Em Bee Lover

This is wholly different from recent "starting issue" post.

2007 Designo Launch w/89k miles. This just began.....come out in the morning, car has sat at least 10 hours. Key fob is less than a foot from key less insert. Push button. Nothing registers. Push button again, "key not recognized" shows. Push again, car starts on first turnover. The starts okay, it's getting the wireless code accepted/found, it appears.

What's weird is that is the one and only time this occurs. The rest of the day, I could have the fob in my pocket and one push of the button and off it goes. No recognition issues or nothing. I could have 10 stops and restarts and it always works.

Let it sit over night and try starting and bang, 1. nothing registers 2. key not recognized 3. car starts

Need new battery in fob? What's confusing is once it gets recognized, it's recognized until it sits in the cold garage over night. I am in darn cold Wisconsin. Temp likely not an issue, but provide as backdrop.

Any and all thoughts appreciated. I'm afraid if I ignore, I'll be left sitting soon.

Thanks.

ruflife1

Happen to me once and a new battery in the key fixed it. Curious if putting the key in the ignition would work instead of using the push button. A friend had the problem of hitting the button and nothing happening. I looked at it, pulled the button out, ( just pops off ) and found a piece of his daughters lollipop between the button and the bezel. It left him stranded at a movie theater for a couple of hours. Try it in the morning without the button and the key in the ignition and let me know if it starts right up or not. Curious to know.

DaveW68

It could be a module within the car that is slow at responding in bitter cold temps....if it turns out a new battery doesn't fix the problem.

GO PACK GO!!

Em Bee Lover

I will try key only tomorrow. Still getting to 0* F or lower at night, so temp may be a factor. I will also replace the fob battery(ies), after trying tomorrow. Wouldn't know how to cope w/ an inexpensive fix.....smile. Right front strut just died a few weeks ago. Just bring money.

Thanks for replies.

Oh, I do live in Green Bay, so thanks for the GO PACK GO! Looks to be +15* this Sunday. No weather repeat of the famed Cowboys/Packers Ice Bowl of the mid-sixties, where the game time temp was 13* BELOW zero and wind chill of minus 43*. Yikes.

Em Bee Lover

Rulife1....This morning, after a many degree below zero night in an attached, but unheated garage, I did what you suggested.

Key fob was w/in a foot of the ignition. Pressed key less button once and got "key not recognized". Removed key less dongle, inserted key, turned car over and immediately started.

Had to stop at CPA's office. Removed key. Reinserted key less dongle. Returned 15" later, pressed dongle, w/ key fob in pocket and car immediately started.

The net is things must be related to sitting unused in bitter cold. Doesn't make sense, as there have been instances of similar weather over the yrs. But it's a deduction. As an aside to battery strength, hitting unlock from 50' away still activates the courtesy lighting and unlocks the doors. If battery was weak, wouldn't the function range be diminished?

It's not the end of the world; the car starts. It's just strange and mildly inconvenient.

Thanks for any input.

ruflife1

The good thing is we know that the car shouldn't leave you stranded as long as the key in the ignition activates the car. I think I would try a new battery and see if that makes any difference. If that does not change anything, I would get a new keyless dongle. They are about $30 off of ebay, or online. I don't know what is in the dongle that makes it operate. ( magnets, or whatever ) Seems something would have to be in there to bridge the connections. Interested to know if the battery would do the trick.

jfz219

I have had the same experience with key not detected. In all of the events, I used the key to unlock the doors. This immediately paired the key and the keyless function returned.

Em Bee Lover

JFZ219---Bingo.

The "key not recognized" issue arose during shuddering below zero temps. I thought that was impacting the function.

The net is, your advice was spot-on. I rarely lock/unlock the vehicle w/ the fob buttons. If I do lock it, it's w/ a hand swipe.

I did not change fob batteries. I did use the fob to lock/unlock the vehicle a couple times. There was no instance of "not recognized" subsequent.

Purposely, I left the fob in the car overnight in the unheated garage. Temp dropped to near zero. My feeling was if the fob and car was frigid, the recognition issue would arise, as before, if cold was the culprit. It didn't. Pushed the key less button once this morning and off we went.

Strangely, in all the four + yrs. of ownership, this is the first recognition issue. In this instance, repairing/recoupling via remote key locking was the fix.

I appreciate everyone's input and help.

Luxury4play

I was told by a tech the interior Antenna could be a culprit.