2016 Outlander keyfob hack. REMOTE HEATER!

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Forum

Help Support Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Fragge

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 4, 2014
Messages
169
Location
Sweden
On my new 2016 Outlander I noticed a new button on the kefob. "Charge timer disable"
20151220_221608.jpg


That's not a function I care much about, I would rather have a "Heater start" button. I also noticed that on the other side of the keyfob there is what looks like another button but it's a blank that has no function. I figured, what if?
20151220_221614.jpg


Took the keyfob apart and noticed that there is no switch mounted behind the blank "button".
20151220_220559.jpg


Took the board out and behold! A place for a switch, only that i'ts not mounted. Tested to short the pads on the board and EUREKA! The car started heating!
20151220_220756.jpg


So why no switch and button mounted? Is this an idea that got scrapped for some reason or does some countries have this switch on their keyfob?
It's not possible to move the switch and button over easily without modifying the case. Perhaps some wiring across the board to trigger heating instead of the timer disable function on the existing switch.
Haven't decided yet what to do with this information...
 
Well it's both cool and hot since "remote heater" is the wrong name for it. "remote climate control" is a more correct name since it can trigger the AC as well.
 
I wonder is a wee part from CPC, RS Electronics or Maplins could add in the missing switch
 
raymie said:
I wonder is a wee part from CPC, RS Electronics or Maplins could add in the missing switch
Yes, but the issue is the button itself. You'll need to modify the case a bit to make it work.
 
Great feature, does anyone know the distance the remote works? I had a Volvo XC70 earlier, and it worked easy 500 meter
 
Had a look at the Japanese manual for the PHEV and they don't seem to have this button either. Only the timer control button.
 
At your own risk etc ...

I not sure what is on the other side of the circuit board, though looks simple enough to modify though you'd lose the 'disable charging timer' function.

Cut the track for the 'disable charging timer', add new wire from the now disconnected switch to the other terminal. Hey presto the switch now pre-heats the car (probably).

Not something I'll be doing though as my car (if it ever arrives) will be on a lease ...

Great find!
 
Had a look at it today again and I'm unable to find a "clean" reversible way to modify the remote. The easiest way is to cut the track to the switch and add a new wire to the other side. But that isn't very neat. The switches goes directly down to the pins on the IC marked in the picture.
20151220_220756%20-%20kopia.jpg
 
Managed to find the switch, it's made by Panasonic and is one of the following models.

EVQP40B3M
EVQP42B3M
EVQP44B3M
EVQP46B3M

http://industrial.panasonic.com/cdbs/www-data/pdf/ATV0000/ATV0000CE6.pdf
 
I have installed three missing buttons into 2015 keyfob.

CNeh-W4fG_VCamds-jM7Jjekrf0f_DkApWaVfgeSLNs


It transmits separate codes for them, but they do nothing. So until additional functions are unlocked or added into car controllers - there is no sense to install microswitches at PCB.
 
In the 2016 keyfob the missing button actually do something, so all the software is in place. Just the switch missing.
 
Fragge, have you had time to make any progress on this?, I am interested in this for easy start of the heater when stopping for a short period during winter, I notice the ICE wants to start if the car cools down for 10-15 min.
 
MartinH said:
Fragge, have you had time to make any progress on this?, I am interested in this for easy start of the heater when stopping for a short period during winter, I notice the ICE wants to start if the car cools down for 10-15 min.
No, I haven't had any brilliant ideas yet. It's a company car and i don't want to hack the keyfob in a way that can't be reverted. It also makes me think about why they omitted this button, is there a reason why? Was there some problem that made Mitsu withdraw the feature?
 
Modified the key fob by cutting circuit board path to existing button (easy to fix with a little solder) and connecting to point where there is no button.
Works perfect. You have to push twice, just like the tailgate button.
You cannot stop remote heater/AC by the same button it seems, but it stops by itself after set time (10-30min).

sxj9m9.jpg


// Marauder
 
Finally got some inspiration and hacked my keyfob. Managed to do it in a way so that it is possible to restore it if needed.
Desoldered the switch and added two layers of kapton tape on top of the pad, then mounted the switch back again. This isolates the switch from the board. Added a wire to the other side from the switch.

20160218_184218.jpg


20160218_184747.jpg


20160218_185824.jpg
 
Back
Top