Car Remote Troubleshooting: Why Doesn’t It Work?

These days, most automobile owners don’t have just a key to start their vehicles. Some have fobs that lock or unlock the doors remotely or that even start the car remotely. Many people don’t even have a key at all, as more and more vehicles are using push-button start.

The advanced technology used on key fobs not only make life a little easier for drivers, but it also increases the security for these vehicles. However, that advanced technology can also make it a little trickier if something goes wrong with the key. You usually can’t figure out the problem and correct it yourself. Rather, you will need to call in the professionals car locksmith in Phoenix to diagnose the problem and to fix it.

Here are a few of the most common things that will go wrong with today’s car remotes:

Dead Battery

The simplest problem that can occur with advanced technological car remotes is that the battery inside the fob has gone dead. Fortunately, this is a relatively easy one to diagnose and to fix. Usually, you can tell that the battery has died because the car does not respond at all when you press one of the buttons on the fob. You won’t see any lights on the fob, and you won’t hear any beeps. You can change out the battery for a few dollars, and you’ll see instantly whether that was the problem or not.

In some rare cases, it may seem as if the problem is the battery, but it’s not. You might replace the battery and get a quick fix, but there may be an underlying electrical problem. If you find that you are replacing your fob battery frequently, you should see an auto locksmith to have your fob inspected more closely.

Glitch in the Programming

Car fobs have a small computer inside that is programmed to recognize the specific vehicle to which they are paired. Sometimes, that programming can go a bit wonky, and the fob won’t communicate with the vehicle correctly. You may not even realize that’s what’s happening. You may just be hitting buttons, and what you want to happen isn’t happening. Or maybe you have to hit the buttons multiple times before you get the desired result.

You will need to take your fob to an experienced auto locksmith in Phoenix to be diagnosed. If there’s a programming issue, the locksmith will be able to reprogram the fob and get it working properly again.

Broken Circuit Board

A fob is a tiny computer with a tiny circuit board and tiny connections. It is easy for those parts to get broken. Yet you can’t just open up the fob and see that the parts are broken. You need trained eyes to know that something is wrong, and you need trained hands to be able to fix the problem.

If you have a broken circuit board, your fob will likely not be working at all. After replacing the battery and realizing that’s not the problem, don’t assume that the fob is dead. Take it to a car locksmith near Phoenix to be diagnosed and repaired.

Today’s key fobs have more technology in them than some of the gadgets we grew up using. Don’t expect to be able to figure out what’s going wrong with your fob when there’s a problem – and definitely don’t expect to be able to fix the problem yourself. You need to take your fob to your Phoenix professional locksmith to be diagnosed and repaired. A locksmith has the tools and the software to be able to repair and reprogram your fob so that it works properly and you don’t end up stranded without transportation.

U.S. Key Service provides emergency lock-out services and key repair in Phoenix and the surrounding area. Our locksmiths in Phoenix can repair or program your fob or transponder key to get it working again. You should consider ordering a spare fob or two to have on hand in case of an emergency. You don’t want to be far from home and stuck in the elements when your fob stops working and you can’t get in your vehicle. Our locksmiths can also repair door locks and ignitions, replace lost Phoenix car keys, and provide car lockout services. We are a mobile auto locksmith, so we can come to you. Contact us today in Phoenix!

Published by:

Thomas Thilgen – US Key Service