KESSY Fault

['Little' John]

Recently KESSY has started playing up on my 3.5 year old Ateca (typical when it's just out of warranty!). I thought at first that it was down to a low fob battery, but having had the battery replaced and also trying the other fob the problems are persisting. Two main scenarios:
i) Keyless entry doesn't work at all, you have to use the buttons on the fob.
ii) Keyless entry works, but once you've got in the car the doors lock themselves and the car refuses to start until you hold the fob against the correct place on the steering column.

Anyone got any ideas?

 

[Terry99]

Scenario one: I had this happen a couple of times during lockdown. It was caused by low power in the main car battery.
Scenario two: weird! Can’t see any logical reason.

 

[SRGTD]

@‘Little’ John - I read on another (VW) forum recently of a similar issue. Replacing the car’s main battery solved it.

The key fob batteries on a car with keyless entry don’t tend to last as long as they do on a non keyless car - this is because the key fob continually communicates with the car if the car’s in range of the fob (e.g. when parked up at home), even if the fob(s) isnt(aren’t) being used. Also, it’s not unknown for some ‘new‘ fob batteries to be faulty; depending on where they’re bought from, what look like genuine reputable branded items may turn out to be fakes. Additionally, even new genuine fob batteries can be low on power if they’re close to the expiry date.

Although you’ve already replaced your main key fob battery, it might be worth replacing both fob batteries again before exploring other more expensive options, as new fob batteries are pretty inexpensive.

 

[Tell]

On ii) suspect that's a low fod battery but if it's doing it on both fods with decent sourced batteries it's going to be a fault in the aerial in the car picking up the fod or weak car battery... yes a possibility.

4 years out of one fitted feels like a 3.5 year old car is entering that. I got my Ateca one swapped out at 5 years being on the safe side . Obdeleven had started to tell me about low car battery during lock down on some of the systems. That was a good cue. It also tells you about the fod battery if you don't get a front screen message. Early Atecas don't report low fod battery level. Suspect later ones do now.

Circa 9 months or so is what you get out of Kessy batteries and that's Duracells. You can squeeze CR2032 into the CR2025 slot for 50% extra power if you have the remote that uses the CR2025. I always stick my meter on the battery when I change them. Only use Duracell.

Remote battery CR2025 / CR2032 Replacement

ODBEleven reported that both keys were getting problematic on the error check. B147918 - Remote key 1 Voltage too low static B147A18 - Remote key 2 Voltage too low static I didn't get a screen warning thou. Had the car since November 2016, built in September so judged...

www.seatcupra.net

Other issues I have had are where you keep your fod on you. Sticking it in a bag behind a tablet ends of shielding it from the car, gets worse with a low for battery. Early indication you need to change the battery obviously if you are having problems getting in on the hand hold entry.

 

[rafletcher]

Well, I've another, slighlty different problem. Friday morning I went out to the car, opened the boot as usual (keyless) and put my bag in. Shut the boot, went to the drivers door and.... the keyless doesn't work. Hmm. Open car with fob, ok. Locked the car keyless, it works. Opened the car keyless, it worked. And the same happened over the weekend and again this morning. Initial opening has to be with key fob, then keyless works. This started 2 weeks after I had it serviced, no record of any s/w updates being done. HAven't tried the spare key yet.

I'm off to the dentist this morning, so the car will have been sat at work for an hour before I need to go - I'll see if keyless is working then.

Bloody irritating!

 

[Tell]

Well, I've another, slighlty different problem. Friday morning I went out to the car, opened the boot as usual (keyless) and put my bag in. Shut the boot, went to the drivers door and.... the keyless doesn't work. Hmm. Open car with fob, ok. Locked the car keyless, it works. Opened the car keyless, it worked. And the same happened over the weekend and again this morning. Initial opening has to be with key fob, then keyless works. This started 2 weeks after I had it serviced, no record of any s/w updates being done. HAven't tried the spare key yet.

I'm off to the dentist this morning, so the car will have been sat at work for an hour before I need to go - I'll see if keyless is working then.

Bloody irritating!

Reckon that's sleep mode. If the car has been standing and the car battery is weak, it starts to close down elements of Kessy on the door panels. This happens on my passenger side, walk to drivers and it's fine. Also on the boot at times. Takes about a week for me to observe that affect. Good car battery but more in lock down. I outed the car battery at 5 years.

 

[rafletcher]

Yes, that did croass my mind. I'll be taking it for a bit of a longer run on the way home tonight to boost the charge. Car's only just 2 years old so hopefull;y battery is still good, can't recall if they checked that at the service.

 

[Tell]

Mine being a diesel has a big heavy duty one in it, has some benefits. It probably would have gone on beyond 5 years but didn't want to have an issue of a dud battery so did preventive maintenance and had it changed at service. It had gone thru lock and had set a few flags up on assorted systems about a low car battery so judged that now was the time.

 

[rafletcher]

Well, 5 hours after the slightly longer run this morning and it's still working, so yeah, looks like sleep mode. Out of interest, is there any reason not to fit the "diesel" battery to a petrol car - other than the obvious "is there space for it" question?

ETA A quick check of the SEAT Parts website shows the same battery fitted to the 2.0 diesel as is fitted to the Cupra Ateca, 000915105FC

 

[Tell]

Depends on the holder bucket they gave you whether it goes in. Partner had a Punto fitted with the wrong battery from new, underrated for a diesel so had an issue getting in a diesel battery in the slot. Sloppy Italian build.

You do read of people on here having problematic petrol batteries. Recall that was the early Ateca's as well. In principle, you shouldn't go wrong with a Bosch battery also sold under a different brand name from memory. I stuck to them when I bought them myself for fitting. Seat have a fixed price plan, so I now have whatever they fitted.... haven't really looked. Didn't fancy the trick of retraining the windows to make the mirror in work. Left it to the experts. I gave them a whole list of things to do over and above the minimalist service plan since it had reached age 5.