Remote locking fails in one particular place
Discussion
I've searched to see if this has come up before, but I can't find anything, so apologies if it has.
I bought a Mk5 Golf TDI as a runabout in January. It has remote locking which works perfectly well (indeed it locks from a good distance away) - except when I'm parked in one particular place - to be precise outside my local Indian restaurant. I've parked there three times in the last month or so, and every time the car won't lock - or to be precise most of the time it won't lock, though I did get it to do so tonight by holding the remote right against the car.
Most of the time I'm not massively bothered by this, because I'm literally walking into the place, paying for my takeaway, and walking out again. But I'm intrigued as to why it happens - is something interfering with the remote, and if so what could it be? Also, it's never happened with any of my previous cars that had remote locking, which included two VWs.
I bought a Mk5 Golf TDI as a runabout in January. It has remote locking which works perfectly well (indeed it locks from a good distance away) - except when I'm parked in one particular place - to be precise outside my local Indian restaurant. I've parked there three times in the last month or so, and every time the car won't lock - or to be precise most of the time it won't lock, though I did get it to do so tonight by holding the remote right against the car.
Most of the time I'm not massively bothered by this, because I'm literally walking into the place, paying for my takeaway, and walking out again. But I'm intrigued as to why it happens - is something interfering with the remote, and if so what could it be? Also, it's never happened with any of my previous cars that had remote locking, which included two VWs.
the only time this has happened to me was about 15 years ago with a car fitted with a 3rd party alarm in an airport car park.
I had to hold the blipper right up to the passenger side window to get it to lock and unlock.
I put it down to some sort of interference with the airport radio or radar. No idea it that's possible? Never happened again anywhere else.
I had to hold the blipper right up to the passenger side window to get it to lock and unlock.
I put it down to some sort of interference with the airport radio or radar. No idea it that's possible? Never happened again anywhere else.
smarty156 said:
I had this with a motorbike alarm when parking in a particular place. Realised it was when I was right outside a taxi office. Think the radio signals were blocking the alarm remote.
Anything like that where the takeaway is?
Nope, it's one shop in your bog-standard urban parade of shops - takeaway, general store, hairdressers etc. There are flats above the shops, but nothing else really. Very odd. Anything like that where the takeaway is?
Edited by sim72 on Friday 21st April 23:38
Many years ago I had minor accident damage repaired on my car by the dealer. The body shop was part of a large building whose roof was bristling with mobile phone masts. Remote car alarms didn't work there as a consequence and all the customer's cars were all locked and unlocked with a key.
Two possibilities come to mind:
1. Another legitimate RF signal is interfering with the remote - most probable answer. There's a car park in Rugby that I use which has this problem, I think it's the remote-control barrier of a place next door to it which blocks the signal.
2. A signal-blocker is in place nearby and thieves have targeted the car park for thefts. Was (apparently) common a few years ago where thieves would hide a transmitter in a hedge nearby to catch people out who thought they'd locked their cars.
1. Another legitimate RF signal is interfering with the remote - most probable answer. There's a car park in Rugby that I use which has this problem, I think it's the remote-control barrier of a place next door to it which blocks the signal.
2. A signal-blocker is in place nearby and thieves have targeted the car park for thefts. Was (apparently) common a few years ago where thieves would hide a transmitter in a hedge nearby to catch people out who thought they'd locked their cars.
I've experienced similar in a couple of places, both are close(ish) to police stations.
It also happened once in a remote part of the island of Skye, but there was a radio transmitter tower (or similar) close by.
Main problem is that although the car can be locked and secured, the immobiliser only goes off with the remote. There is a numeric key-pad to use if the remote fails, but you need to remember the pin-code to use it.
It also happened once in a remote part of the island of Skye, but there was a radio transmitter tower (or similar) close by.
Main problem is that although the car can be locked and secured, the immobiliser only goes off with the remote. There is a numeric key-pad to use if the remote fails, but you need to remember the pin-code to use it.
littleredrooster said:
Two possibilities come to mind:
1. Another legitimate RF signal is interfering with the remote - most probable answer. There's a car park in Rugby that I use which has this problem, I think it's the remote-control barrier of a place next door to it which blocks the signal.
2. A signal-blocker is in place nearby and thieves have targeted the car park for thefts. Was (apparently) common a few years ago where thieves would hide a transmitter in a hedge nearby to catch people out who thought they'd locked their cars.
Oddly, this is also in Rugby. Not a car-park or near one, though.1. Another legitimate RF signal is interfering with the remote - most probable answer. There's a car park in Rugby that I use which has this problem, I think it's the remote-control barrier of a place next door to it which blocks the signal.
2. A signal-blocker is in place nearby and thieves have targeted the car park for thefts. Was (apparently) common a few years ago where thieves would hide a transmitter in a hedge nearby to catch people out who thought they'd locked their cars.
marcford86 said:
Is it near a hospital/police station? Not same manufacturer but older subarus are common for not disarming immobiliser in areas with high radio frequency and a tow down the road usually sorts it and will disarm as normal 
No, it's outside a parade of shops in the middle of an unremarkable housing estate. Here, to be precise.Google Street View
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