You sure the fob is constantly transmitting? I thought it was always receiving, not transmitting- but I'm not sure. That way it would still use some power, but not as much. My understanding is that when you try to unlock the doors,the car sends out a question. "Ikey, are you here?" If it gets the right answer, it will allow the door to unlock, or the starter to work, or whatever. It may be the other way around, though, that the car looks for signal broadcast by the key. I looked in the shop manual, briefly, but didn't see a good description of how the ikey works. I've had mine since Feb of '07, and the only time I replaced the batteries was when I got the new keys on the recall. But I don't use the buttons on the fob very often.
I thought the opposite myself, since the batteries seem to die a LOT faster than any conventional remote. I know this is how it works in the Lexus, but it's hard to say with the Nissan/Infiniti. I'm thinking you might be right since I'm pretty sure that flashing red light on the dashboard is an "are you there?" to the iKey from the car.
You sure the fob is constantly transmitting? I thought it was always receiving, not transmitting- but I'm not sure. That way it would still use some power, but not as much. My understanding is that when you try to unlock the doors,the car sends out a question. "Ikey, are you here?" If it gets the right answer, it will allow the door to unlock, or the starter to work, or whatever. It may be the other way around, though, that the car looks for signal broadcast by the key. I looked in the shop manual, briefly, but didn't see a good description of how the ikey works. I've had mine since Feb of '07, and the only time I replaced the batteries was when I got the new keys on the recall. But I don't use the buttons on the fob very often.
I have no idea... I was just trying to say its not like a conventional key fob that only does something when you actually press a button... regardless of whether it is transmitting or receiving, its doing something even if you're not pressing a button...
I think its a combination of both, the car and Ikey are communicating or attempting to communicate with each other 24/7 or so I've heard. Even while you're sleeping the car is still sending signals to the fob. When you hit the button on the door handle, the car pretty much does what Ormand illustrated in his post.
When you hit a button on the fob I think its more like Fob: "hey car its me, open up". If the fob is asking from to far of a distance than the car rejects the signal and won't open.
I think this is the reason they die so fast compared to a normal key fob's battery.
I always thought that red flashing light was the immobilizer however.
I think its a combination of both, the car and Ikey are communicating or attempting to communicate with each other 24/7 or so I've heard. Even while you're sleeping the car is still sending signals to the fob. When you hit the button on the door handle, the car pretty much does what Ormand illustrated in his post.
When you hit a button on the fob I think its more like Fob: "hey car its me, open up". If the fob is asking from to far of a distance than the car rejects the signal and won't open.
I think this is the reason they die so fast compared to a normal key fob's battery.
I always thought that red flashing light was the immobilizer however.
Almost there. From what I've seen/experienced/read/etc... the car and key are not communicating 24x7. They are listening for the other 24x7 [which is why the battery on the fob dies quicker than a standard remote]. They just not talking until an action takes place like pressing a button on the door, remote, pushing the start button, or closing the door/trunk. Once an action has been manually started, then the conversation between the car and key begins. If there was constant communication, there would be a way for the car to sense the key upon approach and there isn't.
~SB
__________________ 2009 Honda Fit Sport 2007 Frost White Altima 3.5SE: Sedan with Fogs & Wing. - AVG MPG: 26.41 @ 29,246mi Best tank 566Mi. (Traded @ 30K Miles)
Former/Current Cars: '86 Prelude Si. 2.0 | '93 Integra GS | '98 Civic EX | '00 Integra GS-R | '06 Ridgeline RTS | 07 Altima 3.5SE
It could be that the purpose of your life is only to serve as a warning to others.
We have two 2007 Altimas and still have the original batteries in the fobs after 2 years. Really strange that the batteries in some fobs go dead in a few months.
its been a year so far with my original fob battery
i rarely use the buttons on it though i.e lock/unlock/trunk open
i lock it from the inside, unlock with the door button, and use the button on the trunk to open it.
What im getting at is; I wonder if this has any effect on preserving the batterys life.
its been a year so far with my original fob battery
i rarely use the buttons on it though i.e lock/unlock/trunk open
i lock it from the inside, unlock with the door button, and use the button on the trunk to open it.
What im getting at is; I wonder if this has any effect on preserving the batterys life.
Doubtful. When you press the button on the outside of the car it transmits to the fob that is listening for a signal from the car and then transmits a return signal. It's really no different than initiating the transmit from the key fob by pressing the button on the remote. in both cases, the fob is listening for a signal (only one scenario hears the signal). also in both cases, the fob transmits a signal back to the car. I don't see why it would use more in one scenario vs another.
Yep. I got the same warning this week too on the fob I use every day. The battery lasted 16 months. Funny thing... if there is all this "fob-jabber" going on shouldn't the extra fob that has been hanging in the house doing nothing also be just about shot too? I don't think it is. It is putting out well over 3 volts. Go figure. The fob I use daily, the one that pooped out, had worn itself down from an original 3.3 volts (give or take) to 2.7 volts.
Yep. I got the same warning this week too on the fob I use every day. The battery lasted 16 months. Funny thing... if there is all this "fob-jabber" going on shouldn't the extra fob that has been hanging in the house doing nothing also be just about shot too? I don't think it is. It is putting out well over 3 volts. Go figure. The fob I use daily, the one that pooped out, had worn itself down from an original 3.3 volts (give or take) to 2.7 volts.
The unused fob should last a fair amount longer. transmission of signal usually takes a decent amount more power than reception of signal. The unused fob is just listening for a signal.
I know this thread has fallen off the list a bit but it seems to be the best one about the question I have.
The low keyfob battery warning light came on. I went in the house and got the second keyfob that had not been used since we bought the car. It had been just sitting on the desk. The low battery light stayed on.
So I figured that both of them ran down at the same rate because they are always "active".
I bought a battery and installed it and the low battery light is still on!
I know the simplest explaination would be that the battery I bought was already low. I used latex gloves when putting in the new battery so I wouldn't drain any of the charge through my fat fingers.
Is it possible that there is a sensor problem that makes the car THINK that the keyfob batteries are low when they really aren't?
Yeah we've driven it quite a bit. I was making the asumption from the postings here that it wasn't a warning light that needed to be reset. It seemed like when other people changed batteries it just went off.
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The fob I use daily, the one that pooped out, had worn itself down from an original 3.3 volts (give or take) to 2.7 volts.
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