[VoltFish]

I've been having some oddness with my RKE transmitter and was wondering if anybody else has seen these issues.

First, about a month ago the RKE totally died. I parked the car and when I got out I couldn't lock the doors. The button on the door itself wouldn't work and the remote wouldn't work either. I ended up using OnStar on my phone to lock and unlock the car, and then had to place the RKE transmitter in the spot in the center console to get the car to start. I ended up just replacing the transmitter battery and that fixed the issue. I thought it was strange that the battery had died so quickly though considering the car was only a month old at that point.

So now, about a month later, I just ran into the same issue. Was out shopping and when I got out of the car the door wouldn't lock again. Exact same behavior. Got back in the car and tried to start it and got the no key present warning. I ended up just leaving the car unlocked and went into the store. Came out about 30 minutes later and everything was magically working fine again. So I don't think it was the RKE transmitter battery this time.

Then when I got home I got out of the car, closed the door, locked it with the button on the outside of the door and it locked, but as soon as it locked it did the triple horn honk for some reason. No idea what that was about but the RKE was in my pocket and not inside the car.

 

[Arcanox]

I've been having some oddness with my RKE transmitter and was wondering if anybody else has seen these issues.

First, about a month ago the RKE totally died. I parked the car and when I got out I couldn't lock the doors. The button on the door itself wouldn't work and the remote wouldn't work either. I ended up using OnStar on my phone to lock and unlock the car, and then had to place the RKE transmitter in the spot in the center console to get the car to start. I ended up just replacing the transmitter battery and that fixed the issue. I thought it was strange that the battery had died so quickly though considering the car was only a month old at that point.

So now, about a month later, I just ran into the same issue. Was out shopping and when I got out of the car the door wouldn't lock again. Exact same behavior. Got back in the car and tried to start it and got the no key present warning. I ended up just leaving the car unlocked and went into the store. Came out about 30 minutes later and everything was magically working fine again. So I don't think it was the RKE transmitter battery this time.

Then when I got home I got out of the car, closed the door, locked it with the button on the outside of the door and it locked, but as soon as it locked it did the triple horn honk for some reason. No idea what that was about but the RKE was in my pocket and not inside the car.

You didn't happen to...leave the car running when you got home, did you? That would trigger a triple honk, and if it detects a loss of RKE, it will restart if you apply the brake after shutting it off. Either you have a wonky transmitter, or there's something in/near you or your vehicle causing radio interference. If it persists, your dealer might be able to get you replacement remotes.

 

[VoltFish]

You didn't happen to...leave the car running when you got home, did you? That would trigger a triple honk, and if it detects a loss of RKE, it will restart if you apply the brake after shutting it off. Either you have a wonky transmitter, or there's something in/near you or your vehicle causing radio interference. If it persists, your dealer might be able to get you replacement remotes.

Nope. The car was totally off and I had closed the door and locked it prior to plugging it back in. I have also noticed that for some reason it gives me a triple beep (not honk, but the electronic beep) sometimes when I unplug it. Not sure why it's doing that either.

 

[Arcanox]

Nope. The car was totally off and I had closed the door and locked it prior to plugging it back in. I have also noticed that for some reason it gives me a triple beep (not honk, but the electronic beep) sometimes when I unplug it. Not sure why it's doing that either.

That's the "power loss alert;" it's a setting in the Vehicle > Energy section. I didn't think it got triggered when you actually unplugged the handle from the car though...maybe the button on your charger handle is broken?

There could also be an electronic error in your car that's causing confusion. You could call your dealer and see if it has any outstanding recalls or TSBs that need to be applied.

 

[VoltFish]

That's the "power loss alert;" it's a setting in the Vehicle > Energy section. I didn't think it got triggered when you actually unplugged the handle from the car though...maybe the button on your charger handle is broken?

There could also be an electronic error in your car that's causing confusion. You could call your dealer and see if it has any outstanding recalls or TSBs that need to be applied.

Hmm... maybe it can happen if you unplug it too fast? I can hear the charger click off when I depress the handle release. You're saying that the car beeps if the power drops while it still has the "safety" connections in place? So when the safeties are off first indicating the power was properly removed the car shouldn't beep? I'll have to experiment with that - maybe I am somehow pulling the handle out a split-second before the car has time to see that safety signal drop.

 

[GTPprix]

There is a bulletin out on this for other gm platforms for RCDLR needing to be replaced for these exact symptoms (my 2017 acadia has it) Ill see if I can dig it up and see if the Volt is part of it.

EDIT just looked 2017 volt is part of it bulletin is 16-NA-396 I'm doing my RCDLR next week.

 

[Kraven]

I experienced this, or something similar, a few months ago...see here

I doubt you have a second RKE inside the car, just throwing that out. The other thought, and I think it was in the thread I just referenced offered by Steverino and maybe others, is that interference in a shopping center could have been the culprit. I know you had a different triple honk issue at home, I'm specifically addressing your first incident (maybe it wasn't the fob battery being dead). Just some ideas.

 

[VoltFish]

I experienced this, or something similar, a few months ago...see here

I doubt you have a second RKE inside the car, just throwing that out. The other thought, and I think it was in the thread I just referenced offered by Steverino and maybe others, is that interference in a shopping center could have been the culprit. I know you had a different triple honk issue at home, I'm specifically addressing your first incident (maybe it wasn't the fob battery being dead). Just some ideas.

Right, no other RKE in the car. Seems strange that the interference would be there and then be gone a half hour later though. Especially since it wouldn't work through the proximity (door button), or the normal RF remote. I would think it would just be one or the other unless it was some crazy interference.

