Hi,

 

I have a Mk1 Octavia vRS. The key fob range use to be fine, but now it only works if the key fob is close to the glass. It works reliably, but just has a very poor range, and yes I have changed the battery, but with no improvement at all.

 

Any ideas??

Did you get the issue solved. I currently have the same issue.

Same issue here on the 2001 1.8T Elegance. My range is max 5 meters (Fabia RS is I'd say well over 20 meters). Also changed the battery, still the same. I did have it checked up by @Stjepan he says it's something with aftermarket radio and how the antenna is connected, not really sure? :|

 

P.S. I did try the old trick putting the key to my head and the range is greatly increased, works 8/10 times - if it works it ain't stupid I guess.

Unfortunately it's a contact problem within key fob itself: The battery is in the other half and the the rest is in the other half and there's only a very thin layer of copper on top of the circuit board while the connecting pieces are leaning to the edge of the circuit board. No copper on the edge, only on top, so the connection area isn't any thicker than the copper pad on the circuit board, some hundreds of a millimeter.Also, the connecting piece is pushing this very thin copper layer inwards at every battery change so it eventually loses contact.

 

It's obvious that that kind of connection won't last long, planned breaking point. You could try to fix it by soldering some tin to the said copper piece but not easy as it has to be very thin layer.

 

I've second key I'll try to fix this way, pics will follow later today. Pics show the problem area in any case.

22 minutes ago, Kharon said:

I've second key I'll try to fix this way, pics will follow later today. Pics show the problem area in any case.

 

OK, didn't hand anything more urgent on hand so I took some pics.

 

Contacts on battery side

 

Circuit board on the other side.

 

As you can see the contact surface is very, very thin and the copper layer has already significant deformation/wear at contact points: It should be straight and now it has 2 notches, meaning it's not going to get proper contact no matter what.

 

Unfortunately the circuit board is not meant to be removed, so I'll first to add some material (solder) to the edge of the copper pad. More pics to follow it I succeed.

Edited 25 October, 20205 yr by Kharon

Not very pretty solderings but you get the idea:

 

http://kharon.suomiforum.com/www/ocu/PA252599.JPG

 

http://kharon.suomiforum.com/www/ocu/PA252600.JPG

 

Unfortunately no significant improvement in range (still few meters), but reliability improved a bit, I don't have to press buttons several times to open/close the doors.