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Intelligent Access Door Handles

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47
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53
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12
Location
Tonopah, AZ, USA
#1
Our 2020 Explorer ST doors will not unlock when grabbing the door handle (except for the driver's door).
We have owned several Ford vehicles that will unlock when touching any of the 4 doors (including our current 2020 Expedition)
The local dealer says they called Ford & Ford told them our Explorer is designed to work that way.
I am having trouble accepting that as normal on a vehicle the intelligent access system.
Has anyone else encountered this issue?
 

Dale5403

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Location
Mondovi, WI, USA
#2
Your dealer is full of crap. I can unlock any door plus the hatch as long as the key is in my pocket.
 

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341
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Location
Oregon
#3
What if you have your key in your pocket and someone else walks up beside you and opens your door? Seems dangerous, is there an option to turn this feature off?
 

Dale5403

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#4
What if you have your key in your pocket and someone else walks up beside you and opens your door? Seems dangerous, is there an option to turn this feature off?
I've never checked to see if there is. If I was that paranoid about it how would you
ever go any where? By the way, I love that feature.
 

Last edited:
Messages
277
Reactions
186
Points
37
Location
Kansas
Vehicle
2022 Rapid Red ST
#5
Definitely can lock or unlock any door with a touch.
 

hbalek

Active Member
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Location
Kensington, MD, USA
#6
There's a proximity sensor so only the person with the fob can open any door. Also you can set it so you can unlock only the driver's door or all doors with one touch. If I touch the passenger door handles all 4 unlock, if I touch only the driver's door handle, driver's door only unlocks. LOVE that feature! Pushing lock on any door locks all doors.
 

Dale5403

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Location
Mondovi, WI, USA
#7
There's a proximity sensor so only the person with the fob can open any door. Also you can set it so you can unlock only the driver's door or all doors with one touch. If I touch the passenger door handles all 4 unlock, if I touch only the driver's door handle, driver's door only unlocks. LOVE that feature! Pushing lock on any door locks all doors.
A person standing next to the one with the key can unlock the doors. Found that out about a week ago as I was showing a young man some of the features on my explorer. He was near me after I locked the doors and he was able to open the door. When I walked to the other side he could not unlock it. Mine also unlocks all the doors no matter what door I use. Don't know if there is a setting where that can be changed or not.
 

hbalek

Active Member
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Location
Kensington, MD, USA
#8
A person standing next to the one with the key can unlock the doors. Found that out about a week ago as I was showing a young man some of the features on my explorer. He was near me after I locked the doors and he was able to open the door. When I walked to the other side he could not unlock it. Mine also unlocks all the doors no matter what door I use. Don't know if there is a setting where that can be changed or not.
That's what I meant by proximity sensor. I think the handle has to be within 3 or 4 feet of the fob. I've tested it before. If he were socially distanced (LOL) he could not open it. I like having the driver's door open only when I am alone. If I'm giving someone a ride, I touch the back door of the driver's side to open all 4. That's a safer way. If you're alone and all 4 are open, you can be carjacked i.e. someone can get in on the other side of the car.
 

Dale5403

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#9
That's what I meant by proximity sensor. I think the handle has to be within 3 or 4 feet of the fob. I've tested it before. If he were socially distanced (LOL) he could not open it. I like having the driver's door open only when I am alone. If I'm giving someone a ride, I touch the back door of the driver's side to open all 4. That's a safer way. If you're alone and all 4 are open, you can be carjacked i.e. someone can get in on the other side of the car.
I'm not sure how far away you need to be. I did step back 4 or 5 feet and he could still open it. As far as car jacking, I'm not to concerned about that. I live in a small town in WI and crime is pretty minimal here. I'm sure it's a bigger problem in other areas.
 

ZRX61

Member
U.S. Air Force Veteran
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Location
L A, CA, USA
#10
Pretty sure there's a setting you can faff about with. It would only unlock the drivers door at first, then I faffed about & it changed to all four... but it randomly reverts to drivers door only some days....
 

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341
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Location
Oregon
#11
I’ll definitely be turning off that feature on my wife’s ST if possible. Someone able to open the passenger door as she is strapping our infant into the car seat? No thanks.
 

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171
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Location
Belleville, IL, USA
#12
I’ll definitely be turning off that feature on my wife’s ST if possible. Someone able to open the passenger door as she is strapping our infant into the car seat? No thanks.
I get what your saying but if she strapping in your child to the rear seat with the door open , the passenger door is already likely unlocked. Anybody is vulnerable to anything with a car door already open not paying attention.....The whole door unlock thing is not a huge safety concern as some in the post think it is. A person will need to be right next to you to unlock the door , won't work from the other side.
 

hbalek

Active Member
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Location
Kensington, MD, USA
#13
Whatever makes you feel safer! Some people hike in the woods or drive alone with a mask on.
 

ZRX61

Member
U.S. Air Force Veteran
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Location
L A, CA, USA
#14
I get what your saying but if she strapping in your child to the rear seat with the door open , the passenger door is already likely unlocked. Anybody is vulnerable to anything with a car door already open not paying attention.....The whole door unlock thing is not a huge safety concern as some in the post think it is. A person will need to be right next to you to unlock the door , won't work from the other side.
Open door to insert baby... push the lock on that door to lock all the other doors while you do so.
 

Messages
341
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116
Points
37
Location
Oregon
#15
I get what your saying but if she strapping in your child to the rear seat with the door open , the passenger door is already likely unlocked. Anybody is vulnerable to anything with a car door already open not paying attention.....The whole door unlock thing is not a huge safety concern as some in the post think it is. A person will need to be right next to you to unlock the door , won't work from the other side.
Maybe I'll play around with it and see how sensitive it really is.
 

Messages
341
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116
Points
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Location
Oregon
#16
Whatever makes you feel safer! Some people hike in the woods or drive alone with a mask on.
I only hike with my 10MM :p I never got into the whole mask wearing thing, despite Oregon and it's citizens going absolutely bananas over it.
 

OP
M
Messages
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Location
Tonopah, AZ, USA
Thread Starter #18
Your dealer is full of crap. I can unlock any door plus the hatch as long as the key is in my pocket.
So you can touch any of the 4 outer door handles & unlock the vehicle?
 

Cruising68

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Location
Chicago, IL, USA
#19
So you can touch any of the 4 outer door handles & unlock the vehicle?
Mine works that way. I walk up to any door, stick my fingers in the handle and it unlocks.
 

Dale5403

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Location
Mondovi, WI, USA
#20
So you can touch any of the 4 outer door handles & unlock the vehicle?
Mine works that way. I walk up to any door, stick my fingers in the handle and it unlocks.
So does mine. I think that can be changed in the settings though. Would have to look to be sure.
 



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