Stranded - Immobiliser & Radio Interference

[fossyant]

Filled up at a local BP station yesterday, and the car refused to do anything. Locked, unlocked, alarm off, turn key, nothing. Battery etc all fully charged as the car has recently done two trips of over 200 miles (not been used a lot since May). Situation not helped by having wife in car. I explained we needed to shift it to a parking spot as I suspected radio interference with the transponder. Phoned son to get spare key, but he was in the shower and wasn't coming.

Unfortunately, the space we could get the car in was occupied by a car for about 20 minutes. Once he went, jumped out, pushed the car 20 feet. Parked, and hey ho, started.

The garage has a number of retailers in there, Asda, BP, Subway, Gregs etc and dishes on the roof. We're also near an industrial estate. It's happened before but I've usually been able to get enough signal - this is rare though. I had an issue many years ago with a previous car in hospital grounds, and apparently it was a common issue due to all the transmitters.

Car has been fine since.

 

[cougie uk]

Does the car ignition not have a key ? Would radio interference interrupt wiring ?

 

[fossyant]

Does the car ignition not have a key ? Would radio interference interrupt wiring ?

It's key, The key has a transponder chip in it that requires no power, and I can only think the radio emissions in that particular spot were too strong. Literally moving the car solved it !

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

This was a known issue with P38 Range-Rovers too (2nd generation), as local RF interfered

 

[Dadam]

Could the keyfob battery be on its way out? Lower voltage so the signal isn't high enough to overcome the interference.
Reminder to me that my car has been nagging me about the keyfob battery being low for weeks now! Last time I found a couple on ebay as they're not a common size like a CR2032.

 

[fossyant]

Could the keyfob battery be on its way out? Lower voltage so the signal isn't high enough to overcome the interference.
Reminder to me that my car has been nagging me about the keyfob battery being low for weeks now! Last time I found a couple on ebay as they're not a common size like a CR2032.

No as the remote lock un lock works fine, and the transponder actually sits in the blade part of the key where there is no power. Tried again this morning, no issues. Always worth keeping a few coin buttons in stock as remotes do just 'stop' if you leave them too long.

 

[screenman]

Guys, if you do change your own key battery use a decent one. most of the car key guys I know of use Panasonic, we have had cases where nothing else will work on some VW cars.

 

[Drago]

Could be the immobiliser antenna on its way out.