Key Fob Programming in Baltimore, MD

Fob trouble that is not programming

Before booking programming, rule out the battery. A coin cell loses voltage in the cold, and NOAA's state climate summary puts Maryland's nights below freezing at anywhere from fewer than 20 to more than 100 a year, depending on the region. A fob that works in the kitchen but not in the car on a January morning usually needs a new battery, not a new pairing.

Water is the other suspect. A fob that went through the wash, or one that rode in a car that sat in flood or tidal water, should be dried and tested before anyone decides it needs replacing.

Programming is the fix when a fob is new, a replacement, or has lost its pairing with the car.

Street or garage

Programming is done with the car itself, from the driver's seat, and the car has to stay put while the fobs are paired. Choose a spot where it can sit undisturbed.

• On a street in a neighborhood such as Hampden or Charles Village, say which side of the street the car is on and the nearest cross street.
• In a garage downtown or around the Inner Harbor, send the garage name, level and space with the request. Deep inside a concrete structure phone signal can be weak, so settle on a meeting point at the entrance.

What to have on hand

• Every fob you still have, working or not. Many cars erase their stored fobs during programming and relearn them together, so a fob left at home may stop working afterward.
• The VIN, which is also printed on the registration card.
• Make, model and year, and whether the car has push-button start.

Ownership papers are the same as for a replacement key: photo ID and the registration or title in the same name. See key fob programming for the service. If every key is gone, the job is car key replacement. The Baltimore page has more on the city.