One for the car alarm experts

Apparently Clarkson did this on Top Gear

- try pointing the metal part of the key at your head - in contact with your head - while pressing the key. He said it increases the range.

fwiw
Ken

Don't know how to determine the brand (other than opening the remote and looking for a label, or comparing the remote with those for other available systems, try to locate the head unit in the vehicle, etc.)

The range can depend on a fwe things:
* as you say, the location of the aerial and whether you are approaching the vehicle from that side, or the far side - a bit of trial and error may give you some idea (I often found there was a bit of a 'dead spot' directly behind my car but if I apporached from the side or front it would work fine).
It may also very depending if you are pointing the remote directly at the vehicle or elsewhere.
Perhaps most significantly is the effect of other electromagnetic radiation/interference - you may find that near a communications tower, you will have to be virtually inside the car for the remote to work! This has been noted in places such as Black Mtn ACT and Mt Wellington TAS which both have high power transmitting towers at their summits - the roadside assistance are often called to these locations because the engine immobiliser won't switch off! You may also find similar interference in certain carparks (I found my remote would hardly work in the main carpark at Batemans Bay but after they introduced pay parking, I used the free parking across the road and the remote worked fine there!)

I've heard that your skeleton can also act as an "antenna" to improve the effectiveness of your remote (perhaps what TopGear was trying to do by touching the key on the head ie. close to the skull) and I've heard you can increase the range by pressing the button with the 'elbow' of your thumb (perhaps it won't look quite as conspicuous or silly as if you point the key at your head!)

G'day Troll

It's been a while but from memory the Arial is in the L/H 1/4 glass, and the

receiver is behind the 1/4 trim.

Donks1

Some remotes have a trimming capacitor in them. It will look like a small unit no more than about 5mm round. It will have a slot or a hole which into which either a small (tiny) flat or phillips head screw driver will fit into.

If it has very accurately mark where the slots are, then adjust very slightly one way or the other. Try half mm movements then see if range improves or decreases.

Warning, this may also render the remote unserviceable. But if it stops working, try returning the adjustment back to the original marks.

Good luck.

Cheers

Peter

Typically you would look at the remote as your first option. As you dont have that luxury bare in mind that some radio receivers can and do gradually fail. The first symptom is range. Considering you could spend the money on a new remote that may or may not work, perhaps think about replacing the whole thing for a new one. Also the alarm you have may only be a cheap system. If the wires coming out of the box are all different colours - it will be a cheap one that does not meet the standards. I suspect this is your case as dealers cannot tell what brand it is. If the wires are all the same colour this should be a repatable brand.

Typically you would look at the remote as your first option. As you dont have that luxury bare in mind that some radio receivers can and do gradually fail. The first symptom is range. Considering you could spend the money on a new remote that may or may not work, perhaps think about replacing the whole thing for a new one. Also the alarm you have may only be a cheap system. If the wires coming out of the box are all different colours - it will be a cheap one that does not meet the standards. I suspect this is your case as dealers cannot tell what brand it is. If the wires are all the same colour this should be a repatable brand.

Typically you would look at the remote as your first option. As you dont have that luxury bare in mind that some radio receivers can and do gradually fail. The first symptom is range. Considering you could spend the money on a new remote that may or may not work, perhaps think about replacing the whole thing for a new one. Also the alarm you have may only be a cheap system. If the wires coming out of the box are all different colours - it will be a cheap one that does not meet the standards. I suspect this is your case as dealers cannot tell what brand it is. If the wires are all the same colour this should be a repatable brand.

HI - I had to go to the Mr Minute key place here yesterday and they had a new sign up on the counter ssaying they will replace just about any type remote including garage doors, car alarms etc. It caught my eye because our remotes for the garage doors are knackered and unable to be bought now so we try persist with them rather than replace the whole auto opening units. when i asked the guy there he said they use the code hopping to get them replaced, but they are replaced with a different style of remote unit to the original. not sure on price for you, but for me its $90 a remote for the garage doors. my door openers are around size of smoke packet, the new ones if i got them hang on your key ring. may be worth trying???