Key Fob Programming in New Haven, CT

Battery or programming?

A key fob is a small radio transmitter powered by a coin-cell battery. Connecticut's average January temperature is 27.2°F, and cold cuts a battery's output, so a cell that was already weak in autumn may stop reaching the car on a New Haven winter morning. The range shrinks first: the fob works at the door but not from the porch. Before assuming the fob has lost its programming, try a fresh battery of the type printed on the old one.

Water is the other risk on the shoreline. When Superstorm Sandy struck in 2012, coastal flooding at New Haven measured 5.3 feet. A fob that has been under flood water, in a flooded car or a coat pocket, is often better replaced than reprogrammed, because corrosion can spread across the circuit board even after it dries.

Where the car needs to be

Some vehicles pair a new fob through a sequence of steps in the car. Many others need a diagnostic tool plugged into the port under the dashboard, which means the work happens in the driver's seat wherever the car is parked.

• On the street. This is general information, not legal advice. During a declared snow emergency, Section 29-86 of the New Haven Code of Ordinances allows police to tow or ticket vehicles on posted streets. If you still have one working key, move the car off a posted street before arranging fob work.
• In a garage. Note the facility, floor and any height limit, and check that there is room to open the driver's door fully.
• In a driveway. Say whether the car is behind a house or on a shared drive.

What to have ready

1. Every fob you have, working or not. On many vehicles, programming adds the new fob and erases any that are not present, so a spare left in a drawer may stop working.
2. The VIN, from the registration or the base of the windshield.
3. The registration and photo ID.
4. Make, model and year, and whether the car has push-button start.

If a fob was lost or stolen, erasing it from the car's memory keeps it from opening the car. More on key fob programming, car key replacement and New Haven.