how does gm's passive entry work?

[steiny93]

Wife's 2021 denali xl just arrived, when you have a fob in hand and approach the vehicle and operate a door handle it doesn't unlock the drivers (or any) door. You can press the button on the door handle and it will unlock the doors.

Does the denali's have the ability to unlock the door when the user has a fob in hand and either operates the handle or touches the handle (like Ram / BMW / Merc / etc). Or isn't this possible?

Already did some searching, Passive Entry doesn't appear to operate without pressing a button, didn't find anything via owners manual or asking the sales person. Any help much appreciated, thx.

 

[Micahsd]

That’s how it works for me on the 2021 Tahoe. I think that is what they mean by passive (that you don’t have to press a button on the key fob itself).

if there’s another way to use it I’d be curious.

 

[Stbentoak]

Another crazy thing I discovered too is you can’t use any voice commands to control the climate control or anything. Only phone and nav functions….
other vehicles I’ve had the voice command could do anything the head unit could do….

 

[SSGUNNER]

Same for me, have to press door handle button to unlock. My last ride all I had to do was grab the handle and it unlocked. No pressing buttons.

 

[waynehead99]

It took some getting used to initially with the button coming from my MDX and our Merc has it where you can just grab it. Not a big deal to me and the added benefit is that the handles can get wet while I am washing the car and it doesn't keep locking/unlocking forcing me to leave the keys in the truck.

 

[steiny93]

It took some getting used to initially with the button coming from my MDX and our Merc has it where you can just grab it. Not a big deal to me and the added benefit is that the handles can get wet while I am washing the car and it doesn't keep locking/unlocking forcing me to leave the keys in the truck.

That's interesting about the lock / unlocking when washing, I haven't experienced that yet.

I am pretty surprised GM doesn't have this capability in 2021; but then again I've had 10 years to get used to it.

 

[Pro299]

It's not a feature i miss. Personally, I don't want my vehicles ready to unlock on approach. Mine is set to unlock only when I want it to. And yes, washed the wife's Pacifica this morning. Locks cycled maybe a dozen times.

 

[steiny93]

Having come from BMW world, its a huge miss for me.
In BMW world you can configure it off as well for those who would prefer to press the button explicitly.

 

[KeithinTX]

My 2019 Tahoe LT will only unlock the doors about 40% of the time. New fob battery didn’t improve it.
And it never works if you have anything else in your pocket with the remote.
Such a simple GM feature to be so lame.
I’m starting to spew profanities at Chevrolet every time I try to unlock the doors

 

[WestCoastYokel]

FWIW I also prefer the physical button on the Yukon over the passive version like our other car, but I agree an option would be reasonable.

Speaking of options, took me a bit to figure out there's a setting you change change to have the button unlock *all* the doors from the driver side instead of just the driver door.

 

[Fireman591]

Another crazy thing I discovered too is you can’t use any voice commands to control the climate control or anything. Only phone and nav functions….
other vehicles I’ve had the voice command could do anything the head unit could do….

The 2022 will have google assistant if my memory serves. That will do more voice commands including HVAC.

 

[R32driver]

Coming from a 2011 suburban I've found the button on the door handles is a great feature to lock/unlock the doors on these newer rigs. Our 2015 vw diesel would unlock when you touched the handle and didn't seem any better than this setup. You're reaching for the door handle to get in so just simply push the button, no biggie. I also really like how you can open the rear hatch without first unlocking the vehicle, that's really handy. Weird thing about the rear hatch though, my pressure washer keeps triggering it to open when I'm washing the car. Have to spray gently back there

 

[therealbofa]

Coming from a 2011 suburban I've found the button on the door handles is a great feature to lock/unlock the doors on these newer rigs. Our 2015 vw diesel would unlock when you touched the handle and didn't seem any better than this setup. You're reaching for the door handle to get in so just simply push the button, no biggie. I also really like how you can open the rear hatch without first unlocking the vehicle, that's really handy. Weird thing about the rear hatch though, my pressure washer keeps triggering it to open when I'm washing the car. Have to spray gently back there

Probably the key in your pocket triggering the hands-free lift gate. I did the same thing a couple of weeks ago.

 

[R32driver]

Probably the key in your pocket triggering the hands-free lift gate. I did the same thing a couple of weeks ago.

Key was inside the vehicle. I think the button is a little on the sensitive side and doesn't like my 4000 psi commercial pressure washer shooting directly into the little hole where the button lives. Happened twice already so now I just avoid that area when hitting it with the pressure washer