Check the Battery
The battery is the most likely part of a key fob to need
repair. Batteries constantly drain in key fobs, so replacing one is a quick
fix. This is also one of the choices that car manufacturers expect owners to
take, so there’s no overly delicate machinery to worry about.
Make sure you use the appropriate screwdriver while
disassembling your key fob for repair. From there, the batter should be easily
removable. Then place the new battery in the fob with the same side down as the
old one. From there, it’s a matter of reassembling the fob and seeing if it
works.
Clean the Board
If changing the battery does not work, the next likely key
fob culprit to fix is the board contacts. These contacts get dirty, even in a correctly
assembled key fob. You’ll need a little bit of rubbing alcohol and a rag to do
this procedure. Simply open the key fob, get the rag damp with the rubbing
alcohol, wipe, and leave to dry before reassembly.
Use Canned Air
Canned air is useful for repairing all sorts of electronics,
including key fob. In this case, you want to strategically apply air to blow
out any
debris once you get the fob open. This should fix the key fob if the debris
was pressing against a component.
Inspect the Buttons
Key fob buttons get a lot of use, and sometimes they need
repair. To fix this part of the key fob, disassemble the remote and remove the
button pad. Then use the rubbing alcohol and rag to ensure that their buttons
are not sticking or carrying debris.
Try an Off-The-Wall Key Fob Repair Trick
If none of the options have worked so far, you should
consider trying this
trick to fix a key fob. Pop the hood of the vehicle and disconnect the
negative side of the car battery. Do the same to the positive terminal. Leave
the battery alone for about ten minutes, and then reconnect the battery in the
opposite order you disconnected.
This trick forces some restarts within the car systems. In
some cases, it can fix your key fob without you needing to do all the other
steps. However, this trick will not work if your car battery is dying or if
there is something wrong with the fob itself.
If Nothing Works to Fix Your Key Fob
Unfortunately, there will be some key fobs that cannot be
fixed with the items on this list. At that point, you will likely need to
replace the key fob rather than repair it. Remember, you do not necessarily
need a dealership to do this.
