My key fob does not seem to work 100% when I'm parked in my garage. At first I thought that the key fob was out of battery so I changed it and it seemed fine. Then it stopped working again about 90% of the time. This only happens in the garage. Has anyone had this problem before? It only happens in my garage so I'm not sure if anything is interfering with it but I've been in this house for over a year now and it just started happening. I don't think (not 100% sure though) it's the car battery since the car starts up fine. I've tried 2-3 other new batteries just in case the new one I put in was dead... The key fob works fine when I'm not in my garage. Anyone know what the problem is or what I should look for to find out if any other device is getting in the way?

 

parking structure garage or home garage?

 

Home garage. My parents don't have any problems with their remotes/cars. If it helps, sometimes the garage opener doesn't work (the Lexus Homelink and SOMETIMES the actual remote for the garage don't work). I'm thinking there's some sort of interference near that area? Also, the car sometimes won't start unless I put the key near the start button (a sign that the key fob battery is low) but this ONLY happens in the garage. As I said before, the car is perfectly fine when I leave my garage.

 

The only thing i can think of is if you are parked next to a lot of metal like a storage rack. Does this happen to the other remote as well?

 

Yea, it happens to both of my key fobs. I seriously thought that both of my key fobs ran out of battery (as well as my 4 other new/spare batteries). So far I only know of my 2 key fobs and the actual remotes for the garage have problems. I'm beginning to think that maybe the garage opening device (the box up on the ceiling with the light) is defective and messing with the frequencies? I don't think there are too many metal objects near that area and it's only been acting strange lately.

 

Are you parking next to another Toyota/Lexus? Is there any other type of wireless transmitter or radio in the area?

Javier

 

Hi--

What you have posted to date leads me to conclude that the data being sent from either of your fobs is being corrupted by another transmission source or through multipathing. Two questions: Are there flourescent lights turned on in the garage. These are notriously bad for splattering interference across a wide spectrum and could cause the problem you are experiencing. Any other possible transmission sources, i.e., active electrical devices nearby? The second question is whether your garage walls have wood or metal studs. Metal studs could cause multipathing (out of phase reflections from multiple sources (the metal studs) which could corrupt the data stream from the fob. It is very unlikely that the garage opener is the culprit because this is a receiver only and unless it is truly kaput in a mega way, it doesn't transmit anything.

Good luck--
Bill

 

Did you or your neighbors add a Wi-Fi transmitter for computer access? That could interfere. So could the addition of a cell site or realignment/expansion of current cell antennas in your area. we have had problems with interference in the cordless headsets from cell transmissions where I work.

 

Hmm... I just got back from my gf's place today and my car was fine in my garage. So far so good... not sure what happened or if it'll happen again. We don't have any other Toyota/Lexus cars. The only other cars in the garage are the 2 Benz and only one of them has the keyless start. As for the metal studs, I'm not sure what they are but my car was perfectly fine in the same garage for the entire year... We also have the flourescent lights but they have been in the garage the entire year as well. Do wi-fi transmitters affect the key fob? That could be another possibility. So far I'm thinking that it's either a microwave that's in the room next door, a neighbors wifi, or my garage opener is broken and interfering with my key fobs

 

The garage in my house is right next to my home office, from where I transmit my wi-fi over a wireless "g" band router--I have never had a problem in 2.5 years.

You may want to log a call to the dealer.

 

Hmm, I'm not sure it's the car because it only happens in my garage. The car is 100% fine everywhere else, including the area right outside the garage door. The dealership will probably lock/unlock the car a few times to check and send me on my way with a "complimentary" swirl car wash.