Windows rolled themselves today

[AMSDPS]

Not sure if this is in the right spot or not.

Today I got my first oil change (usure if that is related)

But I went back home. Went inside, came back out to the garage an hour later and all four windows were rolled down. Any ideas?

I know that they weren't rolled down when I got home. It was only about 35 degrees out.

[Laurel]

http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-57502227-285/how-to-instantly-lower-your-car-windows-with-the-key-remote/ A possibility eh?

[Michigan Max]

Global Opening. Bottom of page 96 in the owners manual.

[AMSDPS]

Hmm. Must have sat on my key or something. Thanks!

[RachelnLa]

When I had the cmax for the weekend, remembering where the key fob was became downright scary lol. I knew it was on me because the doors unlocked but even still I would panic being unable to find it. Was it in my purse? My pocket??? Where is it?? I know when I have my own fob my house keys will be attached so I will know where it is. This was keeping track of two sets of keys.

 

On my Tahoe the doors will not lock if the keys are in the ignition. Anyone know if you can lock the fob in the car?

[zhackwyatt]

When I had the cmax for the weekend, remembering where the key fob was became downright scary lol. I knew it was on me because the doors unlocked but even still I would panic being unable to find it. Was it in my purse? My pocket??? Where is it?? I know when I have my own fob my house keys will be attached so I will know where it is. This was keeping track of two sets of keys.

 

On my Tahoe the doors will not lock if the keys are in the ignition. Anyone know if you can lock the fob in the car?

 

From the Manual

Smart Unlocks for Integrated Keyhead Transmitter

This feature helps to prevent you from locking yourself out of the vehicle if your key is still in the ignition.

When you open one of the front doors and lock the vehicle with the power door lock control, all the doors will lock then unlock if your key is

still in the ignition.

The vehicle can still be locked by pressing the lock button on the transmitter even if the doors are not closed.

If both front doors are closed, the vehicle can be locked by any method, regardless of whether the key is in the ignition or not.

 

Smart Unlocks for Intelligent Access Keys (If Equipped)

This feature helps to prevent you from unintentionally locking your intelligent access key inside your vehicle’s passenger compartment or rear cargo area.

When you lock your vehicle using the power door lock control (with the door open, vehicle in park and ignition off), after you close the door the vehicle will search for an intelligent access key in the passenger compartment. If an intelligent access key is found inside the vehicle, all of the doors will immediately unlock and the horn will chirp, indicating that the intelligent access key is inside.

In order to override the smart unlock feature and intentionally lock the intelligent access key inside the vehicle, you can lock your vehicle after all doors are closed by pressing the lock button on another intelligent access key or touching the locking area on the handle with another intelligent access key in your hand.

When you open one of the front doors and lock the vehicle using the power door lock control, all doors will lock then unlock if:

• the ignition is on, or

• the ignition is off and the vehicle is not in P.

Edited November 18, 2012 by zhackwyatt

[RachelnLa]

Thanks so much!

[salman]

I just had all my windows open by themselves for the second time.

 

The first time was one month ago, a day or two before i found my 12 volt system dead (i.e., battery dead - see those threads).

 

It just happened again today.

 

I do not believe it could have been from me accidentally pressing and holding the unlock button on the key fob. I've never had a problem with any other key fob. My wife's escape has remote start and we've never started it by accident or unlocked the doors by accident. The global power down feature for the C-Max windows requires holding the unlock button for a while. I don't see how this could happen by accident.

 

Anyone else have this happen?

[FoutsNC]

I have not had this happen, yet there is a difference in the fobs between the Escape with remote start and the C-Max (at least ours are different).  I have actually unlocked my doors from my C-Max keyfob while it was in my pocket.  The unlock button on the fob is on the top of the fob and is fairly easy to depress accidentally.  The Escape is the 3rd button down and each button on that type of fob has to be depressed differently than the C-Max fob. Personally I would take the car into Ford though if you are pretty sure you didn't depress the button.  It might not be an issue with the car itself, it could be an issue with one of your keyfobs. 

[salman]

started to do some research;

 

Ford has had global power down switches on other cars for several years, but at least sometimes they have had problems, In 2005 they discontinued the feature on Mustangs because windows were opening when it was not desired. See this thread: http://www.stangnet.com/mustang-forums/threads/key-fob-window-down.537302/

 

After 2005, Ford did not return the feature to Mustangs, at least through 2010: http://forums.themustangsource.com/f726/global-open-close-windows-483814/

 

Reports say that windows opened at odd times for no apparent reason.

 

Maybe they have not fixed the bug?

 

Seems to be used on the Focus and Fusion recently without problems. Hard to know what's gone haywire.

Edited January 25, 2013 by salman

[orphoto]

I've had this happen 6 times now overnight, 3 of which were rainy.  Turns out to be a feature designed this way.  Push the unlock button on the key fob, release it, the push and hold it again for several seconds.  All the windows will roll down.  Turns out this process works brilliantly when the keys are in your pocket and you are bending over, squishing everything together.

