Doors (sometimes) unlock when I walk away .. FOBIK with me

[pontiac1940]

Hi. I am new here. I have a frustrating issue with our new 2014 Journey CVP. The dealer is looking into this. It's been in once but the intermittent problem continues. Please let me know if you've experienced this and if it was fixed. Thanks. Here is a description...(I wrote this out for the dealer.) Added bold for emphasis.

PROBLEM: THE DOORS UNLOCK (and the horn chirps three times) WHEN I WALK AWAY (and the fobik is with me not in the DJ.)

About eight or ten times since getting the Journey, when I walk away from the vehicle, the horn chirps three times and the doors unlock. It acts as if the fob is inside the Journey when it is not...it is in my pocket. These few occurrences were out of (what?) perhaps 100 times locking it and walking away — so maybe one in ten times. I’ve tried it several times at home and can’t make it happen, so it is very intermittent. It is a tad worrisome as I don’t want the vehicle unlocked when I am shopping.

1. I lock the doors with the inside door panel lock button. I get out, walk away and the horn chirps three times and the doors unlock.

2. The fobik is loose inside my coat or jean pocket. There is no way the keys are subject to pressure, thus accidentally activating the unlock button. In any case, if the “unlock” button is pushed, the horn does not beep three times.

3. This has happened when I’ve been alone and with my wife — there’s not another fobik involved when I am alone.

4. It only happens after I get 10 to 20 feet away from the vehicle.

5. The 2014 Journey owner’s manual (page 39,) states,

If one of the vehicle’s Passive Entry RKE transmitters is detected inside the vehicle, and no other valid Passive Entry RKE transmitters are detected outside the vehicle, the Passive Entry System automatically unlocks all vehicle doors and chirps the horn three times …

6. The event is similar to leaving the fob in the car, locking the door and walking way. EXCEPT when the fob is inside, the horn chirps and the doors unlock when I am only 2 or 3 feet away. The “accidental” unlocking has only happened when I am 10 to 20 feet away.

Any information is appreciated.

Thanks

CAS

aka pontiac1940

Alberta, Canada

[Journeyman425]

This was the only document I could find which might pertain:

STAR Case

Case Number: S1308000282

Release Date:

09/05/2013

Symptom/Vehicle Issue:

Intermittent Passive Entry Or Keyless Go Operation

Discussion:

Intermittent passive entry or Keyless Go Button Operation:

Cell Phones, Speed Passes, Phone Chargers, GPS’s, Electronic devices and or large bundle of Keys when placed in close proximity of the Key FOB (ie, in a purse, bag or pocket) can result in intermittent FOB operation; resulting in vehicle not unlocking/locking and or starting.

Prior to replacing the Keyless FOB, test in a clear non-restricted manner without any suspect interference.

[pontiac1940]

Thanks Journeyman425. I'd considered other devices. I have a Garmin in the DJ, but it shuts off when the DJ is shut off. The fobik has always been loose and alone in a pocket with no other "stuff" around it. (Most purses I've seen have so much stuff in them they could probably actually fire nuclear warheads at a range of several miles! Kidding ladies!) We've probably all set of panic alarms with a set of keys in our pockets..I sure have. But t'ain't so in this case.

RE: "resulting in vehicle not unlocking/locking and or starting." The symptoms we have are similar to leaving the fob inside, locking and walking away, i.e. the doors unlock and the horn chirps 3X. So it is not a normal unlocking in which the horn does not sound. It is weird for sure.

I've searched high and low for anything similar and the dealer is searching the Chrysler knowledge base. If something comes up. I'll post it here.

Thanks again.

CAS

[2late4u]

i would suspect the remote might have a short but would take it back to dealer and keep all your paperwork from each time they will sooner or later figure it out but untill then keep all your paperwork.. good luck

[bigtsr]

Does it do it with both fobs when you the only user or have

you tried swapping them?

[pontiac1940]

Thanks 2late4u and bigtsr

Good ideas. I need to switch fobs with my wife. I do more driving than she does and so it has only been happening to me. Except the other day she parked in the garage and does not think she locked the dooors (there is no need), and when she walked away the DJ horn chirped 3X again. That's the first time it's happened to her.

The dealer is searching, but so far has not found a similar case.

I think they should give is a new fob and then see what happens.

Thanks again.

CAS

[Mcgusto82]

Try swapping keys with your wife, also why do you look the car with the inside door button?

Have you tried locking with the outside door button, how does it act then?

Have you tried locking the doors remotely from they fob? How does it act then?

[pontiac1940]

Thanks Mcgusto82.

Yes, we plan to swap keys. Shall see how that works. It could take a couple of weeks since I don't always drive the DJ and this event only happens (say) one in ten times.

I've locked the door from the outside and with the fob a few times, but not enough to show anything. I lock the doors with the inside button as it is easy as I exit and also to avoid the horn honking when I use the outside button or fob.

Because this event is so intermittent it will take a while to rule out other causes. We have two vehicles and because we are retired I don't use the DJ every day. Yesterday I used my Dodge Ram truck...yeah we are a Dodge familty despite my forum name: pontiac1940. I own a 1940 Pontiac street rod. B)

CAS

[CCCacher]

When I wash the Journey with the keys in my pocket I can hear the doors "unlocking" when I spray water near/on the door handle. The vehicle senses the key is near and thinks that the water is a door handle touch. I would assume that the door handle sensor works on some sort of capacitance (static charge) or grounding detection.

I know the sensors works from a certain distance as my kids can open the front doors when I am still some distance from the vehicle. I bet that when you lock the doors and exit the vehicle that it takes the outdoor sensor a few seconds to determine that you are outside the vehicle (and while you are walking away you are still in range) and that the door handle touch sensor has an issue and think it "detects" you touching the handle and unlocks the door.

Maybe make sure everything is clean and that there is no interference with the handle sensor (or suggest that the dealer replace the door handle sensors).

[pontiac1940]

Hi CCCacher

Now THAT makes sense...."I bet that when you lock the doors and exit the vehicle that it takes the outdoor sensor a few seconds to determine that you are outside the vehicle" Good point. When I get out the doors are already locked (as noted) and I jump out, shut the door and are 15 feet away within 3 or 4 of seconds.

Thanks for your comment about washing the DJ. Mine does that and I wrote this (below) for the dealer. One of the other service people at the dealership has a DJ and hers does the same thing.

Thanks

Clive

1. LIGHTS COMING ON. Every time I wash the Journey, the lights come on a few times during washing. The car has only been washed at a coin-operated “wand” facility. I’ve washed the vehicle 4 or 5 times since October. On Wed, January 15, I washed it again to see if there was a pattern. The wash ... probably lasted 9 minutes. [Was dirty!] The lights came on about 6 times. The lights stay on for ~ 30 seconds. There seems to be no pattern or any one “hot spot” that triggers the lights. The first time it happened yesterday, the wand was pointed in the general direction of the passenger door handle. However, the other times the wand was elsewhere — even on the rear driver quarter panel nowhere near a door.

[pontiac1940]

CCCacher

Nah! I cannot make it happen. I started the DJ, opened the door, locked, got out fast and walked away. Did this several times. Can't 'force' it to happen.

Thanks for the idea tho..everything is worth a try.

Could be my electrodynamic personality messing with the electronics on occasion. Kidding!

CAS

[CCCacher]

It is likely an occasional "perfect storm" event where at that particular moment the sensor is a little messed up at the time you happen to lock the door and walk away but are still in range. I always lock the door from the outside via the handle button or fob.

I'd have the dealer check/change the door handle sensors. I'd be really surprised if it is a fob problem.

Edited January 29, 2014 by CCCacher

[Journeyman425]

MIne also unlocks the doors and turns on the headlamps when I wash it with the key in my pocket!

I've been doing a little research into your problem. There are five antennae located in various positions within the car. They are all connected to the Radio Frequency Hub. Do you know for sure that the dealer scanned ALL the modules in the vehicle for codes? The RF Hub will store codes if it or anything it interfaces with malfunctions. To me, the vehicle is erroneously reading the presence of a transmitter inside the vehicle when it is not actually there. Strictly a guess on my part, but the car behaves as if you are trying to lock a key in it as you stated from the owner's manual in your opening post. If the dealer has, in fact, checked all modules for codes and updates, they should open a STAR (Service Technical Assistance Resource center)case with your exact complaint and their findings.

[pontiac1940]

Thanks Journeyman425.

I've passed your comments along to my dealer. Be interesting to see if they scanned-tested all gizmos.

My experience with dealers is if they are busy, they look don't too hard. If they are not busy they wil spend time looking as the Mother Corp will pay them through the warranty agreement.

CCCacher

I'd have the dealer check/change the door handle sensors.

Could be ... the key thing here is the three chirps are not associated with locking or unlocking the doors. Only with the system sensing a fob inside.

Thanks folks. Much appreciate the suggesitons.

Clive

[pontiac1940]

Journeyman425

The dealer service people did check all modules for codes and updates. I am not sure about this >>> "open a STAR case" They have communicated the issue to Chrysler. Maybe that's the STAR thing.

