jimgeo68

2014 Acura ILX - in cold city of Montreal, Quebec - with -25 - 30 celsius -

Car has factory installed after market (not acura ) 2 way remote starter.

On very cold days below -25 - the remote starter won't function at all. Won't unlock doors, won't start car, nothing -

When I get in the car, and push-button start - it starts no problem....it will however display a message - saying CHECK KEYLESS ENTRY SYSTEM. Then i will stop the car. Then I start it back up - and the message is gone.
Dealer explained that's because - i don't STOP the car with remote starter button - I enter the car, press the break - the car stops and then start it up again - and apparently this confuses the car - if the FOB is in the car --- makes somewhat sense - ?


Spoke to the dealer.
They claim that my (actually wife's car) car is not driven enough per day to maintain a solidly charged battery, car is driven for 1 hour - per day - 30 min. in the am - and 30m mins. at night - about 7km each way (there's traffic) - and that when the remote starter attempts to engage - it does not get enough power from the battery - this makes no sense to me - cause when i start the car with the push button start it works fine - they make it sound like the remote starter needs more battery power to start the car.

they suggested i install smart battery charger

NOCO Genius G3500 Smart Battery Charger | Canadian Tire

to maintain the battery adequately charged, since the car is not driven long enough to compensate for the overnight drain on the battery from just sitting out in the cold. All the tech in the car, apparently draws power from the battery - alarm, keyless entry - etc. makes a little bit of sense - but not complete sense -

with their logic - if i were to leave my car for 2 weeks, while on vacation - after I return - the car should not start cause the battery by that time should be drained from the so -called constant demand for power from the alarm, keyless entry etc. - well after a 2 week vacation and they car being in Montreal cold weather - it started (i can't for sure say if i started it with the remote or push-button - -- i'm leaning towards remote started)

Dealer is checking my battery tomorrow - doing some sort of load test and check the alternator ----

I've had plenty of cars with remote starters - never encountered one so delicate.

What's the point of a remote starter if it won't start at the time you need it most - when it's minus 25 -

If this sort of thing is a known issue - dealers should advise clients of the possible downfall -

My other car a - 2013 Toyota RAV4 - has a remote starter - (not 2 way though - i use my eyes to confirm it started ) - car is also driven 1 hour per day - but about 30 km per day - no traffic -

I really hope others can help me isolate the possible issues.

I don't really believe what the dealer is telling me.

Help.

Jim

Mathesis

Well I seem to be having this same problem with my 2013 TSX wagon. I had the dealer install the Remote I in 2014about one year ago. And notice now the care will not start on really cold mornings. I go to use the remote and i get a long buzz with the engine off signal.. I haven't called the dealer yet on this.. but being retired now and only driving 5k miles a year this could possibly what's happening to me. Darn i wish i never spent that money for this now if this is the case. I'll be back and let you know what happens in a few days

Thanks

jimgeo68

Well it's one later - and the acura ILX has had a 2nd battery replacement by the Acura dealer.

In the winter - this car is simply not reliable for starts. My Acura dealer tells me the car is not driven enough mileage to allow the battery to fully charge. The car does about 10,000km per year ( wife's car) - My dealer was the only one to make such a statement about the low mileage causing all these problems.

I've spoke to another Acura dealer - which told me it's not the mileage the problem - as that 40 mins. of driving each day is enough to charge the battery.

I think my Acura dealer isn't running enough tests to see if something else electrical is slowly bleeding the battery - they just do some sort of test on the battery itself - and determine it's not holding a charge and they swap the battery.

Great while the car is on warranty - but happens on 4 years + 1 month - when the car is no longer on warranty.

The 2nd Acura dealer also told me they had seen several cases this winter of no-start ILX cars.

Very annoyed. Very unpleased by the poor interest in my problem by my dealer.

I also had them remove the remote starter - in case that was causing the problem - the dealer told me that of course the starter takes current from the battery - but that much that it won't start when it's -20c ?

On top of all that - we have one of the plastic car shelters (Tempo) to protect the car against the snow - and wind.

thanks.