 

My best guess is that people in hot climates can use this to roll down the windows and cool off the car.  Sadly Ford does not allow this "feature" to be deprogrammed or turned off.  Dealer checked out my electronics & reflashed the system, no change.

 

A partial solution is to reduce the number of large keys you keep on your keyring.

[RachelnLa]

Rainy? Oh man, that is the pits! Sorry to hear that. Glad mine are in the bottom of my purse!

[DaveofDurham]

Rainy? Oh man, that is the pits! Sorry to hear that. Glad mine are in the bottom of my purse!

 

 

You used to need to have your keys more readily available in case you needed to make a quick getaway.  Now you just need to have them in your bag or pocket and you're ready to escape go.

[ScubaDadMiami]

You used to need to have your keys more readily available in case you needed to make a quick getaway.  Now you just need to have them in your bag or pocket and you're ready to escape go.

Plus, you can always hit the button to open the windows, and you can dive in to make an even faster getaway!

[armoredsaint]

in Europe you can roll them back up holding the lock button on the Audis

[CNCGeek]

Went out to my car today and found all the windows all rolled down, with a present from a bird splattered on the door card.  I last left it the previous night with the windows rolled up, and I did not do the keyfob press thing, I am sure of that.  I've only seen the windows auto roll down once before on their own (not due to the remote) and I think that was before the 12v battery died.  I'm a bit ticked off that this car does it's own thing sometimes, but happy that I did not have anything worth stealing in the car.

Edited July 5, 2013 by CNCGeek

[MI C-max]

I had this happen Thursday afternoon - I went out to lunch with co-workers, walked out to the C-max before them, key in my pants pocket.  Opened the door as usual (without taking the key out of my pocket, just grabbing door handle).  I didn't notice that I did anything unusual, but as I was sliding into the driver's seat I noticed all four windows were rolling down.  

 

When we got back to the Office I pulled the manual out and found that section on Global Window Opening - but I know I wasn't pressing on the unlock button on the key fob for 3 seconds.  I was wondering if maybe it was a combination of me grabbing the drivers door handle, while my co-workers grabbed their door handles at the same time ...

 

I too did some online research on the the Global Window Open feature - it appears that the Focus can roll down windows by holding the unlock button, and also roll up the windows by holding the lock button.  I've tried on the C-max, but it looks like the C-max only knows how to roll down the windows.

[mnrobitaille]

I had this happen Thursday afternoon - I went out to lunch with co-workers, walked out to the C-max before them, key in my pants pocket.  Opened the door as usual (without taking the key out of my pocket, just grabbing door handle).  I didn't notice that I did anything unusual, but as I was sliding into the driver's seat I noticed all four windows were rolling down.  

 

When we got back to the Office I pulled the manual out and found that section on Global Window Opening - but I know I wasn't pressing on the unlock button on the key fob for 3 seconds.  I was wondering if maybe it was a combination of me grabbing the drivers door handle, while my co-workers grabbed their door handles at the same time ...

 

I too did some online research on the the Global Window Open feature - it appears that the Focus can roll down windows by holding the unlock button, and also roll up the windows by holding the lock button.  I've tried on the C-max, but it looks like the C-max only knows how to roll down the windows.

 

I asked about the Global Closing on the C-Max at my servicing/selling dealership & was told that the module for Global Closing was not put in on the C-Max. 

 

I wonder how much it'd be to have it put in.

[obob]

I had this happen Thursday afternoon - I went out to lunch with co-workers, walked out to the C-max before them, key in my pants pocket.  Opened the door as usual (without taking the key out of my pocket, just grabbing door handle).  I didn't notice that I did anything unusual, but as I was sliding into the driver's seat I noticed all four windows were rolling down.  

 

When we got back to the Office I pulled the manual out and found that section on Global Window Opening - but I know I wasn't pressing on the unlock button on the key fob for 3 seconds.  I was wondering if maybe it was a combination of me grabbing the drivers door handle, while my co-workers grabbed their door handles at the same time ...

 

I too did some online research on the the Global Window Open feature - it appears that the Focus can roll down windows by holding the unlock button, and also roll up the windows by holding the lock button.  I've tried on the C-max, but it looks like the C-max only knows how to roll down the windows.

After an update to SYNC a few month ago, things were weird, the leaves only had a few of them and they were not changing, and after parking I later noticed, the windows were all down and I didn't consciously leave them that way and haven't done that since.  I synced my phone once and then the leaves started to work and never had the windows go down on me.  I think it is unlikely I held the unlock, by I could have sat on them funny or something.  I mentioned it to the dealer and he just said he never heard of that.  

Edited August 25, 2013 by obob

[MI C-max]

I asked about the Global Closing on the C-Max at my servicing/selling dealership & was told that the module for Global Closing was not put in on the C-Max. 

 

I wonder how much it'd be to have it put in.

 

I wouldn't think the Global Close would require any additional hardware.  It would seem that the hardware/module required to roll them down, would also be the hardware/module to roll them up - just in reverse.  It seems to me that's just a function of the car's Operating System - recognizing that the lock button is being held for 3 seconds, then reverse the roll down motors.

