Thanks to David Deines
Background: I deal with car remote problems approximately 100 times per week.
99.x% of the time the batteries are as good as new, or marginally low. Unless
you like to bump the button to lock/unlock/trunk open 20 times a day, or have a
child or AWA that gets a kick out of this, your batteries should last a minimum
of 5 years, and up to 10 years.
It's the contacts on the batteries that are mostly the problem. Or it could be a
GM remote which is crap in the first place :-). Pry the remote apart and clean
the battery contacts with a pencil/pen eraser. Then (very carefully) tease the
contacts back up with a pocket knife so they will eagerly meet with the battery
when the remote is put back together. Reassemble carefully making sure your
batteries are installed in the right direction. I do this each and every day at
work.
That's all there is to it. Think about it, that remote probably spends 50%+ time
in your pocket, and we all know how much crap builds up in there. The remotes
are not hermetically sealed.
In my experience Ford remotes are -far and away- the best made. FYI
GM-BMW-Lexus-Toyota remotes are junk.
David Deines
'98 TR
I know remotes...:-)
You know what happens.
Our cars have a black box, they record your every move. If you drive in unapproved fashion the back box makes a record and when the car is parked it send a wireless message to FOMOCO & NHTSA that you were BAD BOY.
If you try your remote while the car is transmitting it is "busy" and can not both send and receive so the only clue is your remote does not work.
Same MIB guys who were at Ruby Ridge and Waco are probably tracking you down right now.
Happy late 4/1/01
;-)
Buford