Ford F-150 comes with a remote starting feature which can be activated via key fob. But what if it suddenly stops working? There are a number of things you can check to troubleshoot this problem.
Before you even begin to troubleshoot remote starting, make sure your state does not restrict use of remote starting. There are laws against car idling with no passenger or driver inside in these states; Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia. It does not mean its completely illegal to use remote start, some state have time limit on how long can you keep the engine running. So check with your local state laws before using this feature.
Troubleshooting Remote Start
There are a number of things you can check before taking your car to the dealership service center.
The remote start will not function in these scenarios:
1. The ignition is already on.
2. The alarm system is activated.
3. You have deactivated this feature.
4. The hood of the truck is open.
5. The transmission is not in park mode (P).
6. The 12v battery voltage has gone too low.
7. The service engine light is turned on in the instrument cluster.
You can also make sure you are following the proper procedure of remote starting. First press the lock key to lock all the doors, then within three seconds press the remote start button twice on your key fob. The exterior lights of the vehicle will flash twice to indicate that the engine has started. If there is any problem with starting, then the horn will sound.
Note: When remote starting the power windows and the radio will not turn on automatically.
LED status on remote
Your key fob light will blink in a certain way to let you know what the problem is.
LED | Status |
Solid green | Remote start was successful. |
Solid red | Remote stop was successful. |
Blinking red | Request failed, or no response from vehicle. |
Blinking green | Status incomplete |