# Passive Entry (Auto Lock/Unlock)



## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

What does the manual state ?


----------



## cef2lion (Aug 7, 2012)

On my 2013 Cruze LTZ. You walk up to the car with FOB in your pocket. Place hand on door handle an put thumb over little switch on the handle. That unlocks the door/s. On my 2012 LTZ there was a little pad where the 2013 has that little switch. The 2013 has this unlock feature on all four doors. My 2012 LTZ only had this on the front two doors.


----------



## WhiteAndBright (Mar 4, 2013)

The little switch is a black cut out on the handle itself you don't push the button it is pressure sensitive. On mine I just pull the handle and all of the doors unlock.. If you still cant get it to work let me know and I can walk you through it!!


----------



## WhiteAndBright (Mar 4, 2013)

cef2lion said:


> On my 2013 Cruze LTZ. You walk up to the car with FOB in your pocket. Place hand on door handle an put thumb over little switch on the handle. That unlocks the door/s. On my 2012 LTZ there was a little pad where the 2013 has that little switch. The 2013 has this unlock feature on all four doors. My 2012 LTZ only had this on the front two doors.


On my 12 it has the option of driver door only or all doors not just the front doors, do you by chance have the child locks set for the back doors?? That may cause them not to unlock just a thought... :uhh:


----------



## CruzeDFB (Mar 3, 2013)

Thanks for the help so far, I know you can press the button but I like the idea of walking up to my car and have it open ready to go without pressing any buttons.


----------



## cef2lion (Aug 7, 2012)

To my knowledge it doesn't unlock just by you walking up to the car with the FOB unless you use the FOB to do that. The auto unlock feature involves you having the FOB and your hand being placed on the door handle.


----------



## CruzeDFB (Mar 3, 2013)

Found the thread: 
http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/9-ch...-forum/6386-things-know-about-your-cruze.html

#41
If you have the passive entry system you can go to the config settings and setup the car to automatically lock when you leave so do you don't have to touch the painted square on the handle. The car locks when the key is out of range and unlocks again when the key is back in range. Remember, this setting must be enabled for it to work.


----------



## F and J (Mar 16, 2013)

Our LTZ locks and honks after doors are closed, in a few seconds. Based on time, nothing to do with out of range, standing right beside car, doors still lock. It never unlocks without touching the button in a door handle or unlock on the passive key. Pulling on handle does nothing. Does this sound like all other Cruzes? Without auto lock, one of us without the passive key drove away, all car says is no key detected and keeps running. Nothing would stop a thief if car was left running unlocked. When wife got home without the key of course could not start car. GM missed a safety item.


----------



## hydrasport (Jul 15, 2012)

Hate to bring this thread back up since it is almost a year old, but it addresses the issue that we are having with the car. We an LTZ with passive lock and unlock. You never have to touch the fob to lock or unlock the car. It has worked like this for 2 years. I started having to replace the batteries about every 3 months because the passive unlock would not work and the car would not detect a fob. A new battery usually fixed the issue for a while. Now even with new batteries the car will not unlock when I walk up to the car. I can pull the door handle off and it will not detect the fob. It should unlock as I walk up to the car as that is the way it is programmed. It has also started not detecting the fob when I try to start the car and several times I got the "no fob detected" message when I try to shut the car off and get out. The engine will stop bu the doors will not unlock and the dash and gauges do not shut down. 
I made an appointment and dropped it off at the dealer today. They could not duplicate the issue. (same response that I received when I had the car in 6 times for sticky steering issue - now we had a letter from GM offering to fix that nonexistant issue untill 2022). Brough the car home and 10 out of 10 times the car door would not open as it did not detect a fob. The door could be unlocked by pressing the unlock button everytime. 
What causes the car to recognize the fob when it is near? Body control module? Security module? I'm not sure, but it is getting worse.


----------



## Daisy81 (Jun 17, 2012)

cef2lion said:


> On my 2013 Cruze LTZ. You walk up to the car with FOB in your pocket. Place hand on door handle an put thumb over little switch on the handle. That unlocks the door/s. On my 2012 LTZ there was a little pad where the 2013 has that little switch. The 2013 has this unlock feature on all four doors. My 2012 LTZ only had this on the front two doors.


