No start, only in garage???

[QWK SVT]

For some reason, my MM will not start, while parked in the garage... I can literally push the thing into the driveway, and it starts right up. After letting the car sit throughout the work day, it starts right up. Put it back in the garage, and nothing:(

I have a dealer installed immobilzer (second key fob), and without pressing the button, the car will not start. I've tried both fobs and my spare keys, and niether allow me to start her up. All I can think of is that there's some sort of RF interference. :confused:

The only thing thing that has changed in the garage is that the master bedroom is located directly above the garage, and I have been varnishing and eurethaning the hardwood... I can't see how that would cause a problem, but there are no other changes to the environment, that I can think of...

Any thoughts?

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

That's really weird. Is your garage door opener constantly polling RF or something weird like that?

[DEFYANT]

Car Moods!

[O's Fan Rich]

F
I have been varnishing and eurethaning the hardwood... I can't see how that would cause a problem,
Any thoughts?

The warning labels on the cans tell you NOT to sniff the fumes and use ONLY in a well ventilated area.
Therefore, I believe you are pushing the wrong buttons while in a delirious state.
Check your cell phone and see if you've been making alot of single or double digit only calls.

[DEFYANT]

The warning labels on the cans tell you NOT to sniff the fumes and use ONLY in a well ventilated area.
Therefore, I believe you are pushing the wrong buttons while in a delirious state.
Check your cell phone and see if you've been making alot of single or double digit only calls.


Yes! This worked for me. :lol:

[ckadiddle]

Put in any new wireless phones or wireless networking equipment lately?

[Egon Spengler]

have people wired you house with cameras and microphones? Check with Diabolical and see what he recommends

[Pops]

I like this one. Good one Charlie!

[RoyLPita]

Have you tried to start the car in neutral?

[lucenti]

run a ground wire from your car to concrete floor. if tht don't work if yu have any thing pluged in to outlets pull, or better yet if you can shut all power in gararge.

If none of above work wrape head with aluminum foil, i read tht 1 in the enquire
:eek:

[MM_BKK]

For some reason, my MM will not start, while parked in the garage... I can literally push the thing into the driveway, and it starts right up. After letting the car sit throughout the work day, it starts right up. Put it back in the garage, and nothing:(

I have a dealer installed immobilzer (second key fob), and without pressing the button, the car will not start. I've tried both fobs and my spare keys, and niether allow me to start her up. All I can think of is that there's some sort of RF interference. :confused:



I think it's your dealer installed immobilizer which requires pressing the button on the second key fob. There's a RF/EMI interference in your garage which is causing your immobilizer to not getting the signal from that special key fob to disable it. Interference could be from fluorescent lights, dimmer, refrigerator (when compressor running), dog invisible fence system. Look around in your garage or adjacent inside wall for any electrical/electronics device that could be the culprit and turn it off one at a time until you can start the car in the garage.

Good Luck. :beer:

[Blk Mamba]

I know that as of late automatic garage door openers have been produced with a floating RF signal, to assure home security, this may be the problem. Unplug the door opener, and try again.

[QWK SVT]

I think it's your dealer installed immobilizer which requires pressing the button on the second key fob. There's a RF/EMI interference in your garage which is causing your immobilizer to not getting the signal from that special key fob to disable it. Interference could be from fluorescent lights, dimmer, refrigerator (when compressor running), dog invisible fence system. Look around in your garage or adjacent inside wall for any electrical/electronics device that could be the culprit and turn it off one at a time until you can start the car in the garage.

Good Luck. :beer:

Yes - this is all I can think of, too... It's the darndest thing, tho. I can literally push the car a few feet out (so that the nose is about 10 feet from the back wall), and she starts right up. I guess I'll continue doing that this week, and try to figure out what could be causing this, over the weekend... In the meantime, I'll blame my neighbor, and tell him he owe's me a beer for the troubles ;)

To repond to ideas: The garage door opener is older than the MM, and the same no-start situation happens in park or neutral. The only other peice of electronics that has been running is a dehumidifier, upstairs (recent humidity has caused problems as I have been painting). I've had this running inside the home for a period longer than this issue appeared, but I will unplug it (even though this just started on Saturday).

Not related to the car, but I'll also be glad when I'm done refinishing the floors - I'm tired of living in the basement, trying to get away from the stink of the urethane! :puke:

[QWK SVT]

Just to follow up, I removed the dehumidifer from the room above the garage, and no luck... Doesn't start in the garage, but is fine if I push it about 10 feet out (back tires still inside the garage, with the trunk hanging out). :(

I have a feeling this will be a fun little gremlin to track down :depress:

[Georges93LX]

Turn the car around 180* and see what happens.

[Ozz]

Try turning off breakers in your breaker box one by one until the car starts. Once you find which circuit the interference is on, turn it back on and start unplugging things one at a time until the car starts normally.

Alternately, an EMF meter may work as well. Find the source of high EMF and you might find your problem.

