Author Topic: Key fobs suddenly quit working (Read 2718 times)

MRS.Bignerd · « **on:** July 04, 2018, 01:49:47 pm »

16 STi. Both fobs suddenly quit working today, car battery is not dead, can still manually lock and set off car alarm when opening the doors.

Assuming it is some sort of communication issue between the car and fobs since neither fob works. Car is barely driven, no way both batteries in fobs are dead.

VTAKLOL · « **Reply #1 on:** July 04, 2018, 05:48:06 pm »

Quote from: MRS.Bignerd on July 04, 2018, 01:49:47 pm

16 STi. Both fobs suddenly quit working today, car battery is not dead, can still manually lock and set off car alarm when opening the doors.

Assuming it is some sort of communication issue between the car and fobs since neither fob works. Car is barely driven, no way both batteries in fobs are dead.

You know this for a fact?

Try changing the batteries, if they still don't work, take it to the dealer.

xrayvsn · « **Reply #2 on:** July 04, 2018, 09:10:26 pm »

I find the proximity key fobs chew through batteries like crazy. My Golf R needed both key fob batteries replaced after a year. One fob I keep stored and never use. They both stopped working around the same time.

Not sure if your car uses a proximity key or not. Just try swapping the batteries.

MRS.Bignerd · « **Reply #3 on:** July 04, 2018, 10:26:18 pm »

Quote from: xrayvsn on July 04, 2018, 09:10:26 pm

I find the proximity key fobs chew through batteries like crazy. My Golf R needed both key fob batteries replaced after a year. One fob I keep stored and never use. They both stopped working around the same time.

Not sure if your car uses a proximity key or not. Just try swapping the batteries.

No I didn't get the tech sport or whatever, so I don't have any push button start. Its a normal key with integrated fob that locks/unlocks doors, opens trunk and panics. I did go back out later and they key fob seemed to work fine after driving the car, so I will try replacing the batteries as I don't want to go out somewhere and have this hassle. I guess the car is 3 years old now, however I assumed given how little it has been used that the keys should be still be good. Guess I better start putting some actual miles on the car before stuff just gets old!

MRS.Bignerd · « **Reply #4 on:** July 04, 2018, 10:36:44 pm »

Quote from: VTAKLOL on July 04, 2018, 05:48:06 pm

You know this for a fact?

Try changing the batteries, if they still don't work, take it to the dealer.

I mean I dont KNOW this for a fact, my husband is an electrician so might have something that could test the batteries, possibly if he has a meter sensitive enough. Lol, in my world key fob batteries that are never used should last forever. Honestly I have never had a car make me feel so dumb, and this is our 3rd STi. I find it the most non-user friendly of the bunch.

LilDrunkenSmurf · « **Reply #5 on:** July 05, 2018, 09:37:43 am »

I had my fob batteries die after a year. He can test them using a multimeter, but the batteries are like $5 for a 5-pack on amazon, for either the CR2025 or the CR2032. I have no idea what you have, but it's likely one of those.

MRS.Bignerd · « **Reply #6 on:** July 06, 2018, 03:35:49 pm »

They are CR1620 for the batteries in mine. Quite small and there is only one per fob, so yes embarrassingly, they were probably BOTH dead. Silly for how little they are used...

LilDrunkenSmurf · « **Reply #7 on:** July 06, 2018, 06:26:43 pm »

So you replaced the batteries and they're working now?

1620's are hilariously tiny, and I thought the 2025 was small.

MRS.Bignerd · « **Reply #8 on:** July 06, 2018, 07:18:33 pm »

They seem to be working so far... But yes I will order more if this is the case, since they are so small I guess I should expect to replace them more often.

soulindk · « **Reply #9 on:** July 06, 2018, 07:34:05 pm »

There is a way to shut the antenna off on the key fobs so that they aren't chewing through the battery. It's in your owner's manual.

MRS.Bignerd · « **Reply #10 on:** July 06, 2018, 10:26:23 pm »

Quote from: soulindk on July 06, 2018, 07:34:05 pm

There is a way to shut the antenna off on the key fobs so that they aren't chewing through the battery. It's in your owner's manual.

People read those??

MRS.Bignerd · « **Reply #11 on:** July 07, 2018, 03:53:00 pm »

Nope, just went to drive car and neither fob working again after replacing both batteries yesterday. I will try to reprogram or take to dealer on Monday.

Only thing I can correlate is that my home seems like a big dead zone-the remotes work everywhere else except when I get home, then neither work. This is new, previously they were fine up until a few days ago. Nothing we are aware of has changed with the house. Doesn't matter if car is in driveway or the garage, doesn't work. I haven't played around to see how far away I have to go before it works again.

KiDFINITE · « **Reply #12 on:** July 08, 2018, 12:43:44 pm »

I've had issues with my fob consistently not working in certain areas as well. I've got a button cell battery tester to ensure they're good. It's odd and I'm thinking some spots have something running the same frequency that jam/interfere with the fob. Super annoying when it does happen and I have to use the physical key to open and the alarm goes off until I cycle the key in the ignition. I've also read some people have had to re-solder bad joints.

MRS.Bignerd · « **Reply #13 on:** July 08, 2018, 01:04:15 pm »

Interesting. Do you know what type of things would jam it? Only thing I can think of is the next door neighbor immediately beside us is a big manager for Vivint and has tons of home security stuff on his house. That and the neighbor on the other side of him just moved in and has had some audio visual and home security people there installing stuff for days...

