Key Fob Unlock/Lock Distance from Car

[Kudeltman]

So I was just wondering if it was just me or everyone, but it seems like I cant be more than like 5 feet away from the car or the key fob wont lock/unlock the car.

Almost like the battery is dead, but ive taken it on quite a few longer drives which I thought was supposed to recharge the battery in the key fob but no luck.

Thoughts?

[wabbit]

i have the same problem, im also owner of a 1 series, i had try it in an x5 and there was no problem, i think its just in the 1 series

[bakuretsu]

Plugging the fob into the car definitely charges it, but I also noticed with my 128 that the lock/unlock doesn't work from the same distance my little Civic used to...

I used to be able to look out the second-floor window of my apartment down to my car (about 75 feet, say) and see the lights flash.

With the 128 it works from about 30 feet on a good day, usually more like 20. I figured it was a security feature so you couldn't accidentally unlock it when you aren't near enough to know what happened.

On a side-note, I sort of wish the 128 had the feature where the car will lock silently on the first press, but on a second press will emit a beep or *something* so you know it's locked, in the event that you didn't see the lights flash the first time.

[Itanius]

Want more range? Touch the fob to your chin then press the button.

If your range is getting low, the battery in the fob can be changed. Search the forums here; I read a thread on it not too long ago.

[ianc]

Try it with the other fob you received with the car as a test,

ianc

[ennislaw]

Originally Posted by Kudeltman

So I was just wondering if it was just me or everyone, but it seems like I cant be more than like 5 feet away from the car or the key fob wont lock/unlock the car. Almost like the battery is dead, but ive taken it on quite a few longer drives which I thought was supposed to recharge the battery in the key fob but no luck. ... ?

I've got a 2010 135i that is driven maybe once or twice a week (yeah I know ) and the key fob works at least as far away as 30 feet, I haven't tried it any further.

pge

[romak47]

damn.. my 1 is like 2 years old now .. and i wanna know why it takes like 30 ft to unlock it..

havent tried my other key fob as a test but i know for a fact its been a short range even when i drove it home from the dealership as new!..


how many feet distance to unlock it will new batteries increase??

[Tom K.]

My '08 128i has Comfort Access which will not operate the windows and top further than 10 feet away. But the car will lock and unlock up to about 90 feet.

Incidentally, a young (late 20's?) guy in a Chevy parked next to me today and after his car locked with lights flashing & horn blowing, the motor started as he was walking away. As there was no one in the car, I can only assume that he wanted to keep the A/C on while he shopped at the local drug store - even though the temp was a beautiful 80o with low humidity. I wonder what kind of gas mileage he gets??

Tom

[Lester]

What a moron that Chevy driver was, you should have called the police. It's illegal to leave an unattended car running like that.

[dmailloux]

Originally Posted by mvaccaro

lol it's called remote starter and it's not illegal

I think Lester was joking amigo--- oh and happy Cinco de Mayo everyone

[Bimmer-Bob]

Originally Posted by mvaccaro

lol it's called remote starter and it's not illegal

Starting you car remotely is one thing, but what Lester was saying was illegal was the fact that the guy then left his running vehicle unattended while he went shopping. How or where he started it from has nothing to do with it.

I, too, have noticed that the key fob seems to have less range than others I've used. But then, who cares? How far away do you really need to be to lock or unlock your car?

[rsjean]

Never really tested the range of my remote. I thought the intent was to lock or unlock the car without having to 1) put a key in the door or push down a button and 2) to not have to wait for the door to unlock when you approach your car to drive it.

Therefore if it works from 1 to 10 feet away, it works for me.

Maybe someday I will get bored enough at home where I will want to stand upstairs in the bedroom window and lock and unlock the car from 30 - 50 feet away just to watch it react. Then is when I will complain about the range of my remote.

[Bimmer-Bob]

Originally Posted by rsjean

Maybe someday I will get bored enough at home where I will want to stand upstairs in the bedroom window and lock and unlock the car from 30 - 50 feet away just to watch it react. Then is when I will complain about the range of my remote.

