Had to use the fob to unlock then it wouldn't move

[Fat Fusion]

Guys,

 

I drove my Energi to my first day on the job today.  Got to the area WELL in advance so went to breakfast at IHOP.  I had about 5 mins to go the half mile to the building where I was told to report.

 

When I got out to the car the first thing that I noticed is the door didn't unlock by hand.  I had to use the fob.  Weird, but ok.  Got in and it wouldn't move.  Ok, gravity made it back up a tad but no steering feel and no accel.  I think I remember the start button light flashing.

 

I pretty much started freaking out since I am now going to be late after getting there 40 mins early!  I get out and start swearing at the car thinking should I just hoof it the half mile or so to the building?  I get back in to try it again and it worked fine.

 

What happened?

 

Andy

[Dag]

Just a guess, but it wasn't started the first time. If you don't have the green car with the arrows on your instrument panel in the bottom right, the car isn't on. It's so quiet that's really the only way I can tell it's running.

[murphy]

Did you have your foot firmly on the brake when you pushed the Start button?  If you didn't you would get accessory mode instead of run mode.

[Fat Fusion]

Thanks guys.  I was probably in accessory mode.  I'll report back and let you know if I have any issues.  The only question is why wouldn't the door unlock when I had the fob in my pocket?

 

I plugged in at work today and came out to find out the it didn't charge.  A little poking around the Google tells me it's a BLINK charger.  A buck an hour.  I guess I'll try that out.  I don't think I'll have to charge it fully so maybe I'll just get in a two hour a day routine or something like that.

[Dag]

Thanks guys.  I was probably in accessory mode.  I'll report back and let you know if I have any issues.  The only question is why wouldn't the door unlock when I had the fob in my pocket?

Dunno....

[howardbc]

Hi, Fat Fusion. I had a similar situation one day when I came out of a store and the car wouldn't unlock even though the key was in my pocketbook on my shoulder. I was able to open the door using the key fob and the car did start just fine. It hasn't happened again. I'm almost due for the 5k-mile service so I will try to remember to ask the service adviser why the car sometimes won't unlock. 

 

Previously I had a Toyota Prius and you always had to have your foot on the brake to start that car, so I got used to that. I hope that that was all that was keeping the car from starting for you. 

 

Enjoy your beautiful car. I absolutely love mine. And this forum has been so helpful. 

[Fat Fusion]

Thanks Howard.  I must admit I haven't driven my Boss 302, my crew cab 4x4, or my Falcon convertible since I got this car so it must have a tight grip on me!

 

I'd be leery of anything a service advisor says about these cars.  I just don't know if they have enough experience yet to have a good working knowledge of the cars.  My guess is the collective knowledge on this forum is better than any dealership's.

[murphy]

Hi, Fat Fusion. I had a similar situation one day when I came out of a store and the car wouldn't unlock even though the key was in my pocketbook on my shoulder. I was able to open the door using the key fob and the car did start just fine. It hasn't happened again. I'm almost due for the 5k-mile service so I will try to remember to ask the service adviser why the car sometimes won't unlock. 

 

One possibility.

 

The fob is a very short range radio transmitter.  If your smartphone happened to be transmitting at the time you put your hand on the door handle it might have overloaded the receiver in the car due to being so close.  A smartphone transmitter is much more powerful the the transmitter in the fob.  They would not be on the same frequency but overload of the first amplifier stage in the receiver would reduce its sensitivity and make it difficult to decode the data stream from the fob.

[easyv]

I still get confused on what part of the handle to touch to unlock the car....so it has prompted me to RTFM. Make sure you read it, because if you just try opening the door where the arrow is, you will lock your car...Here it is, right from the book of Fusion:

 

More:

 

Auto Relock
If you press the unlock button on the
remote control and do not open a door
within 45 seconds, your vehicle will lock
and the alarm will arm. You can enable or
disable this feature in the information
display. See General Information(page
84).
Autolock Feature
The autolock feature will lock all the doors
when:
• all doors are closed,
• the ignition is on,
• you shift into any gear putting your
vehicle in motion, and
• your vehicle attains a speed greater
than 12 mph (20 km/h).
The autolock feature repeats when:
• you open then close any door while the
ignition is on and your vehicle speed is
9 mph (15 km/h) or lower, and
• your vehicle then attains a speed
greater than 12 mph (20 km/h).
Autounlock Feature
The autounlock feature will unlock all the
doors when:
• the ignition is on, all the doors are
closed, and your vehicle has been in
motion at a speed greater than 12 mph
(20 km/h);
• your vehicle comes to a stop and you
switch the ignition off or to accessory;
and
• you open the driver door within 10
minutes of the switching the ignition
off or to accessory.
Note:The doors will not autounlock if you
electronically lock your vehicle after you
switch the ignition off and before you open
the driver door.
Enabling or Disabling
Note:You can enable or disable the
autolock and autounlock features
independently of each other.
You can enable or disable these features
in the information display or your
authorized dealer can do it for you. See
General Information(page 84)

Edited October 15, 2013 at 02:54 PM by easyv

[howardbc]

Murphy, interesting about the smartphone possibly causing interference with the key fob. Sometimes my smartphone is within inches of my key fob and sometimes they are at least 10-12 inches apart. I'll have to note where my phone is and if it is receiving when/if I again have a problem with the door not unlocking. 

