On a regular basis (almost every drive), my remote central locking fails and needs to be re-learnt each time. Magna executive wagon 1999. Any ideas why? I was away for a month and my battery drained completely.

Two things come to mine:

1/ Dud Lithium CR2032 battery...replace it BUT be bloody careful not to break the solder mounts for the battery holder when you do it. The solder joints between the battery holder and the PCB are atrocious and break very easily. It can be fixed but involves someone who is very hand with the smallest soldering iron.

2/ The battery holder is already stuffed and is moving on and off the PCB, requiring you to reprogram your car for the remote. Ebay is full of new replacement remotes on offer and there is one seller who markets refurbished remotes in which he has done some modifications so the holder doesn't come away from the PCB ever again. This guy: http://www.ebay.com.au/usr/remote_repairs?_trksid=p2047675.l2559

To reprogram you remote (in case you've forgotten)



To place the car into program mode, turn the ignition between ACC and IGN three times within a 5 seconds period, and then leave at the IGN position.
The hazard lamps will flash once to indicate the car is now in program mode.
Within 5 seconds of this acknowledgment, press any button on the first remote.
The hazard lamps will flash once to indicate acceptance.
Within 5 seconds press any button on the next remote to be taught. This process may be repeated for up to four keys.
Program mode will be terminated by any of the following events:

The ignition is turned off.
More than 5 seconds have elapsed since the last valid key code.
Four keys have been taught to the BEM.
No correct data has been received in 10 seconds.


Here is an EXCELLENT website explaining how to fix your remote if you have the electrical ability:
http://martybugs.net/magna/remote.cgi

THanks Stroppy, I have already replaced the CR2032 Battery, and it still seems to work. It's just that I regularly need to reprogram it. I don't do anything else to the remote, just reprogram. I can open the doors remotely, drive somewhere, then get out and try and lock the doors remotely (it won't), put the key pack in the ignition again, reprogram using the sequence, and it will work again. Weird. Not sure whether it is linked, but the engine will often stall (or nearly stall) just after starting. I doesn't seem to have re-learned the correct revs since the battery flatted. Not sure whether stalling affects the electronics.


Two things come to mine:

1/ Dud Lithium CR2032 battery...replace it BUT be bloody careful not to break the solder mounts for the battery holder when you do it. The solder joints between the battery holder and the PCB are atrocious and break very easily. It can be fixed but involves someone who is very hand with the smallest soldering iron.

2/ The battery holder is already stuffed and is moving on and off the PCB, requiring you to reprogram your car for the remote. Ebay is full of new replacement remotes on offer and there is one seller who markets refurbished remotes in which he has done some modifications so the holder doesn't come away from the PCB ever again. This guy: http://www.ebay.com.au/usr/remote_repairs?_trksid=p2047675.l2559

To reprogram you remote (in case you've forgotten)



To place the car into program mode, turn the ignition between ACC and IGN three times within a 5 seconds period, and then leave at the IGN position.
The hazard lamps will flash once to indicate the car is now in program mode.
Within 5 seconds of this acknowledgment, press any button on the first remote.
The hazard lamps will flash once to indicate acceptance.
Within 5 seconds press any button on the next remote to be taught. This process may be repeated for up to four keys.
Program mode will be terminated by any of the following events:

The ignition is turned off.
More than 5 seconds have elapsed since the last valid key code.
Four keys have been taught to the BEM.
No correct data has been received in 10 seconds.


Here is an EXCELLENT website explaining how to fix your remote if you have the electrical ability:
http://martybugs.net/magna/remote.cgi

I dunno but this sounds like a dicky Body Computer. You can buy a new or used BEM on Ebay...see here: http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2055845.m570.l1313.TR12.TRC2.A0.H0 .Xmagna+BEM&_nkw=magna+BEM&_sacat=0&_from=R40

But I don't know how you'd fit one yourself. Perhaps PM MadMagna and ask him how much it would cost to have one fitted. The part is going to cost you between a hundred to three hundred bucks.

I dunno but this sounds like a dicky Body Computer. You can buy a new or used BEM on Ebay...see here: http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2055845.m570.l1313.TR12.TRC2.A0.H0 .Xmagna+BEM&_nkw=magna+BEM&_sacat=0&_from=R40

But I don't know how you'd fit one yourself. Perhaps PM MadMagna and ask him how much it would cost to have one fitted. The part is going to cost you between a hundred to three hundred bucks.

When the voltage regulators on the alternator start to play up (and die) it can fry the remote locking circuits on the BEM as they are not as well protected to the spikes. You can tell it is stuffed by the security light coming on and staying on.

When the BEM is replaced, the ECU, and all the locks must be changed as well as a package as they are all paired.

Mike

"but the engine will often stall (or nearly stall) just after starting."
This sound like the car battery on the way out to me - not sure, from what you have written, if you have replaced the car battery.

As Stroppy said "The battery holder is already stuffed and is moving on and off the PCB, requiring you to reprogram your car for the remote." I had the same problem as you and re soldered the battery posts in the remote and it fixed it.

I have to disagree about the fault being the PCB battery holder in the remote. Mine was loose for years (held in with a wad of folded paper) and regularly lost contact, but I never had to re-program anything until I finally replaced the fob with a new one. I don't believe a loss of power to the fob causes it to lose its code, unless maybe it's powered down for an extended period. I'd be looking at the car rather than the fob and I agree with RonRabbit99 re the battery, the engine dying immediately after starting is a common symptom of a battery on the way out. The ECU checks battery voltage after starting and if it's not above a certain level it kills the engine. Generally everything's ok on the second start, presumably as the alternator has spun a bit of juice into the battery. I would get your battery checked (12V with engine off is not a good enough test, battery can be 90% cactus and still read 12V on a multi-tester but the CCA will be way down). The battery having been completely flattened ain't a good sign either, not good for batteries generally. Maybe you can swap in a battery that's known to be good and see if that fixes the problem.

I had a stereo system installed in my tj wagon, and now she wont lock with the remote fob but unlocks... The lights flash when i hit the lock button but it isnt locking (I have to lock it with the key)

Any ideas guys?!?

The aerial a round the ignition switch will cause problems like that...i had the same problem changed the aerial and they went away ...TJ2

I had a stereo system installed in my tj wagon, and now she wont lock with the remote fob but unlocks... The lights flash when i hit the lock button but it isnt locking (I have to lock it with the key)

Any ideas guys?!?

Wombarkarl could be 100% right but I reckon the fob itself might also be stuffed. The mircoswitches on the PCB aren't that sturdy and if you have been heavy on the push the switch can lock into place or just fail altogether. If it is happening with both your remote fobs then Wombatkarl's suggestion needs to be followed up because then you know it's not just one faulty fob.

When the voltage regulators on the alternator start to play up (and die) it can fry the remote locking circuits on the BEM as they are not as well protected to the spikes. You can tell it is stuffed by the security light coming on and staying on.

When the BEM is replaced, the ECU, and all the locks must be changed as well as a package as they are all paired.

Mike


Yep...all the ones I've seen on Ebay have obviously been pulled from scrapped cars because the have all the locks, the keys and the BEM in a package.