Intermittent locking problem- is it me??

[Tchevalier]

Hi

just joined the forum as have just bought a lovely 2011 Ford Focus diesel estate ( had it 10days). I love my car but it won't always lock using the remote or the keyless locking! It's very frustrating as I can't predict when it will happen! The ford garage had it all afternoon and it didn't do it once, I then drove it 30 mins home and you guessed it ..... wouldn't lock. I then drove it 10 mins down the road about an hour later and wouldn't lock again. Drove it 10 mins back after 2 hrs parked up and it locked. The garage have tested the remote and its sending out the correct signal so can't be a fault with that. I have changed the battery in the fob, had to get a new car battery as the one in there failed and wouldn't start the car 7days after buying it.

Any ideas? 

[Tdci-Peter]

1 hour ago, Tchevalier said:

it won't always lock using the remote or the keyless locking!

I wonder if the door ajar switch is malfunctioning. This will keep the interior light on (for quite a long time, until the battery saver circuit kicks in), and should show up on the dash. If the car thinks the door is open, it will not lock it.

I assume it unlocks ok with both remote & keyless approach? That would show that the remote fob and car transceivers are ok.

I think I would ask the garage if they could do a standby current drain check on the battery, as well. If something was staying on, like interior lights, it might have finished off a 5 year old battery. Though it would take a lot of current drain to discharge a good, new battery.

The rule with intermittent gremlins is that they hide as soon as you come near them with a meter or other tools, then leap out again when least wanted. Sometimes you have to wait till they get overconfident, then swat them!

Or, more technically, wait till the intermittent fault worsens to the point where it can be replicated in the garage. Hopefully your warranty will cover it.