Any key fob issues?

[mikeg561]

Went to get into my car this afternoon and the handles would not present themselves. I hit unlock on the fob a couple times....still not luck.
Thought about it for a few seconds and hit unlock on the fob again and the doors unlocked. Weird I thought, but what ever.

I get in the car and press the brake pedal and a message pops up under the speed odometer "Key not in car." I put the fob in the cup holder...no luck. Reboot (holding both steering wheel buttons down) and it was fine after that.

Anyone else see this before?

Mike

 

[jerry33]

Usually the fob fails to connect because the fob and cellphone (or some similar RF blocking object) are in close proximity, but of course that shouldn't have been a factor when you placed the fob in the cup holder. Rebooting does typically fix any odd behaviour. How long since your last reboot? Also how old is your fob battery?

 

[mikeg561]

Thanks Jerry-

Only had the car, and therefore the fob!, for about 2 months. Last reboot was maybe a month ago?

Mike

Usually the fob fails to connect because the fob and cellphone (or some similar RF blocking object) are in close proximity, but of course that shouldn't have been a factor when you placed the fob in the cup holder. Rebooting does typically fix any odd behaviour. How long since your last reboot? Also how old is your fob battery?

 

[jerry33]

I find that I reboot about once a month. For me it's usually because the map gets slow. I also reboot before any kind of a mission critical event (such as showing the car). It's not a bad idea to file a bug report when it happens. Press the talk button and say one of the following "note", "report", or "bug report". You only have a few seconds, so do a bit of pre-thinking first.

 

[DFiveK2]

Same thing happened to me yesterday. Took about 10 15 seconds of sitting in the drivers seat before my car acknowledged that the key was nearby.

fob was in my pocket next to my cell phone before I got in the car... Had to click a few times to get handles to present.

 

[skboston]

Today after the latest OTA update the car locked itself with the key inside, it was a bit weird, as it has never happened before in the last year I've had the car.

 

[Max*]

My key fobs have been fine.

I've only had one scare, in my parking garage at work, there is a section next to the HVAC vents where I had a really hard time getting the key fob to do anything (wouldn't open as I approached the car, repeated clicking to get it to work, and wouldn't see it when I got into the car). I'm guessing there's some crazy multipath or something, I stopped parking there, everything has worked well since, heh.

 

[MileHighMotoring]

Mine have been a bit inconsistent since I got the car. Handles will close as I'm reaching for them, I will get the no key found alert, I'll have to press the handle or the fob several times, etc. I don't know if it's a fob or a fob sensor issue. My rear doors are the worst. The trunk is the best. My car finally goes into the service center next week, and this is most definitely on the list of things I'm asking them to take a look at, hopefully it's improved when I get her back!

 

[LetsGoFast]

That sounds a lot like a weak battery in the key fob to me.

 

[MileHighMotoring]

I don't know - sometimes they work from 30 feet away in a parking lot, and it's been like this since day 1 for both fobs.

 

[freeewilly]

Someone should invent a tiny pocket to store a battery and a tool to open the key fob that we can stick under the car.

 

[mknox]

Someone should invent a tiny pocket to store a battery and a tool to open the key fob that we can stick under the car.

I keep a spare battery in the glove box. You can always unlock and open the car via the Mobile App (as long as you have a smartphone). You can even drive the car with the app.

- - - Updated - - -

fob was in my pocket next to my cell phone before I got in the car...

That will do it. I have found when I wear my winter jacket, I keep the keys in my right jacket pocket and my phone in my right pants pocket. That is close enough to cause problems, at least for me. If I remove the phone or put it in my left pocket... problem solved. Have to remember this when winter comes around again!

 

[taurusking]

I usually put keys on right side of my pant pocket and car key fob on the left side to avoid confusion.

On a parallel note have you all noticed that the magnetized cards (key access to hotel rooms) does not work if you drive with card in MS?

 

[Woland]

You can always unlock and open the car via the Mobile App (as long as you have a smartphone).

And as long as you have cell coverage in the car. I have to park underground at work and the car has no coverage there.

 

[Corsair]

I usually put keys on right side of my pant pocket and car key fob on the left side to avoid confusion.

On a parallel note have you all noticed that the magnetized cards (key access to hotel rooms) does not work if you drive with card in MS?

That is an interesting observation. That would explain why I have to try multiple times to get my hotel keycard working despite getting it re-programmed !

Any explanation behind it ?

 

[Ingineer]

Keep in mind the 315mhz frequency that's used for fob communication to the car is used by practically every other RF remote around. It's possible for it to have interference, which is why the have the Electromagnetic (RFID) bypass feature.

You often see this on the labels of these systems (probably in the owner's manual): "This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation."

In this case the "undesired operation" is it not working.

Also note that the MCU doesn't control the fob/security system, so rebooting it has no bearing on it. The fobs are managed by the body ECU located in the passenger footwell. If you don't believe me, pull the MCU fuse and you'll still be able to lock/unlock the car, handles present, etc.

If you ever can't get into the car, take the fob to the passenger side cowling and wave the fob around there. The pickup coil is in the passenger side fender. Once inside the car, the pickup is in the center console below the cupholders.

- - - Updated - - -

I usually put keys on right side of my pant pocket and car key fob on the left side to avoid confusion.

On a parallel note have you all noticed that the magnetized cards (key access to hotel rooms) does not work if you drive with card in MS?

If this was true, we'd likely all have non-working credit cards all the time as well. It's more likely that most of those crappy mag-stripe hotel locks are just problematic. The car would have to emit a massive magnetic field to erase a magstripe card, and we'd have other problems. There is very little stray magnetic energy running around the car. (This has been beaten to death over and over again starting with the first hybrids.)

 

[mknox]

On a parallel note have you all noticed that the magnetized cards (key access to hotel rooms) does not work if you drive with card in MS?

Nope. Stayed in a few hotels on a recent trip and did not have that problem. Oddly, my ChargePoint keychain RFID card gave up the ghost and I have to use my wallet card now, but I think it probably just suffered from mechanical damage.

 

[islandbayy]

Went to get into my car this afternoon and the handles would not present themselves. I hit unlock on the fob a couple times....still not luck.
Thought about it for a few seconds and hit unlock on the fob again and the doors unlocked. Weird I thought, but what ever.

I get in the car and press the brake pedal and a message pops up under the speed odometer "Key not in car." I put the fob in the cup holder...no luck. Reboot (holding both steering wheel buttons down) and it was fine after that.

Anyone else see this before?

Mike

Ive narrowed this problem on my car down to once the temps drop below 50*F. Below 50*F, somehow I get this error about 9 out of 10 times, even holding the key out in the open. During the summer time, I've had it happen twice now. All TSB's and mods have been installed to mitigate the issue.Have no idea why it was temp related on my vehicle.

Rebooting will not help. What you want to do is double click the transponder to "unlock" the doors, even if your in the car. What this does is somehow "wake" the system so it "sees" the key.

I think I should make a How to Video on this. Bazanga!

 

[mikeg561]

I am not sure what caused my fob to stop working, but since I did the reset I have not had any more issues. Again, my car is only 2 months old, so the battery in the fob shouldn't be the issue. I live in So Cal where the weather was about 85 degrees.
I am going to chalk it up to "one of those things" and see if it ever happens again.

 

[mknox]

And as long as you have cell coverage in the car. I have to park underground at work and the car has no coverage there.

Good point!