[FI Spyder]

I used to have the feature where you press the button on the handle for a second or two and door unlocks. Very handy, don't have to take key out of pocket and press unlock button. Then that feature went bye bye. Changing FOB battery didn't help. This was a month or so ago.

Today I hit the unlock button on the FOB once (to unlock driver's door). Opened the hatch to get a soft cold chest out to put in rear seat. Thought I'd try the still locked right rear door by pressing the button on the handle and presto the door unlocks with FOB still in pocket. OK, so I thought with driver's door unlocked maybe the other's can be unlocked by holding button. Then driving into town and testing the doors would unlock by pressing the button, even if they where all locked. Not only that but the action is quicker by half than a month ago when it was last working. Any idea what happened here or did I just stumble on a secret combination of events known only to three engineers locked in GM's inner sanctum for security's sake?

 

[Caffeine1]

Setting under door locks (vehicle, door locks of infotainment system) can alter the door button and lock feature. I set mine to unlock all doors when I push the door handle button. And I have the lock doors after 5 seconds when leaving the car.

 

[FI Spyder]

I'm aware of that setting. Won't work for me. I only need one maybe two at most unlocked (they lock anyways when you put it in gear as anti hi jack feature). I leave the car unlocked when I charge the car in case I forget to unlock when I pull the plug (I don't live in the city so don't need it locked the hour and a half to two hours I'm charging.) so don't want it to lock until I'm finished with it for the night. That's the way it was when I bought the car so I never went in there to change anything although if I did it might have toggled things around to get it working again the way it was and is now.

 

[Steverino]

Could it be related to your car not having a model year?

 

[FI Spyder]

2013. I'll have to put that in the signature but I'm not there yet.

 

[jcanoe]

Does your 2013 Volt still have the original 12V AGM battery? A weak 12V battery can cause all sorts of demons to manifest.

 

[TripleTrucker]

Door handle button may be bad. I had two replaced under warranty on my 2012. Out-of-warranty repair could be pricey because the entire handle had to be replaced and painted.

 

[FI Spyder]

Does your 2013 Volt still have the original 12V AGM battery? A weak 12V battery can cause all sorts of demons to manifest.

Original battery, reads at 12.3V (70% charge according to the charts). It's in an environment that is the best for batteries (32F to 80F with the majority some where in the middle). The 12V battery question crossed my mind as well. Every thing works fine. The door buttons have worked fine since the post. I have noticed that to unlock happens quicker, 1 second (about the same time as the rear hatch button which has always worked) but to lock the door with the button it takes several more seconds with the time being a little variable. The time the buttons didn't work was about 6 weeks. I'm thinking a software glitch. Still waiting for my 12V plug in volt reader to come in from Hong Kong.

 

[Don M]

Original battery, reads at 12.3V (70% charge according to the charts). It's in an environment that is the best for batteries (32F to 80F with the majority some where in the middle). The 12V battery question crossed my mind as well. Every thing works fine.

If 12.3 volts is the best it tests, it's for sure about done - It should read closer to 12.6

If it was mine, I'd be replacing it proactively, sometime this week. I hate it when I let things go to the point that something leaves me stranded, or quits on me at the most inopportune time

Don

 

[jcanoe]

I just don't know. My 12V AGM battery on my 2017 Volt has been reading the same ~12.3V since I purchased my Volt new in July 2016. The only way to be sure would be to test the battery on a proper battery load tester, even then it might not be black and white. I would consider the age of the battery and how long you plan to keep your Volt. Also, if you keep a 12V jump starter handy the chance of being stranded is greatly reduced.