Keyless Entry -- too weak??

Newscutter · Post by **Newscutter** » Wed May 31, 2006 7:33 pm

My dear fellow Bajans,

Where are the receiver(s) located for the keyless entry? It seems like our remotes/receivers are a little hard to connect. Approaching the truck from the driver's side, especially, I have noticed that sometimes it'll work from across the parking lot but when walking from a more modest distance (like less than 10 feet) the darn thing won't unlock until after I pressed the remote button 20-30 times and stood right outside the door for a red-faced and frustrated 3 minutes or so. Okay, slight exaggeration there. Seriously though, there a "sweet spot" if I aim it at the dash from beside the rear driver side door-- or from Neptune. Nothing in between really works... and with 2 kids I usually have to get it to connect TWICE to unlock the rear doors. I love the truck but this is BEYOND annoying. I've resorted to using the key in the lock several times-- with a KID in my arms, the whole reason I wanted keyless in the FIRST place. <sigh> Sorry. Yes, I've replaced the batteries; No, neither remote is any more successful than the other.

Thanks for any suggestions/ideas you have.

MCS

Incidentally -- both remotes seem to work much better from the passenger side of the truck.... which is why I thought maybe there were two receivers.

Atomis · Post by **Atomis** » Wed May 31, 2006 7:49 pm

Thats odd I get insane range with mine but to get it I have to hold it so the buttons are pointed at me and the bottom of the remote is pointed at the car try it out I bet it doubles it.

autumnmist83 · Post by **autumnmist83** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 8:16 pm

Mine is the same way. Its so weak I almost have to be at the truck to get it to lock. If I forget it hit it right a way I have to walk back till I am in reaching distances. My dad can get his from crazy distances.

Maybe I will have to hit up a dealer.

jaxed · Post by **jaxed** » Thu Jun 01, 2006 8:35 pm

My keyless works flawlessly from a long distance.

If I know my keyless entry systems (and I don't) I would say that there is a wire that acts as an antenna for the keyless entry. This wire probably comes out of the receiver. Perhaps this wire is bunched up so that it doesn't pick up a signal very well. The question is, where is the receiver for the keyless? Does anybody know?

cyphergirl · Post by **cyphergirl** » Fri Jun 02, 2006 11:22 am

If the service techs at the dealership where I bought mine can be trusted, it's behind your radio.

I lived in Catonsville when I bought mine, and most of my errands took me to the part of town where the towers for Baltimore County's police/fire dispatch are located. Unfortunately the towers must operate on a similar frequency because anytime I was near them my remote would not work. One of the techs told me none of the Subie remotes work in that area and let me know that if I put the remote against the drivers window and aimed it right at the radio, the remote might be close enough that it would work. And it did -- nearly every time.

So try aiming for the radio folks; but don't yell at me if it doesn't work.

ebbie97 · Post by **ebbie97** » Mon Jun 05, 2006 8:18 am

That's an interesting point. It could well be a frequency issue and not so much a receiver location thing. Maybe the dealer can change the frequency of the remote in those areas?

Personally I have not experienced any difficulties.
-EB

mbaksic · Post by **mbaksic** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 7:45 pm

Don't laugh at this, it REALLY works. When you walk up to your Baja, place the remote under your chin, tight to your chin, then hit the unlock button. Your whole body acts as the transmitter, giving you alot better range. I use the aftermarket remote now for my remote start, so I don't do this with my Baja often, since the aftermarket remote works well. But if I am a long distance from my Baja, I do this, and it really increases your range. Learned this at a Dodge school years ago. With some of the Chrysler products, I can get the locks to unlock from over 100 feet away. Mike

Fuzzy · Post by **Fuzzy** » Tue Jun 13, 2006 10:38 pm

Mike,
I also do that. When I tell people they always laugh at me and say "what are you nuts". But of course they try it and they are amazed.

Fuzzy

mbaksic · Post by **mbaksic** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 7:17 pm

Fuzzy wrote:Mike,
I also do that. When I tell people they always laugh at me and say "what are you nuts". But of course they try it and they are amazed.

Fuzzy

Yup, it REALLY does work, and I am glad I am not the only one that is nutz around here!!!

Mike

jeffsmith · Post by **jeffsmith** » Wed Jun 14, 2006 9:25 pm

I would guess those of us with metal parts in our bodies
Should be able to unlock our Bajas from the next county

mbaksic · Post by **mbaksic** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 6:51 pm

jeffsmith wrote:I would guess those of us with metal parts in our bodies
Should be able to unlock our Bajas from the next county

Only if it is a plate in your head, to make a better antenna!!!! Mike

jeffsmith · Post by **jeffsmith** » Thu Jun 15, 2006 7:30 pm

Nah thats just about the only part of me without "aftermarket" parts

The Rock in my skull is hard enough anyway

Pow · Post by **Pow** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 10:00 am

cyphergirl wrote:I lived in Catonsville when I bought mine, and most of my errands took me to the part of town where the towers for Baltimore County's police/fire dispatch are located. Unfortunately the towers must operate on a similar frequency because anytime I was near them my remote would not work. One of the techs told me none of the Subie remotes work in that area and let me know that if I put the remote against the drivers window and aimed it right at the radio, the remote might be close enough that it would work.

I don't remember exactly what part of MD I was in at the time (I think the area where 70 intersects 695) and I had that exact problem. After setting off the alarm once I found that if I was right up on the glass with the transmitter I could work the keyless entry. This only happened once, haven't had any problems otherwise. Maybe it's an MD thing...

-Pow

cyphergirl · Post by **cyphergirl** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 11:22 am

Pow wrote: I don't remember exactly what part of MD I was in at the time (I think the area where 70 intersects 695) and I had that exact problem. After setting off the alarm once I found that if I was right up on the glass with the transmitter I could work the keyless entry. This only happened once, haven't had any problems otherwise. Maybe it's an MD thing...

-Pow

Actually, that pretty much is the area. The actual tower is at 695@40, but the exit for 70 is less than .5 mile away, so the remotes tend to be affected there as well.

Pow · Post by **Pow** » Tue Jun 20, 2006 12:21 pm

Yep, just checked old email and confirmed it. I had stopped on my way to Sonoma's Bar and Grille in Columbia. Definitely was an odd experience, but it got me to look up the means to disable the alarm via the key only... which I have since forgotten.

-Pow