key fob dead zone?

[Toby]

My wife parked at a small business this afternoon. When she came out she couldn't unlock the door of our 23 SV+. She used the fob key to get in but the car would not start. She got a message that there was no key. She figured that the key fob needed a new battery and went back into the business to use the phone to call me. The receptionist told her that their location was a key fob "dead zone." Apparently ours was the only EV to experience this; there have been many ICE cars that did. So many that they approached other businesses and called up dealers without result. By holding her key fob up to the start button my wife managed to get our car to move. When she got a block away all the normal dash stuff lit up and the car has behaved perfectly since.

Has anyone else heard of this?

 

[henrydehoja]

I haven't heard of a key fob "dead zone".

It could be that the business area your wife visited has various wireless signals bouncing around the area that interfere with the radio signals transmitted by the vehicle key fobs.

 

[LeftieBiker]

What was the stuff that lit up after she left the DZ?

 

[Toby]

It could be that the business area your wife visited has various wireless signals bouncing around the area that interfere with the radio signals transmitted by the vehicle key fobs.

That's my theory too. Like you, I had never heard of a key fob dead zone. Apparently it happens as this story explains. Theirs turned out to be a faulty car alarm. For sure there are other things that can spew out RF noise.

What was the stuff that lit up after she left the DZ?

The vehicle information display that is normally in front of the driver. She actually was able to get the car into drive and go down an alley without the display. A block away the display came on. Magic!

 

[Toby]

It did it again. Same symptoms; same location. My wife told the receptionist at the office she was at who responded, "Not again!" The receptionist has seen this with so many cars that she was able to take my wife through the process of starting the car. As before, a block away and all symptoms vanished and the car is back to normal.

Definitely some radio noise in that area.

Here's a similar story. Fob interrupted: Why you may have trouble locking your car in downtown St. John's

The fix may be don't park there.

 

[Stanton]

The fix may be don't park there.

...and wear a radioactive-proof suit when you do!

 

[msav]

Perhaps report the area to the FCC. so they can make sure that there is not someone in the area using an illegal signal blocker.

 

[RPaulThomas]

You can also check www.tvfool.com if there are any UHF TV transmitters in the area. Most fobs are in the 300 MHz range, but so are some UHF channels. If one is nearby (and maybe 'dirty' frequencies) it would absolutely drown out your fob mW power, and the car receiver.

But I agree with msav, FCC needs to know there might be competing frequency use. In case its its a ham operator with too much power.