2010 Forte Koup remote door locks not working in mornings

[JoshT]

2010 Forte Koup. 170k+ miles, all driven by me. No major mechanical or electrical issues since purchase. Well outside warranty, this wouldn't be covered anyway, and I am NOT going back to the dealer for anything more than 60k mile transmission services. That mostly because I don't want to do it myself and they'll use the OEM filters.

This isn't a new issue, started some time before the end of last year, so between 6 and 9 months ago. I never worried much about it, until the issue bit me in the a$$ this morning.

Back to the beginning, I have got remote start in my car, it's the dealer add on unit. I installed it myself and know its installed correctly. It's worked great from the time I installed it until this started. This first appeared when I went to remote start it one morning last year and it wouldn't respond. Didn't think much of it because occasionally over the years one of the door sensors or a trunk/hood switch would hang and stop it from working. Open and shut the door, or trunk/hood and it would go back to working. Didn't think about it right then because I hopped in the cae, it fired right up, and off to work I went. Haven't used the remote start much in the time since because it isn't needed all that often, I tend to use it more for cooling off the car in the summer than warming it up during the winter.

Since then I've noticed that in the mornings it sometimes (oftentimes?) won't respond to the key fob at all. I've replaced batteries in both key fobs and both get the same reaction. They work, but first thing in the morning its intermitten. After I fire the car up and drive into work it works fine for the rest of the day, next morning the same thing. Where I live the car doors normally stay unlocked anyway and every time I can hop right in, fire it up, and take off.

This morning, in the mid 40s, I decided I'd try to remote start the car and let it warm up while I rolled the trash can down to the road. Threw my lunch in the car, hit the keyfob. Lock button twice, start button once. Doors locked, but no start. Tried again, no start. Ok, there's also the option to start the car manually, press the remote start bvutton and remove the key. Press the unlock button, no response.

At this point everything is fine. Drivers door still has a key hole right?! Stick key in, turn key, lights flash, door doesn't unlock. Turn key other way, door doesn't unlock. Keep trying. DOOR DOESN'T UNLOCK! So no physical connection betweendoor lock cylinder and kocking mechanism, F%#&!!!!

No choice, I've got to call in today. I've got other vehicles, I can buy another lunch, but I can't go to work without getting my ID badge out of the car. I'm not breaking the window and no other way into the car.

Since then it's decided to respond to the key again and I got the door unlocked, but I'm not trusting it. I've already called in and informed my boss that the car was possessed and I would be late at best. Since I've already taken the time off I want to try to get to the bottom of this.

I think I'm going to pull the battery and have it tested, but I don;t think thats the issue since every time it has enough juice to start the car. I just don't know anything else to try/check. Have y'all got any ideas?

 

[RobbieD]

2010 models are well after my involvement with remote starters, but I'll throw some things out there to maybe help. At least you installed the remote starter system yourself, and it's a "dealer" unit.

>>> Did you have to make any traditional wiring connections, or was the remote starter all "plug and play" into the car's existing wiring harnesses?

Recheck any wiring connections that were made, especially if the means was the "squeeze-lok" type that you use pliers to "bite" into the wires. If the install was totally "plug and play", disconnect and reconnect all of these connectors (and take a look for any dirty or corroded terminals in doing so).

I suspect that, by 2010 and the car having push-to-start, that the dealer remote start unit would be simply adding another controller unit which communicates over the CAN buss, and would be a plug and play install. And I assume that the car was originally equipped with the remote keyless entry. If the remote start unit is on the CAN bus, a shaky connection on the bus wires could be why it's flaky, especially with the low temps symptom.

That sounds odd, that the manual door locks with the key doesn't actually have a physical, or mechanical linkage. But, I haven't really kept up cars for about the last 20 years.

Did you keep the instructions that came with the remote start kit?

 

[JoshT]

No push-to-start in this generation of Forte, not my year atleast. It doesn't appear to be CAN bus either.