 

I did notice that the key fob for the Focus that does the Global Close was different than the C-max smart key.  I would lean more towards the key fob can't do it, rather than something needing to be added to the car.

[salman]

Update on global open operating by itself:

 

Just had another episode two days ago, and one before that in September

 

since I first posted about this in January 2013 I have had it happen about 6 or 7 more times. I have it to the dealer for service to address this at least twice (need to check records, might have been three times already).

 

First trip to the dealer they found nothing wrong (no error codes, etc) and told me Ford says the feature cannot be disabled even the manual says the dealer can disable it. That was in January 2013.

 

In April or May I brought to a different and better Ford dealer service department after it had happened another couple of times. They found no error codes. On Ford's advice they reprogrammed the key fobs. Also had TSBs performed for 12 volt battery troubles (details on that thread).

 

Since April/May it seemed maybe the window problem had been solved. But then there was one episode over the summer, then one in September, and one just two days ago.

 

Called dealer service and asked them to please check with Ford about disabling the global open feature (though I like opening the windows with the feature on hot days, not worth the rain and security risk of the windows opening at random times). Ford responded that the feature can be disabled but that doing so could and probably would cause other problems. Seems they have had this experience.

 

Bringing the car to service on Monday and will explore theories and options then. My guess is there will be no error codes.

 

Theories: could be another key fob or transmitter on the same frequency issuing the same code, could be a short or similar kind of glitch that self-activates the system, could be (but I doubt it) a bad fob design that increases the odds of accidentally unlocking the doors and pressing the open button for 3 seconds to activate global open.

 

Unfortunately I do not see a practical way to test these theories.

 

Disable the fobs and open & lock the doors manually with the key for a few months and see if the global open feature still activates itself? That would eliminate the fob as the culprit if it happens again. If it does not not happen again over 2 or 3 months it would still be inconclusive, but suggestive. Either way, no good solution is likely to be available. Changing to a new fob?

 

Searching for a glitch or short is very difficult if it is not happening in front of the mechanic and not showing an error code.

 

Identifying a transmitter issuing a similar signal would require a monitoring station at my house (all incidents have been at home so far). Seems improbable.

[wab]

I had a similar situation my our traded MKX.

 

Wasn't a fob, it was a key with the buttons on it.

First time it happened (figured out after much research) I was lighting the fireplace.

Second getting a (special :worship:  yes dear) pan out of the back bottom of the cabinet.

 

Third and final I was changing the oil on my motorcycle and down the windows went.

 

Forced myself to develop the habit of NOT putting the keys in my pocket when I got home.

Put them in their own little box on the counter.

 

Problem solved.

 

Note: didn't take long to get the habit after having to go BACK in the house to get the keys a :nonono:  FEW :rant:  times.

 

[salman]

Correction: not a fob, but a key with buttons on it.

 

Update:

 

Brought the car for service on Monday. On Tuesday a Ford Engineer recommended they try unplugging the Body Control Module (BCM). Mechanic did it and car was dead. Reinstalled BCM and car was still dead. Tried jumping the car, no effect. Tested battery, fully charged. Today the Ford Engineer recommended replacing the BCM on the theory it is (and maybe was) defective or fried. Part is to be delivered today, then installed and tested.

 

This is my 5th service attempt to fix the problem of windows opening randomly. I have also had at least 3 service visits for dead 12 volts. I am in Lemon Law Territory and thinking about whether to invoke it and whether I would trade for another C-Max or another Ford model or ask for a cash refund and then go buy something else, possibly a Prius V or a Matrix.

 

I like the C-Max when it works . . .but the service visits take a lot of time, the problems have not yet been definitively identified and fixed, and the two main problems I have experienced are causes for worry. Dead 12 volt can mean being late for work or stranded. Windows rolling down are a security risk and expose the interior to rain, etc, and the problem makes me worry and keep looking outside to see of the windows are closed. Both problems impair the use and value of the car, and also safety - the three California criteria for being a substantial problem.

 

California law calculates a refund by allowing a manufacturer to deduct a fee for miles driven at the time of the first service visit for the problem (not the at the time of the buy back). For me, the first visit was a week after buying the car, with about 80 miles driven by me. So I would get virtually 100% refunded, plus the cost of registration, etc.

 

Probably I will take the car if they seem to have fixed it during this service round, but send Ford a Lemon demand at the next 12 volt or window malfunction. Might still change my mind and do it now. 

[drdiesel1]

It's easy to test if it's a FOB being activated.  Get out of the car and lock as normal. Take the FOB out of your pocket and hang it up or place it on a tabel and see what happens. It the windows are still opening, then it's the car. If not, it's your FOB being activated in your pocket.

 

I've been leaning over to pick something up and set off my alarm from pressure on the FOB buttons.

 

 

 

Owners are always quick to blame the car. Most of the time, it's them and not the car ;)

Edited October 30, 2013 by drdiesel1

[drdiesel1]

 

Edited October 30, 2013 by drdiesel1