Maybe I'm doing it wrong but in my 2012 Cuze LTZ I don't have to use the sensor/pad/switch/whatever. I just walk up to my locked car and use the door handle the same as I would in any car. The door unlocks and opens and I get in. I only use that pad thing if I want to lock the door but I rarely do because I have it set to lock the car after something like ten seconds with an audible horn chirp.

I also set my car to only unlock the door I'm trying to open because at night I don't want other people slipping in the car when I'm getting in unless they are welcome to get it.

In addition I can open any door including my trunk without having to unlock the car as long as I have the key FOB on me.

I also set my car up to only open the door when getting out and it is locked until the second time I use the handle. I feel like it is a good safety feature. 

I don't know if this was changed in later models but I love this setup.


----------



## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

Wow. I must be doing mine wrong. I always walk up to the car and push the button on the handle for the door to unlock and then I open the door.

But the first thing I'd do is get the car in another location and see how it works. Remember, this is a small radio we're talking about. You don't have exclusive rights to that channel. There could be something near your home causing problems. That would explain why the dealer can't find anything.

Because there's a problem outside and inside, I think we can rule out antennas for now. (It uses a different antenna for each side, trunk and interior.)

If you have a second fob, I'd try that. Perhaps the fob's receiver is weak and not detecting when the car is near. Since the car always works with the fob's button, I'd look at that.


----------



## Daisy81 (Jun 17, 2012)

I did a quick video on the settings I have for my Cruze and show it working just in case anyone else with the passive entry would like to have their Cruze work like mine.


----------



## Jukebox Juliet (Apr 4, 2014)

I have a 2013 LTZ
My handles have a chrome button on all 4 handles.

For lock - Touching the button on any of the 4 handles will lock all 4 doors as long as the fob isn't in the car, of course.

For unlock - Touching button on either of the 2 rear doors will unlock all 4 doors. Touching button on the driver's side door only will only unlock the driver's side door, leaving the other 3 doors locked.

Never messed with any sort of settings, perfect as it is imo


----------



## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

I'll be the first to admit those menu settings aren't the clearest ever. I didn't realize the passive meant I didn't have to push the button. I thought that just disabled the horn chirp.


----------



## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

ChevyGuy said:


> I'll be the first to admit those menu settings aren't the clearest ever. I didn't realize the passive meant I didn't have to push the button. I thought that just disabled the horn chirp.


Guess we learn something new. I only had a LTZ for a day and didn't get that far into it. I was mostly trying to figure out the AQS button/feature. the way the 14 I had, it unlocked whatever door handle you went to. Same for the 2014 CTS I had for about a day as well.


----------



## Jukebox Juliet (Apr 4, 2014)

ChevyGuy said:


> I'll be the first to admit those menu settings aren't the clearest ever. I didn't realize the passive meant I didn't have to push the button. I thought that just disabled the horn chirp.


I don't understand why it matters to not have to hit the button, the button is on the handle and you still have to pull the handle open to get into the car regardless so it doesn't really make a difference - now if the door wanted to actually swing open for you.... Lol 



Sent with iLove 6.0


----------



## Daisy81 (Jun 17, 2012)

ChevyGuy said:


> I'll be the first to admit those menu settings aren't the clearest ever. I didn't realize the passive meant I didn't have to push the button. I thought that just disabled the horn chirp.


Edit: hmm not sure how I ended up quoting you. Sorry. But yes the settings could be a little more clear. 


Jukebox Juliet said:


> I don't understand why it matters to not have to hit the button, the button is on the handle and you still have to pull the handle open to get into the car regardless so it doesn't really make a difference - now if the door wanted to actually swing open for you.... Lol
> 
> 
> 
> Sent with iLove 6.0


Because getting in is quicker if you don't have to hit the button. The sensor takes a few seconds to react. So you have to hold the sensor have the door unlock and then open the door or you can do like I did and just open the door and not have to fiddle around with anything.


----------



## Jukebox Juliet (Apr 4, 2014)

Daisy81 said:


> Edit: hmm not sure how I ended up quoting you. Sorry. But yes the settings could be a little more clear.
> 
> Because getting in is quicker if you don't have to hit the button. The sensor takes a few seconds to react. So you have to hold the sensor have the door unlock and then open the door or you can do like I did and just open the door and not have to fiddle around with anything.


I gotcha. The buttons must work differently b/c there's no lag time at all, you just hit the button as you grab the handle and it opens. I've never seen a Cruze with the sensor pad things though, I'm guessing that was a change between years?


