Subaru Forester remote

[bushtech]

This remote stopped working one day. The 2 push buttons still click nicely. What can I check to try and find out what is wrong with this remote? Can't find a schematic.



Quite keen to fix this as a replacement is over $200 here in SA
Apologies, the photos not very good.

 

[kellys_eye]

This any good?

 

[Bluejets]

Does the on-board led light up when switch is pressed??

New battery, clean up contacts for both the battery and the antenna.
Some use the key as an antenna (contact 5?)

 

[bushtech]

Thanks kellys_eye. I had looked at that video before and checked my buttons closely. Can't see that they have been violated.

But where are the 2 contact points on the button switch?

 

[bushtech]

Thanks Bluejets.
Which onboard light.? The only one I know of is in the car. The key itself has no light on it.

Newish battery pushing 3.1 V. Contacts have been cleaned. Can't see any connection to key for Antenna unless they are using some weird invisible method unknown to me

 

[Bluejets]

May or may not have onboard LED. Originally saw L1 thought it might have been, apparently not.
Did you load the battery under test, say using an LED?
Would not be the first time a new battery is sold as a "clone" in almost identical packaging.
Give away point is the price usually.
Solder points for the switches appear to be (as an example) near the "C" on C3 and left of the "0" on the chip number "093". Other points would be on opposite side of the switch.
It looks like to two much larger pads at 90 degrees are for the metal case.
Solder points on 4 pin device 301 near test points TP3 and TP4 appear a bit daggy, could be just the lighting.
Do you have a photo that shows how the battery sits and gets power to the board?
Obvious is the centre connection but the side.....??

 

[bushtech]

Thank you very much Bluejets. Still busy investigating, but for starters: L1 very interesting, it's top surface which shows up brownish is actually made up up of very fine gold tracks following the shape of the smd with a sort of Y shaped blank space in the middle of the smd which has no gold tracks.

4pin device 301 is actually B81, solder points look ok, apologies again for dodgy pics.

More to follow

 

[bushtech]

Tested the CR1620 battery with a blue clear led, No resistor in circuit. Voltage drops to 2.7V. Maybe time to get some fresh decent batteries

 

[bushtech]

Got some new CR1620 batteries. Made by Energizer so hopefully good. That will take one variable out of the equation.

My plan of attack now is to try and get a datasheet for that chip and read some voltages on the pins. But I'm battling to find any any info on that 4144 chip shown in the first photo. Can somebody please help me to find some data on that chip.

Failing that, hmmm, maybe try 73's de Edd's AM Radio McGyvering

 

[Bluejets]

Many instances these remotes can be had for a few dollars on Ebay.
Trick is to get the correct programming code into the unit.
If you give us details on your model type of your vehicle perhaps we can help you search that way.

Edit:- Quick search on Ebay came up with this Aussie mob........they have just a replacement fob or at extra cost, key unit.
Naturally it has to be programmed but they claim in some cases that instructions for 1 minute programming enclosed.
Trouble is there are at least 50 different types they list starting at around Aus$32.00 odd.

https://www.ebay.com.au/str/STCkeys/Subaru/_i.html?_storecat=20973395012

Really is just a big con job money spinner these key fobs.... a bit like motorcycle ignition modules etc.

 

[bushtech]

Thanks Bluejets. It's a 2005 Forester XT automatic. On the outside of the key is embossed CE0891. ALPHA Corp. COJ12 Serial No 00000. Don't know if the number on the PCB will help.

Any other details I can supply?

 

[Bluejets]

Thanks Bluejets. It's a 2005 Forester XT automatic. On the outside of the key is embossed CE0891. ALPHA Corp. COJ12 Serial No 00000. Don't know if the number on the PCB will help.

Any other details I can supply?

Would it be correct to say the vehicle would be of European origin?
Just that there seems to be variations all over the world depending on where the vehicle was manufactured.

EDIT:- found this video as example on re-programming....vehicle specific.

Note that it says OEM gear.

Also on his youtube site, more info than one can poke a stick at.

Lower down the list is some general repair/mod/details/hack info.

https://www.youtube.com/user/TheLessco/search?query=program+key+fob

Also a bit more for you....
https://www.subaruforester.org/

 

[bushtech]

I think as a RHD vehicle that would be correct. Certainly never seen anything on the car that would indicate origin other than Japan.

 

[bushtech]

Thanks for all the info Bluejets. Spent some time looking at purchasing a key but they all looked pretty dodgy with success looking marginal. Before I go down this rabbit hole I will wait wait until I get to Johannesburg again and visit a scrap yard that specialises in Subaru's and try and get a replacement from them. I will also ask the Subaru indie I use to service my car to have a go at programming the key.

I still suspect there is something wrong with the key, first the one button stopped working and then the other button followed suit.
I need to determine if this remote is outputting a signal. Wanted to try 73's de Edd's radio test but my old radio only goes to 108MHz and the remote operates on 433MHz as far as I can determine

 

[Bluejets]

Apparently some bloke set his tv in the menu to uhf, hit the key fob button, then the tune auto button on the tv and looked for "anything".

There are also ideas floating around using Arduino and one of the small 433Mhz receivers to switch a couple of LEDs. Might give it a go tomorrow if i get a chance.

 

[bushtech]

Thanks Bluejets, will do bit of fiddling on the TV. Got an Uno here so will do a bit of googling