Hi all. Looking for some advice. I have a 2011 ford focus Mk3 titanium 1.6, which has had no problems until yesterday. When I went to go to the car to start it, the signal to the key was weak and displayed on the dashboard “key not detected”, so I did what most people do and move the key closer to the instrument cluster which allowed me to start the car and go to work. When I got to work and tried to lock the car, it didn’t work, the fob was not working at all. I replaced the key battery with 2 different brand new batteries I went brought at the supermarket, nothing. The car also would not start anymore as it could not recognise the key. 
 

After some googling, I found that I could put the key in the steering column, the emergency backup system, which works and still works now to start the car fine. I plugged in diagnostics to the obd port and found the fault code U0214. I checked the fuses and found one fuse blown, the F2 fuse, keyless vehicle module. Replacing this fuse fixed the central locking system and allowed me to lock the car again, but still would not recognise the key inside the car, but replacing the fuse also removed the fault code. Now there is no fault codes showing on the car.

I checked the main car battery which is fine and showing 12V and 14V when running with the alternator, and the car has zero issues starting when using the emergency port.

 

Is it possible that the fuse blowing on the KVM has just caused the key to become uncoded to the car? But then surely the car would not start at all even using the emergency port?

I tried checking the coding with the key using forscan and plugging in to the obd port but since it’s a start/stop model it said I was unable too. 

Any advice on next steps, because I don’t want to pay for something I don’t need too. Happy to get hands on and test things and answer any questions, and any advice is appreciated, thanks!

Thinking it might be the RF receiver so I have ordered one and am going to try swap it out. Took entire car apart to find out it was in driver side headliner not at the back like on other models for anybody else curious

It was not the rf receiver. Same symptoms. I know the new second hand rf receiver is “good” because unplugging my current one stops the central locking from working with the key, and plugging in the new second hand one, the central locking starts to work again.

 

Starting to run out of options - is it really the KVM module that has gone bad even though there’s zero fault codes? Could it be the key not communicating properly for only the wireless signal to the car? But works fine in emergency slot?

 

Any advice is appreciated.

The emergency slot uses a chip like a conventional key.  That chip doesn't require an antenna or even a battery inside the fob.  It is a totally separate function to the keyless start.

Do you have a second fob to try?

i sadly do not, I bought a second hand key that I was going to code using forscan but doesn’t look like it’s possible as it said it wasn’t for this model

Since the day it broke I remember (and mentioned above) that it required me to move the key right to the dashboard randomly (first time ever) and then when I got to work it did not work at all. Possible the key is the fault given that symptom and was on it last leg? Still confusing why the KVM 10A fuse would blow in that case though.

"Time Out" !!!

Back to basics. The original fault was, and still is the keyfob although there is a good possibility that other problems have been introduced by now.

The keyfob consists of 3 items which are independent.

1. The emergency metal key blade
2. The remote lock/unlock transmitter
3. The PATS security transponder chip

When you originally got the warning message on the instrument cluster telling you the keyfob battery was low, then that was in fact the only issue that needed to be addressed.

The battery is used by the keyfob to transmit the remote lock/unlock signal, and on your car with keyless Start it is also used to relay the security code from the PATS transponder chip so that it can be picked up by the remote receiver.

When the keyfob battery becomes low two things happen. (1) The remote lock/unlock fails to work correctly and eventually it fail completely. (2) When the battery becomes very low, it can not transmit the code from the transponder chip.

The car has the ability to interrogate the transponder chip and obtain the PATS code from the keyfob when it is placed in the emergency slot on the column. This will work even when there is no battery fitted in the keyfob.

So the good news is the transponder chip still works and has not fallen out of the keyfob since the car can still be started with the keyfob in the emergency slot.

This means the problem is still with the keyfob and the battery. Do you have a multimeter ? You need to measure the voltage of the battery and check that it is 3.30V if the battery is 2.99V or less then it is dead !

Are you 100% sure that the good battery is being fitted in to the keyfob correctly ? It is quite common to find that the battery has been placed upside down. New batteries often have a clear protective coating on them that needs to be cleaned off with acetone or isopropanol or similar.

 

 

Hi, thank you for your reply!

So I never got a message on the dashboard saying the key battery is low. I measured the original battery and it came back as 3.1V, new battery measures 3.3V so I ruled out battery. 
 

I know the battery is fitted correctly as the central locking on the car works with the keyfob.

The original issue was that when I got into the car to go to work (after the car had been working fine, no problems, no battery low) I went to start the car and it popped up saying key not detected, so I moved the fob closer to the instrument cluster and it started. I got to work, and it would no longer start with the fob, unlock the doors, lock the doors, completely dead. I replaced the battery, nothing. I then found after measuring all the fuses that the KVM F2 10A fuse has blown, replacing that with another working 10A fuse, the central locking came back to life, but the car still says key not detected, the only other thing I have attempted is changing the RF antenna module and that also has not repaired the problem. 
 

