With the Remote Start System, the (larger than standard issue) FOB excels at transmitting over some great distances to be able to lock the TLX and start the car.

I've even been able to start the car while seated in the movie theater- and my car was in an attached concrete parking garage next door!!!

But the button on the same FOB to remote open the trunk has an extremely limited range- like 25 feet, and pretty much line of sight is needed.

Do others see this behavior as well?? Is this some sort of "feature" to prevent the trunk from accidentally being opened unless you are very near the car??

 

Sounds like a reasonable safety precaution as you would not want an unintentional opening from a long distance. If you can gain access to the trunk then you can pop the seats and get access to the interior.

Mark this up as another positive feature for the TLX.

 

One possible explanation is that the transmitter of the "trunk open" remote switch is a separate than the remote start system. The latter one is bi-directional (the fob tells you if the car started). The range of the 2 systems are probably very different.

 

I agree, it's a feature. And any obsessive/compulsive will be very happy to not have to run 1/4 mile to their car to check if the trunk is open ;-)

At least if if you mistakenly unlock the car, the remote can re-lock it and confirm it (I think that's how it works). Can't close the trunk with the remote. Besides why would you want to open the trunk from 1/4 mile away?

 

At work last night I tried to see if I could open the trunk at the same distance as I could lock the doors and start the car. I noticed that I couldn't open the trunk and that the doors will not unlock at that distance either. I kept trying to unlock the doors as I approached the car from where I was and I found that you have to be really, really close to unlock the doors too. This makes sense because I suppose if you get to your office 4 floors away and remembered you forgot to lock the doors you could just press the remote key and check for the feedback signal. Why would you ever need to unlock or open the trunk from that far away? I guess it's a nice safety feature that I would have never considered.

 

Try holding the fob under your chin, press the lock or unlock--you'll be amazed how it increases the range. It supposedly lets you act as an antenna-I was a doubter until I tried it on several cars now. Nice if you can't remember if you locked it and you are half way down the block.

 

^^ Really?!!? I never heard that....

Wonder if I could use under my "telescopic antenna" for a better range

 

Yeah. A friend told me about this trick in 2004 except he said to touch the back of the FOB against your forehead. It works for those long distances to resolve those "Did I lock the car?" questions.

I have also seen this written up in news articles. Science is amazing.

 

I noticed this lack of range specifically because I was trying to use it to open the trunk at a distance! I can see my car in the parking lot from the window in my 3rd floor office. I sometimes have people get stuff out of my car while I work- so, they text or call me when they arrive "to open my trunk". It would have been great and save me a trip to have to run outside for them, where I could have just hit a button to allow them access while I watched through my window, if I wanted.
They would close the trunk, and I already can lock the car and confirm it's locked with my remote.

So, with this FOB- two things can be done at great distance (starting the car and locking it), while three things must be done relatively close (unlocking the car, opening the trunk, and setting off the panic alarm)

I certainly get the "accidental trunk opening" aspect- but, like the remote start feature that requires a timed sequence of 2 button pushes (including holding down a button)- I'm sure that there would be a nice engineered compromise to allow a greater distance without worry of accidental opening of the trunk. Certainly, the FOB is capable of doing the other tasks with a greater range.

I could also see a use for an extended range for the panic button- in addition to possible greater safety- it makes for a way to find your car in a stadium parking lot a whole lot easier!!!

Maybe I'm just spoiled because of the great range for starting the car- that I want it to do everything else, too!