Maybe that is this issue? Can I change the frequency the remotes operate on? Probably not. Annoying because I cannot lock the car in the driveway, like you said if I do it manually often the alarm goes off when I open it...

We haven't changed anything at our house. This itshay is annoying.

cyralax · « **Reply #14 on:** September 07, 2018, 08:38:00 am »

Bump. Anyone have any more ideas? Been having this happen on my ‘16 WRX Sport as well. Definitely not the keyfob batteries since I swapped them out and tried with different fobs.

MRS.Bignerd · « **Reply #15 on:** December 28, 2018, 01:30:39 am »

I am still having intermittent issues with my fobs not working at home. Interestingly enough my husband bought a new vehicle, completely different manufacturer, and he has similar problems.

I can only conclude there is something in our area jamming the frequency? I don't even know what other devices would operate on similar or the same frequencies? I can't even lock my car in my own freaking garage (or driveway)sometimes, standing five feet away. I can't put my finger on any discernible changes or electronics that we have done.

I lost the fob for my Honda ages ago so no idea if it would be affected too. I will ask my neighbors if they have any issues locking their cars.

TenTurbo · « **Reply #16 on:** January 01, 2019, 11:35:33 am »

Definitely sounds like something in/around your house is interfering with the signal. I’ve heard of wifi routers causing interference. Try shutting off/unplugging your wifi router/gateway and see if it starts working better.

MRS.Bignerd · « **Reply #17 on:** January 02, 2019, 10:18:31 pm »

Quote from: TenTurbo on January 01, 2019, 11:35:33 am

Definitely sounds like something in/around your house is interfering with the signal. I’ve heard of wifi routers causing interference. Try shutting off/unplugging your wifi router/gateway and see if it starts working better.

I will try but things were fine the first year we lived here so I was wondering if a neighbor installed something? Occasionally it will work fine, but more often than not it won't . Drives me crazy because I can literally be standing beside my car outside in the driveway and it won't do anything. Also the husbands vehicle, the auto start won't start on it unless you go to the edge of the porch-which is about 3 feet from the vehicle, so what is the point of the starter. Just trying to think of wth kind of electronics would be causing this?

thedude · « **Reply #18 on:** January 02, 2019, 10:57:46 pm »

I had this same issue happen on my '13 WRX a couple months ago parked outside Canadian Tire. It worked to lock, then when I went to unlock it didn't - super odd. Had to go through the whole manual unlock setting the alarm off with people around looking as if I'm stealing my own car

. I haven't had it happen again, but I'm also not sure what caused it.

DaDuke99 · « **Reply #19 on:** January 03, 2019, 12:06:56 am »

Quote from: thedude on January 02, 2019, 10:57:46 pm

I had this same issue happen on my '13 WRX a couple months ago parked outside Canadian Tire. It worked to lock, then when I went to unlock it didn't - super odd. Had to go through the whole manual unlock setting the alarm off with people around looking as if I'm stealing my own car . I haven't had it happen again, but I'm also not sure what caused it.

Can Tire where you are, or here? The parking lot at the one in Country Hills is really bad for seemingly disabling my fob

thedude · « **Reply #20 on:** January 03, 2019, 07:09:42 pm »

Quote from: DaDuke99 on January 03, 2019, 12:06:56 am

Can Tire where you are, or here? The parking lot at the one in Country Hills is really bad for seemingly disabling my fob

In Kelowna. I was parked in a stall approx two driving lanes width from the front doors of the store.

DaDuke99 · « **Reply #21 on:** January 03, 2019, 09:06:40 pm »

Maybe it's something they use in the stores...

64bit · « **Reply #22 on:** January 13, 2019, 11:57:08 am »

This happens with my 18 STi occasionally too. It’ll lock but not unlock in the same spot randomly, might do the reverse, etc. Often I just lightly slap the key fob on my leg and presto it works. I just dismiss it as a not so well made key fob.

MRS.Bignerd · « **Reply #23 on:** January 30, 2019, 10:00:09 pm »

Hmmmmmm.....
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/carstairs-westview-co-op-grocery-car-key-fob-1.4999558?fbclid=IwAR2BCObR47f26a8eYz1C3Yq8bmOfYdcXRN-ZRQW69Uvonx8hsC-RTymxqwY

One of the comments :Here's my theory... The radio frequency of remote key entry devices is 315 Mhz. Someone in the general area of this grocery store is being a little malicious (or having fun) and has a radio transmitter running at that frequency. If the transmitter has a high enough power output, most car receivers would be unable to pick up the car owner's key fob signal, which transmits quite a low power encrypted signal . The law authorities have to detect where this signal is coming from, disable it, arrest the person, and the problem should be solved.

Someone suggested buying a radio frequency scanner from Amazon, was about $30 USD and scanning for frequencies/radio signals. So might end up doing that.

Rathburn · « **Reply #24 on:** January 31, 2019, 01:10:28 pm »

Quote from: MRS.Bignerd on January 30, 2019, 10:00:09 pm

Hmmmmmm.....
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/carstairs-westview-co-op-grocery-car-key-fob-1.4999558?fbclid=IwAR2BCObR47f26a8eYz1C3Yq8bmOfYdcXRN-ZRQW69Uvonx8hsC-RTymxqwY

It's reached the greater internet outside of Canada now, so you should have an explanation and solution within a week.

https://gizmodo.com/a-mysterious-force-is-blocking-car-key-fobs-in-this-sma-1832232272