"No Key Detected" and Car Won't Start

[X2E]

This happened to me once, still can't figure out why... The "emergency slot" should pick up your paired chip in the smart key without any trouble and not leave you stranded... That darned owners manual is a pretty handy thing to have around if you ever happen to read it.

Edited October 2, 2013 by X2E

[akirby]

That darned owners manual is a pretty handy thing to have around if you ever happen to read it.

 

I use it to store valuables since it's the last place anyone would look for anything.

[Bart Childers]

Looks like the Ford Edge forum is yet another place on the internet where people can be rude and snarky while being safely anonymous.

 

Way to go.

[akirby]

In most cases it's well deserved. And I say the same things to my friends in person - has nothing to do with anonymity. It has to do with people who don't bother to read the owner's manual and asking unnecessary questions or people making illogical statements.

[Bart Childers]

I'm pretty sure I haven't said anything inaccurate or asked anything answered within the manual.

I was a) sharing my opinions and asking for other Edge owners' experiences. I was basically told my opinion was wrong and to go RTFM.

 

In any case, for now I'm taking a seemingly modestly reckless path of leaving the giant key fob in the center console and using the door-pad to lock/unlock the car. The major risk with this approach is the car battery dies and I can't open the doors, and I lose the convenience of remote-opening the lift gate. I view this approach as a net positive as I don't need to bring anything with me when I go run etc. one less thing to carry at all times etc.

 

Thanks for the 'help'.

[akirby]

I'm pretty sure I haven't said anything inaccurate or asked anything answered within the manual.

 

That was for other earlier posters, not you. Yours was just illogical.

[omar302]

The major risk with this approach is the car battery dies and I can't open the doors, \

 

You can take out the emergency key (that's inside the fob) and keep it with you for emergencies, or you can copy it to a regular key to put it on a key ring along with your other keys.

[trwatters]

Hey all, I've had this issue a couple of times "No Key Detected". I walked away from the vehicle (with key) about 50 yards and walked back. This cleared the problem. Someone mentioned frequency interference, I believe that's what my issue has been so I remove my fob from the vehicle... fixed.

 

Still would be nice to have a backup key slot.

Edited December 31, 2013 by trwatters

[Peterabram]

Reprogramming the buttons is doable. It involve some serious door opening and shutting and key putting-in-and-outting. It's really complex but doable. You can google for the good locksmith and i personally recommend you Sunrise Locksmith ,they are best locksmith in the town and provide you best locksmithing service.

[GTDaniel]

What a kick..reading all of these post....Awaiting delivery of our 2016 Edge,,,I downloaded the manual before I ordered the vehicle and have referred to it a few times...We have a 2011 Explorer and have had the key problem on one occasion..in five years.....Since I had read the manual and used a little common sense...I changed remote batts and no more problem...I guess I am trying to say...The manual and a little common sense go a long way....Goodness,we all want high tech...well s@@t happens with it....I spent over 30 years an industrial electrician...Head scratchers and high tech go together....Manuals and common sense solve 99.9% of the issues...Have a tech problem...take a deep breath..walk away...collect your thoughts...and you will be amazed at what you can solve...most of the time...a glitch or more probable..."Organic Error" ☺...It's in the book !

[R Atkin]

January 2017. I am second owner of a Lincoln MKS 2011. Occasionally I was getting a NO KEY DETECTED ( about once a month for 6 months) , but this morning it was permanent after the vehicle had been sitting for a week . I carry the second IA in the trunk wrapped in foil, so tried that and it did not work either. The door Keyless access works for doors and trunk, and the door rocker switch to lock and unlock works.. Per Owners Manual BJ5 19A321 AA page219 for the car, the Back Up slot is located on the inside right side of the Glove box. Both IAs worked in that slot. The batteries in both IAs had been replaced in Oct 2016 and tested 'good' today. New CR 2032 batteries in the IAs did not fix the problem. The battery contacts in the IAs were carefully cleaned, and the batteries themselves cleaned, especially the outdide edge where the +ve contact is made in the IA. Cleaning was done using a barely moist cloth, and wiped with a dry cloth. Check that there is no fluff. Both IAs work now. Try not to touch the cleaned areas with bare fingers when installing batteries.

