Increase range of key fob?

Put the fob up to your chin. End result: you are now an antenna.

 

I had the exact same problem. When I ordered my Prius I ordered a Toyota OEM remote start that the dealer put in. I should have done more research. It does not give feedback, it does not work more than 30 feet, it only runs for 10 minutes without having to start the car again and you can only start the car twice.

Your best bet is to take the lose on the Toyota remote start and buy a Viper Remote start system. You are looking at about $600 to have it installed or $300 if you do it yourself.

My new system will start the car from up to 1 mile away or using my cell phone from anywhere in the world with internet access. It will run for up to 60 minutes and you can start it over and over. It will also let you keep the car running 60 minutes after you leave the car with the doors locked. I use this when I run into a store.

 

The remote A/C funtion runs for a very little time period. A remote start system does the same thing as the A/C button but for a longer time.

 

You are close to having it work. Some E-Glass attenuates radio signals. Is there a fire escape you can walk out on so you don't have a window between you and the car?

Most car remotes operate at frequencies between of 315 to 435 mHz. A parabolic reflector would need to be over 2 feet in diameter to be very effective at those frequencies.

Can you park your car in different directions? A car remote's range varies depending on what direction you are from the car. You could find a big empty parking lot and walk around the car at about 130 feet to find out if there is one orientation that works better.

Holding the remote to your chin also varies depending on the remote and how you hold it. I have had the best results holding the remote upside down and vertical. It has made a noticeable imporovement in range on any of the several cars I have tried it on. I think the reason for that is that you need to get the internal antenna as close to your chin as possible. The internal antenna is usually just a trace on the circuit board and not recognizable as an antenna unless you know how to figure out the circuit. I would need to get the spec sheet for the IC in the fob and might still have trouble figuring it out.

 

This is how I start my car from work.