I've heard you shouldn't keep the key-fob hanging in the garage with your vehicle or it will kill the fob batteries staying connected, how far apart do you need to keep it? In particular I'd like to keep the fob for my Harley trike in the same pole building where the trike is for convenience sake but don't want to kill the battery. @Raider Bill (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php?action=profile;u=4445) with your trike or other Harleys do you have the fob or regular key?
When I worked at the Toyota dealer, we told people to not leave key fobs for push button start vehicles too close because they would constantly try and communicate. Usually, a wall, or just far enough away that they won't work is safe. They are just small watch batts, and it didn't take much to drain them.
The trike has a fob. New fangled gadget for me.
Never gave it a thought. Mine is kept 40 feet sway inside the house.
I do keep it on the trike when riding in a pouch.
Key fob has remained in the vehicle when it is in the garage, for the last 13 years. Don't recall ever having to change out the battery. Maybe once, if at all.
Our FOBs live in the vehicles when they're in our yard. Never had an issue with a dead battery yet.
Hmmm all my crap is so old it's got regular keys. :)
Right there with you Nebraska.
My Harley fob has to be within 6-8 feet to allow the bike to start.
Quote from: beenthere on May 12, 2022, 08:54:44 PM
Key fob has remained in the vehicle when it is in the garage, for the last 13 years. Don't recall ever having to change out the battery. Maybe once, if at all.
A 13 year old fob is far different than one made this year.
My son's 2010 Prius "sees" the fob when your about 3' from one of its antennas. There is one by each front door handle and one for the lift gate. Then inside there are 2 or 3 more short range ones. I know how close you have to be to the outside ones because I forgot and had a fob in my pocket at night. Each time I walked by the car, the dome light would come on. So then I started playing a little game to see how well defined the areas were.
My 07 Toyota Blade probably uses the same system. Low level overhead and footwell lights come on when you walk up. Battery life on the fab seems OK, but we leave a spare battery in the glove box anyway. The backup mechanical key will unlock the door, but you need a live fob to start it. Lil's Xio is the same. Both are higher spec Japanese market versions, so have some of the Lexus grade stuff, even if it's from 15 years ago.
Ianab, in an emergency, with a dead fob batt, once your in the car, hold the fob over the start button, then push it. It may work 1 time, it may work 50 times, but when yoj get to that point you really need a fob batt!
I'm pretty sure I got a low battery warning for my fob a few days ago, but haven't seen it again. Seems like maybe I should replace them. I probably drain it some, additionally, from using it to roll down the windows (hold unlock) as I walk up to the car.
Quote from: Nebraska on May 12, 2022, 10:41:07 PM
Hmmm all my crap is so old it's got regular keys. :)
Just sold my '91 GMC that i owned for 30 years....didn't even have drink holders, now THAT'S OLD! 8)
My 1992 GMC has no fob, but you need two keys. One for the doors and one for the switch. 2003 Subaru Forester fob locks/unlocks doors only, and generally doesn't work at all in built up areas for some reason, even with new battery.
Wife has the fancy car 2018 Santa Fe Sport. Memory seats and outside mirrors etc.
Quote from: Old saw fixer on May 13, 2022, 02:47:16 PMMemory seats and outside mirrors etc.
Cool. You sit down and it does a rectal scan and adjusts for you?;)
My wife's new Subaru detects the fob when you are about 20 feet away. If it's dark the lights all come on and you can set it to unlock the drivers door also. When you sit in the drivers seat it scans you eyeballs and automatically adjusts the seat, mirrors, music, and temperature according to who is driving. It scared us at first but now that we have used it a while we love it. Yes we did buy the extended warranty 🤯.
They say don't store the fob near the car for best battery life.
If the fob battery is supposed to last longer away from the car how would it know to go to a "low power mode" with out constantly scanning for a signal to see if it is close to the car?
I guess it could just listen but not transmit to save battery life?
Disregard this post, just late night rambling!!
The wife's 15 Lexus while locked with the fob maybe 50 feet away, started raising the rear hatch, maybe 15 to 20 seconds later, would close it, then do it again a minute or two later. I thought great, what do we have to do, go to the dealer with the rear hatch going up and down going down the highway!
Called the dealer and they said we need to bring it in. Did some online investigating, and found the fob need the battery replaced!
Stupid dealer!
Then a month ago, it decided to lock the doors while the fob was inside it!
Another low battery issue! She does not trust closing the doors with the fob in it any more!
Quote from: ljohnsaw on May 13, 2022, 02:53:18 PM
Quote from: Old saw fixer on May 13, 2022, 02:47:16 PMMemory seats and outside mirrors etc.
Cool. You sit down and it does a rectal scan and adjusts for you?;)
LOL! No, two buttons on the door. #1 and #2. 1 is set for the owner and 2 is set for my taller, fatter body.
I am trying to get used to this newfangled technology. I dropped a friend at the airport and brought her 2019 Kia to her home rather than pay to store it at the airport. Stopped at Walmart then couldn't start the DanG thing. I hadn't pressed the brake pedal ::) I am definitely not a fan of this gee whiz gosh golly bling but guess I will have to get used to it.
I believe that none of these thoughts apply to the old key fobs where you pushed a button to lock or unlock the doors, they only communicated when you pushed the button, these new fobs that can stay in your pocket are where things get weird. In some Google searching I see where thieves can boost and or relay the signal to open or start your vehicle while the fob is still in your possession, in certain areas people store the fob in a special pouch or box to block the signal, weird!
Both of our vehicles are FoMoCo-2015 F-150 w/key start and 2019 Lincoln Nautilus w/push button start. I always leave my key or fob in house at home and inside the vehicle and lock the door away from home as I dislike the big pricey fobs in my pocket.
Fords all have the coded door locks on the driver side pillar. No garage factor here, just a gravel driveway and fobs and keys last OK over many, many vehicles. I built Euro wrecks for years and lots of them had push start and rarely bought a battery for anything.