[01 Mastiff]

Maybe some of you have newer Harleys, anyway, I have a Harley which is keyless and uses a fob, the same as many Rebels. I did not know this, but according to various Harley owners and the Harley owners manual, the fobs can become useless in areas of high RF, such as cities etc. If you drive to one of these "dead" areas, you will not know it until you turn off your ignition and try to restart your engine. Apparently nothing will happen because the computer does not recognize that the fob is in the area. The Harley handbook says you should push your Harley 50' or so and it may clear the dead area. I not only don't want to push an 800 lb Harley 50' but I sure don't want to push my Rebel around. Harley also has a code you can use if this happens or the battery in the fob craps out. Does anyone know if Rebels (keyless) have a code you can use if you lose your fob or the battery in it goes dead (I'm gonna start carrying an extra battery)? Once again I feel that technology has given it to me up the butt when I wasn't looking.

 

[johnj]

Probably related to stray RF that shouldn't be transmitted. Here's a story of a pirate radio station found in California that caused this sort of problem.

Hollywood: Cops say pirate radio jammed electronic car keys - tribunedigital-sunsentinel

Here's another idiot that setup a pirate radio station that interfered with nearby air traffic control.

Pirate broadcast interferes with airport tower; West Palm man sued - tribunedigital-sunsentinel

FCC rules and spectrum control should prevent such a thing, but the problem is that idiot humans often get involved, doing their own thing and disregarding laws and regs. The idiots get a $10,000-$20,000 fine when caught. (Which they often don't pay.) And they deserve more. Anyone doing something stupid like that near an airport deserves some lead shot in the butt or worse.

Yeah, vehicles depending solely on wireless fobs are worrisome. Mine is a 2015, fob actually plugs into the dash. It's only wireless for a few features, but has a pull-out key for the door lock. Btw, fobs have always had battery failure potential. But the fob batteries should last a couple of years, so replacing them once a year should be more than enough. Carrying one around with you should be unnecessary.

I don't think it's technology biting you in the butt, it's idiots. If you actually get bitten. Right now, you're just worried about getting bitten.

 

[test123]

you dont need a battery, read your owners manual. You can touch the metal part of the key to the start button to power the fob if the battery is dead.

 

[TheGreatRam]

Here's to hoping that they keep the fob plug in feature in case drivers ever enter a dead zone and the car can't read a fob's signal. You'll end up having a towing company tow you a few feet until the signal works again.

 

[johnj]

"Always park facing downhill." That's what an old farmer told me when I was a kid. I rode with him sometimes. He lived down the road from us a mile or so. I used to walk his bean fields as a kid. And detassle corn. He never used his starter. He just always parked on a slope, with the parking brake. Release the brake, pop the clutch, and off he went. He was a funny old guy. Imagine planning to always park your truck facing downhill.