Fix poor range on remote key fob for S70

Post by **scot850** » 31 Oct 2016, 12:23

Transmitter chips fail over time. It is why WIFI gets poorer in your house over time. It also affects cell phones and any other device that use transmitters. It may help to amplify the receiver as it is un-likely you can improve the transmitter in the fob. I'm not sure with the European versions as I think they got proximity chips earlier in the keys, but the fobs are fairly cheap to buy and you should be able to program them yourself.

Neil.

Waltazhaar · Post by **Waltazhaar** » 31 Oct 2016, 13:15

scot850 wrote:Transmitter chips fail over time. It is why WIFI gets poorer in your house over time. It also affects cell phones and any other device that use transmitters. It may help to amplify the receiver as it is un-likely you can improve the transmitter in the fob. I'm not sure with the European versions as I think they got proximity chips earlier in the keys, but the fobs are fairly cheap to buy and you should be able to program them yourself.

Neil.

On the 850 models programming them to the car yourself is possible. I'm not sure if it's possible with the X70 models?

Waltazhaar · Post by **Waltazhaar** » 31 Oct 2016, 13:19

I'm going to try to amplify the receiver in the car, I just need to know exactly which unit it is I'm looking for. Not that I'm opening the wrong unit. It's hard to find out as it seems that not so many people have done this operation?

Post by **scot850** » 31 Oct 2016, 16:03

As I don't play with the euro versions, they can have different specs to North American cars. Hence my point with the chipped keys as I know some places in Europe had those earlier than we did over here (I will be corrected but I'm sure it is 99- over here that had those). Having looked into it further, it appears you need to have the dealer programme it. For your year, it may be a fairly easy job for the dealer to program a new unit. Appreciate the cost will likely be higher, but unless you want the learning curve and challenge, then that may be the cheaper fix in the long run.

Neil.

Post by **BEJinFbk** » 31 Oct 2016, 23:23

mecheng wrote:I have the same problem, I notice it is worst when I am closer to downtown; I think all the radio waves interfere with the transmission.

My 850 doesn't have the same problem. I think extending the antennae would work if its possible.

We had an OEM keyless remote system that went mega squirrely when it was parked
within a few blocks of a really old ( late 40's) TV transmitter. Drive it out of the area
and it worked just fine. We recoded and all was well. But that was an early 90's GM.
Unfortunately, recoding is not much of an option with a rolling code 9166200 remote...

Also worth pointing out that antennas are tuned to specific frequencies. Extending it
might actually reduce sensitivity, especially when you're dealing with a low power fob.

Do both fobs have poor range no matter where you are?