My 2001 Forester keyless transmitters seem to use up their batteries after a couple of months. Intermittently, the LED doesn't even light, so that would rule out problems with the receiver in the car. I have considered these possible causes:
If it's possible for a lithium battery to die in spurts, then I'd lean toward (1) as the cause.
Hm, I still have the original battery in my remote from '01, it's probably identical to yours. Something is definitely not right. You're saying this happens with more than one remote? How do you carry them, could it be as simple as the button getting pressed in your pocket?
Exactly what I was going to suggest. I had a remote for my old TransSport that would start the car when I walked by it if I had the keys and my wallet in the same pocket. REALLY hard on remote batteries in that mode as well.
Try changing the battery using one from a different batch i.e., not Radio Shack. Try to find a place that tends to sell a lot of batteries. If that solves the problem, it was probably old stock. I doubt that there's anything wrong with the circuit. They tend to simply not work if there's a short.
A question about keyless entry: do the batteries go out gradually or suddenly? If they go out suddenly and you need to open the door with the key, how do you turn off the alarm that will be triggered?
My new Outback doesn't have the optional impact sensor, but it does blink the alarm-active light when it's just sitting there, and as near as I can figure from the manual, the alarm will go off if I open the door without deactivating the alarm first, even if I use the proper key for entry.
Patty
Most, if not all, alarm / imobiliser systems have an alternate way of turning them off ... usually is a long-winded process of turning the key in the ignition backwards and forwards through different positions numerous times in a preset order. Of course, while you're doing that the alarm is blasting in your ear. No doubt there's a similar process for a truly keyless car (those with engine start / stop buttons instead).
On the more sensible side, I personally always carry a spare battery and mini-screwdriver so I can easily replace the battery in the keyring control for my car's alarm. :-)
It's also possible that someone else with the same car or alarm system can use their remote to open your car for you. I'm not sure how true that is, but there have been many reports of people opening the wrong car by accident, and even one report of someone driving off in the wrong car before realising it. I do know that our electric garage door opener was often triggered by someone else (thanks to the builder using the same make on all the houses in the area) until we changed the code on it. :-\
Ah, you just jogged something in my mind! I think the salesman showed me that. There was no mention of it in the section of the manual I was reading last night, but I'll plough into it again.
Yes, that's a good idea. I'll investigate what kind of battery it takes.
Patty
There is some good information at Joe Spitz's informative Subaru website:
Last week, just to be on the safe side, I changed the batteries (3V lithium CR2025) in my 2005 WRX keyless entry remote fobs. They had never been changed before but were still working (my car was manufactured in May 2004). The batteries were available at my local hardware store at $6.50 for two including sales tax.
Ah, thanks for the reminder! He does explain things better than the manual does.
Gosh, just the keys on this car are more complicated than most of my previous cars themselves!
If I get out of the car and hand someone the valet key but I do not press the Lock button on my master key, I have not activated the alarm and all will be well with the valet key, right? I sure hope I don't have to go through the "valet mode" steps described on Joe's page every time I want to use the valet key. Okay, it isn't that often. :-) But still...
Patty
The battery in most remotes is only used when you press the buttons, and then only for a split second of power to send the signal, so they usually do last for years.
BUT, it's probably a good idea to replace the battery every couple of years anyway (or at least open up the remote and check the battery) just to make sure it doesn't start leaking and destroying the insides of the remote ... the remotes are ridiculously expensive to replace. :-(
eBay is your friend.
My Infiniti has that feature and just the other day a dashboard light came on to warn me that the battery was running low in my keyless entry gadget.
I recently got a RFID key and door lock key fob combo for 20 bucks on eBay. When I got the key cut at the hardware store, I inquired about the key blanks they had for sale. I was surprised that the prices range from $40 to $80. Of course, they don't sell the key fob at the store. The fob had guts that were used but the housing was new. The combo works fine although the buttons on the fob feel kind of mushy. What the heck, I feel a lot better having an extra set of keys around.
My experience as well. I might add that it was fairly simple to program a new fob for my car, a 2005 Impreza
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Are you saying that I could buy the correct type of fob second-hand (say on eBay) and program it to work with my Outback so that I would have a spare without spending a few hundred dollars?
Patty
Programing the Subaru fob seems pretty complicated! All I had to do for a Ford Escape is turn the key rapidly between lock and run eight times and then press a button on the fobs to program them. The transponder key is programed by simply inserting two working keys and turning it to run sequentially and then the third key is inserted and switched to run. Then you have to get out of the car and skip around the car two and a half times like a little girl, ending at the passenger side door. :-)
Oops: My fault entirely. I let out the clutch and floored the gas before I put my shifter in gear. That is, I did not double-check that link before inserting it in my message.
This is what it originally said: "Get in the car and sit down. Make sure the remotes are separate from the keys..(you'll see why) Shut the door. Turn the key in the ignition 10 times within 15 seconds. Turn it forward to just before where it would start. After 10 (sometimes 11) times, you will hear a beep. Keep the ignition in the on position and open and close the drivers side door. Press one of the buttons on one of the remotes. Open and close the drivers side door. Press one of the buttons on the other remote. Open and close the drivers side door. (Continue this if you have more than 2 remotes...you can program up to
4). After the last one, remove the key from the ignition and open and close the door. Then check the remotes. They should work. If you mess up something in the process, just open and close the drivers side door, take the key out and start over."I bought my extra key fob (new) from on eBay from Seller User ID: remotewholesale. It was $24.95 plus $5.95 shipping.
Separately, I bought a new remote key fob with programming instructions for my Mustang for $20.00 from Seller User ID: la-auto-specialties.
I was happy with both transactions.
As a side note, I sold the red convertible with black leather interior, V-8, and five-speed, and kept the WRX; I think everyone should own a red Mustang convertible at some point in their life -- they're great fun -- but the Subaru is just a far better car and a more satisfying experience all the way around. I highly respect engineers but the Mustang seemed to be designed by an engineer while the Subaru was designed by a DESIGNER.
Uh, okay. :-) Sounds like a really fun procedure to attempt. :-)
Another question: We were talking earlier about using the key to enter the car if the battery goes dead in the fob. My user's manual (in the section about the Immobolizer) says that the transponder in the fob is required not only to remotely unlock the doors, but also to start the ignition. So if the battery goes dead, I cannot in fact drive the car anywhere?
Patty
Not without someone giving you a jump start.
Now you can see why the dealers charge so much - it takes all day to do it and do it correctly. ;-)
A rather pointless gimmicky gizmo for the sake of lazy "convenience" of unlocking the doors when you're a few feet away. :-\
A side note, ALWAYS ALWAYS check that your doors are actually locked when using these things! (Which makes them even more pointless.) The passenger door on my car had a fault with the door lock motor, so although it made the right clicking sound, it wasn't actually locking ... something I noticed only when I got back in the car later. It would lock when done manually though from either inside or outside the car.
You might be able to bypass it, but it will require similar ignition-key-gymnastics to the above process.
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