BCM Dying Slowly maybe ???

[OZ38]

I have a VY V6 ute which until last night has not given any bad electrical issues. Left work, travelled home (80 odd k’s). Hopped out & went to lock her up, but nothing happened, thought I must be pressing the wrong button or not hard enough. Kept trying but nothing would happen, no flash of lights, noises or clicks etc. Thought the keys battery must have suddenly died or something like that. Grabbed the spare key set & found the same issue, no response from the remote buttons. Got back in & car starts & runs fine, just wont lock doors or unlock. Works with turning the key in the door lock to unlock or lock, but nothing happens using the buttons.

So after some lengthy googling, the opinions lean towards the BCM is dying. Some saying that if not replaced asap the disarming of the immobilizer function could go next & leave me stranded.

Is this the case ?

If I get a new replacement BCM, it will need linking to my keys & my PCM/ECU wont it ? Which because I live in a small town will required a trip to the city (Perth), for someone to do the install & linking up I presume ?
Is it possible to buy a new BCM(Low) & have it linked to the cars PCM & Keys without removing the current BCM at the time. Thinking this would make it easier to drive to city, buy hardware, link without pulling dash apart, drive home (250km), then pull current BCM out & replace with new, all in the comfort of my shed & tools ?

Got up this morning & the doors open via the key remote just fine. After a series of testing the unlock / lock function of the key I felt it was hopefully ok to risk the drive to work & back.
I am here now, so far so good

Is the BCM giving me a warning & is dying slowly ?

Cheers

Deek

[0081]

Do you think it could possibly be some kind of interference ?
Had that happen to my VY a few times over the 14ish years i have had it and also my work ute if i seem to park in one spot at the office.

Disabling VATS would probably get around the immobilizer issue if your worried.

And if you do get a new BCM and keys disabling VATS will get you going until your next in town

[OZ38]

Do you think it could possibly be some kind of interference ?
Had that happen to my VY a few times over the 14ish years i have had it and also my work ute if i seem to park in one spot at the office.

Disabling VATS would probably get around the immobilizer issue if your worried.

And if you do get a new BCM and keys disabling VATS will get you going until your next in town

Could have I suppose been some kind of interference, seen that happen to a few EA & BA fords before on a national highway. In their case it was a microwave link controlling some gas stations along that section of highway.

In my case I have parked in that area of back yard all the time, never had any issues before. Disabling VATS on the VY n/a V6, what does that involve, flashing to the PCM ?

[0081]

Yep you need to get the bin with the flash tool open it in tuner pro and change the flag for vats.
Save it and flash it back in with the flash tool

Its recommend to get a spare PCM first incase you brick yours orginal. It's not common but does happen

[Jayme]

must be common enough, ive had it a few times in my VZ.... lock and unlock just doesnt work no matter what. manually lock it, go to bed, next morning fine.... used to do it about once a month for years before I wrote it off

[The1]

when pressing the key does the security light go out? Perhaps a central locking issue.

[OZ38]

when pressing the key does the security light go out? Perhaps a central locking issue.

I didnt really notice the security light sorry. The exterrior lights didnt do their normal flash either.
Now it is working again, can not check that security light now obviously.

If it is a common thing for some, I assume the immobiliser doesn't stop & prevent you starting your car ?

I can put up with having to use the key to lock the doors every now & then for now. But think I should replace the BCM if the central locking control is dying.

[The1]

in some cases the remote battery can be flat, so you can't disarm it, lock/unlock but starting the car will work as there is power on the slipring where the key contacts which will power up the circuit and read the security ok.

[OZ38]

in some cases the remote battery can be flat, so you can't disarm it, lock/unlock but starting the car will work as there is power on the slipring where the key contacts which will power up the circuit and read the security ok.

Yes but at the time I swapped key sets to my spares to prove it wasn't the remotes battery. Thinking I would have to be really unlucky to have two remote batteries die at the same time ha ha.