What problems have you experienced with your keyless entry remote?

Discussion in 'General Motoring' started by joe, Jul 27, 2005.

  1. joe

    joe Guest

    I am working on the design of remotes here at Rochester Institute of
    Technolgy and would like to here from some Hyundai owners.
     
    joe, Jul 27, 2005
    #1
  2. joe

    hyundaitech Guest

    They don't work very well after you submerse them. I've seen a few dead
    batteries.
     
    hyundaitech, Jul 27, 2005
    #2
  3. joe

    joe Guest

    how about the mechanical design? do you think it could be designed
    better?
     
    joe, Jul 27, 2005
    #3
  4. Right away, put major attention into making these goddamn systems
    silent! These products have been designed by people who are thoughtless,
    arrogant, and stupid. I detest being forced to endure all the beeps and
    whoops coming from people getting in and out of their cars! Make the
    systems announce status with lights only, and absolutely no audio
    whatsoever unless someone is actually breaking into the car.

    And, also, make sure that it isn't so easy to push the noise button on
    the remote.

    You can be the first one to apply your brains and consideration.

    Richard
     
    Richard Steinfeld, Jul 27, 2005
    #4
  5. What's to design? You've got a few button in a small plastic box; it's
    pretty simple. The only improvement I can think of is to make it thinner
    so it fits in a pocket more comfortably.
     
    Brian Nystrom, Jul 27, 2005
    #5
  6. AOL! At least the one on my 2003 Tiburon does what Richard describes.
    I have a feeling that decisions about things like "number of buttons"
    and "what those buttons do" are not made by joe. I think joe may have
    been looking for comments like "I'd like it if the remote were shaped
    like $FOO" or "I'd like it if the remote came in a choice of colors".

    Anyway, the only thing I can think of to complain about on my remote is
    that the "unlock" button may be too small--it's oval, and roughly 1cm by
    0.5cm.
     
    Dances With Crows, Jul 27, 2005
    #6
  7. joe

    Andy S Guest

    On my remote I only have to push the arm button ONCE to look the doors.
    The turn signals will flash. The second push sounds the chirp.

    You aren't forced to endure this. You just don't like it because you find
    it annoying.
    I hear it so often that it doesn't bother me.

    As to th OP. Make them thinner. Do what ford is doing with the Fusion's
    keyless remote. Incorporate it in to the key itself
     
    Andy S, Jul 28, 2005
    #7
  8. joe

    B Crawford Guest

    Hi,
    I have a 2001 XG & I've had the remote stick 'on'. When I pressed it to
    lock, nothing would happen & when I moved into the shade I could see the red
    LED was flickering & had most likely been on for quite awhile. Took it apart
    & put in new battery which seemed to fix it.
    My real complaint is however that it is very easy to trip the unlock button
    in your pocket & my wife has locked the car but after tossing the keys in
    her purse & closing that has unlocked it again. A design to reduce chance
    engagement would be welcome.
    BCinBC
     
    B Crawford, Jul 28, 2005
    #8
  9. The Hyundai system IS completely silent, other than the sound of the
    locks actuating. It only chirps if you press the lock button twice,
    which isn't necessary in order to arm the system. The second press
    simply gives an audible confirmation of locking an arming for those who
    feel they need it.

    BTW, Joe's question was about the remote itself, which has nothing to do
    with whether the system is silent or not.
     
    Brian Nystrom, Jul 28, 2005
    #9
  10. joe

    Neil Guest

    The chirp serves a much important purpose IMO. If a door isn't fully closed
    meaning the door won't lock, then the alarm will not chirp. Very useful
    when kids and elderly relatives don't close their door fully.
     
    Neil, Jul 28, 2005
    #10
  11. Beg your pardon: I am indeed forced to endure other peoples' noise
    pollution. I'm into silence. Forcing other people to endure your noise
    is abuse. Just because it doesn't bother you is loopy and inconsiderate
    logic as to why it should not bother me. I pay attention to sound;
    perhaps you don't. To quote the Noise Pollution Clearinghouse: "Your
    noise penetrates my silence but my silence will never penetrate your noise."

