Problem with locking and unlocking when touching door handle.

[ChasBG]

My 2020 had this and it was the main reason for my buyback. It took over 90 days at the dealership to fix. Four different times they said it was fixed and I would go to pick it up and none of the passenger doors would lock/unlock. They finally replaced the BCM.

This now just started on my 2021 three days ago that I've had for 20 months.

Did the BCM fix the previous issue? Have you been able to resolve the problem with the new one? I just discovered that my passenger doors work correctly but touch lock or unlock does not work on either door on the drivers side.

 

[Toadster]

I think Ford did get this right, although I have had other issues. Anyways, my keys have been in the center console for 2 years with no problems so far. My brother in law converted me, so I feel the need to convert everyone else.

if someone breaks a window and steals the car - would insurance cover that? considering they'll have a key then?

 

[DaveG ST]

if someone breaks a window and steals the car - would insurance cover that? considering they'll have a key then?

Yes, I checked with my insurance company and it would be covered.

 

[ST Grey]

I had this problem, among other anomalies until Ford finally replaced the 12 volt battery. I installed a hardwired 2amp NOCO battery tender. Most of my trips are short drives and it's back in the garage, lift the hood and plug in the battery tender. I noticed it take less time to fully charge if I take longer trips. Everybody has a different driving style, and use different features like the autostart, which I turn off as soon as I start the engine. Good luck with your ST.

 

[ChasBG]

I had this problem, among other anomalies until Ford finally replaced the 12 volt battery. I installed a hardwired 2amp NOCO battery tender. Most of my trips are short drives and it's back in the garage, lift the hood and plug in the battery tender. I noticed it take less time to fully charge if I take longer trips. Everybody has a different driving style, and use different features like the autostart, which I turn off as soon as I start the engine. Good luck with your ST.

I drove 60 miles home from the dealer the day before so I don't think this is the problem. I will put it on the battery charger though and see if it makes any difference. My son is a tech for a large Ford dealership. He says this is a pretty common problem lately from Ford. He says it's usually the sensor in the handle or a fault in the wiring harness. I have two doors on the same side that don't work so I'm thinking wiring harness but its just a guess.

 

[prm99v6]

Did the BCM fix the previous issue? Have you been able to resolve the problem with the new one? I just discovered that my passenger doors work correctly but touch lock or unlock does not work on either door on the drivers side.

As far as I know, it fixed the 2020. It was out of service (at the dealer) for 98 days and I had to get a lawyer to get Ford to buy it back. Every time I would get the call that it was fixed I would go to pick it up and the same thing would happen in the parking lot. When I finally picked it up it was one day day before I turned it in and everything worked. It then sat at the dealer for three weeks before Ford picked it up and moved it to storage outside of Baltimore. Then it went to a dealer in Ohio that resold it.

On my 21, it's intermittent and I have not gotten it in to have it looked at.

 

[ChasBG]

As far as I know, it fixed the 2020. It was out of service (at the dealer) for 98 days and I had to get a lawyer to get Ford to buy it back. Every time I would get the call that it was fixed I would go to pick it up and the same thing would happen in the parking lot. When I finally picked it up it was one day day before I turned it in and everything worked. It then sat at the dealer for three weeks before Ford picked it up and moved it to storage outside of Baltimore. Then it went to a dealer in Ohio that resold it.

On my 21, it's intermittent and I have not gotten it in to have it looked at.

OK thanks for the reply. I've got it on the battery charger now just to eliminate that possibility.

 

[ChasBG]

Battery is completely topped off and measuring well above 12v. Issue remains. I popped the door handle covers off to look at the antennas. Rear door has one pair of wires and the drivers door has two pairs, one of them being the same wire pair from the rear door. So, it appears the antennas are daisy chained before they go to the BCM. My money is still on wiring harness issue, probably where the antenna wire connects to the harness in the drivers door. Guess I'll be going in to the dealer for my first warranty issue.

 

[ST Grey]

Sorry to hear about your unresolved issues. Maybe your son could look into the Ford technical database for more information. Good luck with this.

 

[ChasBG]

Well, it was bothering the hell out of me that my auto unlock wasn't working so yesterday I tore into it to see what was up. I had been hearing a random tapping or slight clunk inside the door panel behind the speaker when I opened the door. I had a feeling that the two might be related. Its pretty easy to take off the door panel and the speaker. Sure enough, when I pulled the speaker and looked into the hole there was a connector on the end of a wire harness hanging inside. I loosened all of the white half-turn locks that hold the inner door panel on and was able to get my arm under the bottom and reach all the way up to the door handle to plug the cable back in. I really had to push to get the connector to click. I'm guessing that on assembly the connector lock didn't engage and the connector eventually worked its way off and fell out. Anyway, the locks function again and I didn't have to take the window glass loose from the inner panel which is integrated with the window regulator. Best part is not having to deal with a dealership service dept to get it fixed.

 

[ST Grey]

ChasBG, I am very impressed with your expertise in repairing this annoying faulty door locking issue. You are most likely correct that an assembly person failed to snap the connector completely closed.

 

[wayatheroad]

Hi all thanks for the information in this thread. I'm just had the issue start in my Explorer. What did we land on as the issue? Is the vehicle battery the same as the BCM or are they different? I plan on taking it to the dealership to have them look at it.