I was watching TV last night and saw an ad for "MedicalAlert". You have a small remote that you wear as a pendant to call for help, e.g. "I've fallen and I can't get up." It claims a range of 600 ft.

I thought, "Wow, are you kidding me? 600 feet!" If I approach my R57 (and I don't know if maybe other models are better) from the front, my fob has about 100 ft. range - max. Approaching from the rear it has less than 50 ft. and that only if I hold it over my head. I am sure people seeing me in the parking lot walking around with my arm straight up in the air wonder about me. Of course, I am talking about trying to get the top down before I get to the car.

I have seen a few strings mentioning this issue, but never any resolution or help. Maybe this is just the way it is, but that ad just made me want to mention this again.

 

I suspect you will find that you are not alone.

Weighing in as an R50 owner, your distances look good to me. I'd say my range is about 1/3rd what you stated. The battery in my remote is new. For comparison purposes, it might be good to indicate if your car has comfort access, or not (I obviously don't in my 2002 model).

 

I do not have comfort access, so I have the internal rechargeable battery in my fob.

There probably isn't anything I can do about it, so I am still considering the Smarttop because as it is, pressing, pressing and holding, then pressing and holding again...and hoping the top will go down is a crap shoot at best.

 

The reason that the fobs have a short distance is for safety reasons. I would not want to unlock my car from 600 ft and then have someone steal stuff from it while i ran to the car from that far. Very few car manufactures have a range more than 100 ft

 

Gray Raven has a step by step on an older model key fob to extend the range. Don't know if it will help but take a look at post #1.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...b-range-2.html

 

My NISSAN Altima, and XTerra have a range that is SILLY. I have rolled the windows down at over 400 feet away! Oddly the same people that makes the fob for NISSAN also make it for MINI, Siemens, so not sure why the diff in range.

 

The range on the Mini is the shortest I've ever had. I'd hate to forget where I parked it in a big lot!

 

My car does has comfort access so my fob has a battery but my remote range is only about 30-40 feet. Good enough for me.

 

My R57 range is about the same but ( know this sounds crazy) if I touch my chin with the metal perimeter of the fob it extends the range noticeably. I read about it somewhere here in NAM, tried it and it works for me. It is irritating how short the range is.

 

Has to be another factor perhaps due to position. The chrome ring on the FOB is plastic on mine. I replaced it at the last visit to the dealer. I tried this "fob under chin " move again but no improvement in range for me.

 

The under the chin method didn't work for me either, although holding it over my head (like an idiot) helps. But like I said, the range depends on approach angle.

I am hoping for a smartTOP controller for Father's Day...and the literature says, "Range Extender - smartTOP increases the remote range, allowing you to operate the top from the same distance as the door locks." But even if it doesn't, not having to hold the button will be nice.

 

I have to be practically on top of my car to unlock or lock the doors. HOWEVER, my windows roll down and sunroof magically are able to open unintentially while at work 100+ feet away.

 

i,000 feet , remote pointed at my forehead. unlock & lock, straight shot