB isn't at fault, you have a RAP module issue. It's the box that lives in the left rear cargo area in front of the jack. The older RAP modules had a small antenna, later Ford did away with the antenna. I believe you could swap the RAP module with another one from a '00 without any issue. If you have the door keypad, be sure to note the code off the replacement module's sticker, as your door code will change.

I replaced the RAP on my mountaineer, but it was dead dead, not intermittent dead. That's why I thought it might be a wiring problem rather than a RAP problem. Does the RAP fail intermittently or does it just die when it fails?
 






There's a pink wire with a green tracer which is located in the area of the left rear seat, under the carpet or in the door jam wiring bundle. This wire has a splice which tends to get corroded. I can't recall if this wire is for the power windows or the door locks (pretty sure it's for the door locks). If you find this splice and it has turned green with corrosion, you can cut out the splice and solder the wires back together, covering it with some tape or heat-shrink. Corrosion of this factory splice is a well known problem (I don't know why it corrodes, it's not like it's exposed to moisture). I'd check the splice before I replaced anything else. This might explain your intermittent locking problem.

The FOB tells the RAP to lock/unlock your doors. The RAP must then sent the signal to the lock actuators. If the pink/grn wire doesn't have a solid connection it may be your issue.
 






That's the kind of info I was looking for, thanks!
 












I dont know if this is this case for you, but when i had an issue with my locks not opening it threw a B1834 DTC that says Door Unlock/Disarm Output Circuit Failure.

I am wondering if its from the above mentioned corrosion as well now,
 






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