[Lester]

Originally Posted by mvaccaro

lol it's called remote starter and it's not illegal

Unattended auto theft


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For more information, contact:
Dec. 23, 2009 KCPD Media Unit
816-234-5170

Police ask public to stop leaving cars running unattended to avoid theft

Kansas City Police are asking residents to stop leaving their cars running unattended because it makes them an easy target for thieves.

From Nov. 1 to Dec. 18, 2009, one-fifth of cars stolen in the city had been left running unattended. The problem is the worst in the southern part of the city. Nearly 40 percent of stolen cars in the South Patrol Division were taken when they were left running unattended. In Metro Patrol, that number was about 28 percent. KCPD crime analysts believe those numbers are even higher because some victims are too embarrassed to report that they’d left their car running.

The bulk of the thefts happen when drivers leave their car warming up in their driveway, but many have happened at convenience stores. Victims think they can pop quickly into the store but then come out to find the car they left running stolen.

“We’ve come across some thieves who just wait outside convenience stores for someone to go inside and leave their car on,” said Sergeant Keith Ericsson of the East Patrol Property Crimes Section.

Detectives say that locking a running car is no protection from thieves – they can break the window out in seconds. Even newer cars with remote-start options are not safe at the hands of an experienced car thief.

Not only is leaving your car running unattended unwise, it’s illegal. City Ordinance 70-251 prohibits it and makes it punishable by a fine of $43.50.

The following table outlines how many cars have been stolen in each patrol division from Nov. 1 to Dec. 18, 2009, and how many were left running unattended, according to police reports:



South Patrol
Metro Patrol
East
Patrol
Central
Patrol
Shoal Creek Patrol
North Patrol
TOTAL
Total cars stolen 11/1-12/18/09

46
60
141
111
37
28
423

Cars running unattended

18
17
24
18
3
4
84

Percent of stolen autos running unattended

39%
28%
17%
16%
8%
14%
20%

[Lester]

Originally Posted by mvaccaro

lol it's called remote starter and it's not illegal

12/16/2005

Police Remind Motorists not to Leave a Car Running and Unattended

The Montgomery County Police Department would like to remind our community members of the importance of not leaving their cars unattended while they are running/warming up.
The colder than normal temperatures so far this month, make it very tempting for drivers to want to warm up their cars in the morning; and leave them running when they are making short stops, such as getting coffee at a convenience store. That practice is an open invitation to car thieves.
On Friday, December 9, a 40-year-old female employee was using her employer’s 1995 Acura Integra and went outside at approximately 9:10 a.m. to warm it up. The car was parked in the area of Lockwood Drive in the Burnt Mills community of Silver Spring. The car was left unlocked and running for about five minutes. When the employee returned, the car was gone. The theft was reported to police and a lookout for the vehicle was dispatched. At approximately 6:45 p.m. on Sunday, December 11, 3rd District Officer Brad Schmidt saw the stolen Acura in the vicinity of New Hampshire Avenue and Lockwood Drive. He attempted to make a traffic stop, but the driver fled. After a short pursuit, the driver bailed out and was later caught by Officer Schmidt on Stewart Lane. Joshua Gaines, age 18, of the 11500 block of Stewart Lane in Silver Spring, was arrested and charged with auto theft.
Last year, from January through the end of February, seventeen cars were stolen that were left running and unlocked. These crimes are certainly preventable. Along with the car owner’s inconvenience and the personal trauma of becoming a crime victim, stolen cars can be used to commit other crimes. The cars that are stolen can also be used by juveniles who drive recklessly and further endanger other lives. There have been instances when a small child was left in an unattended running vehicle, and when the car is stolen, the child is unknowingly kidnapped. Leaving a car running and unattended on a public street, highway, or public parking area is a violation of the State of Maryland Vehicle Law, Article 21 Section 1101 (a). The penalty for this violation is a $60 fine and one point on your driving record. The Maryland Vehicle Law requires that a driver turn the engine off, lock the ignition, remove the keys, and set the brake before leaving a car. Also, if your vehicle is stolen with the use of a key, it could result in sanctions by the vehicle’s insurer. These penalties can range from a premium increase to failure to renew the policy. # # #
Contact: Media Services Division Phone: 240.773.5030

[Lester]

Originally Posted by mvaccaro

lol it's called remote starter and it's not illegal

Leaving Your Car Running Unattended Could Cost You More Than Your Vehicle
Leaving your car running unattended

Leaving your car running unattended might warm your vehicle up during these winter months, but it can also be illegal.
The obvious concern with leaving your car running unattended is that it can be stolen and police say when that happens they have to dedicate several officers to the case which ties up their already limited resources.