Have you done any electrical work on the house recently? Any new tools in the garage, etc (other than the dehumidifier)?

While we're figuring out strange issues - her's mine. My EATC, Power Steering and compass turn off when I put the car in reverse.... sometimes they come back, sometimes they don't until the next day....

[SILVERSURFER03]

Iv'e got use the key the old fashion way and see if that works hahaha

if not well im stumped

[Zack]

What is the theft light doing when it wont start?

[69marquis conv]

Sounds almost like something interfering with the PATS system when it's all the way in the garage. Like Zack mentioned, check the theft light- if it's flashing rapidly during the no-start condition, you've got a PATS issue.

[QWK SVT]

Sounds almost like something interfering with the PATS system when it's all the way in the garage. Like Zack mentioned, check the theft light- if it's flashing rapidly during the no-start condition, you've got a PATS issue.

The PATS light is acting normally, as per the description in the manual. :(

But the problem still persists... If I reverse the car into the garage, it starts no problem, but there's too much clutter for me to do that, right now. When I leave for work in the mornings, I just put the car in neutral, and push it back about 10 feet, to start it up.

I haven't tried shutting everything off at the breaker box, but will try that, tonight... I'm pretty sure now there's nothing wrong with the car - it's isolated to my garage / house. Since there's no new electronics, equipment, or wiring, something clearly is not working the way it should...

[chader]

when you are pushing it outside 10' is it on an angle?Is the fuel tank full?

[Aren Jay]

Note to CSIS Qwk SVT does not know me, you can stop bugging his Garage.

[jfclancy]

Well all the good ideas have been used up . Have you moved your home computer near where the car will not start? PC can give off spurious RF well please let us know what fixes it.
Have you considered car port?

Joe Clancy

[QWK SVT]

when you are pushing it outside 10' is it on an angle?Is the fuel tank full?

No, the tires are still on the inside of the garage, so the car is level. I have about 3/4 of a tank, and haven't dipped below 1/4 since this started. I'm quite sure it's the immobilizer, and some sort of interference, while in the back of the garage...


Note to CSIS Qwk SVT does not know me, you can stop bugging his Garage.

Hey - I'll have to check, tonight... Your post just may do the trick! Or, they'll think you are lying, and put MORE bugs in my garage! :D


Well all the good ideas have been used up . Have you moved your home computer near where the car will not start? PC can give off spurious RF well please let us know what fixes it.
Have you considered car port?

Joe Clancy

Nope - there are no new electronic devices are anywhere near the garage, and right now the only computer in use is in the basement (where it has been for a long time). As for a car port... The day my car goes out, so that the wife's Escape can go in the garage, there better be something better in it for me, than a car port! :lol:

Never got a chance to try the break box idea, last night. That's my top priority when i get home, tonight...

[ckadiddle]

Have Magindat line the inside of your garage with shiny diamond plating. :)

[Stangracer89]

Kill the breaker for the garage and then try to start the car. If that fails, Unplug your cable TV or Satellite as it comes into the house, you might have a bad splitter or booster. If that fails, start killing the house breakers one by one until the problem goes away. Isolate that circuit and start unplugging everything on that circuit until the problem device is located.
This happens daily in my line of work (GDO troubleshooting)
Happy Hunting!

[omarauder]

Is your next door neighbour into ham radio or a CB'er? You might have a 1000 watt transmitter nearby.
Or, maybe your ignition circuit got wired into your day/night sensor circuit (for headlights) or compass cct ?

[magindat]

Have Magindat line the inside of your garage with shiny diamond plating. :)

Whoohoo I'm goin to Canada!!!!!

Maybe just make you a shiny diamond plate hat - you know to use against Diabolical's bugs!!!

Hope you find it soon.

As for the CB/ham thing - it would only cause issue when xmitting. I used to have a 1.6KW...

[chader]

Kill the breaker for the garage and then try to start the car. If that fails, Unplug your cable TV or Satellite as it comes into the house, you might have a bad splitter or booster. If that fails, start killing the house breakers one by one until the problem goes away. Isolate that circuit and start unplugging everything on that circuit until the problem device is located.
This happens daily in my line of work (GDO troubleshooting)
Happy Hunting!
if nothing else,have fun resetting all your clocks

[B.C. Bake]

It's the government tapping your house "high RF" Disconnect the main phone line........while you still got a chance....:sweat:

[Ozz]

Is your next door neighbour into ham radio or a CB'er? You might have a 1000 watt transmitter nearby.
Or, maybe your ignition circuit got wired into your day/night sensor circuit (for headlights) or compass cct ?

Interesting idea actually - I live at a busy intersection and for several years, any time a cop car or ambulance was nearby, my stereo receiver/speakers would pick up the radio signal. It always happened after dark and the volume would be quite a bit louder than what was on (usually tv). Scared the bejesus out of me a few times! :eek: :eek: :eek: