Car won't unlock with remote.

[SomeBlondeGuy]

I returned to my car in the parking lot at work, after the car had been sitting for almost 9 hours, and the doors wouldn't unlock after I pushed the button on the door handle.
I figured, great, the car battery is dead.
The little red light on the remote lit up when I tried any of the buttons, but the panic alarm would not activate nor would the hatch open upon pressing their respective buttons.
I let myself in with the key, which in turn set off the alarm.
I tried pushing the start button but the display said "key not in vehicle".
Then the display prompted me to hold the remote against the starter button, which thankfully worked.
This happened to me yesterday, too, so I figured maybe the remote's battery was dying, so I switched to my spare remote, and that didn't solve the problem.
I mentioned this to the dealership yesterday, but they hadn't come across this issue before.

Has anyone else experienced this?

 

[namja]

Didn't see you mention this: Did you take out your remote from your pocket and try to unlock that way?

Also, maybe something malfunctioned in both the spare and primary remote (unlikely for both to malfunction, but just worth a shot anyway!)

 

[SomeBlondeGuy]

Didn't see you mention this: Did you take out your remote from your pocket and try to unlock that way?

Also, maybe something malfunctioned in both the spare and primary remote (unlikely for both to malfunction, but just worth a shot anyway!)

Yes, I tried unlocking while the remote was in my hand.
The little red light on the remote would light up but nothing would happen with the car.

 

[MerlintheMad]

This is the sort of bad dream I fear because I got a car that is far more complex than ordinary people (especially service "mechanics") can possibly deal with. So, I go through something like what you're describing and nobody can make everything good again. Out of the blue, things start going wonky. Heaven, forfend.

I remember a discussion last year involving interference from nearby electronic sources: it wasn't specifically like your problem but, iirc, centered around the key fob (remote) no longer interfacing with the car properly. You might be experiencing something like that. How would you be able to tell? By going to different locations and seeing if the key fob functions properly.

 

[Satansfist]

Before you go looking for the most complicated reasons start out with the simple ones you can check yourself like the level of charge in the car battery and changing the battery in the remotes. Simplest and cheapest things first...

 

[Nasscar]

Had this problem once with a Jeep Cherokee I have. Dropped it off for a service and got a call a little while later saying the key fob wasn't working. They replaced the battery in the fob. The car was pretty new at the time. Some months later, I was parked about 100m from where I had dropped the car off for a service and I had the same problem. Car would not unlock. Had to use the key in the driver's side to unlock it which set the alarm off. I put it down to maybe some sort of electrical interference in the area.

 

[Typeface]

I let myself in with the key

Man i don't even know how to get in with the key I gotta research that.

 

[SKStinger]

Exact same thing happened to me after work a couple months ago.

I had to use the key to open the door and as the alarm was sounding the car did detect my key once inside and allowed me to start the car. After that all was fine and it hasn’t happened since. I chalked it up to a one off glitch.

If it happens again I want to try the UVO app and see if it will unlock the car.

Is everything working now or does it do it every time you park it?

 

[CKeeler]

Man i don't even know how to get in with the key I gotta research that.

Read your owners manual. Plus, the dealer should have showed you before you drove away. I know mine did, and the guy who sold me the car had only been there for three days

 

[SomeBlondeGuy]

Exact same thing happened to me after work a couple months ago.

I had to use the key to open the door and as the alarm was sounding the car did detect my key once inside and allowed me to start the car. After that all was fine and it hasn’t happened since. I chalked it up to a one off glitch.

If it happens again I want to try the UVO app and see if it will unlock the car.

Is everything working now or does it do it every time you park it?

I replaced the battery in one of the remotes and after work today I was bracing myself for disappointment, but the car actually unlocked this time.

 

[SKStinger]

I replaced the battery in one of the remotes and after work today I was bracing myself for disappointment, but the car actually unlocked this time.

Nice! If it does it again try your UVO app. I’m curious if that will unlock the car when the key isn’t working.

 

[SomeBlondeGuy]

Nice! If it does it again try your UVO app. I’m curious if that will unlock the car when the key isn’t working.

I still have to get that app up and running with my car!
I keep putting it off.

 

[Typeface]

Read your owners manual. Plus, the dealer should have showed you before you drove away. I know mine did, and the guy who sold me the car had only been there for three days

They didn't even tell me the remote had a hidden key in it, i discovered that by accident, then when i looked in the manual to see where the hell the keyhole was it said it was for the glove box, bit more reading needed.

 

[G-788740]

I returned to my car in the parking lot at work, after the car had been sitting for almost 9 hours, and the doors wouldn't unlock after I pushed the button on the door handle.
I figured, great, the car battery is dead.
The little red light on the remote lit up when I tried any of the buttons, but the panic alarm would not activate nor would the hatch open upon pressing their respective buttons.
I let myself in with the key, which in turn set off the alarm.
I tried pushing the start button but the display said "key not in vehicle".
Then the display prompted me to hold the remote against the starter button, which thankfully worked.
This happened to me yesterday, too, so I figured maybe the remote's battery was dying, so I switched to my spare remote, and that didn't solve the problem.
I mentioned this to the dealership yesterday, but they hadn't come across this issue before.

