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‘Why would that cause the issue?’: Nissan Rogue refuses to start remotely. Then expert reveals common thing you do that keeps key fob from working

‘That’ll be 169.95.’

Photo of Beau Paul

Beau Paul

3 panel image: left shows are remote car starter, middle shows a Nissan car dealership sign, and the interior of a garage. Text over says: Customer states - remote start not working, and Let's see what the cause could be.

Would you have guessed the cause of this Nissan Rogue key fob malfunction?

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Self-described Master Mechanic Pete (@slapmehard77) had a problem that would be a poser for most people. The auto-start function on this customer’s 2017 Nissan Rogue was no longer working.

But it turned out that it wasn’t a problem with the fob itself.

Pete posted his findings to TikTok on Jan. 9. Since then, the video has acquired over 905,700 views and seems well on its way to hitting 1 million.

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What was up with the Rogue’s key fob

Pete’s video opens with him repeatedly pressing the Nissan fob’s remote start button. The on-screen text reads, “Customer remote start not working.” He holds down the button and aims it directly at the car. Nothing happens.

He then plugs the car into a diagnostic display to read the Body Control Module (BCM) codes. After seeing that the key signal is being sent, he goes into the passenger cab to see what could be causing the situation.

Interestingly, he spots a silicon cover on the Rogue’s gear shift. After some effort, he peels it off the top of the shift control.

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He then exits the car and presses the remote start button. The ignition turns over immediately, and the car has started, ready to go.

Does silicon block key fob signals?

So, did the gear shift cover block the fob’s signal? Or was it some other issue?

Some silicon materials can block an electromagnetic signal. These materials are also embedded with conductive materials that form what is called a Faraday cage. This will block the radio signal coming from a fob.

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However, regular silicon does not interfere with the signal. This means there was another issue causing the malfunction. It was still related to the silicon cover, though.

Like many cars, the Rogue’s gear shift has a button that must be depressed and released to shift from Park to Drive.

A viewer correctly observed that the sleeve was “pushing in the button that lets you pull it back into gear.” Pete responded to the viewer’s comment, writing, “Yessir.”

Because this essentially kept the car from being all the way in Park, the remote start would not work.

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Another viewer also noted that the shift cover wasn’t even designed for the Rogue and was actually intended for a Volkswagen DSG gearshift.

The Daily Dot reached out to Nissan via email for a statement.

What else can cause a key fob to malfunction?

This customer lucked out. Fobs can malfunction for a variety of reasons, and some of them can end up being expensive. According to Kelley Blue Book, a fob can cost from “$150 up to several hundred dollars” to replace.

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AutoZone states that common causes for fob malfunctions include dead batteries, “Dirty or worn out contacts inside the key fob,” a “damaged circuit board inside the remote,” and “loss of programming.”

“While it is an inconvenient addition to your day, the unfortunate truth can be that no matter how well cared for your key fob is, it may fail at some point or another,” AutoZone notes.

@slapmehard77 2017 Nissan Rogue. Customer states remote start no longer works. #mechanic #carrepair #automotivetechnician #Nissan ♬ Spanish Flea – Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass

Viewers react

In the video’s comment section, Andrew (@andrewmoritz7) pointed out that “just because they make an accessory for it, doesn’t mean it’s meant for it.”

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One viewer was just confused asking, “Why would that cause the issue?”

“I usually ask the customer ‘what did you do prior to it not working’ 10 times outta 10 they rat themselves out,” one viewer, who is apparently another mechanic, added.

The Daily Dot reached out to Pete via TikTok messenger and comment for further statement.

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