remote entry

[lionsbreath]

Question
On my 2003 Taco I have a remote entry key fob. The problem is that the darn thing only works when I am right next to the truck With in 10 feet or less. I have changed the bat. and still no better range. Does any one know where the antena is on the truck and if I can relocate it for better responce.
Thanks Joe

[flyingwil]

Question
On my 2003 Taco I have a remote entry key fob. The problem is that the darn thing only works when I am right next to the truck With in 10 feet or less. I have changed the bat. and still no better range. Does any one know where the antena is on the truck and if I can relocate it for better responce.
Thanks Joe

Joe-

Simply lengthen the antenna. To lengthen the antenna, you will need to add about 4 or 5 feet of wire to the end of the antenna with a butt-connector.

The antenna is located under the driver side dash.



It is a small, grey wire with a black stripe. There should be about 6 or 7 inches of the end of it hanging freely from the harness. It is just behind and to the right of the fuse cluster. (It is not necessary to remove any dash panels to access the wire - the dash is removed in the picture for clarity.)

The best way to feed the extension wire is to first feed it from the top corner of the dash, at the A-pillar. The A-pillar trim will most likely need to be removed. Once the wire is fed down behind the dash, use a butt-connector to attach the 2 wire ends.

Run the wire up the A-Pillar and tuck the remaining wire up into the front of the headliner, along the windshield.

You can also do the "Chin" mod to increase your range, as stupid as this sounds, it works. Hold the remote up to your chin, and press the button. It will use your whole head as an antenna, you can use this in the mean time while waiting to do the above.

[flyingwil]

HEy Joe!

Did that help you out?

[lionsbreath]

Thanks for the info, sorry I have been slow to respond. I am going to give it a shot today 10/6 my first 1/2 day off in a while.

[lionsbreath]

Damn That HEad Trick works THANK YOU

[Scott Brady]

Nice job on the tech suggestion Wil, thank you

I need to do that one too...

[Brian McVickers]

I've heard about the "chin thing" before with other vehicles. So of course I tried it and it worked. Then I tried it again with the fob held away from my head but still held vertically and this worked just as well. Could it be that the transmitter in the fob just has a greater range when held in the vertical position?

Either way it's still fun to try and get someone to use their head as an antenna. By the way I believe you can increase the range of your head antenna even more by opening your mouth, sticking you tongue out, holding one arm up and out to the side at a 45 degree angle while standing on one leg for a dedicated grounding affect. Oh, and don't forget to hum "I'm a little tea pot..."!

[datrupr]

I need to try this with the Trooper also. I will try it today and report. Scott, do you have this problem with your Trooper also? I wonder if there is a way to make the antenna longer on the Trooper as well. I am sure it would not be much different than the Taco's except maybe antenna location.


Brian-

I see we have a funny man in our group.

[Brian McVickers]

Couldn't resist!

[lionsbreath]

I added more wire to the antena but not much better. I ran from the wire you said up and around the windshield to the pass. of the truck but responce is still so so.