Key fob not working in cold weather only in the morning

My "totally without any mechanical knowledge" guess would be that somewhere in the door lock mechanicals, something involved with the locking/unlocking pieces is freezing and the motors that should move it are unable to overcome the resistance.

Other than opening the door(s) and checking all the moving parts of the locking mechanism, I don't know what you might be able to do about it.

Don't know if it has anything to do with it but car battery capacity might drop 20-30% in cold weather even if the battery is new. A double push of the open switch might be tried to see if other doors are opened. Then it might be related to mechanical. I think if none open then it might be battery related.

ock my car (2017 Subaru Outback) when it is extremely cold out and my car h as been sitting overnight. This has only started to occur within the last t wo days and only is an issue in the morning after my car has sat outside ov ernight.

tly normal in every other way. I am also able to lock my car with the key f ob without any issue after it has been driven. The fact that once the car h eats up the key fob has no issue makes me think it is an issue internal to the car and not the key fob.

e key fob to unlock my car after being at work and having my car sit outsid e for about 8 hours. The key fob even works from an extended distance so it doesn't seem like it is a issue with the battery within the key fob (I've also only had the car since September '16 so I would think the key fob batt ery would last longer than that).

Update: It definitely isn't the key fob battery. I replaced it last night a nd tested it out this morning and the it would not work. However, when I go t to work I was able to lock my car with the key fob. Seems to be something internal with the car that is not operating properly when the car has sat for awhile or is very cold.

ock my car (2017 Subaru Outback) when it is extremely cold out and my car h as been sitting overnight. This has only started to occur within the last t wo days and only is an issue in the morning after my car has sat outside ov ernight.

tly normal in every other way. I am also able to lock my car with the key f ob without any issue after it has been driven. The fact that once the car h eats up the key fob has no issue makes me think it is an issue internal to the car and not the key fob.

e key fob to unlock my car after being at work and having my car sit outsid e for about 8 hours. The key fob even works from an extended distance so it doesn't seem like it is a issue with the battery within the key fob (I've also only had the car since September '16 so I would think the key fob batt ery would last longer than that).

Update: The issue is not the battery in the key fob. I replaced it last nig ht but the car still would not respond to the key fob this morning. However , after driving to work I was able to lock the car with the key fob. Seems the issue is something within the car that is not working when the car has sat for awhile or is very cold.

nlock my car (2017 Subaru Outback) when it is extremely cold out and my car has been sitting overnight. This has only started to occur within the last two days and only is an issue in the morning after my car has sat outside overnight.

ectly normal in every other way. I am also able to lock my car with the key fob without any issue after it has been driven. The fact that once the car heats up the key fob has no issue makes me think it is an issue internal t o the car and not the key fob.

the key fob to unlock my car after being at work and having my car sit outs ide for about 8 hours. The key fob even works from an extended distance so it doesn't seem like it is a issue with the battery within the key fob (I'v e also only had the car since September '16 so I would think the key fob ba ttery would last longer than that).

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ight but the car still would not respond to the key fob this morning. Howev er, after driving to work I was able to lock the car with the key fob. Seem s the issue is something within the car that is not working when the car ha s sat for awhile or is very cold.

Any Update: This morning was much warmer than prior days and the key fob wo rked without any issue. It's pretty clear to me that this is an issue with something in the car itself and it is not operating when it gets too cold. I'm bringing the car in to the dealership for some regular maintenance so I will be making them aware of this issue and hopefully they can figure out what needs to be fixed.

Is the problem just one door?

I'm not sure anybody has asked this question so I will: Is your key fob kept in a warm place overnight or in a cold place such as an unheated "mud room"?

replying to russell.grimm22, bosco wrote: It's not the car. The problem is with the key fob. If it is warm it will work. If it is cold, it will not. Keep it in a warm place, like a trouser pocket.

Maybe it needs fresh batteries?

Certainly the first thing to try -- it is both cheap and easy.

