Limited range on the remote fobs

Hi there,[GALLERY=][/GALLERY]
Has anyone come across this and able to help me with a solution?
To switch off the imobiliser and start the vehicle, the fob needs to be held directly adjacent to the black box in the roof lining. Picture attached. I don't think it's the fob batteries, both of them have zero range. The roof lining has previously been very wet, which is why the lining is out. I've previously tried to dry the unit out, just in case it was damp, but it didn't make and difference.
Any advice please?

Two possibilities come to mind, one being that both batts in both fobs are equally weak.
Have you actually measured the voltage with a multimeter? They only cost about a tenner.
But as you say they do suffer with the damp, in which case taking it off and looking at it carefully to see if there is corrosion, sorting out the leak(s), and cleaning off the corrosion if possible, then putting it all carefully back.
But if the unit is too far gone, you may have to swop it out.

Stanleysteamer said:

Two possibilities come to mind, one being that both batts in both fobs are equally weak.
Have you actually measured the voltage with a multimeter? They only cost about a tenner.
But as you say they do suffer with the damp, in which case taking it off and looking at it carefully to see if there is corrosion, sorting out the leak(s), and cleaning off the corrosion if possible, then putting it all carefully back.
But if the unit is too far gone, you may have to swop it out.

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Yes, good advice, I'll go back and check all those things later when I get back from work. Do you happen to know if it is a straight swap or is any programming required. Thanks.

Wadders said:

Yes, good advice, I'll go back and check all those things later when I get back from work. Do you happen to know if it is a straight swap or is any programming required. Thanks.

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I am not very "up" in modern electrickery.
I have learnt a lot since coming on here but there are others far more knowledgeable who will hopefully be able to answer your questions.
If they don't pop on I'll tag one or two. "I don't know, but I know a man who does!".

Should be about 3.2 volts, also is it everywhere or only one place?

Wadders said:

Yes, good advice, I'll go back and check all those things later when I get back from work. Do you happen to know if it is a straight swap or is any programming required. Thanks.

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Hi, yeah the receiver is a straight swap.

MJI said:

Should be about 3.2 volts, also is it everywhere or only one place?

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Every where, I'd read a previous post about signal being blocked. Thanks.

Andy Warren said:

Hi, yeah the receiver is a straight swap.

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Thanks

Wadders said:

I've previously tried to dry the unit out, just in case it was damp, but it didn't make and difference.

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Have you opened the box? It may have been wet and now dried, but if it's been wet for a while the corrosion damage will still be there.

Spong said:

Have you opened the box? It may have been wet and now dried, but if it's been wet for a while the corrosion damage will still be there.

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I've opened it up and dried it out. The board is fixed in with plastic pins. I didn't have the balls to remove the board this afternoon as the truck was needed this evening. I will have to open it up properly tomorrow. In all fairness it didn't look at all bad tho inside the box.

Just an update. My mate had an old wrecker. I took the unit from his. It was dripping with water. Dried it out and installed it, works great now, fob works from maybe 3m away. It wasnt even the same numbers on the box. Worked straight away. Thanks for the advice all.

Scientifically speaking... Hold the fob under your chin and then press the buttons. You'll gain an extra couple meters of distance doing this.

JUKE179r said:

Scientifically speaking... Hold the fob under your chin and then press the buttons. You'll gain an extra couple meters of distance doing this.

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Using your skull as a reflector for the antenna?

Yes.

JUKE179r said:

Yes.

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Beat me to it!!!

Without doing a full test, a quick check just now showed that my key fobs (P38, US / Japan 315 MHz) worked at 30 metres plus. Am not planning to use my skull as an antenna as I still need the gently-fading last few brain cells therein, if only to appreciate the subtleties of our Official Jokes Page.

If you try it on ya hampton wick you might an extra 3 inches .

Andy Warren said:

If you try it on ya hampton wick you might an extra 3 inches .

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NO PHOTOS please

P38 Monkey said:

NO PHOTOS please

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Don't worry I haven't got a macro lens.

Not sure that it is too clever, flooding your brain with low-energy microwaves. Can't you just move a little closer to the vehicle? If the fob range is poor, then something is wrong: flat batteries, dirty contacts etc.