I thought I would post this in case anyone has a similar problem. In past experience, I've found that some alkaline batteries and contact areas in TV remotes and clocks etc simply need to have the contact areas cleaned periodically. Hope this helped.

I've posted here cuz my browswer only brought up 'Edge' altho I asked for MKS, but the entry systems sound similar.

[macbwt]

A small amount of dielectric grease would help improve contact with the batteries.

[Nuclear1]

The no key detected thing happened to me yesterday. I unlocked the door with the handle touch like normal and when I got in and pushed the start button, I the the message. That same day, the wipers wouldn't turn on and the remote start began to malfunction. The wipers began to work after a few minutes of drying. The Ford remote start fob used to require two short presses, now it needs one press of @10 seconds to work. Very strange. It's a 2016 with @6600 miles.

[Guest SS-SD]

I have had this repeatedly happen to me on a 2016 F-150 Pickup.  It always happens at the same location and intermittently.  When I get to this location, I can predict when it will happen because when I stop and turn the truck off, I get the no key alarm on my digital display.  I called the dealership and they have had other Ford vehicles for example they had a Ford Fusion that this also happened to at the same place intermittently, but it was always at the same place like my issue.  They traced it to a frequency that was interfering with the same frequency between the key fob and the vehicle.  In this case, it was a billboard sign on the property that can be changed remotely that was interfering with the key fob and vehicle frequency.  The dealership offered no solution to fix.  You just have to wait until the interfering signal is shut down to get the fob to recognize and engage with the vehicle.  Very frustrating.  This has probably happened to me no less than 10 times always at the same place over the course of 2 years.  

[jmr061]

57 minutes ago, Guest SS-SD said:

I have had this repeatedly happen to me on a 2016 F-150 Pickup.  It always happens at the same location and intermittently.  When I get to this location, I can predict when it will happen because when I stop and turn the truck off, I get the no key alarm on my digital display.  I called the dealership and they have had other Ford vehicles for example they had a Ford Fusion that this also happened to at the same place intermittently, but it was always at the same place like my issue.  They traced it to a frequency that was interfering with the same frequency between the key fob and the vehicle.  In this case, it was a billboard sign on the property that can be changed remotely that was interfering with the key fob and vehicle frequency.  The dealership offered no solution to fix.  You just have to wait until the interfering signal is shut down to get the fob to recognize and engage with the vehicle.  Very frustrating.  This has probably happened to me no less than 10 times always at the same place over the course of 2 years.  

The dealer nor Ford can offer any fix other than putting the fob in the pocket for no signal situations.  It should work just fine then.

From the 16 F-150 owner manual and all manuals have similar entries (please note this is in the key fob section):

 

GENERAL INFORMATION ON RADIO FREQUENCIES This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules and with Industry Canada license-exempt RSS standard(s). Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) This device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

 

 

Edited November 11, 2018 by jmr061

[akirby]

And how, exactly, is that Ford’s issue?   What do you expect them to do about it?

[14AWD3.5]

Resurrecting an old thread.  This issue of “No Key Detected” happened to my wife 2 days ago. I get a phone call and text to the effect of “car wont start” and an emoji of disgust.  I actually had it happen (first time ever) a few days earlier and told myself to go get the fob battery changed. Now I had to... or sleep outside.

 

So I YT it and voila, find the emergency slot, that gets me going to the local Batteries Plus store. $10 later both fobs have new batteries and its starting fine. Since ours is a Feb 2014 build date and these fob batteries are original, I guess it was time!

 

Now for the original battery... Anyone have advice on that? It still cranks fine, no BMS warnings and I put it on the charger 1X a month for 24 hours...

Edited March 8, 2019 by 14AWD3.5

[akirby]

That’s why I harp on people reading the owner’s manual when you get it so you know how to start it when the fob battery dies e.g.

