Locked Out Of Car

[mark.wallace@mawallace1.d]

Had problem this morning that the car would not let me unlock it - no problem with Battery in fob.

Went half an hour later and managed to get it unlocked - by pressing fob repeatedly around car - the car only unlocked when I pressed the fob while resting keys on the bonnet.

Car now fine again.

Dealer says something probably jammed signal.

I have three questions:-

(i) As I deadlock the car is there any way into the car if this happens again?

(ii) Where is the receiver situated in the car?

(iii) Is this "jamming" of signal a common problem?

I have a 52 plate Avensis by the way!

[CircularSaw]

Had problem this morning that the car would not let me unlock it - no problem with battery in fob.

Went half an hour later and managed to get it unlocked - by pressing fob repeatedly around car - the car only unlocked when I pressed the fob while resting keys on the bonnet.

Car now fine again.

Dealer says something probably jammed signal.

I have three questions:-

(i) As I deadlock the car is there any way into the car if this happens again?

(ii) Where is the receiver situated in the car?

(iii) Is this "jamming" of signal a common problem?

I have a 52 plate Avensis by the way!

i) Yes. You need something called a "slim-jim". It's something police and car thieves use to get into cars. Trust me....you don't want to go to Halfords and ask if they sell slim-jims.

ii) The receiver is most probably in the engine bay near a wheel arch...though I never bothered checking. Most cars have it there.

iii) Jamming is not common..though with all the crap and rogue radiowaves in the air nowadays, it's not surprising. Jamming shouldn't be what you're worrying about. Intercepting is far worse. If someone intercepts your signal, they can then clone your key fob and get into your car. Though I doubt they'd bother with a 52 Avensis. Maybe if you had a Porsche. :P

[Bosnjo]

It hapened to me once at the airport surface parking lot, on my previous car (VW). I thought it was keyfob Battery and went to buy a new one. No help, car just wouldn't unlock. Car had alarm with security switch lock in the engine compartment. I was just about to open it by putting the key in the door lock and then opening the hood and turning security lock switch. I've tried few more times with remote, running arround the car and it unlocked. I drove away and checked it later. It was fine. It hasn't hapened again. Just for curiosity, one day I went back to the same parking lot and it hapened again, only this time I have switched the alarm off. And realy, that time I had to unlock it with the key in the door lock. Why it all hapened? Because of many radio waves in the air at that spot. It has never hapened again (and have never parked at that spot at the airport).

[Chris Dance]

Radio masts cause this problem. happened to me whilst visiting friends in Essex. My mate wrote to the radio mast company and they say they have reduced the signal and it is all ok now. I will find out as I am visiting my mate on Sunday.