This was a weird one. Back many months ago I remember reading some people were having issues opening the hatch by hitting the button with their knee. In 11K miles I have never done so in my '15 2LT Z51, in fact at 6 feet, never came close. So....

Yesterday I come out of the grocery, put the bag on the passenger floor, walked around and slid in on Driver's side, put my foot on the brake to start and "thump" the hatch pops open. I'm thinking, damn how did I manage to hit that button, so get out close the hatch, get back in and watch carefully to be sure I don't hit the button, put my foot on the brake and the hatch pops open again. Now I'm PO'd, get out close it again and when I get back in it pops a 3rd time.

After buckling in and out 3 times I decide to drive it home unsecured (only 4 blocks) so when I hit the start button it's a no go and I get a message that there is no fob in the car (even though it is in my pocket), take it out of my pocket put it in the cup holder and now the car starts normally, get out close the hatch again and this time it stays closed. Drive it home normally and now I can't replicate the issue.

No point taking it to the dealer as it is functioning fine now but has anyone experienced something like this before or was it just a computer brain fart? I'm wondering if maybe some people are thinking they hit the button with their knee when it really is something else going on.

 

Sounds like you were triggering the fob button while in your pocket.

 

Is there a chance that however you were sitting with the key in the pocket that it was hitting the trunk release button on the FOB?

Also, if the button was being held down, it may have prevented the car from recognizing it (since it was busy) and why it wouldn't start.

Just a guess, but it's possible.

Dave

 

I really never though about that, but I guess it's possible, though it has never happened before.

 

Thanks for the input, guess it could be, but getting in and out 3 times it would seem to be a stretch that every time I got back in the fob ended up in the same position to depress the button. Anything is possible, but it never happened before and I do have 11K miles on the car.

 

Maybe you just had it caught in just the right crevice.

I just tested my theory on a car here on the floor. I held down the trunk button, the trunk opened and I didn't release the button. I tried to start the car and it said no FOB detected.

When you sat down your pants were folding just the right way!

Dave

 

I kid you NOT....this is a true story. I use to accuse my wife of NOT closing the trunk lid hard enough on my C5 & C6 Verts.....Yes .... I let her drive it and worse yet .... let her take it to the Supermarket...ALONE. After she would unload the car I would notice the truck was cracked open. It cause BIG arguments!!! She would INSIST that she closed it. Well, low and behold one day I saw it open and she hadn't driven the vette in weeks ..... I figured out it was my FOB hitting my penknife in my pants pocket after the panic alarm went off one day. I mean it took 8 yrs to figure it out....anyway....FLOWERS, DINNER and a SINCERE apology got me out of the dog house....

 

Re the car not starting. I had problems with my C6 that were actually warned about in the Owners Manual. If I had the Fob in the same pocket as my cell phone from time to time it would not start! That manual warned about cell phone interference.
Learned to keep them in different pockets and the issue did not occur. Still do that with the C7, not sure if it is the same issue.

 

Thanks...Looks like that is exactly what happened. Hard to believe but you replicated it exactly. This forum really is a great place!

 

My pleasure! It just something new to add to the forum wiki!

Dave

 

I have not gone out to test it, but I am thinking that the car will not start if the hatch is open.... If you had not closed the hatch the last time that may be why it did not start.

 

Yeah, I've managed to hit the 'TRUNK OPEN' button on the remote a few times while the remote was in the pocket of my jeans, and I was changing from my 'BEDROOM SLIPPERS' to my 'MOCCASINS'. It's happened if I was sitting (or standing) right next to 'Elvira', or sitting in the drivers seat!
If I've got the seat all the way back, (entrance and exit position) I really have to reach for the button on the dashboard to hit it with my knee, so I figured that wasn't my problem.

Thanks to 'MrClean' for posting the problem in the 1st place, and also to Dave for figuring out what was causing it!
I knew that there was a reason why I bought my 14 from Kerbeck, (all the way across the country from me.) Say ''Hi" to Sam Kelley for me Dave!

 

Actually, I tested that as well. You can start the car with the hatch open and with the door open. However, if any of the buttons on the FOB are depressed and you try to start the car, you will get the No FOB Detected error.

Dave

 

Good to know...

 

The hatch button was getting pressed inside your pocket, when you sat down, and was being held in until you got back out.

 

Nice detective work Dave!

Sometimes fob buttons end up in the worst possible position. Several years ago I was driving to an early morning ham radio event and I parked next to someone who had arrived early and was trying to take a quick nap in his car. I was driving my 2006 GMC pickup with the Duramax diesel which makes a fair amount of noise so I shut it off quickly but as I was exiting the pickup with the fob in my pocket the panic alarm button got pressed setting off the horn and flashing lights and to stop it I had to quickly restart the engine. So much for my attempt at being courteous

 

Seems easy to engage the FOB accidentally in the car when it is in your pants pocket. The C7 seat and cockpit are a bit tight for me so I generally do not carry items including the FOB in my pants pockets. I put them in the cup holder. door pocket or jacket if I have one. No issue with accidentally engaging FOB but you do need to remember to take it with you when you exit the car.

 

I have set off the alarm with the fob in my pocket

 

I have hit the trunk release button on the FOB from other stuff in my pocket. I never hit the release button on the dash with my knee.

I think Dave got it right.

Jimmy

 

I'm a long legged 6'3" and have never hit the hatch release with my knee but I have had it release because the FOB was activated by something in my pocket while sitting in my recliner. Also set off panic alarm the same way.