Bizarre new fob problem...
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 359
Likes: 47
Bizarre new fob problem...
So I've had my '08 since January. Replaced the car's battery and fob batteries proactively when I got it. Fobs worked fine. In the last few days however I've been having a strange issue. Here's what happens:
In the morning I open the garage door from the wall switch, go outside to the Vette which is parked right in front of the garage. Driver's door will not open.
Go around to the passenger side, door opens fine. Walk back to the driver's side, door then opens fine. Get inside, car won't start, "no fob detected" message. Put fob in glove box slot, car starts.
Get to my office, go inside. Come out later, driver's door opens fine, fob is detected to start. Works fine wherever I happen to drive to.
Next morning, same problem over again.
I changed out the fob battery again for a new one, no effect. Fob is in the same case, same pants pocket location it has always been. The only thing I can think of is, I had been keeping the Vette in the garage, but now that I have my other car back I've been keeping the Vette outside as I am driving it daily this past week. Could it be interference from my garage door opener? Why would that happen once the door is open and the drive motor has stopped?
In the morning I open the garage door from the wall switch, go outside to the Vette which is parked right in front of the garage. Driver's door will not open.
Go around to the passenger side, door opens fine. Walk back to the driver's side, door then opens fine. Get inside, car won't start, "no fob detected" message. Put fob in glove box slot, car starts.
Get to my office, go inside. Come out later, driver's door opens fine, fob is detected to start. Works fine wherever I happen to drive to.
Next morning, same problem over again.
I changed out the fob battery again for a new one, no effect. Fob is in the same case, same pants pocket location it has always been. The only thing I can think of is, I had been keeping the Vette in the garage, but now that I have my other car back I've been keeping the Vette outside as I am driving it daily this past week. Could it be interference from my garage door opener? Why would that happen once the door is open and the drive motor has stopped?
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 16,903
Likes: 5,365
From: T-Town WA
2016 C6 of Year Finalist
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 16,903
Likes: 5,365
From: T-Town WA
2016 C6 of Year Finalist
I should have also mentioned LEDs, altho I have LEDs in my opener and everything works fine. However, a buddy of mine replaced all his garage bulbs with fluorescent bulbs and the garage door opener would not work at all. Just sayin...
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 14,475
Likes: 785
From: Las Vegas NV
Park the car somewhere else and test it. Other half of the driveway, in the garage, in the street in front of the house. If it's some kind of interference, that should give you the answer.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 9,249
Likes: 221
From: Dryden MI
In my case the garage door remote would not work if the led Lites were on. Replaced with incandescent bulbs and no issues with remote.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,493
Likes: 809
From: West coast CA
Go to your electric panel and switch off the breaker for the door opener. See if that makes the problem go away.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 359
Likes: 47
Will do that tonight. The most bizarre thing to me it how it'll open from the passenger side but not the driver side, or start. Considering the system's propensity for glitches makes me wonder why they didn't put the key slot near the driver's door, and the fob receptacle in the dash next to the start button.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 359
Likes: 47
Man if that's the problem then I hope there's a solution other than disabling the opener or parking the car somewhere else. I don't want it on the street, and the other side of the drive needs to be clear so my wife can get in and out.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,493
Likes: 809
From: West coast CA
It could be some other source of interference, but the breaker test should help narrow it down.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 359
Likes: 47
If it turns out to be a malfunctioning door opener, you can repair or replace it. You shouldn't have to choose between a door opener and a C6. I bet most C6s are stored in garages, and you seldom hear of this problem.
It could be some other source of interference, but the breaker test should help narrow it down.
It could be some other source of interference, but the breaker test should help narrow it down.
I also need to see if it doesn't happen with the door closed, then I could probably walk out through the other side.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 10,468
Likes: 1,149
From: Wayne Township WI
Ben, after trying other suggestions?
Disconnect battery a few minutes & reconnect.
Forces a clean reboot of computers.
It's amazing how many strange electronic one-off gremlins are cured with this simple trick.
Try it, good or bad report back.