I also have ruled out car battery as it’s 12.5V when left overnight and checking in the morning, and 14V when charging with alternator, the battery was also replaced in 2022-2023 (marked on battery as 202- and can’t tell if it’s 2 or 3 as slightly rubbed off)

4 hours ago, Firosee said:

I then found after measuring all the fuses that the KVM F2 10A fuse has blown, replacing that with another working 10A fuse, the central locking came back to life, but the car still says key not detected,

Stand outside of the car with the keyfob. Press lock, unlock, lock, unlock, lock, unlock, and wait for about a minute before trying the ignition.

This reset is sometimes needed after changing the keyfob battery.

Sadly this did not work either, I am at the car trying to diagnose it as we speak that’s why the quick reply haha. 

I can hear the relay going on the car as I click the start button (sounds like it’s coming from passenger side dash area) but just still pops on dash saying key not detected.

tried coding a spare key I purchased but the normal switch ignition on off 4 times didn’t work, car makes a beep saying it’s ready to code but no response after trying old key and new key 

Also tried disconnecting main battery for 10 mins for a full reset and still nothing.

Have you used FORScan to check and see how many keys are programmed in to the vehicles memory ?

Just now, unofix said:

Have you used FORScan to check and see how many keys are programmed in to the vehicles memory ?

I paid for the yearly membership of forscan, this is how i found out that there was the error code in the first place (the one that got removed by replacing the KVM fuse)

When i tried to use forscan to manage the keys, i cant remember how i did it as it was a few days ago now, but before i could enter anything it popped up saying something along the lines of this feature is not available on my vehicle since its started by a button and not a physical key

I've no idea why there should be a key problem when using FORScan. My own cars have keyless entry and keyless start.

My car does not have keyless entry, just keyless start. I can try again tomorrow and get the exact error message that gets shown to me and ill post it here

Okay so update:

I am able to code a key to the car you just needed a WiFi connection. 
 

I purchased a new key on Amazon that had the same FCCID as my key, however when coding the key it popped up saying “key programming failed - suspected not compatable key” but then straight after said pats key successfully programmed.

The new key now also unlocks via the emergency slot, and starts the car - but refuses to work without the emergency port, and also refuses to work the central locking (whilst my old key still does)

I tried coding the key first by adding the key to the immobiliser, and after that didn’t work well I tried clearing all the keys, and adding both my old key and the new one, which left me in the same situation. There was a fault code that popped up saying not enough keys coded but this went away after clearing and assume it was left behind from coding the keys.

I think it’s safe to say the KVM module is fine else it would not allow the car to start, one key to unlock the central locking, or even allow me to “code a new key”.

Here are the steps I have done:

- Checked battery voltage on car (12.5V overnight)

- Used six batteries so far between both keys all measuring at 3.3V when putting into the key

- Replaced RF module with a second hand from eBay (same symptoms with new and old one)

- Coded a new key to the car, albeit perhaps not fully comparable, it starts the car via the emergency port on the new key, but not keyless start

 

This is the key I purchased: https://amzn.eu/d/60b4N2l

To remind everyone my car is a 2011 ford focus titanium 1.6 diesel, it says it should be compatable and is the same fccid, but is it cheap *****? Or is there something else at play.

 

What would be the next steps? Purchasing a better key than a £20 Amazon one? Trying something else? 
 

I searched throughout forscan and can not see any way to test the wireless things in the doors and dash, there is like 3 I believe that pick up the signal? Does this also control the central locking and therefore works and can be ruled out? Or is it a different system?

 

Very tricky one here folks and I hope we can fix it..
 

 

I have attached a photo of my original key, the messages I got when coding the new key, and also all the “serviceable” options on my forscan. Anything that might help.

All the common issues I see online about people experiencing this issue say that their central locking on the keyfob does not work, and the fact that mine does is extremely confusing to me, from all my research I have done it’s like nobody has had the same issue where locks/unlocks but does not start keyless

On 11/11/2025 at 4:28 PM, unofix said:

The keyfob consists of 3 items which are independent.

1. The emergency metal key blade
2. The remote lock/unlock transmitter
3. The PATS security transponder chip

So you have successfully programmed the PATS transponder code in to the memory of the car 👍

You now have to programme the remote lock/unlock function (which has nothing to do with PATS). See pages 29,30,31 of the Owners handbook.

https://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/catalog/owner_guides/ENUSA_CG3568_FOC_og_201108.pdf

Would coding the pats not enable the keyless entry? Or does this section above do that?

I read through the manual and the only real thing mentioned about programming the key is doing this sequence of holding down the buttons for 4 seconds, this did not fix the problem. Am I missing a part of the manual?

Im wondering if perhaps the key i purchased is just not very good and i need to get a better one, https://amzn.eu/d/60b4N2l, or its operating on the wrong frequency even though the fccid is the same? Im honestly so lost at what to do next

Programming the remote lock/unlock (which will also get keyless start working again)

See post by nitroshift

https://www.talkford.com/threads/keyless-fob-programming-how-to.410967/

 

Click on the "see more" to get the whole of the post.