"Bermuda Triangle" in NY stops car remotes from working

[kranky]

http://www.app.com/article/20120724...ysterious-force-blocks-car-remotes-in-Yonkers

A stretch of one city street has some type of issue that is preventing car remotes from working or keeping people from being able to start their cars, according to the article.

How can radio interference keep a car from starting?

 

[techs]

I have lived in Yonkers.
The whole city is the Bermuda Triangle for hopes and dreams.

 

[sdifox]

CIA antenna farm

 

[TakeNoPrisoners]

It is a conspiracy, man.

 

[amdhunter]

This happens around the Empire State building for a few blocks radius. Got caught there a few times over the years and lol as people freak out.

 

[Sheep]

Too many devices crammed into the particular frequency those devices use?

The exact same thing happens when I park in the garage near my office building in downtown Chicago, which is surrounded on four sides by skyscrapers. My key fob is fine but takes like half a dozen tries to actually unlock my car.

 

[Printer Bandit]

is montauk close to yonkers?

 

[T_Yamamoto]

Its the CIA

 

[chimaxi83]

 

[pelov]

is montauk close to yonkers?

Montauk is at the end of Long Island and Yonkers is north of NYC.

 

[Colt45]

How can radio interference keep a car from starting?

I presume they mean preventing starting the cars with a remote. I have no idea why anyone would need such a thing unless they're a giant pansy, lazy slob, hate the environment, or a combination of all of those.

(it gets down to -50 here on occasion, and over 100 as well... and I'm sticking with that statement).

 

[z1ggy]

Whatever frequency the remote starter is using, some other radio waves are being transmitted near by that are destructing the wave.

Def. the CIA. For sure.

 

[LTC8K6]

Maybe the CIA can start your car for you in that area?

 

[rh71]

I presume they mean preventing starting the cars with a remote. I have no idea why anyone would need such a thing unless they're a giant pansy, lazy slob, hate the environment, or a combination of all of those.

(it gets down to -50 here on occasion, and over 100 as well... and I'm sticking with that statement).

people leave the ac on in the house so they don't have to come home into a stuffy and humid environment which then takes more time to cool... same concept. I don't have a remote starter but I can window-down the car from inside the house and do so before the kids go in.

As for the story, some cars can be started without putting the key in the ignition as long as it's on your person (inside the car)... they could mean that too.

 

[Scotteq]

Do remote car starters use the same radio frequencies as garage door openers??

If so: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/23/navy-radio-garage-doors_n_1695784.html

 

[dmcowen674]

"Bermuda Triangle" in NY stops car remotes from working

http://www.app.com/article/20120724...ysterious-force-blocks-car-remotes-in-Yonkers

A stretch of one city street has some type of issue that is preventing car remotes from working or keeping people from being able to start their cars, according to the article.

How can radio interference keep a car from starting?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remote_keyless_system

Most RKEs operate at a frequency of 315 MHz for North America-made cars

Keyless remotes contain a short-range radio transmitter, and must be within a certain range, usually 5-20 meters (15-60 ft), of the car to work

 

[gorcorps]

I presume they mean preventing starting the cars with a remote. I have no idea why anyone would need such a thing unless they're a giant pansy, lazy slob, hate the environment, or a combination of all of those.

(it gets down to -50 here on occasion, and over 100 as well... and I'm sticking with that statement).

It's not just remote starts, it would also be smartkeys/push button starts. I know in my car I just have to be in my car with the keys in my pocket to start my car. If the interference is strong enough the car might not be able to see that the key is inside, so I won't be able to start it my usual way.

Luckily these push button starts and smart keys always have an alternative so it's not your only option. Still an odd occurence though.

 

[SillyOReilly]

I presume they mean preventing starting the cars with a remote. I have no idea why anyone would need such a thing unless they're a giant pansy, lazy slob, hate the environment, or a combination of all of those.

(it gets down to -50 here on occasion, and over 100 as well... and I'm sticking with that statement).

Tell us more about how hardcore you are. ^_^

 

[D1gger]

I presume they mean preventing starting the cars with a remote. I have no idea why anyone would need such a thing unless they're a giant pansy, lazy slob, hate the environment, or a combination of all of those.

(it gets down to -50 here on occasion, and over 100 as well... and I'm sticking with that statement).

No, my car is push button start, but the remote control fob has to be in the car for it to work. If an outside electric signal interferes with this signal from my fob, the car will not start. There is an emergency key that can be used to open the door, but to my knowledge there is no way to start the car if the fob is disabled.

 

[Wyndru]

Probably a big security system installed in a building nearby interfering. I bet all of their radar detectors go off in this area too.

 

[gorcorps]

No, my car is push button start, but the remote control fob has to be in the car for it to work. If an outside electric signal interferes with this signal from my fob, the car will not start. There is an emergency key that can be used to open the door, but to my knowledge there is no way to start the car if the fob is disabled.

I thought they had to provide an alternative start method in case of fob failure. On my Rogue, the fob also hides a key that can pop out and start the car. On the Subarus I tried there's a port you plug the entire fob into.

 

[Squisher]

I thought they had to provide an alternative start method in case of fob failure. On my Rogue, the fob also hides a key that can pop out and start the car. On the Subarus I tried there's a port you plug the entire fob into.

On my Prius you can insert the proximity fob into a pocket in the dash where it makes a wired connection.

 

[LTC8K6]

In the new Grand Cherokee, if the keyless deal quits working, you can remove the engine start push-button assembly, and insert the key fob in the recess, and turn it like a conventional key start.

The push button assembly can be pulled right out, revealing the opening for the fob.

In fact, the back side of the push button is just a duplicate of the end of the fob.

 

[LTC8K6]

I thought they had to provide an alternative start method in case of fob failure. On my Rogue, the fob also hides a key that can pop out and start the car. On the Subarus I tried there's a port you plug the entire fob into.

Yes, there is always an alternate starting method, and an alternate way to get a door open afaik.

 

[D1gger]

On my Prius you can insert the proximity fob into a pocket in the dash where it makes a wired connection.

My bad, I actually looked at the owners manual for the first time, and there is a hidden slot in the dash that I can insert the key fob into if the battery in the fob is dead. Then the push button start will work.

I've only had the car for a week and hadn't opened the manual until this thread prompted me to wonder about starting the engine with a dead fob.