----------



## 2013Cruze (Aug 4, 2012)

Jukebox Juliet said:


> I gotcha. The buttons must work differently b/c there's no lag time at all, you just hit the button as you grab the handle and it opens. I've never seen a Cruze with the sensor pad things though, I'm guessing that was a change between years?


Yeah 2012 Cruze LTZ Had touch pads sensors on just the two front doors if I remember correctly nothing on the rear doors.


----------



## 2013Cruze (Aug 4, 2012)

Jukebox Juliet said:


> I gotcha. The buttons must work differently b/c there's no lag time at all, you just hit the button as you grab the handle and it opens. I've never seen a Cruze with the sensor pad things though, I'm guessing that was a change between years?


I actually liked the sensors better then the push buttons on the current Cruze LTZ. All you had to do was pull on the door handle and the door would unlock as long as you had the keyfob in your pocket of coarse.


----------



## Daisy81 (Jun 17, 2012)

Jukebox Juliet said:


> I gotcha. The buttons must work differently b/c there's no lag time at all, you just hit the button as you grab the handle and it opens. I've never seen a Cruze with the sensor pad things though, I'm guessing that was a change between years?


Chevy has made tweaks over the years so it wouldn't surprise me. I guess in 2013 they swapped out what they used in the 2012 Cruze with something better. Thankfully at least for the older cars we can still get in quickly.

i miss the feature every time I go out of town and have to rent a car. No car rentals outside of the Luxury cars have passive entry. I hate having to dig for the keys to get in and then have to fiddle with the ignition. I have gotten so spoiled with my last few cars.


----------



## 2013Cruze (Aug 4, 2012)

Daisy81 said:


> Chevy has made tweaks over the years so it wouldn't surprise me. I guess in 2013 they swapped out what they used in the 2012 Cruze with something better. Thankfully at least for the older cars we can still get in quickly.
> 
> i miss the feature every time I go out of town and have to rent a car. No car rentals outside of the Luxury cars have passive entry. I hate having to dig for the keys to get in and then have to fiddle with the ignition. I have gotten so spoiled with my last few cars.


Yeah I don't think I could get used having to look for keys again. And one other thing with passive entry system you can't lock your keys in the car.


----------



## Daisy81 (Jun 17, 2012)

2013Cruze said:


> Yeah I don't think I could get used having to look for keys again. And one other thing with passive entry system you can't lock your keys in the car.


Well not in the cabin but you can in the trunk. :sad010:

I did just that one time in a parking garage at a job site. If it had been any other manufacturer I would have been SOL and had to call a locksmith. But not with Chevy and their OnStar app to save the day. My phone thankfully was in my hand because I had intended to plug it into the radio when I got in the car. I just unlocked it and used OnStar remote to unlock my car. Best feature ever!artytime:


----------



## 2013Cruze (Aug 4, 2012)

Daisy81 said:


> Well not in the cabin but you can in the trunk. :sad010:
> 
> I did just that one time in a parking garage at a job site. If it had been any other manufacturer I would have been SOL and had to call a locksmith. But not with Chevy and their OnStar app to save the day. My phone thankfully was in my hand because I had intended to plug it into the radio when I got in the car. I just unlocked it and used OnStar remote to unlock my car. Best feature ever!artytime:


I'm not sure if that's the case in the 2013 Cruze LTZ and beyond because in the current Cruze you have to push the button on the door handle and if the car detects the keyfob it won't let you lock the doors.


----------



## Daisy81 (Jun 17, 2012)

2013Cruze said:


> I'm not sure if that's the case in the 2013 Cruze LTZ and beyond because in the current Cruze you have to push the button on the door handle and if the car detects the keyfob it won't let you lock the doors.


I don't know if mine would have let me lock my doors either. I was putting my stuff in the trunk and had not yet unlocked the doors because I use the passive entry system.


----------



## 2013Cruze (Aug 4, 2012)

I wonder what changes or improvements Chevy will make to the passive entry system for the 2016 Cruze.


----------



## Daisy81 (Jun 17, 2012)

2013Cruze said:


> I wonder what changes or improvements Chevy will make to the passive entry system for the 2016 Cruze.


I don't know but I'm keeping an eye on it and the new Malibu. Whichever one I like better I figure I'll buy the 2017 or 2018 model after they have made a little more polishing.