IIRC it was mostly plug-n-play, but I'm sure there were some squeeze type connectors in there too. It has been 5-10 years since installation, I've looked at and worked on a lot of stuff since then. I doubt I would have cut and spliced any wires because I highly doubt that the instructions called for it. I would have followed the install instructions to the "T" because the car was still under warranty then, and while they wouldn't cover the R/S system I didn't want to give them any more excuse on the rest of it.

On the subject of install instructions, with my habit of never throwing stuff away, they are probably around here somewhere. Unfortunately, with my habit of never putting things where they belong, finding them will likely be an issue. I've looked for them online in the past, but all I can find are the generic operating instructions for most Kias with this type of system.

I'm guessing that I wasn't holding my mouth right with the key. It doesn't make sense for there to not be a mechanical linkage, but it wasn't doing anything at 6:00 am. I've tried the key since then and it is working fine now.

In the hours since I've been able to narrow it down to a R/S issue. I found one of the original keyfobs that came with the car. After installing new batteries it works fine every time I press the button. I'd like to keep the Remote start function, but if I can;t figure it out in short order, I'll rip it out when I go to install the new head unit I've been sitting on. I've had it since last summer, but been holding off on installing it because didn't know if I was starting to have major electrical issues.

For the time being, I think I'm going to try removing the R/S module and checking that everything still works right. I'd rather it not have the potential to cause more problems until I figure out what is going on.

 

[RobbieD]

but I'm sure there were some squeeze type connectors in there too.

Re-do every one of those connections. That may also explain the "occasionally over the years one of the door sensors or a trunk/hood switch would hang and stop it from working" in your original post.

 

[JoshT]

No, I was being a little too generic when I said that, it was always the hood switch. The problem there was the hood switch and/or the weak mounting bracket they made for it. A few years ago I installed a strut tower bar which mounted in the same location as the hood switch bracket. I removed/disconnected the switch and never had that problem again. Also had the advantage of being able to start it with the fob while working under the hood. Not that I've ever actually had a needed to do that, but I didn't like it telling me that I couldn't. Also wouldn't let it remote start with the trunk open, and would kill the engine if trunk opened while running that way, but I never investigated defeating that part.

I did wonder if maybe a door or trunk switch might be causing the new problem, but all other functions would work when the hood switch was acting up, it just wouldn't allow the remote start. Then the remote start fobs would still lock and unlock the doors, open the trunk, and sound the panic alarm. Now they do nothing.

I might just delete it anyway. Back when I installed it I worked in a non climate controlled airplane hangar all day and walked a half mile uphill (literally) back to the car after work everyday. I wanted the R/S to cool off the car before climbing into it on a 90+ degree sunny day. With an advertised 1000 ft range, I could start it part wayt up the hill so it could have some air circulating and cooled off a little before I climed in. Now I'm sitting in in the AC at a desk all day, with about a 75 yard walk to the car. It would still be nice, but it doesn't feel quite as important as it used to be.

I've kind of been wanting a flip key setup for it, but the RS keyfobs have kept me from doing it. There are repalcements and conversion cases for the stock non-RS fob, but none I've been able to find for the RS fob.

 

[RobbieD]

So if follow you, you have two sets of fobs- original keyless entry and add-on remote start.

Since your keeping the remote start isn't a huge priority, I'd still re-do any wire-to-wire connections, and see if it goes back to working reliably. I think that you likely have a remote starting safety circuit that's going shaky. Hood switches, especially if they're the old school "pin switch" type, are notorious for getting wonky with time and miles.

 

[JoshT]

Defintely something temperature related. Weather has warmed up into the 60s by now and the remote start fobs are working like they should. Problem is tomorrow morning they wil be back not working. Atleast now I have and know that I can use the original fobs to lock and unlock the car, and the door key is working like it should.

Correct, two sets as you said. Works fine as long as I remember to only lock it with the original remote set, or remember to use the same set next time I unlock. If I lock with the remote start set and unlock with the origonal key it sets off the alarm built into the remote start when I open the door.

As long as I can jump in and drive to work every morning, fixing the remote start is a low priority. I won't remove it just yet and might try to troubleshoot it later. For now I'll just stick to the original fobs and leave the remote start ones alone.