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Weird PKE behavior

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Old Apr 1, 2009 | 05:54 PM
  #1  
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Default Weird PKE behavior

As some of you may or may not know, I have a '93 and a '95 both of which use the PKE.

Well, my original fob for my '95 broke a few years ago, still works, but the part that attaches to the key ring broke off.

So I bought one offanother forum member for use with my '93 which didn't come with the fob when I bought it.

I tried to program the new fob with the '93 and it just wouldn't work.

After a few threads here which I went through and determined that my "dinger" quit working, I gave up on trying.

So I tried to program the new fob with my '95 since at this time I lost my other one(which I have since found).

It wouldn't program either, so I tried something simple. I replaced the battery and now it works.

Here's the weird part, the other day, I go into the garage to grab something out of the '93. As I walk away, the doors lock and the horn honks. Puzzled, I went back to make sure it was my '93 I was at. Sure enough it was, the '95 is outside in the driveway.
So as I walk back to the '93, the doors unlock, I walk away, the doors lock and the horn honks.
I walk outside to the '95, the doors unlock, I walk away and they lock, horn honks.

So now I have one fob that works in both cars.

That is just too weird
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Old Apr 1, 2009 | 06:12 PM
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Default Sounds Good!!!!

Why not come up to Canada? You could touch my PKE fob with the same magic wand and maybe mine would some how magically work too.

Go!Leafs!Go!...there is allways next year!!!!! Missed the payoffs again
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Old Apr 1, 2009 | 06:35 PM
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That has happened to me a few times at car shows. I walk past some C4's and the PKE goes on..I was like
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Old Apr 1, 2009 | 07:50 PM
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Sound like you screwed up in reverse.
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Old Apr 1, 2009 | 08:09 PM
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I just acquired a 1995 convertable. The PKE system doesn't seem to work like I think it should. According to the manual it will lock and unlock the car when you get in range with the FOB and the system can be set to either unlock the left car door or both doors. If you have the system set to unlock just the left door, you can unlock the passenger door by pushing the door button on the FOB, this works as advertized. If the system is not armed you have to lock/unlock the doors manually (inside button or key outside). The door button on the FOB has no effect, except to arm or disarm the system. It seems strange that the system has to be armed to be able to use the FOB. That is how the manual says it works unless I'm missing something. Comments.
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Old Apr 1, 2009 | 08:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Larry/car
I just acquired a 1995 convertable. The PKE system doesn't seem to work like I think it should. According to the manual it will lock and unlock the car when you get in range with the FOB and the system can be set to either unlock the left car door or both doors. If you have the system set to unlock just the left door, you can unlock the passenger door by pushing the door button on the FOB, this works as advertized. If the system is not armed you have to lock/unlock the doors manually (inside button or key outside). The door button on the FOB has no effect, except to arm or disarm the system. It seems strange that the system has to be armed to be able to use the FOB. That is how the manual says it works unless I'm missing something. Comments.
That's how mine works maybe. The PKE works when walking up to and away from the car but neither buttons actually work to do anything except cycle my door locks when I'm inside the car. Maybe the system is armed, I haven't tried to go that far in sleuthing the problem. I just accepted that it works for most of what I want it to do.
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Old Apr 2, 2009 | 01:32 PM
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It is an early passive keyless system, sounds like mine is working as designed. I thought that the door button would lock and unlock the doors even with the passive system disarmed. Evidently it does not.
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Old Apr 2, 2009 | 01:55 PM
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Supposedly, once you walk away and the ECM recognizes that, the car should lock. If you try to open the car by pushing the door button you will disarm the passive keyless entry system. You have to put the key into the car, turn the key but don't start the engine, and then push the fob door button until the door locks, then the system is set for the keyless entry again. Mine works most of the time, but some times it doesn't close the door's when I walk away. The system has inherent ghosts; it is an early passive keyless entry system, as someone else mentioned, and at times can be a PITA.
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Old Apr 2, 2009 | 01:58 PM
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My CE's PKE never worked, I trouble shooted and the module needs to be replaced. I was not willing to remove the entire center console so...I bought a nice key chain and unlock the doors the good old fashion 1953-1992 way.
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Old Apr 2, 2009 | 02:07 PM
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Sounds like you killed two birds with one stone...
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Old Apr 2, 2009 | 02:13 PM
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Originally Posted by leafsmainiac
Why not come up to Canada? You could touch my PKE fob with the same magic wand and maybe mine would some how magically work too.

