Aston Martin tracking Fob Faults
Discussion
Reading through old posts it seems many have had problems with the tracking fob/tag that is supplied. I understand you can pair some phones to the system (not iphones though 
) - but has anyone just taken the standard Non ADR tracking package. The ADR fobs are proving a problem for me, keep on forgetting to take it in car, then have to turn round to go back and get it. Apparently euro watch offer the same tracking package without the ADR part? I guess you don't get notified if the car is stolen with the keys but any other theft is signalled to them. Just seems an easier option?
) - but has anyone just taken the standard Non ADR tracking package. The ADR fobs are proving a problem for me, keep on forgetting to take it in car, then have to turn round to go back and get it. Apparently euro watch offer the same tracking package without the ADR part? I guess you don't get notified if the car is stolen with the keys but any other theft is signalled to them. Just seems an easier option? Might be easier but most insurance companies on such high risk / cost cars will insist on the full package - or at least load your premium up if you dont take the full service. Cheaper in the long run to have the car properly covered.
I dont see why it cant be paired with an iphone to be honest but as I dont have one I couldnt say for sure. Works fine with my windows smartphone but I did have to hack the registry a little to make it fully compatible. I'd just ditch the mac-phone and get a real phone instead if I were you - far easier than dropping the security level on your pride n joy!
I dont see why it cant be paired with an iphone to be honest but as I dont have one I couldnt say for sure. Works fine with my windows smartphone but I did have to hack the registry a little to make it fully compatible. I'd just ditch the mac-phone and get a real phone instead if I were you - far easier than dropping the security level on your pride n joy!
Having bought a new Vantage last March, I was introduced to these ridicuous biscuits/fobs/tags, whatever are were called. I had quite a few issues over the first few months of ownership and had to swap for new ones on several occasions. When i swapped to the DBS (which was a couple of months old), I asked the whereabouts of the tags and was told this system didnt have any. Initially i thought this was very odd but confirmed quickly there are now 2 options. The reason for this (I am informed) is due to all the issues Eurowatch (who supply and manage the tracker system) have been having a lot of issues with faulty tags and is costing them time and money to resolve. Their solution is to offer a tagless system (exactly the same as the tagless but no tags!). This seemed rather pointless to me. Sure enough if the car gets stolen without key they can track but if the key is present, no one would have a clue it is missing! I was also told (dealer) this reduces the grade of tracker from 5 (with tags) to a grade 2, a grade which some insurers will not accept.
Having confirmed this, my next question was to understand if i could provision this tagless system back to tagged as I had spare tags at home. Eurowatch confirmed to me that the 2 systems are exactly the same and can be made tagged or tagless whichever you have. With this in mind, as soon as i got the car home, I called Eurowatch to link both phone and tags to the system. This was when the trouble started.
Whilst sat in the car at home, with tags and phone present, Eurowatch proceeded to associate. After about an hour and several calls back to me, they concluded that the tracker box was infact dead. Infact, the car having been purchased at the end of March (10) had only sent 1 monthly system message to Eurowatch back in early May (this was mid August). Absolutely no contact had been made with the car besides this single message. The tracker was infact completely dead and no one knew anything about it. If I hadnt actually tried to move to a tag system, that would be still be the case. I have since has the unit replaced on warranty and having forgotten to take a tag with me on saturday, I know it works!
Although very annoying, both when it causes false signals and lugging the tags around, I know which i would rather have. I guest the best solution is link to your mobile aswell and just use that. If your phone gets lost/stolen, at least you have backup.
Having confirmed this, my next question was to understand if i could provision this tagless system back to tagged as I had spare tags at home. Eurowatch confirmed to me that the 2 systems are exactly the same and can be made tagged or tagless whichever you have. With this in mind, as soon as i got the car home, I called Eurowatch to link both phone and tags to the system. This was when the trouble started.
Whilst sat in the car at home, with tags and phone present, Eurowatch proceeded to associate. After about an hour and several calls back to me, they concluded that the tracker box was infact dead. Infact, the car having been purchased at the end of March (10) had only sent 1 monthly system message to Eurowatch back in early May (this was mid August). Absolutely no contact had been made with the car besides this single message. The tracker was infact completely dead and no one knew anything about it. If I hadnt actually tried to move to a tag system, that would be still be the case. I have since has the unit replaced on warranty and having forgotten to take a tag with me on saturday, I know it works!
