Here’s a video explaining how remote keyless entry works, how the remotes usually break, how I fixed this one and how I tested it even though I did not have …
Kitchen Table Electronics Repair: 2005 Chevy Malibu Key Fob
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OK the way I hear a cracking noise like a static noise, is that a lightning
where it causes the radio to detect the electric shock right outside during
the Thunderstorm?
Hey on mine my unlock button isn’t working I opened it up like you did but
nothing is loose all other irons work fine it’s just the unlock
button…maybe you might know what the problem is??
You can try rubbing a pencil on the rubber contact pad to see if this makes
the unlock button work. Many times the conductive plastic simply wears out
on the most frequently used buttons. Use a soft pencil (#1 or #2) to do
this.
@uxwbill Maybe, to be honest, I’m surprised its legal to be that inaudible
(ie you can’t hear it over the engine).
A 15 to 20 watt iron is more than enough for this job. It need not be an
expensive soldering iron, but please take time to read about the process of
soldering (there are lots of good tutorials online) and to practice on some
scrap wire or junk circuit boards first.
I have had to fix the GM remotes on most of my cars, that battery clip
always comes loose!
Don’t know if anyone else mentioned it, but those extra contacts are for
(top) remote start, (L+R) auto sliding doors (vans). Certain models of the
HHR, that have no rear door handles on the exterior also use them for
electronic opening of the rear doors.
cool video Bill!
@uxwbill idk
Hi- do you fix these personally? I need mine fixed but do not want to pay
for another remote. This is the first I’ve seen this problem fixed 🙂 Can
you please contact me at mrojas172@gmail.com 🙂
@uxwbill Thanks a million, for those that might not have the soft pencil,
you can rub a circle on a piece of paper and then rub the contact part of
the rubber button on the paper to get it on the button. Thanks again!
It varies depending upon the car you have. Some cars will let you add or
remove key fobs by following a procedure in the owner’s manual. Others
require use of a computer tool to communicate with the body control module.
The trunk popper button is hidden away on my remote, but the contact pad is
there. I thought it might do something interesting, so I tried shorting it
once. Nothing happened.
there is also a tester area at some Auto Zone stores…
I had this same issue with both of my key fobs. As soon as I opened them,
that same piece just fell off…without even touching it. I have a
soldering iron but have never used it. I’ll look for a tutorial on how to
do that. THANKS SO MUCH for this video.
It depends upon the car in question. If the fob was associated with the car
and you changed the battery, it may be possible to press a series of
buttons (usually all at once) to let the fob become recognized once again.
If the fob has not been associated with the car, the procedure varies. Some
vehicles let you add or remove fobs with a special procedure–check or get
the car’s manual. With others, the BCM (body control module) has to be
programmed with a computer attached to the OBD connector.
how would i re-program it?
@yenomeerf I usually charge just enough to cover my time, gasoline and
needed parts. I do this mainly to keep things out of the landfill, to save
people money, to prove that more things can be repaired today than people
think and because sometimes, the challenge is simply irresistable.
How to program Remote Chevrolet Malibu 2005 model
You would make a great instructor / school teacher if you are not already.
I’m curious what the bill came too? or do you charge? I’ve been driving a
06 Impala for over a year with 2 key pads that won’t talk to the car
receiver. It’s no fun.
what do you have to do if they lost the pairing with fob and car?
i have a problem i have the same remote my buttons dont work unless i press
the button iwth something like a key
The problem with fixing an Xbox is one of high integration. The major
components are surface-soldered and have very fine pins or balls
(underneath the chips). I am not equipped for this. What I can say is that
heat kills the 360. Bizzarefurhead and I installed an add-on fan on his,
and that has defnitely been keeping it alive. The one we found was branded
as a “Nyko Intercooler” and runs after the 360 shuts down to cool it off.
It clamps onto the back and cost about $20. It’s worth the price.
Cool. I can only guess that both remotes were in approximately the same
code space or something. My guess is that you could willfully program a
remote to match two cars with similar or identical fobs and radios, as the
communication protocol is usually one way only.
Right on! Keep em` coming. Very good vid. ~Cheers~ B.Champagne
“Appropriate kitchen table electronic repair case opening device.” I
literally laughed out loud!
That’s nice. Where is it that spending several thousand dollars on a car
and time at a dealership is better than spending ten minutes and no money
at all to attempt a repair on a key fob? Throwing away something perfectly
fixable just to replace it with something new makes you a part of the
problem!
@naterade21 This vid was great because the dealership wouldn’t do anything
without $50. I told them there shouldn’t be a fee of any kind because of
poor quality/craftsmanship. Anywho, I followed the instructions here &
guess who now has a fully functioning key fob!!
@moldymac I honestly don’t know how they last. It’s supposed to be a
through-hole part and it’s barely long enough to go through the hole!
@chipsdubbo89 What “other kind” of remote are you referring to? Although
there are various styles with differing numbers of buttons, they all work
on the same basic principles.
@gmcnewlook I find that absolutely hilarious! You win the “best comment so
far” award. Not that it’s much, but at least you will know. 🙂
these ones are terrible. The previous model one that you have there is
really well made in comparison. I had to fix the contacts on the newer one
with tin foil and silicon in addition to the soldering of the battery
clamp.
You could’ve tried a myth with the keyfob that a TV show here in the UK
allegedly succeeded with…. “A man went to his local supermarket and left
his keys in his car (don’t ask how) so he called up his partner (from his
Cell to her Cell) and asked her to click the key fob next to the cell phone
so it would work the same way if you did it standing next to the car. He
put the receiving phone next to the door and it actually unlocked the
door.” However, this show is known for being wrong.
Unfortunately, that’s not a whole lot to go on…a “system crash” for an
Xbox could be a lot of things…bad hard disk, optical drive, logic board
or even a loopy controller. So far as I know, the Xbox doesn’t go out of
its way to tell you what it might be unhappy with–it just stops dead with
an RRoD. If heat has caused it to fail, there are some suggestions of
things to try if you were only going to throw it out. Look for videos on
this topic, but think about them before trusting them.
Same thing happened a while back on the fob for my wife’s 07 cobalt. I re
soldered it and fixed it until my 1yr old son chewed on it and got it all
wet. Now only the trunk button works. Gotta see if I can fix it.
or if you have one of those remote control fart machines, a cars keyless
entry remote will activate them (lol) i found this out quite by accident,
my dad has one and had left it on and when i went to unlock my car, it went
off! my guess is that they use the same frequency car remotes do
@uxwbill i would be careful with that. the nyko cooler has been known to
fail and catch fire. look up nyko interecooler melt on google and you will
find stuff. also they used the wrong solder that had a too low melting
point and got brittle in the 360. that is the big thing.
@uxwbill try pushing the hidden ones on yours?
I have the same exact pilot Chevy key chain, Like on your set of keys.
I like how puny the car’s alarm was :L
Don’t worry, with a Honda, you’ll never experience a problem like this!
trust me, i’ve driven a Honda for 8 years!
I wonder, since the computer probably already handles the inputs from the
key switch and operates relays to control the starter, if merely having the
buttons on the fob is enough. It would seem logical enough that this could
be the case. If I’d have known, I might have tried shorting those pads to
see how the car reacted. I did happen to see a fob with all those other
buttons populated. It was for some GM minivan.
@naterade21 yeah, mine too.
used on other models… like remote start, door openers (high trimmed
vans). man, i don’t have one of those, jealous 🙁
I need help I added new battery in it after about 6 weeks have gone with
out it being on and i have pushed it many times is there a way i can fix
the code ? with out taking it to the dealer ? that can rerst the cars code
and the remote ?