 

Thanks. 

[Energized]

I still get confused on what part of the handle to touch to unlock the car....so it has prompted me to RTFM. Make sure you read it, because if you just try opening the door where the arrow is, you will lock your car...Here it is, right from the book of Fusion:

 

 

 

Good info.     The UNLOCK sensor is within the interior of the handle itself, the LOCK sensor is on top with the little dashed lines.

Edited October 15, 2013 at 08:21 PM by Energized

[Fat Fusion]

No issues today.  Also plugged in at work on a BLINK charger in our parking garage.  Need my membership card to come quickly!

[Dag]

No issues today.  Also plugged in at work on a BLINK charger in our parking garage.  Need my membership card to come quickly!

You are paying $1 per hour for a charge? Isn't gas cheaper?

[meyersnole]

Did you have your foot firmly on the brake when you pushed the Start button?  If you didn't you would get accessory mode instead of run mode.

 

This happens from time to time for me as well. Kinda freaked me out the first time as well. Now I look for it.

[SD Diver]

Hmm...  Key fob - left front pants pocket.  iPhone - right front pants pocket.  Guess I'm good to go!!  :)

[Russael]

This happens from time to time for me as well. Kinda freaked me out the first time as well. Now I look for it.

 

Quick funny story for me:  Before I ordered my Fusion, I was at the dealership getting brochures for them, the CMAX, and the Focus Electric.  Salesperson offered up one of the Fusions for a test drive, but I wasn't interested in the gas one and they didn't have any hybrids.  Anyway, went to go leave and saw a Focus off parked by itself.  Noticed something a little odd about it, walked over, and found it was the Electric one.  I immediately went back inside, chastised the sales guy for a moment about not telling me he had an electric Focus on the lot, so I asked if I could take that for a test drive.  :)

 

So he gets me the keys, temp plate, and I go out, slap the plate on, unplug, hop in, push the start button AAAAAAAAAAND... nothing.  I couldn't make it go.  I must've fiddled with the car for 5 minutes before giving up and heading back in, disappointed.  Salesman smiles and chuckles... asked me if I pushed the brake before hitting the start button.  Nope, didn't do that.  Went back outside, attached the plate again, hopped in, pushed the brake and hit the start button AAAAAAAAAAAND... nothing... except for a little green light in the corner of the dash and a message that said it was ready to drive.  Took it out for about 10 minutes, TOTALLY fell in love with it, and very nearly bought it right then and there, but I held out for the Fusion.  I'm glad I did, but I would've by no means been dissatisfied with the Focus.

[Fat Fusion]

You are paying $1 per hour for a charge? Isn't gas cheaper?

 

Yep.  Probably.  I don't really care about a dollar here or a dollar there.  It's kind of liberating when you get away from things being all about the money.  If it were for me, I wouldn't have three cars, a truck, a dune buggy, and a motorcycle as a single guy!  Thankfully I have a good job in Silicon Valley and $ is currently not a problem for me.

[howardbc]

Hi, Fat Fusion. I agree that spending $1 for a charge is not a huge amount and to be expected when one has a new car that can be plugged in. For several years I had "a car that can be plugged-in" on my "Bucket list." So when I got my Ford Fusion Energi last April, I was anxious to try a public charging station even though I knew I could drive with the car in hybrid mode. Right now I use up all my EV miles and then let the car go into hybrid mode for the rest of the day. I charge my car at night via a 120v wall outlet in my garage. I don't use a public charger unless I happen to be some place where one is located and my trip will be at least 50 miles. But this is rare. The only times I've charged up is when I was at a local library for an EAA (Electric Auto Assn) meeting. 

 

I bought my FFE because I wanted to make a difference for the environment and because I like new technology and ideas. There's something about coming home and plugging-in instead of buying gas that really appeals to me. I have solar panels on my roof and get the remainder of my energy through wind mills via Pear Energy. I pay 2 cents a kilowatt hour more for using Pear Energy but to me it is worth it. Yes, to me, some things are worth more than money. Plus the technology of any plug-in is just neat. 

 

Yes, I would use zero energy if I just stayed home or walked, but I live far from most anything, plus the car is just a joy to drive. 

 

Enjoy your car.

[Fat Fusion]

Howard in many ways paying the electric company a little more than the arabs and big oil is very similar to how I sometimes pay an extra dollar a gallon to buy biodiesel instead of petro diesel.  Who I give my money to is at least as important to me as how much I give them.  

 

I agree.  It is fun to drive the Fusion!  I drove the Crew Cab diesel last night just to keep the batteries charged and really enjoyed it, but the Fusion is the new toy and I definitely like driving it more at this point.