    Noise pollution is a serious issue in our society. Some people want
    peace and quiet.

    Richard
     
    Richard Steinfeld, Jul 28, 2005
    #11
  12. Actually, I'm on target. You see, I after my Ford was smashed up by a
    drunk, I rented a Hyundai Elantra to try it on. And, indeed, I set off
    the alarm from far away by accident. My causing a cacophony of whoops
    and blasts in the parking lot was caused by the remote's design, as well
    as the system's switching. The design of the system -- the
    lock/alarm/remote together is stupid, and this went the same way for the
    next car: a Ford Focus (the Hyundai was defective so I swapped it at Hertz).

    The issue is that most people actually press the button twice -- and
    sound the horn, or crazy box, because there's no visible confirmation of
    the first press. On the Ford and a GM car, I noticed that when you
    _unlock_ the car, it flashes the headlights. So far, so good.

    But when you _lock_ the car, you don't know because all it does is blink
    the dome light. Now, when in the world are you going to notice _that?_
    So, you think that nothing happened, and you press again and whoop 'n
    blast everyone in the neighborhood.

    The mindless stupidity of the designers, and then the slavish copying of
    what's already been done leads to lots of unwanted bleeping, squawking,
    honking, angry electo-chirps.

    The OP asked about the handheld remote. Right there is one immediate
    issue that I discovered: it's too easy to hit the panic button by
    accident. But the remote is part of an overall system -- the whole thing
    needs some tweaking. The bottom line, of course, is the abuse of people
    who may be more sensitive to sound than the designer -- perhaps a guy
    who couldn't care less, and, "What the hell is wrong with you; get a life!"

    One of my work hats has been closely involved with human engineering
    (computers, mostly). And I'm amazed by how much people with brains
    overlook sensible accommodations and common sense when they design things.

    Here's a guy who was interested enough to ask, and I'm more impressed
    that he did than by his gramatical slip. Many engineers I've met aren't
    as aware -- they just want their designs to function, and off to the
    next project.

    A few years ago, when my late electronics technician friend was looking
    for a car, I recommended that he pay attention to Hyundais. I've been
    interested in Korean products since I began checking out the insides of
    some stereo products during the 80s. He bought an Elantra, and I was
    impressed with a number of design aspects of it. I honestly don't know
    if the cars are designed in Korea, in the USA, or both. But there's a
    little more thoughtfulness in the Hyundai's engineering than I'm used to
    seeing in domestic cars. So, what's common here is the application of
    some reasoning and consideration into design -- whether it's to the car
    itself or to the OP's interest in what the _user_ might want in the
    remote control. And I know he's a student, but here's a guy I'd love to
    work with on a design project. Don't you agree?

    Richard
     
    Richard Steinfeld, Jul 28, 2005
    #12
  13. That's cool. However, I don't want to be awakened from a nap because
    your grandma didn't shut your car door. We need an alternative system
    that's not alarming to a neighbor, such as, perhaps, a bright strobe
    light. And until the time has come when all cars are outfitted with
    bright flashing lights, I want the existing systems deactivated.

    Note that we already have a warning: in my Hyundai, if a door isn't
    fully closed, the ding-dong keeps sounding _inside_ the car. What more
    does the driver need? Those chirps are maddening to have to listen to
    for me and for others who are sensitive to sound. It's noise, and even
    though the chirps are brief, they're damn loud. And alarming.

    The noise levels in our environment have steadily risen -- 100 years
    ago, there were no unmuffled small gasoline engines -- no leaf blowers,
    chainsaws; there were no boom cars, and no worthless car alarms and door
    lock boopers and whoopers driving everyone else crazy. In an urban area,
    the overall noise pollution has a psychological effect -- it certainly
    makes people tense. Time to get back to quiet.

