Key Fob Programming in Greensboro, NC

Weather and fob batteries

A key fob is a small radio transmitter, usually powered by a coin cell, and North Carolina's weather works on both parts. NOAA describes a humid climate with very warm summers and moderately cold winters. A fob left in a hot car all summer can lose battery life sooner, and a cell that coped in August may fail on the first cold morning. Damp air and a wet pocket can corrode the contacts in a fob that is not well sealed.

Ice adds its own trap. When a car is glazed over, the remote may unlock the doors while the ice holds them shut, which is a frozen door, not a programming fault.

Before assuming a fob needs programming:

• replace the coin cell with the size printed on the old one
• try the spare fob, if you have one
• stand beside the car, since range shrinks as a battery weakens

Sunset Hills garages

Many Sunset Hills properties keep a historic garage, in a neighborhood west of UNCG that was platted in 1926 and built up through the early 1960s. Programming is done at the car, often with the ignition on and the driver's door open, so in a garage leave room to open that door fully, and never run the engine with the garage door closed. On the street, give the address and say which side of the road the car is on.

Bring to the car

• every fob and key you have for the car, working or not, so the technician can see what the car already recognizes
• the VIN, from the registration or the plate at the base of the windshield
• photo ID and the registration or title
• year, make and model, and whether the car has push-button start
• any replacement fob you bought, with its part number

If no working key is left, you need car key replacement rather than programming alone. Fob work is covered on the key fob programming page, and the Greensboro page has more on Sunset Hills.