 

As for the 12V battery, it’s probably on borrowed time.   I would just go ahead and replace it before it craps out.  Most only last 3 years or so.

[valaircustom]

New to forum.

2015 Ford Edge SEL with push button start.  17,500 miles.

"No key detected" for BOTH keys.  Batteries replaced...still does it.  Battery under the hood un-hooked for 15 minutes....still does it.  Updated My-Sync....still does it.  Both fobs can lock, unlock, open tailgate and panic...fully functional except starting without being in the "slot.

 

I am not concerned like most here are about starting the car.....I want the "No key detected" to go away.  What can be done besides spending $125.00 at my local Ford dealership for a diagnostic test?  What have I not tried?

 

As of Nov 26th 2019.  I also found out that the Passive Entry on my door handle is also not working.....so no key detected AND cannot lock or unlock the car with the door handles.

 

Took the car to the dealership...no codes.  Still puzzled!

Edited November 26, 2019 by valaircustom
Update

[Guest 2011Edge]

I have 2011 Ford Edge Limited & stopped to get gas & when I got back in car to start NO KEY DETECTED came on.  Car would not start, I bought new battery for Fob, anti theft alarm would go off, emergency flashers going off & neither Fob would work.  Placed the Fob in the console, unhooked battery & nothing.  Had to call wrecker because could not even get into neutral.  So my car is now sitting at dealership.

[Guest Stacie]

I've had this problem I've no key detected since we had a bad cold ice storm I got in my car and no heat detected My car has been at the shop for 2 weeks now after trying everything including changing out the battery I tried the slot in the console I changed the battery in the key fob it still say the same thing no key detected My car is a 2015 Ford focus and it's still at the dealership they haven't even barely looked at it can anybody help me with this what else I should need to try or what the problem actually is I have a regular turnkey style not a push button start and I have the key from the dealership which does not have a fob and then I have an aftermarket fob key that I had made later on

[Guest 14AWD3.5]

Fast forward from my post of March 7, 2019 till today. 

Been getting the "No Key Detected" (NKD) for a couple weeks. Have changed fob batteries annually since the 2019 issue.    

 

11:05 pm after work last week, "click click click".  Jumped it, ran ok (for a week) then same issue last night.  "NKD" and "click click click".  Another jump pack start but this time very weak turning over.  Damn battery, 2 yrs old!  Put on the charger overnight, hmm, charger would hardly give it anything then said it was good.

 

Ready for work this morning and "click click click".  OK tried to jump. Nada, not a sound.  Called AAA. They test the battery - say it's fine.  They try their 1000 amp LI-ON jump pack, nothing.  I remember the emergency key slot deal and the Edge starts (one time).

I cycle it off to see if all is well, just "click click click", whether the key is in the slot or not. AAA leaves, he's a mobile battery guy not a tow truck.

 

Drive 2nd car to Batteries Plus Bulbs. Another key fob battery (2 months old).  Come back home, "click click click".  

 

Call local Ford dealer, they say they are booked up 3 weeks to reprogram fobs, call a mobile locksmith.

Call mobile locksmith, he says its most likely a bad key fob.  $285 but he's booked a week out.

 

About ready to dynamite the car and get a donkey, wait, donkeys can act just like the Edge too. 

 

So what's up with "click click click" if the fob buttons all work, it just doesn't start?  Sure sounds like a bad battery to me but what do I know, everything "checks out".  Obviously not the starter/solenoid as it started once. All connections clean and tight. 

 

 

[omar302]

2 hours ago, Guest 14AWD3.5 said:

So what's up with "click click click" if the fob buttons all work, it just doesn't start?  Sure sounds like a bad battery to me but what do I know, everything "checks out".  Obviously not the starter/solenoid as it started once. All connections clean and tight. 

 

For me it sounds like a bad vehicle battery. I wouldn't even be doubting it.

 

The "click click click" sound is typical of the starter not receiving enough voltage to crank. Being a 2 year old battery, start by replacing it before trying to diagnose it as another cause. Also, this is not related to the "no key detected".

[akirby]

99.999% a bad car battery.