VF2 Calais alert Remote Left in Car

[Deefer]

I recently took my key to the beach for a swim . And the ex has kept the other key. Did manage to salvage my key, but battery kept dying every 2 or so days so got a new one at Mr Minit. So they gave me one of their keys - not a Holden one and reprogrammed my key.

Both work fine but when I enter the car with my Mr Minit key I get a warning/alarm that their was a remote left in the car (it wasn't) and then when I get out and close the doors, the horn goes off saying the same thing. This happens 95% of the time. I don't know what's different when it doesn't go off. Been happening now for 4 weeks. Doesn't happen with the original, but same issue with the battery lasting 2 days. And a Holden one was more than twice the price of Mr Minit and I had to wait a month for them to do it. And with no remote I can't drive, fill the car with petrol etc.

The error is "Reminder: Remote Left in Vehicle"

I can turn the alarm off in settings, but even that doesnt always work, plus I don't mind that alarm if I do actually leave it in.

Mr Minit said to unplug the battery and that should solve it. It didn't and they have no further ideas.

Anyone have any ideas how to stop the horn going off? The alert happening?

Thank you.

 

[shane_3800]

It's likely a cheap key fob or, they didn't do the programming correctly.

My advice is to use a proper lock smith.

 

[Deefer]

It's likely a cheap key fob or, they didn't do the programming correctly.

My advice is to use a proper lock smith.

Thanks. That's not helpful at all. They are locksmiths. If you read the post, they did reprogram the original fob and it works perfectly. So they know what they are doing.

 

[Jeda]

Are you sure your ex has the other key and it's not somewhere under a seat or in between the seats and the centre console?

 

[Deefer]

Yes.

Considering it happened when I was 300.km away from her.

 

[shane_3800]

Thanks. That's not helpful at all. They are locksmiths. If you read the post, they did reprogram the original fob and it works perfectly. So they know what they are doing.

How is it not helpful?
If you apply logic, this started to happen after they programed two new keys, and you even stated that the old key works fine......

 

[dassaur]

Are you sure your ex has the other key and it's not somewhere under a seat or in between the seats and the centre console?

If this were the case, surely it would go off when the 'good' key is not left in the car too, but the OP suggests this doesnt happen.

I find it strange that the opposite to what you'd expect to happen is occurring - the key is out of the car and the car receives a false positive rather than not being detected.
Surely the key has to be faulty.
Perhaps @stooge has an idea.

 

[stooge]

i would reprogram both good keys to the system again.
make sure the old defective key is nowhere near the vehicle, i would keep the blade and destroy the circuit board.

there are two parts to the programming process one programs the rfid chip of the key to the vehicle and the other programs the pkes to the vehicle.
i have seen this fail and cause issues with one of the most annoying issues being that it lets you drive the vehicle as normal and then randomly it will not detect the key and prevent you starting the vehicle forcing you to have the vehicle towed.
another issue i have seen is it lets you start the vehicle and then bangs on about not detecting the key in the vehicle but the remote fully works and it starts the vehicle every time but always says it cannot detect the key.

as for locksmiths "knowing what they are doing", they told you to "disconnect the battery" to correct a problem with the immobilizer programming, doing this can make things worse and could have potentially locked both(all) keys out if the key register got corrupted.

i would take it back to them and have them correct their defective work, i assume this problem only appeared once the new key was added so it is the key or the programming.

its a service they provided to a consumer and by law they have to correct it at their cost.

aftermarket keys work fine with the vf but defective keys wont and failed programming attempts can happen with dealer tools or aftermarket tools.
the best way to rule out the programming is to reprogram all GOOD keys to the system and see if that resolves the problem, if it persists try a new aftermarket key.

 

[wetwork65]

Oh and make sure you are using good quality batteries. I used ebay ones (maxxel, panosonic etc) for a while and they didn't last long as well as giving an intermittent warning of no key detected.
New Energiser batteries from JB Hifi and the problems have gone away.

 

[Forg]

i would take it back to them and have them correct their defective work, i assume this problem only appeared once the new key was added so it is the key or the programming.

its a service they provided to a consumer and by law they have to correct it at their cost.

Thanks, @Skylarking …

I agree with you, mind you.
To a point.
Take it back & get ‘em to fix it, at least one or two more times.
Sometimes you have to accept that a provider of something is rubbish & cut your losses, going to a locksmith who does know what they’re doing.