Key FOB Not Detected on my JL Wrangler

trailraider said:
believe it or not , cell phones will impact the key in a big way. we have issue calls all the time about it . If I have my key for the gladiator in the same pocket as my phone I can't open the doors. keys sitting in the console with the phone and it wont detect the key. We have also had issues where parked in certain spots with large amounts of wifi interference , won't detect key push it forward 2 feet and it works. We get calls all the time from a grocery store up the road and every time the vehicle is always in the same place in the parking lot. really weird.
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Thanks for that! I still think it might be the cold weather but I kinda wondered if maybe my phone had something to do with it. The last few times everything worked fine, my phone was nowhere near me.
 
trailraider said:
believe it or not , cell phones will impact the key in a big way. we have issue calls all the time about it . If I have my key for the gladiator in the same pocket as my phone I can't open the doors. keys sitting in the console with the phone and it wont detect the key. We have also had issues where parked in certain spots with large amounts of wifi interference , won't detect key push it forward 2 feet and it works. We get calls all the time from a grocery store up the road and every time the vehicle is always in the same place in the parking lot. really weird.
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well shit, I've been putting my phone in the cup holder in front of the fob holder.

I'll try moving it further away and see if the messages clear up.

Is there a key retrofit kit?
 
This hasn't happened in the JT yet, BUT in my '16 Explorer Sport the battery contacts in the fob(s) would get a very thin, green layer of corrosion and would act all wonky. Ford service didn't have a clue what was going on, I took the fob(s) apart and saw the corrosion and took a Scotch Brite pad to them and VIOLA` everything acted normal again.

But then again I like the 5G government hacking your Jeep theory too......
 
almost got stranded by the FOB today.

got to my location and the doors would not lock, got back in the Jeep and it would not start but the cluster was showing no key fob message.

After tapping the start button with the key fob a few times, it finally started.

It was in the 30's this morning but it started up fine when I left.

guess it's go waste time at the dealer so they can tell me they can't replicate it
 
jeeeep said:
well shit, I've been putting my phone in the cup holder in front of the fob holder.

I'll try moving it further away and see if the messages clear up.

Is there a key retrofit kit?
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First company to develop one gets my money, i'm terrified this stupid push button start garbage is going to leave me and the wife stranded in the middle of nowhere someday, and you can't just run down to autozone and buy a new one because it has to be programmed to your fob (at least that's what I've read, no first hand experience with replacing one yet).
 
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I don't know if this has been fixed/solved yet but..... here's my 2 cents.

I'm recently retired from 28 years as a Euro Car Tech specializing in German cars. I say this because a lot of the programing and such in the new JL is compatible with BMW software. For example you can talk to the transmission ECU with a dedicated BMW scan tool. There's a guy is Sacramento who's "re-flashed" his 4cyl JL by going that route and backdooring the Jeep programming..

Anyway, I have witnessed on several occasions Cell Phones messing with remote systems in cars. I have also seen cars get "confused" by having two key fobs in the car that are too close together. For example one in the cup holder and one in the Mrs's purse that's sitting next to the tunnel or on her lap. Usually the sensor that picks up the key can tell them apart but if they're too close together it get confused and might pick up the signal from the passengers' key when it knows the car was last started with the driver's key.

Just the ramblings of a grumpy old mechanic. I hope it can help......
 
thinking the fob failure on my 2018 JLU is due to the cold.

last few mornings it's been in the 30's wind blowing and each time got no key fob and was prompted to put the fob to the start button.

Once going, I got the fob not detected while driving with the fob sitting in the center console, no obstructions. Didn't reset until I shut down, put the fob to the start button to restart.

I've never used the heater much, but it pretty well sucks using it on the windshield. Only clears a spot in the middle, anyone else dealing with this?
 
jeeeep said:
thinking the fob failure on my 2018 JLU is due to the cold.

last few mornings it's been in the 30's wind blowing and each time got no key fob and was prompted to put the fob to the start button.

Once going, I got the fob not detected while driving with the fob sitting in the center console, no obstructions. Didn't reset until I shut down, put the fob to the start button to restart.

I've never used the heater much, but it pretty well sucks using it on the windshield. Only clears a spot in the middle, anyone else dealing with this?
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Regarding the defroster issue, yes, mine does the same thing. We’ll, it did until I installed a hack. Watched a recent video from that “Cheaper Jeeper” guy on the issue. He suggested adding 5/8” square tube caps in various locations of the defroster holes. I put a bunch in the middle with couple openings within and it seems to be working great.
 
