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Key Fob works only half the time.

17K views 27 replies 16 participants last post by  martinsr 
#1 ·
About a month after purchasing my truck my key fob wasnt working some of the time. it would unlock when I left for work but would not lock when I got there. It has also happened the opposite way or not at all, other times it will work perfectly from several feet away. My first assumption was a dying battery. Replaced it and issue continued. took the truck the the dealer I purchased it from and they could not fix it since they are not a Chevy dealer. Went to a Chevy dealer next, they suggested a new fob. With the new fob the issue is still present. Any ideas on what could be causing the problem and any possible fixes would help alot.
 
#6 ·
First, I would return to the Chevy dealer that sold you a new key fob to fix the problem. Obviously, that didn't work. They need to make it right or refund your money for the new fob.

My only other suggestion is one that is hit-or-miss (throwing parts at it). I bought a new case (only) from eBay for mine when it quit working reliably. The issue with mine ended up being just the soft buttons were getting softer (deteriorating) and weren't reliably making the contact/pressure that it was supposed to be. YMMV.
 
#8 ·
ditch the OEM setup all together and get a nice aftermarket setup, longer range, better reliability, plus you can do so much more with it.

GM OE remotes suck, I have a small collection forming in the drawer at the shop.
 
#23 ·
ditch the OEM setup all together and get a nice aftermarket setup, longer range, better reliability, plus you can do so much more with it.
Is there a particular aftermarket brand to look for when replacing a key fob?

Seems like most electronics these days are cheap chinese crap, so I thought I'd ask to see if there was a brand out there known for being good quality.
 
#13 ·
My FOBs work fine...... Other than the fact that they set off my alarm randomly when in range of the truck. They would be witting on my dresser and the alarm would go off in the middle of the night. Popped the batteries out, and hasn't happened since.
 
#17 · (Edited)
I think the assumption is that most Owner's will have the ignition key attached to the key fob. If you have the key fob/ignition key in the running truck, you will have to deliberately (not mistakenly) lock the truck with a spare key fob. You cannot lock the doors manually with the door open. The BCM will immediately unlock the door, if you try.

Edit: Actually that statement regarding manually locking the doors is incorrect. What I meant was, if locking the doors using the door mounted switch, the BCM would unlock them automatically. If you manually lock the doors using the lever at the inside door handle, they will remain locked.
 
#18 ·
Ahh, that door switch is what I've noticed before.

For me personally, I run or ride a bike several days a week so my ignition key is removed from the ring quite often. It would be really easy for me to lock my key in the truck (not running, but possibly if I forget to remove it from ignition or truck).

Fortunately my routine is to use the door switch to lock the doors, unlock the door I close last then lock with the key.

On the flip side, what I get scared about is when I have the key off of my ring and lock it with the FOB and unlock with the key. It trips the security. The horn sounds and the passlock lights is illuminated. I can start it up if I hurry!

I've locked my keys in my Ford before......the doors locked when you selected drive, even if the door was open. I'd pull out of the garage with my door open still knowing I was going back in the house and found the doors were locked. That's off topic, but the electric locks sometimes are a bad thing....
 
#22 ·
Pull your OnStar fuse in the fuse box. I was having this issue and it turns out the OnStar module stays powered longer than it should and was interfering with the remote signal. I've never had any remote locking problems since.
 
#25 ·
Yeah, mine has not worked a couple of times where I had to hit the lock button a few times before it locked my truck.

I might see if I can pry it open and put a new battery in... hopefully this thing is serviceable as far as the battery is concerned... otherwise, I'll need a new one for sure! :cool:
 
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