Key fob range is total pants!

[Westy]

Why would my key fob only have a range of a metre even with brand new batteries in?

 

[NHN]

2nd fob ok?

could be the fob antenna is damaged somehow

You could get another one on ebay & swap the bottom part over & then code the remote locking functions to work with your car as this is possible easily with vag, just the immo part not so easy but immo is in top half so no need to change that part

 

[Westy]

nice one buddy. I just swapped the top part over from my spare key fob and now I can unlock/lock the car from the house

 

[NHN]

You should try swapping back & try the battery from the spare fob to see for sure if its the old fob at fault fella, so you know what to replace, remotes are feck all tbh on fleabay, make sure same frequency & its hidden behind the blade when flipped out or inside between the 2 halfs

 

[<tuffty/>]

Could try putting the fob to your head and press the button... actually increases the range... as proven by Clarkson on Top Gear

<tuffty/>

 

[NHN]

actually funny you should say that cause if you hold a radio antenna you get improved signal so would seem to be true as same principle, lol

 

[Westy]

The damn range has got worse again! I've tried changing different parts (key, buttons, batteries) between my 2 key fobs but its just as bad on both! Any other ideas or should I just buy a brand new fob and get it coded?

 

[NHN]

If they have worsened again then its doubtful being the fob fella cause it was working fine, I'm just checking but you did buy a brand new battery not one that you thought was new, I have to ask as simple things are usually the ones that cause, but it would seem the issue is on the car then fella, I need to check where the receiver is in elsawin, if anyone in meantime can help please chirp in while I have a look through schematics.

 

[Westy]

Yeah I bought brand spanking new batteries 4 weeks ago. The fob is very random, one minute it will work from range, the next time I'll have to get close to the car!

I need VAGCOM

 

[Prawn]

this is going to sound stupid, but is there anything near you which could be interfering with your key fob?

I've found, rather bizzarely, that my key fob range is decreased to less than 4ft in my local B&Q carpark.

At first, I thought it was bad luck and the batteries had died, so I bought new ones in B&Q and replaced them there and then, and it still didn't improve much.

Then when I got home, the range was back to normal!

I've found over the past year, that only ever in the B&Q car park in fratton, I need to point my key right up into the car from close range to get it to lock or open, yet as soon as I get home or anywhere else, it works perfectly from 20-30 metres away!

Sounds like madness I know, but I'm 100% sure there's something in the area that's interfering with it.

 

[vrbob]

i noticed mine seems to be better if i am facing the bonnet rather than the boot of the car. guess it must have something to do with where the sensor is located

 

[Westy]

Good ideas guys but it happens wherever I am sometimes good sometimes bad. I'm starting to collect electrical faults on the S3 now so i'm starting to think that its probably something to do with that!