Remote Central Locking Just Stopped Working

[catch]

As the subject line states, on holiday in Northumberland this week and went out to the car one morning, pressed the key fob and ....nothing...had to open it via the lock on the door. While visiting Berwick-upon-Tweed, I had a jeweller replace the battery, went back to the car and again nothing happened.

I've tried the 0 to II and back four times sequence, I get all the correct noises, but still the remote does not work.

I'll pop into my local Ford dealers Monday morning and see what they say. And they can ring the warranty people and see if the 0ne Year Auto Trust Formula One warranty that came with the car when I bought it from another Ford dealership, is any good. But if anybody was any ideas in the meantime, I'd be interested to here them.

[ponsaloti]

Take it to a locksmith, he will tell you if its sending out a signal.

[catch]

Take it to a locksmith, he will tell you if its sending out a signal.

I'm sure it is actually sending a signal, because sometimes after I press the buttons [when standing outside] I can hear some sort of mechanical noise. Hard to describe it really, not a click sound more like a failing to engage sound. It sounds to be coming from the area around the front wing engine compartment area.

edit:

Forget the last paragraph, when you come to think about it, with all that key 0 to II. Its something actuated by the engine management system thinking...hey up we are off...then realising it was just a key programming mularky going on. I mean there is nothing under the bonnet of a mechanical nature that is out to do with the remote central locking.

[catch]

Update:

Took it to my local Ford Dealer this morning, really helpful young guy on reception came out to the car, and tried the 0 to II trick a few times. Saying it does not always work with just one or two goes, anyway same as my attempts.... no luck.

Of course the warranty I had with another Ford Dealer I bought the car off [Auto Trust Formula One] can it get better than Formula One? Was very unambiguous as to whether it was covered or not. As though under the Sub Heading "Electrics" internal failure of all factory fitted components are covered. But you are not covered for battery, fuse , fuse box, lamps ,bulbs,cigar lighter, indicator lamps ,ignition contact breaker points, rotor arm, distributor cap, wiring and printed circuit boards !!!! hello what the feck use is that?

And the set up is, you have to take it in to a dealer, they then have to find out what is wrong with the car. THEN they have to ring warranty company up to see it the time and cost of component needing repaired is covered under the warranty.

Anyway having already spoken on the phone to the service guy at the garage I bought it at [30 miles away] He said they had had a job in on the electrics on a car, with either a AA or RAC warranty, took em 4 hours to find out it was a wiring fault. Phoned the warranty firm up ....not covered.

So having made it clear to the helpful service guy at the garage I had taken it too, that I didn't what to end up in that kind of position. He said look I'll book it in for a diagnostics, and we will go from there. So he booked it for 3.00pm this afternoon, I duly arrived at 3.00pm gave him the key, sat down flicked through a brochure, and twenty minutes later, me being halfway through the complimentary coffee. He sits down next to me on the settee key in hand. Said one of the guys had looked at it, and managed to reset the key [i'm not sure how] but as the car was exactly where I had left it, but with the seat moved back. I reckon he was maybe able to reset it with ODBII hand held via the Engine Management Port.

So all sorted, and the best bit is NO CHARGE.

I feel a bit guilty really, I have it booked in for a service tomorrow with the guy I've used for many years to do my servicing.He is 7 miles away, in a village I've moved away from. He has missed the two last years in servicing because I have bought over those last two years, two cars that came serviced as part of the deal. I don't like letting people down who have always done a good job for me. Only job he has done for me in those two years, was check out the brakes were OK on this motor back in March, prior to taking it to Cornwall [ even though it came with a major service done on it, it turned out they had not had the wheels off the car to check the brakes] and that was another Ford Main Dealer I'd bought it off.

Now my local Ford Dealer is offering £99 interim services with £45 MOT's and car gets a wash and vac into the bargain. But what I like about my guy is I can stand there and watch him do the job and have a natter. And he won't "find any jobs" if you know what I mean. OK I know after a lifetime I've become a cynic, but I just feel the Main Dealers possibly lure you in with cheap servicing, then maybe sting you on repairs and renewals, or possibly jobs that don't actually need doing at the time, say pads and disks. You read of so many people being screwed by garages.