Experiencing strange key fob behavior after installing a dashcam? You’re not alone. Many drivers who have hardwired dashcams for continuous recording have reported issues with their key fobs, and it can be a frustrating problem to troubleshoot. This article dives into a real-world scenario where a dashcam installation caused key fob interference, potentially linked to the “Key Fob Cam” itself, and explores the steps taken to identify the root cause.
The issue began immediately after installing two Viofo A129 dashcams in two different vehicles: a 2017 BMW X3 and a 2010 Lexus ES350. Both dashcams were hardwired to non-switched fuses to enable 24/7 recording. However, almost instantly, the key fobs for both cars started acting erratically.
Symptoms of Key Fob Interference
The key fob problems manifested in a couple of key ways:
- Reduced Range: The effective range of the key fobs drastically diminished. To lock or unlock the car, it was necessary to be within an extremely close proximity – around 5 feet or less – to the vehicle. Previously, the fobs worked reliably from a much greater distance.
- Key Fob Not Detected Inside the Car: Perhaps even more concerning, the cars sometimes failed to detect the key fob when it was inside the vehicle. This prevented the push-button start/stop system from functioning, making it impossible to start or stop the engine.
Troubleshooting Steps to Identify the Dashcam Interference
Initial troubleshooting steps focused on the most obvious potential causes:
- Replacing Key Fob Batteries: The first and most logical step was to replace the batteries in both key fobs. However, this action unfortunately did not resolve the issue in either vehicle.
- Disabling Dashcam WiFi: Suspecting potential radio frequency interference from the dashcam’s WiFi, the next step was to disable the WiFi functionality on both cameras. Despite disabling WiFi, the key fob problems persisted, indicating that WiFi was likely not the source of the interference.
- Powering Off the Dashcams: To definitively test if the dashcams were the source of the problem, both cameras were completely unplugged and powered off. Remarkably, upon powering down the dashcams, the key fobs immediately returned to their normal, fully functional state in both cars. This strongly suggested that the dashcams were indeed the cause of the key fob interference.
Pinpointing the Problem: The Rear Camera Cable
To further isolate the specific component causing the interference, a process of elimination was employed:
- Reconnecting the Front Camera Only: The front cameras were plugged back in, but the cables connecting to the rear cameras were left disconnected at the front camera end. With only the front cameras operational, the key fobs worked correctly!
- Reconnecting the Rear Camera Cable: To confirm the rear camera system as the culprit, the rear camera cables were then plugged back into the front cameras. Immediately upon reconnecting the rear camera cables, the key fob issues returned, confirming that the rear camera cable or the rear camera itself was the likely source of the interference affecting the “key fob cam” system.
This process strongly suggests that the issue is related to the rear camera cable of the Viofo A129 dashcam system. The user hypothesized that the rear camera cable might lack sufficient shielding or insulation, potentially emitting electromagnetic interference (EMI) that disrupts the key fob’s radio frequency signal.
Seeking Community Insights on “Key Fob Cam” Interference
While the troubleshooting process points towards the rear camera cable as the source of the problem, further investigation and community input are valuable. Despite the seller’s claim that the cable is of high quality due to its thickness, cable thickness doesn’t always equate to good shielding or insulation.
Has anyone else encountered similar key fob interference issues after installing a Viofo A129 or other dashcams, particularly those with rear cameras? Could the rear camera cable be the culprit due to insufficient shielding? Sharing experiences and potential solutions could be incredibly helpful in resolving this “key fob cam” interference problem and ensuring both dashcam functionality and reliable key fob operation.