Will advise when I learn more.

Thanks all.

[Journeyman425]

Journeyman425

The dealer service people did check all modules for codes and updates. I am not sure about this >>> "open a STAR case" They have communicated the issue to Chrysler. Maybe that's the STAR thing.

Will advise when I learn more.

Thanks all.

Sounds like they have opened a STAR case. That is when the tech contacts Chrysler online via our TechConnect website or by telephone and reports their codes and diagnosis to the tech support teams that help us with unconventional issues.

[cwflick45]

I have the exact same issue. Shut off engine, open door, press lock button on arm rest, close door and walk a few feet and it will unlock and the horn beeps 3 times.

Have also had several instances of getting into to the Journey, lock with arm rest button, put foot on brake and start reaching for the Start button, 3x beeps and the doors unlock.

No this isn't a fob issue as it does the unlock routine with either fob (I've tried them both). There is no unlock procedure that you'd normally use that elicits the 3x horn beep. Fob unlock or door handle unlock doesn't generate any beeps. Locking with fob or door handle push button only gets one beep.

Has anyone found a solution to this annoyance?

[Journeyman425]

My wife often stows her purse in the storage bin under the passenger front seat cushion - with a FOBIK inside her purse. Same thing happens - I'll lock the door with my FOBIK, the car sees her key on the inside and unlocks the doors and chirps the horn 3X. We have to remove the key from her purse and then it allows the car to be locked. Other than that, I am not aware of a defect causing the issue. The car will have stored diagnostic information if there is a malfunction in the system. Once, our driver door lock button became stuck down and kept locking the doors repeatedly. Must've been a grain of sand or something causing the button to stick down. I cleaned the switch and never had another problem with it. But one day I plugged into the car at work and scanned it for codes, and sure enough there was a code stored in it for the stuck switch. Get it checked out when you can - even if there is no problem found, your dealer can cover the scan under the basic warranty.

[aukfan33]

This happens to me as well.

[pontiac1940]

cwflick45 and aukfan33

This is pontiac1940 here..the original poster.

Well my DJ still does this. i.e. on occassion the horn chirps three times and doors unlock when I walk away...so it's been doing this for almost one year now. The dealer has no ideas.

BTW...2 weeks ago I went to start the DJ (after driving it around for a while) and then I could not start the DJ. The message was "Key not detected" .. it was in my pocket as always. (Calling the roadside assistance number was a joke! Grrr. B) ) It took several minutes to get going...nothing specific was done. I just kept trying. (This is a major safety concern here in winter..I'd not want to be alone in some remote location and not have the car start when it is -30°C.) I took the DJ in for servicing and the dealer played with some contact "tabs" in the fobik. Not happend again..but it only happened once in almost one year....probably started the DJ 1000 times. This happened once.

Anyway, the DJ was in for servicing and within two days the original problem returned...three chirps and the doors unlocked. It still only happens every 10 to 20 times. So it is probably not the fobik, but some misbehaving sensor in the actual DJ. Who knows?

So I am not alone now. ☺ But can't offer any help to you.

Please let us know if your dealer can find a solution and I will then pass that along to my dealer. Thanks.

CAS

[larryl]

I had the key not detected but pushed the start button with the FOB and it started right up it was strange

[pontiac1940]

Thanks laryl .. that's what my dealer said and it is in the manual too.

Unfortunately the Chrysler "roadside assist" person did not know this. She actually knew nothing...heck, she never even asked me for the make and model of my vehicle. She told me to take the hidden key (the one in the fob) and put it in the ignition slot on the steering column. HAH! There is none on the JD. She had zero clues. B)

[Lobitz68]

I had the key not detected but pushed the start button with the FOB and it started right up it was strange

Mine does this from time to time... I just assume that the vehicle has detected the key and didn't have time to switch the graphic. Doesn't concern me at all... Remember not to keep your fob near your phone or any other obstructions in your pocket.

[Lobitz68]

I have had the 3 beep thing happen on occasion... Like Journey425 stated, it is usually because my wife's fob is in the car (either on her, or stowed in her purse under the seat). I've noticed that the doors won't lock with one of them open... Wondering if that is your issue.

[pontiac1940]

"I have had the 3 beep thing happen on occasion... Like Journey425 stated, it is usually because my wife's fob is in the car (either on her, or stowed in her purse under the seat)."

The times it happens to me is when I am alone and my wife's fob is miles away.

If more people experience this, I hope Chrysler can get it solved. It is a security issue.

CAS