Getting into a freezing car is an experience just about all of us try to avoid.
"Generally in the morning, I'll go out and fire it up for 5-10 minutes," said John Parker, a Reno driver.
"This time of year? I just did it when i left work," said Randy Ewert, another driver.
"I usually go out by like 7:45 to warm it up," said Stevi Tathan. "It takes like 15 minutes to warm up."
But Reno Police say if you do that on a public street, you will be cited and fined for more than a hundred dollars. Sergeant Rob VanDiest says police get about two calls a week during the winter from people who have their cars stolen after leaving them running unattended.
"In fact, right now, we are watching a car that was just stolen when someone went inside and we're just waiting to see if anyone comes back to that as we speak," said VanDiest.
One driver we spoke with says he understands the risk, but instead of no longer doing it, he's decided to improvise.
"I've got a keyless lock so I can lock the car," said Ewert. "I come back and key in the combo get in the car and drive away."
Sergeant VanDiest says he understands the need to stay warm, but wants drivers to understand the police department's need to patrol other crimes with a full staff.
"Look at the manpower we have now on this one: where an individual left their car running," said Sgt VanDiest. "Now, I've got 4-5 guys watching this stolen car and it just ties us up."
Sgt VanDiest says the Reno Police Department typically gets about 50 calls a year about unattended vehicles being stolen. He says most of those cases were crimes of opportunity where a passerby simply used the vehicle to drive home or to work.

[Lester]

Originally Posted by mvaccaro

lol it's called remote starter and it's not illegal

Cars Left Running Ticketed


In Kennewick, Wash., police are writing tickets to folks who leave their cars running unattended, even in their own driveway. At first we thought this might have to do with pollution, but no — the cops are issuing the tickets because cars that are left running are much more likely to get stolen. A stolen car costs law enforcement time and money in paperwork and man hours that they’d rather spend on crimes that are harder to prevent. What gets us is that you can get a ticket — although a reduced, $66 one — in your own driveway, as well as on a public street (that one will cost you $101). Supposedly, this isn’t a unique situation and police are doing this elsewhere. If this has ever happened to you, let us know.
Editor’s note: We don’t advise ever leaving your car running unattended. We’re just shocked that it’s a ticketable offense.
[Citations For Cars Left Running, KNDO.com]

[Lester]

Originally Posted by mvaccaro

even though you can start the car remotely, you can't turn the steering wheel or change the transmission from parking.....also it shutts of after 10 mins automatically

So there is no chance for it to get stollen... at least as much chance as the car is not started

so if you can see the car i see no reason while you can't start it remotely

Tell it to the Judge, Son.

Leaving a car running while unattended is illegal in many cities, not just for the obvious reason of theft, but also becasue you are burning fuel unneccesarily and casuing more pollution. In Vancouver, tour busses will get fines now if they are left idling while the passengers go in for lunch. The same for trucks and taxis. In my opinion, remote starters should be banned, period. If you aren't behind the wheel, there is no reaon for your engine to be running.

[Lester]

Originally Posted by mvaccaro

Lol at causing more pollution .....

I'm close to the car and I want to remote start it to warm up or cool down the interior I don't think that means unattended and thus not illegal

Sorry, but if you are not within two strides of the car when it is running, locked or not, it is still unattended. Therefore, you are subject to an immediate fine of $200, and you must go directly to jail.

[FJUNO78]

Originally Posted by Itanius

Want more range? Touch the fob to your chin then press the button.

+1

using your noggin as an antenna

[Dackelone]

Originally Posted by FJUNO78

+1

using your noggin as an antenna

I was JUST gonna post that! That is the ol' Jeremy Clarkson trick!!