Pinpoint Test K: The Remote Keyless Entry (RKE) Transmitter Has Poor Range Performance

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2010 Lincoln Town Car. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

Normal Operation

Remote locking and unlocking of the doors, releasing the luggage compartment lid, and activation of the panic alarm is accomplished by the driver door module (DDM) receiving a command message from the remote keyless entry (RKE) transmitter. The DDM processes the command and energizes the appropriate relays to lock or unlock the doors, open/close the luggage compartment lid, or sends a message over the standard corporate protocol (SCP) network to the lighting control module (LCM) to activate the parking lamps and horn for the panic alarm. The RKE transmitter has an operating range of 10 m (33 ft).

This pinpoint test is intended to diagnose the following:

Aftermarket systems
High power devices
TV/radio transmission towers
RKE transmitter
RKE transmitter battery
Tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS)/RKE antenna

PINPOINT TEST K: THE REMOTE KEYLESS ENTRY (RKE) TRANSMITTER HAS POOR RANGE PERFORMANCE

K1 CHECK FOR THE CORRECT RKE TRANSMITTERS
NOTE: Make sure the RKE transmitters are those provided with the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) system and not from an aftermarket system, or a dealer-installed system, that may have been installed on the vehicle.
- Check that the correct RKE transmitters are used with the vehicle.
- Are all the correct RKE transmitters present?
1. YES : Go to K2.
2. NO : The system cannot be tested without the correct RKE transmitters. INFORM the customer that all the correct RKE transmitters must to be present to proceed with diagnosis of the system.
K2 CHECK ALL RKE TRANSMITTERS FOR POOR RANGE PERFORMANCE
NOTE: The 3 m (10 ft) measurement of range is not the standard but is a guideline that clearly indicates a vehicle is experiencing poor range performance.
- Check all RKE transmitters for poor range performance (less than 3 m [10 ft]).
- Do all RKE transmitters experience poor range performance?
1. YES : Go to K4.
2. NO : Go to K3.
K3 CHECK THE POOR RANGE RKE TRANSMITTER BATTERY
- Using a thin coin, open the inoperative RKE transmitter.
- Do not clean off any grease from the battery terminals on the back surface of the circuit board.
- Verify the correct battery is used (CR2032).
- Remove the RKE transmitter battery and measure the voltage.
- Is the voltage greater than 2.5 volts?
1. YES : REPLACE the inoperative RKE transmitter. PROGRAM all RKE transmitters. REFER to Remote Keyless Entry Transmitter Programming . INFORM the customer that any RKE transmitters not present need to be programmed. TEST the system for normal operation.
2. NO : INSTALL a new battery. DO NOT reprogram the RKE transmitters (weak or dead batteries do not erase TICs from memory). TEST the system for normal operation.
K4 CHECK THE LOCATION OF THE VEHICLE AND THE APPROACH ANGLES AROUND THE VEHICLE
- Make sure the poor performance is consistent in nature and is not from one approaching angle.
- If the vehicle is within 0.8 km (0.5 mile) of high-power devices or radio/TV towers, the operating distance of the RKE transmitters may be reduced.
- Is the poor range performance consistent around the vehicle?
1. YES : INSTALL a new TPMS/RKE antenna. REFER to Antenna . TEST the system for normal operation.
2. NO : The system is operating correctly at this time. TEST the system for normal operation.