Remote Start

[dkean]

What is the range for 2018 remote start . My key fob will not start our 2018 explorer from inside the house standing in front of a window on the drive way side and the EX is only five feet away.
The window is an insulated double pane and a screen. I can get the lights to flash when I lock it but it wont start ( as the starter will not activate ) If I go outside and stand on the porch it will start. Same distance as from the window but not going through the glass window. We got the car July 30 2018 and started it from inside the show room. It was about twenty feet. But not insulated glass.

 

[blwnsmoke]

Do you have any cell phone chargers plugged in or anything else in the cig or household outlets?

If so, unplug them. The cheap ones have been known to cause a lot of interference and greatly reduce the distance.

 

[613GT500]

Peter suggested this before, place the remote under your chin and give it another try.

 

[Mlarv5]

Just by chance. Is there a lamp near the window? If so is the lamp on? If On is it an LED bulb? If so turn off lamp and try again. LEDs emit a lot of noise and wil cause all kinds of interference. If not of that then the next question is simple. What is the screen made of? Metal or plastic mesh.. If metal it might be acting like a cage and not allowing the signal to pass though it. If you can take out the screen and see if it works then. I can start mine from inside work about 1000 feet away from the second floor. I have the two way remote not the one way. Is your remote part of the Fob or is it a separate Fob. Does the other set of Fobs work and just not this one? Try from another room in the house. The last two things may be happening are pretty simple. Is it low on Gas like the low fuel light is on? If so it will not remote start until the light is off. The other reason would be a CEL but I doubet either of these because you stated it starts from outside the house just fine.

 

[dkean]

Guilty on the cell phone chargers, but no lamps. We had one lamp a few years ago that was a touch lamp and it would produce a hum on the radio in the house. It took a while to track down the cause of the hum. When I unplugged the lamp the hum stopped. We don't have that lamp any more.

Thanks for the help. Now I know there's nothing wrong with my key fob.

 

[runningonfords]

You have a 2025 battery inside i think? This battery vs the 2032 battery in my 2014 remote has less AmpHours (less total charge capacity, which is absurd, why wouldn't they use a 2032?) Change the battery in your remote. You can buy these almost anywhere. You won't lose your programming. I just did mine and can now open the power assist trunk without having to be like 4 feet from the car as was the case before. The range is many, many feet now, like walking out the grocery store and across the parking lot the door will open now after changing it. Best of luck. They are inexpensive too, so just do it to rule it out.

 

[peterk9]

The range on the earlier 5th gens was about 300'. I was able to remote start my 2011 from 250' and didn't try any further.

Peter

 

[blwnsmoke]

Guilty on the cell phone chargers, but no lamps. We had one lamp a few years ago that was a touch lamp and it would produce a hum on the radio in the house. It took a while to track down the cause of the hum. When I unplugged the lamp the hum stopped. We don't have that lamp any more.

Thanks for the help. Now I know there's nothing wrong with my key fob.

Awesome, glad to hear you figured it out.

 

[dkean]

I just opened my remote.The battery is a CR2450 3V. I have no idea what the range is with that battery.

 

[runningonfords]

Range is not affected by the size of the battery, just the amount of charge the battery has initially and how quickly thus it runs out. Coin batteries are all 3 volts it seems. I looked up a youtube for changing the 2017 battery and it was a smaller battery than my 2014. The 2018 battery, yours, is, apparently, bigger than mine which in theory should equate to more total charge and longer time before it runs out. That being said, it is a common size 2450. Go and replace it with a Name Brand one from the drug or hardware store. These batteries will still work sort of when voltage is getting down and used up. My Volkswagen hasn't had working door locks, but unlock still worked, for 2 years now?!?!. I replaced the VW 2032 battery in it last week as well when I did my Explorer keys and now unlock, trunk, and lock all work in addition to re-establishing a normal range for my Explorer. Go Figure!

 

[peterk9]

According to the 2018 Owner's Manual, the IKT uses a CR2032 or equivalent and the IAK uses a CR2450 or equivalent. I'm guessing the batteries are different sizes so as to fit the corresponding keys. The 2017 IAK uses a CR2025.

Peter

 

[VCFP153]

Guilty on the cell phone chargers, but no lamps. We had one lamp a few years ago that was a touch lamp and it would produce a hum on the radio in the house. It took a while to track down the cause of the hum. When I unplugged the lamp the hum stopped. We don't have that lamp any more.

Thanks for the help. Now I know there's nothing wrong with my key fob.

Oh good, I was about to suggest maybe E-3s going into McGuire are causing some interference. I'm kidding (KayGee, stand down!).

 

[runningonfords]

They are different in size AND amp-hour rating. 2032 is 20mm WIDE, 3.2mm TALL. 2450 is 24mm WIDE, 4.5mm TALL. Your 2450 should have like 3 times the total Ah rating as per Coin Cell / Button Cell Battery Guide but batteries die early for all kinds of weird reasons. Do you keep it in a pocket where the buttons are getting depressed all the time accidentally for instance? Could just be a battery manufacturer weird one-off. The battery in my Explorer remote was NOT a name brand Li-ion coin battery as I had expected. Anyway for $3-4 you can have an answer. It may also turn out not to be this at all especially considering its so new a vehicle, that being said mine got WAY better when I replaced mine and its cheap and available.

P.S. As an aside, these types of batteries interact with the circuit on the large "coin face" of the battery not on the thin edge, so often you'll find that Li coin batteries of different sizes as long as they can be crammed into the holder and contact the leads will often work fine at first, albeit shorter or longer total time depending on the circuit load specified. I've used several wrong size batteries in a coin battery case just to verify the battery was what was dead and not the device. They are almost all the same 3 volts.