----------



## 2013Cruze (Aug 4, 2012)

Daisy81 said:


> I don't know but I'm keeping an eye on it and the new Malibu. Whichever one I like better I figure I'll buy the 2017 or 2018 model after they have made a little more polishing.


The first model year of both cars will most likely have more options Chevy has the rep of deleting options with each model year.


----------



## Daisy81 (Jun 17, 2012)

2013Cruze said:


> The first model year of both cars will most likely have more options Chevy has the rep of deleting options with each model year.


Do they delete them from the loaded LTZ models?


----------



## 2013Cruze (Aug 4, 2012)

Daisy81 said:


> Do they delete them from the loaded LTZ models?


It's kinda a yes and no in one model year a option could be standard and on the next year an option could be group in a package for an extra cost option. 

But for the most part the top trim doesn't get affected as much as the lower trims.


----------



## 2013Cruze (Aug 4, 2012)

I would think the 2016 Cruze will have the most current MyLink system GM has to date beyond that just have to wait and see.


----------



## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

Daisy81 said:


> Well not in the cabin but you can in the trunk. :sad010:


I'm surprised. The '13 LTZ has a antenna just behind the back seat which I'd think would cover the trunk. Maybe yours doesn't have that? Or maybe it was just too far away to pick up.


----------



## Daisy81 (Jun 17, 2012)

ChevyGuy said:


> I'm surprised. The '13 LTZ has a antenna just behind the back seat which I'd think would cover the trunk. Maybe yours doesn't have that? Or maybe it was just too far away to pick up.


It has an antena because I can walk back and open the trunk without unlocking it first while I have the fob in my hand. I think it registered the key fob as in the car and then since the key is in the car the outside doors can't be opened.

If this doesn't happen in the '13 Cruze and newer maybe they updated it to not see the key in the trunk as inside the car. If so that is a good update.


----------



## Jukebox Juliet (Apr 4, 2014)

2013Cruze said:


> I'm not sure if that's the case in the 2013 Cruze LTZ and beyond because in the current Cruze you have to push the button on the door handle and if the car detects the keyfob it won't let you lock the doors.


Yeah, it's impossible for me to lock myself out of the car. I've even accidentally shut my fob in the trunk and the trunk still opens lmao. 


Sent with iLove 6.0


----------



## Jukebox Juliet (Apr 4, 2014)

2013Cruze said:


> Yeah I don't think I could get used having to look for keys again. And one other thing with passive entry system you can't lock your keys in the car.


And I'm with both of you, once you have a keyless car you'll never be able to go back, or at least I won't. It's funny b/c everyone I know who hasn't yet owned a keyless car goes into Old Man Yelling At Cloud mode and says they'll never own a car without a key. Mhm. 


Sent with iLove 6.0


----------



## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

Daisy81 said:


> It has an antena because I can walk back and open the trunk without unlocking it first while I have the fob in my hand.


Different antenna. There's one in the trunk's fascia. The one I'm taking about looks to be in the floor, just behind the fold-down seats. The car has to know the difference between fob in and out since it behaves differently.


----------



## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

Jukebox Juliet said:


> And I'm with both of you, once you have a keyless car you'll never be able to go back, or at least I won't. It's funny b/c everyone I know who hasn't yet owned a keyless car goes into Old Man Yelling At Cloud mode and says they'll never own a car without a key. Mhm.


Yeah, I thought it was nice but not a big deal. But it's become one of my favorite features.


----------



## Daisy81 (Jun 17, 2012)

ChevyGuy said:


> Different antenna. There's one in the trunk's fascia. The one I'm taking about looks to be in the floor, just behind the fold-down seats. The car has to know the difference between fob in and out since it behaves differently.


Hmm maybe the '12 Cruze doesn't have that antenna. Is this something that I can visually confirm?


----------



## ChevyGuy (Dec 13, 2014)

Daisy81 said:


> Hmm maybe the '12 Cruze doesn't have that antenna. Is this something that I can visually confirm?


Too much junk in my trunk to check. But if I fold down the rear seats, and pry up the trunk floor, I see a wire headed back to where I'd expect the antenna to be: between the rear seat and the spare wheel well - about in the middle of the car.

Or, you could try talking Nick D into checking his manual. IIRC, he's got a 2012.


----------

