PKE weirdness - door locks and rear hatch cycle .....

**Rain** · 06-29-04, 03:03 PM

Aliens have invaded my C4 -

Last fall my car battery was replaced as well as the FOB battery.
Ever since then, the PKE has not really worked properly.

After a while, it would not program on either FOB. I wrote it off as a bad battery connection in the FOB.

Well 2 weeks ago I am driving down the road and the door locks start to cycle back and forth.. and then the rear hatch opens.
Before I can pull over to close it, the hatch release is now cycling like the door locks had.

AND, the PKE light is now ON in the drivers info center screen.

I close the hatch and re start the car. 2 blocks and it all starts over again.

So I re program the PKE and all is great. Alarm arms, doors unlock with proximity, and the FOB buttons open the hatch and unlock the pas. door.

fast forward to this past weekend. PKE has stopped working again.
I warn Susan that it might act squirelly today. Sure enough.
She just called - said the door locks were cycling and the hatch opened twice on her going down the road.

I had her re program the FOB and then Turn OFF PKE.

Think that will work for now.
But any idea what I'd dealing with ??

Rain
(gremlin hunter)

ShaneL · 06-29-04, 03:08 PM

Your PKE receiver underneath the dash pad may be going bad. Mine would not program for a while and I had to replace the unit. It is pretty involved to get it out because the dash pad has to come out.

I may be wrong...

-Shane

**Rain** · 07-02-04, 04:53 PM

Well, it worked fine that day.
We reprogrammed the PKE, and then turned it off per the manual.

the next day.. PKE is ON and working fine. (turned itsellf back on)

Odd!

**Rain** · 07-03-04, 10:17 PM

Originally Posted by Rain

Well, it worked fine that day.
We reprogrammed the PKE, and then turned it off per the manual.

the next day.. PKE is ON and working fine. (turned itsellf back on)

Odd!

Well, today I get out to wash the vette and have the keys in my pocket.
So the PKE cuts BACK ON and starts to arm and disarm due to my proximity to the car.

So, i put the keys back in the house and finish the wash.

I get ready to take a Saturday night spin to watch the fireworks on the beach, and the PKE has stopped working again.
(or at least turned itself off )

ShaneL · 07-03-04, 11:39 PM

I also had a problem with the connector on my rear storage compartment antenna. Try to clean the contacts and see if that helps. Wiggle it also. Doors may be a little tougher.

**SSTibet** · 12-20-04, 08:41 AM

Place the PKE in front of your left front wheel. Start the car and move it forward by a few feet. Reverse the car and drive it a few feet back to where you started. Do this a few times until the PKE is completely embedded into the drive way. Use your keys as in the good old days bro'.

Cheers,

Selim

**Rain** · 12-20-04, 12:45 PM

Selim,
Thats what I've been doing since I started this thread.
Never did find out how to keep the PKE programmed.
Susan took it out a week later, I reprogrammed it, and sure enough, the locks cycled on and off and the rear hatch opened while she was driving it down the road.

I just turned it off and use the key every time.

**SSTibet** · 12-20-04, 02:38 PM

I find no real use of the PKE. I have turned it off long time ago. I was joking of course in my prior post. I really think it is useless.

**Rain** · 12-20-04, 03:27 PM

oh yes, I caught the humor! HAHAH

Was glad to see Chevy go from the touchless entry to the standard touch the FOB button style like my 2000 has.

**jmccloud** · 12-20-04, 04:40 PM

Your door ajar sensors are likely misadjusted (little buttons that detect whether the doors are closed). Follow the threads on that subject to find a lot of info.

If you're washing the car or just puttzing around, it's easy to turn the PKE off. With the key out of the ignition, hold the 'door' button down until the locks cycle fully (they will twitch a little in a second or so but you must continue holding the button down until they cycle fully - sometimes several seconds later).

When you want to reactivate the PKE, repeat the procedure.

Do the same procedure with the key in the ignition to change from 1 to 2 door operation.

**Rain** · 12-20-04, 04:42 PM

Thanks for the heads up - I recall others having similar problems (his might have been the sensors, but mine were fine)

Will fool with it more over the winter as time presents itself.
Rain

**G Winter** · 12-20-04, 06:25 PM

I don't have a unit like this but will list some basics in case you missed something
Electronics are sencitive to bad grounds and connections. I would go through every connection related to the main unit. Is there a seprate fuse for it? check there first for bad connection of the fuse. From what I see getting to the main unit is no fun but may be your only option to check grounds and connetions. You haven't noticed if it happens when you hit a rough spot on the road ? Is your voltage where it should be?

**Rain** · 12-20-04, 08:56 PM

Thanks
Voltage is correct. Battery in the car is less than a year old (as is the battery in the key FOB).
No, don't recall it happening at rough spots on the highway.
Will probably turn PKE back on next time I drive her and see if it starts cycling the locks by itself again.

**SSTibet** · 12-21-04, 12:55 AM

Rain,

Why dont you take the car to an electrician? This is electronics dude and the fix may be very easy although the cause is very simple. I would tend to believe that the problem is between the PKE and transmitters in the car. I will speculate that more likely the transmitters in the car is (are) causing your problem. Pls let us know when you find out.

Cheers,

Selim