Some of those fobs and keys are just about impossible to open, no matter how extensive your collection of watchmaker tools and dental picks ;-)

Could be that the one in question is especially difficult but I've had no problem with the dongle/key for my '08 OB and my '06 MX-5 and a couple of others I've changed for friends and neighbors. Haven't had to do anything with my '18 OB's dongle. A glance at the vehicle's owner's manual should give some good clues as to the difficulty but often the only requirement is a tiny Phillips screwdriver.

I do have the requisite tools and have been working on electronics for decades so maybe it just looks easier than it is to me. Dongles are far less scary than changing, for example, a glued-in battery in a mobile which was designed to be as difficult as possible.

I'm with you on that. Years back, I replaced the batteries in two model

4S iPhones. The thick slabs of glue holding them in was very difficult to defeat.

I am having the same problem with my Monte Carlo. I have changed the batter y to the Fob and a new battery in the car, it still does the same thing. Wi ll not unlock the door after a cold overnight. I researched it and found th at the lock actuators may be going bad so I planed on replacing them. They are relatively inexpensive - HOWEVER, investigating it more, I realized tha t not only do the locks not unlock after a cold night, the lights don't fla sh as they usually do. I haven't checked the trunk operations yet but I wil l in the morning. So, my conclusion is that it's unlikely to be the door lo ck actuators because both door locks going out at the same time and the lig hts don't flash when I push the Fob repeatedly. I called the dealer and the y had no idea. So if you find an answer, I'd appreciate a heads up.

Might be electronic interference. I have a 2008 OB that, when remote started but sometimes just sitting off as well, will give me trouble opening the doors but will open eventually after I keep pressing the button for a time. I read Subaru added defenses against hacking where the receiver shuts down briefly if it detects excess signals. I think these remotes operate on 433 which would put them in the CDMA band I think. Cell phones and/or maybe WiFi could be part of the reason. My car specifically also seems to maybe have a tracker in it as I can detect a signal coming from it using a cheap scanner I got, comes from around the front passenger side and only active when the engine is running. Probably left over from previous owner or dealer since I got it used and with only one fob, meaning it might have been a repo.

Regardless, the point is that interference might be why you have trouble at home but not at work. At home there are dozens of other people who all have cellphones and wifi in a small area triggering the car's defenses. At work, there is practically nothing. By the sounds of it you park it outside so maybe in a parking lot away from most electronic signals, right? That would explain why it works one place but not at home. Just my theory on the matter though. Still could be a bad part in internally too but warranty should cover it. Not sure if it's still valid after 3 years though.

I have the same problem with a nearly new booght car. But I read here not the issue I have and I think it is. My Keyless Entry Remote does not work in the cold morning special when my car is wet from rain and the morning. I can not start my motor than because of a whole other reason as here described. My Remote does work but there is a problem with the Keyless remote receiver which does not receive my remote signal when the car is cold. This is very difficult because my motor does not start because of the safety circuit which only gives fuel free till 20 seconds after a Remote open doors signal. So my issue is the my Keyless Remote receiver does not work the first 5 till 10 minutes I try. After long enough trying suddenly one of the functions of my RC work and after one or 2 minutes trying the door open signal happens. As I start my motor than till 20 seconds after signal....everything starts working. I was starting to clean all my relais contact, but because of the new car......all is shining as new.... Now to look for the Keyless Remote Receiver. Mostly they are lokated between the rear speakers. I hope to find it So.............my keyless entry does not work.......because the Remote receiver does not work at cold.....

Haha now I found where the problem must be. Ofcourse it is the Keyless Entry Receiver......by GM called also RFA Remote Function Actuator. It has the partnumber GM 15732806. It should be in all Alero's 1999-2004 but I do not believe that. Because the BCM unit show from 2001 up shows a internal aerial so I believe the receiver is from 2001 up integrated in the BCM box. As I have now a new Alero 2000 this has a completely different BCM without aerial. See here the uploaded pictures with intresting information and the locaton of the receiver.........at last......