Key Fob and Iphone

I have treo / bluetooth headset in my purse with the fob. This is intermittent, but sometimes if the driver is staying in the car with my purse and I hop out, it beeps and displays the key symbol. I am simply opening the passenger door with nothing in my pockets, etc. - tempermental Prius.

Sometimes it will not lock--with no fobs inside the car--by pushing the door handle buttons. I have to dig for my fob to use the lock button (Annoying because I'm now spoiled. I do not want to reach into my purse for fob or phone.) Most of the time the buttons work, though.

I just figured it has a little personality issue that we have to work with. I will follow this thread in case there are such interference issues.

 

I have an iPhone, usually on my belt right next to where the key fob is in my jacket pocket. I've not experienced any consistent problem, but twice over the winter have had the car ignore the presence of the fob, and had to dig it out and press the unlock button. One other occasion the car seemed to have to think about it rather than simply beep and unlock as I touched the door handle.

Since it's so inconsistent, it's hard to say what the cause might be, but I suspect if there is interference, it occurs when the iPhone is handshaking with the cell tower it is registering with. It may be that you are suffering because your iPhone is using a band that is closer to a harmonic of the keyless entry frequency, or that your fob's transmitter is weak if the battery is low.

It is certainly possible though for the iPhone (or any cellphone) to cause sufficient interference to block a weak service in the immediate vicinity - particularly GSM devices which are more 'radio noisy'.

 

When I keep the fob in the same pocket as the IPhone, the door will not open reliably. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't work. If I keep them in separate pockets there is never a problem.

The Iphone transmits some pretty strong interference (either cell related or WiFi). Sometimes I can hear loud "groaning" noises when the Iphone is sitting on the desk near the computer tower.

 

The issues you are describing are typical to all cell phones and most electronic devices.

All cell phone and many other small electronic (but mostly cell phones), to one degree or another, will interfere with the wireless key FOB. Its not unique to you or the iPhone, just the nature of electronics. You just have to keep the FOB separate from such devices. My FOB will work when I have it in the same pocket my phone is clipped to, but not when my phone is actually next to the FOB in the pocket.

The other sound you hear by the computer is typical for all phones. Every few minutes the phone will talk to the cell tower to let the network know where the phone is, plus check other features depending on the phone. What you are hearing is the electrical interference caused by the phones signal. You will also get the same sound about a second before a call comes in. You can really creep people out sometime because you know the call is coming in before it hits.

 

I have not seen any problems with my iphone and keys in the same pocket. I will do some test later today after work...

 

no cellphones interfering (which is a good thing, at times up to 4 maybe involved) but did have an incident where the fob stopped responding to the point that even the button push worked only intermittently.

no verification, but it did start immediately after i helped a neighbor install a wireless router. he did it specifically to share his mother's internet (who lived in same complex in next building but only about 50 feet apart) and yes my car sat in the path about 5 feet away from being in a direct line...

so was it the cause? well, after two weeks, i had the fob reprogrammed to another frequency and that did not stop it, but at least reduced it to once in a great while

 

i've had the same issue with only an iPod I think the metal case acts like a faraday cage and prevents the keyfob from communicating with he car...