Has anyone else experienced this?

I am in this situation right now...frustrating on a Christmas eve.

 

[SomeBlondeGuy]

I am in this situation right now...frustrating on a Christmas eve.

Change the battery in the remote.
That solved the problem for me.
I was surprised about how short the battery's life was.
I asked the dealer why it didn't even last 2 years and they said it's because the remote is always sending and receiving signals to the car when it's within range.
For that very reason I bought a Faraday pouch to store my keys in when I am home.
The specially-lined material of the pouch prevents car thieves from driving by with a scanning tool and tricking the security system.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Change the battery in the remote.
That solved the problem for me.
I was surprised about how short the battery's life was.
I asked the dealer why it didn't even last 2 years and they said it's because the remote is always sending and receiving signals to the car when it's within range.
For that very reason I bought a Faraday pouch to store my keys in when I am home.
The specially-lined material of the pouch prevents car thieves from driving by with a scanning tool and tricking the security system.

I put my spare fob in a faraday pouch 24/7/365; and my regular fob goes into one each night as part of my bedtime routine. I reckon that this fob is within signaling range the whole time that I'm on the 'puter. But the batteries have lasted longer than two years; within three months of three years, in fact.

 

[SomeBlondeGuy]

I am in this situation right now...frustrating on a Christmas eve.

Change the battery in the remote.
The solve the problem for me.
I was surprised about how short the battery's life was.
I asked the dealer why it didn't even last 2 years and they said it's because the remote is always sending and receiving signals to the car when it's within range.
For that very reason I bought a Faraday pouch to store my keys in when I am home.
The specially-lined material of the pouch prevents car thieves from driving by with a scanning tool and tricking thesecurity system.

I put my spare fob in a faraday pouch 24/7/365; and my regular fob goes into one each night as part of my bedtime routine. I reckon that this fob is within signaling range the whole time that I'm on the 'puter. But the batteries have lasted longer than two years; within three months of three years, in fact.

I wish I bought the Faraday pouch the day I picked up my car.
I'd probably still have the original battery in my remote.

 

[MerlintheMad]

I wish I bought the Faraday pouch the day I picked up my car.
I'd probably still have the original battery in my remote.

You've motivated me to expand the use of faraday bags. I've had a third one sitting in the drawer of my 'puter station, all this time; and just now I removed my fob from my belt and put it in the faraday bag: voila! no more communicating with my car throughout the day as I sit here.

(This will be annoying for a few days while I get accustomed to the regimen. I'll forget and go outside and my car will be "uncommunicative" . SMH, I shall return, get the fob out of the bag and proceed. New habits always require a new learning curve.)

(By the way, I have a fourth faraday bag, seldom used, in the center console; the reason why I have FOUR faraday bags is because the keyring on the first pair I bought failed in less than a week; and also the border stitching on one of the bags came unraveled: I gave a negative review and the seller offered me a second set of defective faraday bags: the inner, faraday, lining works just fine; and I stopped trying to use the bags on my person; on the rare occasion when I do want the fob inside a faraday bag as I leave my car, I just slip the bag into my pocket.)

 

[G-52413]

I returned to my car in the parking lot at work, after the car had been sitting for almost 9 hours, and the doors wouldn't unlock after I pushed the button on the door handle.
I figured, great, the car battery is dead.
The little red light on the remote lit up when I tried any of the buttons, but the panic alarm would not activate nor would the hatch open upon pressing their respective buttons.
I let myself in with the key, which in turn set off the alarm.
I tried pushing the start button but the display said "key not in vehicle".
Then the display prompted me to hold the remote against the starter button, which thankfully worked.
This happened to me yesterday, too, so I figured maybe the remote's battery was dying, so I switched to my spare remote, and that didn't solve the problem.
I mentioned this to the dealership yesterday, but they hadn't come across this issue before.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Yes the same thing happened to me this morning yesterday I morning I moved my car and today the remote key didn't work

 

[Koreanmissile]

A very similar situation has occurred in my 2021 Kia stinger GT2 around 5 times. When I open the drivers door no lights come on- that’s the first sign that something is wrong. Then I push start and nothing happens. Once I set off the alarm somehow. It’s random and seems to be a gremlin. The only thing that I have found that usually wakes up the car is opening then closing the passenger side door! I’ve replaced the FOB remotes and it still happens. I’m just hoping it doesn’t get any worse.

my guess is that the passenger door sensor is somehow malfunctioning and the car thinks the door has remained open so cuts power so that the battery does drain. Any other ideas?