Go!Leafs!Go!...there is allways next year!!!!! Missed the payoffs again
Dude, you're embarrassing us in front of our American friends. Everyone knows the Leafs suck anyways.. and no, there is no next year, because the Leafs will suck then too.

Leave it to a guy from Ontario to come on the CORVETTE Forum and talk about the Leafs.
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Old Apr 3, 2009 | 05:05 PM
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Originally Posted by Mr Mojo
As some of you may or may not know, I have a '93 and a '95 both of which use the PKE.

Well, my original fob for my '95 broke a few years ago, still works, but the part that attaches to the key ring broke off.

So I bought one offanother forum member for use with my '93 which didn't come with the fob when I bought it.

I tried to program the new fob with the '93 and it just wouldn't work.

After a few threads here which I went through and determined that my "dinger" quit working, I gave up on trying.

So I tried to program the new fob with my '95 since at this time I lost my other one(which I have since found).


It wouldn't program either, so I tried something simple. I replaced the battery and now it works.

Here's the weird part, the other day, I go into the garage to grab something out of the '93. As I walk away, the doors lock and the horn honks. Puzzled, I went back to make sure it was my '93 I was at. Sure enough it was, the '95 is outside in the driveway.
So as I walk back to the '93, the doors unlock, I walk away, the doors lock and the horn honks.
I walk outside to the '95, the doors unlock, I walk away and they lock, horn honks.

So now I have one fob that works in both cars.

That is just too weird
Doun't sound that weird to me. You tried to program both cars for the fob and succeded. Maybe because the battery was too low the programming worked but couldn't verify it or something?
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Old Apr 3, 2009 | 05:08 PM
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By the way, my fob works just like it says it should (pretty much). The foors unlock when you get close, the button onlocks the hatch. The only problem I seem to have is once in a while it doesn't lock when I walk off, so I always have to remeber to count to 5 and verify the lock worked. Of course, I am also afraid to leave the keys in the car, even at the gas station.
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Old Apr 3, 2009 | 05:08 PM
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Sorry about all the typos, should have reread before I posted.
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Old Apr 3, 2009 | 05:55 PM
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Originally Posted by markKlein
Doun't sound that weird to me. You tried to program both cars for the fob and succeded. Maybe because the battery was too low the programming worked but couldn't verify it or something?
Only thing is, I tried programming for the '93 about 2 years ago, and the '95 just last week.
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Old Apr 4, 2009 | 01:09 AM
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I've found that most of MY problems with the PKE is the battery in the fob has died. I think, the way the system really works is the car is looking for the signal from the fob, if the fob battery is low, TS.

Also, the fob transmits any time it's moving (like in your pocket) and some batteries last 2 or 3 months and some last a year. My 94 LT1 does not respond to the door button very well, it DOES respond to the hatch everytime. Also, the passenger door doesn't respond to the fob unless I'm pretty close (like I've given up on the PKE and am trying to insert the key in the door lock) then it usually unlocks the doors.

And, it ain't hard to find out I've held the door button down on the fob for the 2 seconds it takes to cycle the PKE system to off.

Funny thing is-if I don't drive the car for a week, the PKE works a lot better. I know, this is BS-but, it damn sure does. If I drive the car daily, the PKE works most of the time. If I let the car sit for a couple of weeks, it unlocks as soon as I get within 30 feet of the car. I used to think it was just in my mind, but my girlfriend has mentioned this. And she ain't real observent.
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Old Apr 4, 2009 | 09:51 AM
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Originally Posted by Arkybill
I've found that most of MY problems with the PKE is the battery in the fob has died. I think, the way the system really works is the car is looking for the signal from the fob, if the fob battery is low, TS.

Also, the fob transmits any time it's moving (like in your pocket) and some batteries last 2 or 3 months and some last a year. My 94 LT1 does not respond to the door button very well, it DOES respond to the hatch everytime. Also, the passenger door doesn't respond to the fob unless I'm pretty close (like I've given up on the PKE and am trying to insert the key in the door lock) then it usually unlocks the doors.

And, it ain't hard to find out I've held the door button down on the fob for the 2 seconds it takes to cycle the PKE system to off.

Funny thing is-if I don't drive the car for a week, the PKE works a lot better. I know, this is BS-but, it damn sure does. If I drive the car daily, the PKE works most of the time. If I let the car sit for a couple of weeks, it unlocks as soon as I get within 30 feet of the car. I used to think it was just in my mind, but my girlfriend has mentioned this. And she ain't real observent.
Remember, when you are driving the car you are moving the fob around and it is constantly transmitting and draining the battery. When you set it in a drawer for a few weeks the battery has a chance to rest for a while.
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