Key fob distance issues?

Nothing in the back seat to start, I've got a u1000 dash cam now, with front and rear camera, but it hasn't improved or made worse the situation. If I get remote start working well as it really should have from factory I guess the whole key fob issue really isn't one any more.

The phone line is more so because I'm cheap and don't want to pay for the data line, nor write the app, then host the server, with text I could just white-list my phone number and text to speech, (siri, google whatever) "Start my truck" and it'll go. it's just what I liked best for a trigger, technically you could use a remote control similar to a keyfob to trigger to the same effect.

As far as door indicator, if you remote start the truck the factory way, if anything happens inside the truck the alarm goes off. open a door? - alarm, press brake? - alarm, put into a gear? - alarm. until someone dumps the code off the ECU and rewrites it to act differently the factory remote start logic can't be changed, as far as I know, only VFTuner has dumped some of the code so far but they do truck tuning with no interest in other parts so far like this remote start issue, (something something Toyota security). All we need to do is recreate the act of starting the truck, with a remote trigger. this should(maybe) be possible with an adapter through OBD2 direct connecting and talking to the ECU but that's maybe a gen 2 kind of thing.

 

Just to update here, after removing the roof "shark fin" antenna (not by will lol) with it causing no issues yet, the key fob range is now around 60~ish feet. I'm really not sure what the shark fin does, I only use carplay, but I made sure to check all the features and seems everything still works, GPS, XM, AM, FM, all work fine, maybe its just reception won't be great in some areas but carplay or usb stick for music anyways so seems like a fair trade. Even the GPS location on the app to find the truck works, really not sure what all the fin does but with it gone key range has improved 10x, so much so I'm able to remote start my truck from inside my house from the keyfob, giving me a nice reason to stop paying for the toyota app.

I do notice the SOS call button is now RED, but the truck still has full cell bars on the headunit, as far as I can tell maybe the fin is only for calls to toyota safty no idea here.

 

According to this it's just for the radio and satellite radio. Do you have leds in the cargo lights? That is the primary cause of the fob interference.
https://www.sparksparts.com/v-2020-toyota-tundra--sr5--5-7l-v8-gas/electrical--antenna-and-radio

 

Nope no LEDs, stock everything, key range bad from the start, and now its great removing the shark fin.

 

Interesting. The Fob receiver is just to the left of the shark fin when you drop the headliner. I'm not sure why the fin wound interfere with it.

 

When you say you removed it, is there a hole in your roof now? I'm interested in removing it too to buy a couple inches so maybe I can park in garage.

 

Mine was removed for me by a low hanging pipe that ripped it off the roof lol, but yes there is a hole up there, just fill with the RTV, little bedliner over that, and colour match paint no one will ever notice. Sadly the factory hole is square so you can't put like a nmo mount and just cap it, if you find a bigger maybe 1.5x2in or so mount or bulk head connecter could seal it up, but I plan to keep my truck until it physically wont work anymore so I did the RTV hightemp, bedliner and colour match route.

 

Do you have a pic by chance? I hate that sharkfin. I had to get out a couple times to hold up those hanging things in parking structures while my wife drove past them. Ridiculous because I only have a 2 inch lift which is factory height for a pro.

 

I wonder if it can be replace with the one from 2019 and below that looks like this https://parts.lakelandtoyota.com/p/...tellite-Radio-Antenna/4102579/869600C010.html. They changed to the fin when they upgraded the head unit in 2020.

 

I don't yet but its the same as every decommissioned cop car they just pump it with house silicon in a similar colour, white/black/gray lol

 

Not a bad price to buy you a couple inches

 

From what I saw looking at the connection, I think they are different, the connection on mine was pink 4 solid pins. If it's true the fin is only for XM and AM/FM I don't know anyone that uses those, I keep a emergency AM/FM crank radio in the truck for those cases anyways, might even be possible to take off your factory fin and just put it inside the truck, might have to cut that plastic inner headliner but I think it would fit.

 

Thinking if I can find some kind of plug from McMaster Carr or something lol

BTW I got curious and tried my fob from like 50 yards away and it worked fine. Clear line of site though. My old ranger had a range of like half a mile wonder why they can't replicate that.

 

Yeah my mustang had crazy range, I have a good feeling some soldering could transplant our toyota feyfob into a Ford fob or similar with a larger antenna but I'm happy enough for now

 

I bet they limit it for some dumb safety or liability reasons. Like if you accidentally unlock your car from inside the store or if your kids messing with your keys.

 

The part I hate most about what you've just said, is there is a good percentage that is partly true, I'm assuming the other part is to sell the mobile app, Remember they originally disabled keyfob remote start if you didn't pay for the app, only after people mass complaining did they change it, yet they do still charge for the app, where Ford is free, and looking how failed they did the remote start in the name of "safety", and now given the CEO of Toyota left because he is not happy with the direction the company is going I see a strong fall for Toyota coming, only time will tell how long it takes for the name to lose its value.

Remember Mercedes used to be the name for quality then Germany lost the war.

 

At least on 2019 it's only four XM there's an antenna on the right fender up front for AM/FM.

 

2021 there isn't any other antennas exposed, so I'm assuming it's all in the fin.