I've had my Paceman for a few weeks, and in general I'm happy. The one complaint I have right now is the weak keyfob range I seem to have. In my vw rabbit I could be several feet away to lock or unlock the car. It seems with the paceman I have to be right next to it. I've also noticed that sometimes the button lock on the door handle work, sometimes it doesn't. Yes, I've changed the battery in the fob. Have the same issue with both keys. Is this normal, or is something wrong?

 

Our '09 Clubman is the same. We have maximum 3 foot range on the key fob even with a new battery.

 

Gosh, The range is about fifty feet on my 2010 Clubman!
I don't have the convenience package.

Dave

 

I know this will sound strange but there is a simple solution to increase the range for the fob and it works.
The “trick” of using your head to increase the key fob’s range also seems to work as well or even better by placing the fob under your chin, sometimes accompanied by opening your mouth.

Video test:
Jeremy tests central locking range - Top Gear - BBC

 

i remember seeing that episode then going out to try it......and it worked. Of course i may have looked like a bit of a doofus.....

 

This is an old issue. Holding the key up to your jaw or temple can get the range out to an easy sand wedge distance. The main complaint, as I remember, was the threat of 'looking like a dork' while executing this maneuver.


I'm not a dork but I often resemble one from half a block away.

 

I have been using that technique for 25 years! It works!

 

I've read some articles written by engineers that say this effect has more to do with the height that you hold the key fob and not with any contact to your head. They discuss how the key fob's are constructed and their omni-directional output and it sounds more like how the fob is held and the height that accounts for the increased reception. They also point out that the human body actually absorbs the signals instead of acting like some kind of antenna.

 

There is always someone who will 'poo-poo' something that works....

 

The issue I would guess RavenGirl is referring too is that with the convenience package the idea was don't remove the key from your pocket, with my wife's Audi we only need be near the door and it works, with the Mini if it's in my back pocket which is away from the trunk it doesn't work. It's really far to weak.

 

I have the convenience package and have the same issue with the very short range. Even using the convenience button on the door handle will often not work on the first try... so I'm sitting there moving my leg as close as possible to the door!

But if that's my biggest gripe, I guess I don't have much to complain about.

 

I ran the software update that I found on the miniusa website, and it seems to have gotten worse. I can be standing against the car holding the button and it rarely works. :(