 

[VoltFish]

There is a bulletin out on this for other gm platforms for RCDLR needing to be replaced for these exact symptoms (my 2017 acadia has it) Ill see if I can dig it up and see if the Volt is part of it.

EDIT just looked 2017 volt is part of it bulletin is 16-NA-396 I'm doing my RCDLR next week.

Does the RCDLR receive the signals for the proximity sensors too or is it just if you are using the buttons on the actual RKE transmitter? Maybe it controls the whole show even from the proximity sensors on the doors?

 

[GTPprix]

Does the RCDLR receive the signals for the proximity sensors too or is it just if you are using the buttons on the actual RKE transmitter? Maybe it controls the whole show even from the proximity sensors on the doors?

No but when this module crashes it takes the functionality of the other one as well. What happened to you is textbook what happened to me and outlined in the bulletin:

Some customers may comment on intermittent loss of Key Fob and/or Passive Entry, Passive Start functions.
This may be accompanied with a “No Remote Detected” message on the DIC.
Other symptoms may include:
Passive Locking system locking keys in vehicle
Push button start system failure to respond (cannot “start” or “stop”) with “no remote detected” message
Passive entry system not responding to Lock/Unlock commands
System not responding to active FOB key press – lock, unlock, hatch/trunk, remote start and panic all inoperative
Tire pressure monitor indicator illuminated with DTC's C0750, C0755, C0760 and C0765.

Cause
This may be due to issues internal to the Remote Control Door Lock Receiver.

Correction
If you encounter a vehicle with the above concern, replace the remote control door lock receiver.

 

[Arcanox]

Hmm... maybe it can happen if you unplug it too fast? I can hear the charger click off when I depress the handle release. You're saying that the car beeps if the power drops while it still has the "safety" connections in place? So when the safeties are off first indicating the power was properly removed the car shouldn't beep? I'll have to experiment with that - maybe I am somehow pulling the handle out a split-second before the car has time to see that safety signal drop.

It should beep if the charge circuit is interrupted before the "charge stopped" signal is sent, or at least that's how I understand it to work. Clicking the button on the handle signals the charger to do a "friendly" charge interrupt, where it communicates with the car and stops the charge before you unplug it. Otherwise there could be sparking in wet situations, which is never something you want to have happen.

It could be that your charger takes a second to communicate that intent to remove the plug, so try grabbing the button and waiting a second next time you unplug it and see if that fixes the problem.

 

[VoltFish]

No but when this module crashes it takes the functionality of the other one as well. What happened to you is textbook what happened to me and outlined in the bulletin:

Some customers may comment on intermittent loss of Key Fob and/or Passive Entry, Passive Start functions.
This may be accompanied with a “No Remote Detected” message on the DIC.
Other symptoms may include:
Passive Locking system locking keys in vehicle
Push button start system failure to respond (cannot “start” or “stop”) with “no remote detected” message
Passive entry system not responding to Lock/Unlock commands
System not responding to active FOB key press – lock, unlock, hatch/trunk, remote start and panic all inoperative
Tire pressure monitor indicator illuminated with DTC's C0750, C0755, C0760 and C0765.

Cause
This may be due to issues internal to the Remote Control Door Lock Receiver.

Correction
If you encounter a vehicle with the above concern, replace the remote control door lock receiver.

Got it... thanks for the info. Where can you look up the bulletin codes like that? Google didn't seem to like just the code.

 

[MetaOrbit]

Sorry to resurrect, but I think I'm experiencing the same issue. Just drove my car to the post office, parked, locked doors using button on the door handle and went inside. Came back out 1-2 minutes later, attempted to unlock door using button on the handle, but the car didn't respond. Tried other door handles with no response. Pulled remote out of my pocket and pressed unlock button multiple times with no response. Pulled out my phone to start up the Onstar app to try to unlock it that way when the car finally unlocked after rapid fire pressing the unlock button on my remote with the other hand.

Can honestly say I've never felt quite so helpless or at the mercy of my car's whims until that moment, LOL. Sounds like the TSB is probably applicable, but unless dealership can replicate, I don't hold out much hope for a fix until it becomes a regular occurrence.

 

[Arcanox]

Sorry to resurrect, but I think I'm experiencing the same issue. Just drove my car to the post office, parked, locked doors using button on the door handle and went inside. Came back out 1-2 minutes later, attempted to unlock door using button on the handle, but the car didn't respond. Tried other door handles with no response. Pulled remote out of my pocket and pressed unlock button multiple times with no response. Pulled out my phone to start up the Onstar app to try to unlock it that way when the car finally unlocked after rapid fire pressing the unlock button on my remote with the other hand.

Can honestly say I've never felt quite so helpless or at the mercy of my car's whims until that moment, LOL. Sounds like the TSB is probably applicable, but unless dealership can replicate, I don't hold out much hope for a fix until it becomes a regular occurrence.

Just remember, you can always pry off that little cover on the door handle to unlock it with the key

But yes, I know how you feel...I had that same issue with the loaner I got while my Volt was in the shop. Remote locked the car, then 2 minutes later wouldn't unlock it at all. Had to use the key to open it, which set off the alarm when I opened the door...

 

[Mcgsp]

Do you have the issue with your other transmitter or have you exchanged out the other FOB to see if that is the issue? If it does not occur then you know you have a defective unit. Reasons for transmitter going out could be simple ones such as the unit got wet or a bad battery that shorted the unit. Good luck