Both Key Fobs Stopped Working

[hancym]

Went out to the car this morning and neither of the key fobs would unlock the car. All was working fine last night when I parked the car and it hadn't given any problems whatsoever prior to this.

Key worked but alarm was activated and was then disabled when the key was put in the ignition. Batteries in both fobs are good.

Any thoughts or advise please?

[bluey_xc90]

Interference locally - I had this and was tracked to a 5ghz video sender that I had bought and plugged into the tv! When on I couldn't lock/unlock the XC90. (These also affect wifi signals as well!)

[Coconut]

Almost definitely caused by local interference blocking the signal from your fob.

If you haven't installed any new Wireless type devices in your own home recently,
try asking around the neighbours ( who might also be having the same problems with their cars ) -
Who knows what goodies Santa might have bought them !

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d129/coconut11/Coconut1.jpg

[southportvolvo]

We've had many customers with a similar problem in the past. As the posts say above, the majority of the time is due to interferance from another source (police radio/ambulance/tv licence van etc etc).

Occasionally the fob needs re-programming to the car via diagnostics & a software download depending on the year.

[ex Triumph Man]

Another thing that upsets car remotes, and not just Volvo ones, is remote blips for remote electronic garage doors. Seems they operate on the same frequency. Would be interesting to see if things improve if you park the car in a different place next time.

[scrambler]

One of my remotes stopped working properly after about 10 months. It was replaced under warranty. The second remote has also now stopped working properly, so I presume will also be replaced under warranty. It's a June 2010 XC90 R Design by the way.

[southportvolvo]

It should be covered under the warranty, get it back to the dealer

[GeoCoast]

Hi All
We have just suffered the same problem. My XC90, my wife’s X3, and at least 2 of our neighbours key fobs have stopped working (and in one case a garage remote too).
Does anyone know what frequency Volvo key fobs operate on?
Neither us or the immediate neighbours have purchased anything new that uses Wi-Fi or similar so we are a little perplexed!
Thanks

[RoyMacDonald]

Hi All
We have just suffered the same problem. My XC90, my wife’s X3, and at least 2 of our neighbours key fobs have stopped working (and in one case a garage remote too).
Does anyone know what frequency Volvo key fobs operate on?
Neither us or the immediate neighbours have purchased anything new that uses Wi-Fi or similar so we are a little perplexed!
Thanks

I see Haslemere is a phone mast hot spot. Has a new one been built near you?

My wife can't park in her office car park as the electric gates knock out her Yaris amonst other cars as well.

[GeoCoast]

Hi
Not as far as know but then I didn't know we were a hotspot! If I drive down our lane 250yds then it's fine so it must be localised. The frequency is around 433Mhz. One of our neighbours has a radio frequency scanner so will do some investigation work. Not sure what the end result will be though as who has the rights in situation like this...!

[RoyMacDonald]

Hi
Not as far as know but then I didn't know we were a hotspot! If I drive down our lane 250yds then it's fine so it must be localised. The frequency is around 433Mhz. One of our neighbours has a radio frequency scanner so will do some investigation work. Not sure what the end result will be though as who has the rights in situation like this...!

I don't know how up to date it is but Ofcom have a map of masts.....http://www.sitefinder.ofcom.org.uk/search

[GeoCoast]

Thanks for that, most useful!

[GeoCoast]

Solved the problem!
Using a directional radio frequency scanner it seems that one of the neighbours weather stations remote sensors was the source of the problem. It had been operating successfully over the last 10 years had just developed a fault. The sensor's transmit control function failed causing it to continuously output a stream of pulses which appeared to be the interfering and blocking source inhibiting both our cars key fob operation when at home.

[Zota]

This is a well known problem. In the UK the two way radio systems in the 420 Mhz band
desense the the key fob receiver that is in the car.
Desense means that the strong signal from the two way radio systems overwhelm the
key receivers and makes them very deaf.

The only solution is better designed receivers in the cars.
You might try holding the key fob as close as possible to where the receiver is located in the car. The windscreen might be a good place to try.

Tow truck drivers make a fortune at Mt Wellington near Hobart Tasmania towing cars clear of the TV transmitters on the mountain.

[TheDufster]

Both my fobs stopped working yesterday. They no longer work at all and I have tried locking/unlocking the car in at least 10 different places (some are regular parking spots, others where I have never parked before).

I am wondering if something has upset the software and now it needs sorting by Volvo?

(there was talk about a solar storm yesterday!)

Due for 1st service in 1 week's time so will put up with using the key until then.

On other cars I have owned in the past, they could be reprogrammed manually but I can't find anything in the manual about this.

[TheDufster]

Strange - Saturday the fob worked again, Sunday didn't, today working again.

[Wally911]

Hi,

We have the same problem with alarm going of for no obvious reason and sometimes it locks but mostly both find not working:lightbulb:. Several times to the garage for software updates etc. Now the whole rear view mirror on windscreen will be replaced which has the receiver in it.

Luckily under guarantee.

W.

[harvey07]

How bizarre...see my posts below

http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=146894

After a week off on hols, car locked & unlocked in many different places...I parked up the side of the car park again this morning and she wouldn't lock. Moved it & it was fine.

The only thing I see that might have changed, is the addition of solar panels on the roof of the nearest building. But can't think they are responsible.

It has happened to others in the office, that much I now know, but it seems that security ain't that interested or at least able to help.

[Unreal master tech]

Hi guys there is a known fault with model year 11 xc90 the remote battery connections can go faulty but also they have identified a fault in the uem (that's the interior mirror) which picks up the signal from your remotes it also can be faulty so if your car is in the range go to your dealer and get them to sort it?!

[Walford58]

Got woken up by the wife opening the S60 with the key and setting the alarm off - the key fob wasn't working; in fact neither of them did.
Tried the UEM reset etc, but nothing, then drove round the block and it worked fine.
Switched off the solar panels - no change. Then found this thread about what sort of interferences, and checked my remote weather station - the temperature and rain gauge were both blank, on the desk display, so I reset the temperature monitor and voila! everything working again.
It's good to know techology can be beaten occasionally.