Key Fob Programming in Ann Arbor, MI

Battery, contacts or programming?

NOAA describes cold winters and warm, humid summers in Michigan, with the Great Lakes keeping the state moister than other north-central states. Both can hit a fob.

• Cold. Coin cells lose voltage as they chill, so a fob that works in a warm garage can fail in an open lot on a subzero morning. That points to a weak coin cell, not a programming problem.
• Moisture. Humid summers, wet gloves and snow-soaked pockets can corrode the battery contacts, which gives the same on-and-off symptoms.

Before booking programming:

1. Fit a new coin cell of the type printed on the old one.
2. Look for green or white residue on the contacts.
3. Try the spare. If the spare works, the first fob is the problem; if neither does, the car's receiver may be.

Parking structures and snow bans

Programming needs the car itself, so the car has to be reachable. When the city declares an on-street snow parking ban under Section 10:143 of Chapter 126, described on the Ann Arbor page, it waives parking charges at its Ann & Ashley and Forest Avenue structures for cars entering after the announcement and leaving within 12 hours of the ban lifting. Concrete floors and walls can shorten a weak fob's range, so test it in open air before deciding it is dead. This is general information, not legal advice.

Say in your request whether the car is in a structure, a building lot or on the street, and which level or space.

What to have ready

For key fob programming, have ready:

• Every fob and key you have for the car, working or not. Some cars erase the stored fobs when a new one is added, so any fob left out can stop working.
• The VIN, from the dashboard or the registration.
• Photo ID and the title or registration.
• The new fob, if you bought one, and its part number. Some aftermarket fobs cannot be programmed to every car.

If no working key is left at all, see car key replacement.