The engineers haven't determined which cell phones are causing problems with the i-key but apparently it's not ALL cell phones in general. There is a specific frequency generated by certain phones when receiving calls that transmits a radio frequency to the key that scrambles its program. You know that sound that some speakers make when cell phones are close by and you're about to receive a call? It sounds like a scrambled sequence of static that speakers can pick up. The i-key has a transmit/receive radio chip that communicates with the car. Basically the key "listens" for the car to send it a radio signal from its proximity sensors and vice versa. If another device can transmit a similar but meaningless signal via radio to the i-key - the key can mistakenly think it's being reprogrammed and allows the false radio signal to rewrite its code. Once it's rewritten, then the car will no longer recognize the code in the key.

You can read more about the Siemens VDO technology in the i-key from here:
http://www.siemensvdo.com/press/rele...605-001-en.htm

 

Makes sense, I'll have to read up on that. It only explains half of it though. If the signal is simply reprogramming it, then the Key should be able to be reprogrammed with the correct signal. If the Key cannot be reprogrammed then the cell signal has to do something more then just reprogram it.

 

I think you're right. Well being an elec engineer, I can tell you that it may not not even be a matter of simply reflashing or rewriting the code - I'm just thinking off the top of my head. Who knows what this cell signal does to this chip - (If some one can tell me what this chip is, I can look at the data sheets and tell you). I'm guessing it's putting the chip in a permanent data loop that no longer accepts incoming signals or triggers a security code feature in the chip to lock out certain radio signals. But until those engineers do some reverse FCC testing with some phones and probe the data IO of that part, then we can't really tell how it's causing that chip to lock.

 

^ That's a very very valid theory ^ I'm guessing with it being a wireless device, security is one of the major factors in design. So maybe with all their security methods in place, they forgot one major loop hole with the cell signals

 

I would still rather it be *more* secure than less so - even if I do have to think about the cell phone thing.

 

This is everywhere now, do a search for intelligent Key and this letter from Nissan comes up on most of the links.

And everyone that knows I ordered my G have been telling me about it.

At least they say there will be a fix in the fall.

 

It's official now. This really is "news" as it's finally made slashdot:
http://hardware.slashdot.org/hardwar.../1927213.shtml

http://hardware.slashdot.org/comment...7&cid=19302795
Fess up, who's the person trying to slashdot g35driver

 

That'd be me :P

 

http://www.engadget.com/2007/05/25/n...elligent-keys/

 

That looks just like the ikey my Murano has, can anyone confirm thats what the G35 key looks like?

If so I wonder why it is isolated to just Altimas and G35's

 

And what about the G35 Coupe? My ikey looks the same as well. How is it that this only affects the sedans?

 

I had one key go bad and i have a treo 680 phone

 

I have not had any issues to date regarding the i-key, and I do keep it away from my cell phone, but with the concerns expressed to date, I started carrying around my second i-key- just in case.

But I am keeping both i-keys in the same pocket! Likely not such a good idea - am I now adding to the very risk I am trying to protect against?

 

No issue yet.

 

We'll only be getting the new replacement keys only if the original ones fail right?

I wish they'd give everyone 2 new keys... it'd be nice to have.