    Richard
     
    Richard Steinfeld, Jul 28, 2005
    #13
  14. Amen to that. We can start by mandating that motorcycles meet the same
    noise regulations that cars must meet. I find that a heck of a lot more
    offensive than chirps from alarms systems.
     
    Brian Nystrom, Jul 29, 2005
    #14
  15. While I'm all for reducing noise pollution, if the innocuous chirp from
    an alarm system is "alarming" to you, I daresay the the problem is you,
    not the chirp. If noise is such a problem for you, you should move to a
    more remote area where the ambient noise level is lower. All the
    complaining in the world is not going to significantly reduce noise
    levels in a city. Cities are what they are and no one is obligated to
    accommodate you.
     
    Brian Nystrom, Jul 29, 2005
    #15

  16. So because YOU screwed up and set of the alarm, the system is "stupid".
    I beg to differ. It works just fine and it's silent unless you press the
    lock button twice or hit the alarm button. Figuring out the remote is
    NOT rocket science.
    So what does that have to do with Hyundai? The Hyundai system doesn't
    work that way. If you want to bitch about other cars, there are
    appropriate forums to do so. This is not it.
    You hit the panic button ONCE, so it's a bad design? Give me a break!
    The panic button is there and readily accessible for good reason.
    Sure, that's a problem with a lot of products. However, just because one
    of us doesn't like something, it doesn't mean that it's a poor design or
    that most other people aren't happy with it.
    What gramatical error are you talking about?
    As I said before, the only change I'd like to see is to make the remote
    thinner. Other than that, I'm happy with it.
     
    Brian Nystrom, Jul 29, 2005
    #16
  17. joe

    Neil Guest

    You must be a very light sleeper or are sleeping in your car to be awoken by
    what really is quite a quiet chirp -- on my Elantra at least. Your bright
    strobe light idea sounds quite interesting. Hopefully for your sake that if
    implemented, it doesn't shine in your home and awake you in the night.
    You're missing the point. The alarm doesn't chirp if the door is not fully
    shut. The door ding-dong only happens when the keys are in the ignition I
    believe. I wouldn't be trying to lock the car with the remote if it were
    still with the keys in the ignition.
    They are alarming by definition and on purpose. The chirp also serves to
    inform any potential car thieves in the vicinity that your car is locked.
    Good luck with your quest.
     
    Neil, Jul 29, 2005
    #17
  18. joe

    comish4lif Guest

    Maybe it's my particular unit, but the "panic" button sticks.

    Also, on the Hyundai remotes, all 3 buttons (lock/unlock/panic) are on
    the face in close proximity. I'veset of the panic button by accident
    when holding a handful of keys.

    The VW Jetta "switchblade" remote has the panic button on the side away
    from the other buttons.

    New features? How about a programmable button for my garage door?
    Can you make it an MP3 player?
     
    comish4lif, Jul 29, 2005
    #18
  19. joe

    Dan K Guest

    I agree. I've had my 2002 XG unlock itself numerous times and I assume its
    because the unlock button is being pressed when the remote is in my pocket.

    Dan
     
    Dan K, Jul 29, 2005
    #19
  20. Different people, of course, are troubled by different types of
    particular noises. But they're all intrusive to someone. I feel that we
    need broadband quiet. Muffle eveything that's mufflable.

    In the case of motorcyles, at least here in California, I'm pretty sure
    that they've got to meet the same standards as cars. However, many the
    guys who drive them feel otherwise, and get off on removing mufflers
    altogether, and even adding gadgets that boost the sound. I think that
    the issue is enforcement (same as with boom cars); the cops don't do it.
    And (catchin' comes before hangin') it's hard for you or I to turn in
    one of these yokels because they're long gone before we can read the
    license plates, especially the little ones on the bikes.

    Dunno. It's a problem.

    Richard
     
    Richard Steinfeld, Jul 29, 2005
    #20
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