I had the message about key fob not detected the other day. I was going to Lowes to get a new bolt ,the old one was in the same pocket as my keys. I switched the bolt to the other pocket after purchasing the new one and noticed that I did not get the message. I am wondering if the steel bolt in my pocket caused some sort of interference with being able to read the key fob 🤷‍♂️
 
I have a 2018 JLRU and have had this issue with the key fob once or twice daily for the last few weeks. Initially I thought it had caught the Corona virus. Ha Ha! Also, the first year I had this Jeep all the electrical stopped working when I had stopped the car and turned it off. It was in the spring so no weather issue to be concerned about. Then could not get it to start again. Nothing, not even the message when you enter the jeep to step on the break to start. Then my son, who was in the back seat, opened his door to ask if I needed help. Then like a miracle it started working again. I don't know if its related but occasionally the stereo refuses to work and the head unit gives me the blue screen of death. Then it resets itself.
 
Tubbydude said:
I have a 2018 JLRU and have had this issue with the key fob once or twice daily for the last few weeks. Initially I thought it had caught the Corona virus. Ha Ha! Also, the first year I had this Jeep all the electrical stopped working when I had stopped the car and turned it off. It was in the spring so no weather issue to be concerned about. Then could not get it to start again. Nothing, not even the message when you enter the jeep to step on the break to start. Then my son, who was in the back seat, opened his door to ask if I needed help. Then like a miracle it started working again. I don't know if its related but occasionally the stereo refuses to work and the head unit gives me the blue screen of death. Then it resets itself.
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I've had the same issues with the electrical loss and head unit reboot on my 2018 JLU - annoying when on the road and relying on the navigation.

Since updating, the head unit it hasn't rebooted but I have had the keyfob issues.

I recently did the navigation update and it appears it also updated some other functions.

Be prepared, it's not a quick update but the head unit hasn't auto reset since and haven't lost all electrical since.
 
jeeeep said:
I've had the same issues with the electrical loss and head unit reboot on my 2018 JLU - annoying when on the road and relying on the navigation.

Since updating, the head unit it hasn't rebooted but I have had the keyfob issues.

I recently did the navigation update and it appears it also updated some other functions.

Be prepared, it's not a quick update but the head unit hasn't auto reset since and haven't lost all electrical since.
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Interesting. What other feature updates did you get with the update?
 
I’m a little late in this discussion but it happen to me this morning and after getting to work I researched the issue. My doors are off and by habit I hit the lock button which arms the security system. If you try to start the Jeep it will say key fob not detected. So to correct it, you have to disarm the security by hitting the unlock button then you can start the Jeep. I have a 21 rubicon. Hope this helps
 
I've not had this issue with my 2020 Rubicon yet, but it is a constant problem with my 2017 Ram pickup. I've had it since new, about 80,000 miles on it now . Never an issue the first few years, then the problem started. At first, a new battery in the fob cured the problem. Now a new battery only lasts about 2 weeks then the problems start up again. I've had all the same problems, key fob not detected, won't lock the doors, or unlock them, key fob has left the vehicle, etc. No pattern to when the codes show up and then disappear. Dealer has no clue.
 
Glad you all took the time to post this. I thought I’d was just me and I thought it was due to my tazer JL. Mostly because it never happened before my lift and tires and Tazer install. When mine does it it likes to just play the game with one remote and the other one works fine. I’ve replaced the batteries more times than I can count. Of course I don’t want to leave the Tazer installed and take it to the dealer to have them “trouble shoot”. I guess I’ll chalk it up to being just a Jeep thing and chill
 
wayoflife said:
So, I've got a new problem on my 2018 Jeep JL Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited and it's in regards to the Key FOB. Just recently, my JL doesn't seem to want to recognize either of my 2 Key FOB's and I have verified that the batteries on both are good. What's weird is that the problem doesn't happen all the time. I can literally get in and start my Jeep without any problems and then Cindy could open her door, step out and then get a message on my EVIC saying that the Key FOB has left the vehicle. This in spite of the fact that I still have it. And then there are times when my Jeep doesn't detect it at all and I have to press the FOB on the start button to get the engine going. Any of you have this problem and if so, do you know of a fix for it?

Thanks for your help :)
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It dawned on me that a friend had a similar issue in a different type vehicle. He took it in to dealer and they quoted a ridiculous price to fix... Until one day he was tooling around under the hood and found what looked like a loose wire/nut. He adjusted it, and tightened it. Turned out to be part of the antenna array that receives wirelessly from the fob when outside the vehicle. Maybe your issue tracks along those lines?
 
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