Disconnect battery a few minutes & reconnect.
Forces a clean reboot of computers.
It's amazing how many strange electronic one-off gremlins are cured with this simple trick.
Try it, good or bad report back.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 2,691
Likes: 141
So I've had my '08 since January. Replaced the car's battery and fob batteries proactively when I got it. Fobs worked fine. In the last few days however I've been having a strange issue. Here's what happens:
In the morning I open the garage door from the wall switch, go outside to the Vette which is parked right in front of the garage. Driver's door will not open.
Go around to the passenger side, door opens fine. Walk back to the driver's side, door then opens fine. Get inside, car won't start, "no fob detected" message. Put fob in glove box slot, car starts.
Get to my office, go inside. Come out later, driver's door opens fine, fob is detected to start. Works fine wherever I happen to drive to.
Next morning, same problem over again.
I changed out the fob battery again for a new one, no effect. Fob is in the same case, same pants pocket location it has always been. The only thing I can think of is, I had been keeping the Vette in the garage, but now that I have my other car back I've been keeping the Vette outside as I am driving it daily this past week. Could it be interference from my garage door opener? Why would that happen once the door is open and the drive motor has stopped?
In the morning I open the garage door from the wall switch, go outside to the Vette which is parked right in front of the garage. Driver's door will not open.
Go around to the passenger side, door opens fine. Walk back to the driver's side, door then opens fine. Get inside, car won't start, "no fob detected" message. Put fob in glove box slot, car starts.
Get to my office, go inside. Come out later, driver's door opens fine, fob is detected to start. Works fine wherever I happen to drive to.
Next morning, same problem over again.
I changed out the fob battery again for a new one, no effect. Fob is in the same case, same pants pocket location it has always been. The only thing I can think of is, I had been keeping the Vette in the garage, but now that I have my other car back I've been keeping the Vette outside as I am driving it daily this past week. Could it be interference from my garage door opener? Why would that happen once the door is open and the drive motor has stopped?
I changed the fob battery (CR2035) and it fixed the issue for me. I measured the old battery and new ones. Old measured 2.85 volts and a new one will be 3.30 volts.
Note 1: these were the original batteries, they lasted almost 4 years and I never used fob 2 but the battery was worn down the same as Fob 1.
Note 2: When you have the fobs apart to replace the battery, use some rubbing alcohol on a q-tip to clean the copper contact points on the fob board.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 359
Likes: 47
Tried both fobs, both had same issue, only on drivers side. Went out through the front door this morning instead of opening the garage, same issue.
Ruling out all those, I next suspected the exterior opener switch on the driver's door, as apparently it has a reputation for going bad. Removed it, saw evidence of prior tampering. Opened it up, sure enough the contact plate inside had definitely been messed with. No idea how it managed to stay operable at all. Picked up a new one at the dealer. $20 later, it seems to be fixed. If the problem recurs I'll have to delve further.
Thanks everyone. Hope this adds to the database of possible gremlins to look out for.
Ruling out all those, I next suspected the exterior opener switch on the driver's door, as apparently it has a reputation for going bad. Removed it, saw evidence of prior tampering. Opened it up, sure enough the contact plate inside had definitely been messed with. No idea how it managed to stay operable at all. Picked up a new one at the dealer. $20 later, it seems to be fixed. If the problem recurs I'll have to delve further.
Thanks everyone. Hope this adds to the database of possible gremlins to look out for.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,493
Likes: 809
From: West coast CA
I next suspected the exterior opener switch on the driver's door, as apparently it has a reputation for going bad. Removed it, saw evidence of prior tampering. Opened it up, sure enough the contact plate inside had definitely been messed with. No idea how it managed to stay operable at all. Picked up a new one at the dealer. $20 later, it seems to be fixed. If the problem recurs I'll have to delve further.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 359
Likes: 47
That's what I thought too, but a)everything else checked out, and b)changing the handle switch seems to have solved the issue (so far). I'm not a fan of using the shotgun approach to fixing cars, but at $20 it was worth a shot.