Although very annoying, both when it causes false signals and lugging the tags around, I know which i would rather have. I guest the best solution is link to your mobile aswell and just use that. If your phone gets lost/stolen, at least you have backup.
I paired the tracker to my usual phone (HTC Desire) and also to a spare which I have anyway in case I lose my phone. It took about 15 minutes, time well spent.
The fobs on my previous car gave some problems until they were replaced - the batteries, which make up the majority of the fob's size, had run down. This was covered by the warranty.
The fobs on my previous car gave some problems until they were replaced - the batteries, which make up the majority of the fob's size, had run down. This was covered by the warranty.
cloughie81 said:
You can pair the iphone3 and iphone4 with it, its the 3gs that you cant, have to say pairing the phone does make it alot easier, those fobs are a nuisance
Well i've just had my old Sony Eriksson paired to the car's tracker as my iPhone 4 could not pair after 3 attempts and an hour sat in the car with the engine running (and used 30 miles of fuel in the process!!).It's a pain carrying two phones around but the Sony is probably smaller than the official fobs so still a result of sorts.
How does the iPhone 4 pair to the car then???
Mako V12V said:
cloughie81 said:
You can pair the iphone3 and iphone4 with it, its the 3gs that you cant, have to say pairing the phone does make it alot easier, those fobs are a nuisance
Well i've just had my old Sony Eriksson paired to the car's tracker as my iPhone 4 could not pair after 3 attempts and an hour sat in the car with the engine running (and used 30 miles of fuel in the process!!).It's a pain carrying two phones around but the Sony is probably smaller than the official fobs so still a result of sorts.
How does the iPhone 4 pair to the car then???
I had a bit of a mare with this issue. the dealer set me up with an account hat doesn't use the tags but they included some for me anyway. The system just didn't work at all so after having quite a few calls the dealer established that the system in my car actually wasn't capable of operating without them (weird apparently but that was the hardware installed in my car) so we tried to activate them. The three brand new tags I had wouldn't connect and we established that they had already run out of battery, only had the car two weeks.
In the end the only way to sort it was to connect my two phones, blackberry and iphone 4, this works fine. Although it recently went back in to another dealer for some bits and bobs and I took the phones with me, never calling up and setting the system into service mode. It actually never alerted despite the dealer moving the car around so I conclude the system is just total gash and probably doesn't work at all.
In the end the only way to sort it was to connect my two phones, blackberry and iphone 4, this works fine. Although it recently went back in to another dealer for some bits and bobs and I took the phones with me, never calling up and setting the system into service mode. It actually never alerted despite the dealer moving the car around so I conclude the system is just total gash and probably doesn't work at all.
andyxxx said:
cloughie81 said:
You can pair the iphone3 and iphone4 with it, its the 3gs that you cant, have to say pairing the phone does make it alot easier, those fobs are a nuisance
My 3GS paired - no problem. I just wish the phone worked with the cars bluetooth- but it doesn't!cloughie81 said:
Eurowatch told me that the 3GS cannot be paired, the bluetooth is pretty awful, if she in a good mood i get all my address book loaded and it all works perfectly, if she in a bad mood like today it won't even connect
Ahhh eurowatch told me that my HTC HD2 couldnt be paired either - and also my previous HTC phone but both worked after a bit of fiddling and know-how! Bascially if your phone isnt on the very short list of pre tested and approved handsets then they tell you that it isnt supported but that doesnt really mean much.Try it anyway and if it doesnt work then ask Mr Google as he usually has the answers if you look hard enough. Dont search for AM specific issues - search for bluetooth pairing with legacy devices and your phone model, there is usually loads of info / hacks on how to get things working.
Edited by Adam2S on Tuesday 14th September 15:52
My iphone 3gs connects up to car no problem - can search names, receive calls as i would expect normally - my ipod though doesn't work so well - if i have been playing a track from ipod when i turn off engine, when i get back in the car, ipod says it is loading (as usual) but then once music starts it intermittently cuts out and says connect device!! I have opted to not have the tracker tags, but now iam worried about that as some say you can't do this?? Very confused - have a call scheuled with eurowatch tomorrow so we'll see...
I have just realised i may be speaking too soon - i have just downloaded and installed latest iphone software - lets see if phone still works when i get back to car...
I have just realised i may be speaking too soon - i have just downloaded and installed latest iphone software - lets see if phone still works when i get back to car...
Edited by rpgk on Tuesday 14th September 16:26
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