Key Fob Programming in Columbia, SC

What Columbia summers do to fobs

A fob spends its life in a pocket, a bag or a parked car. Columbia summers bring triple-digit days, and a fob left on a dashboard on one of those afternoons sits well above the air temperature. Heat shortens coin-cell battery life, so a remote whose range shrinks every summer may need only a fresh battery, or it may be starting to fail. Keep spare fobs indoors rather than in the car, which also keeps them away from anyone who breaks into it.

Water is the other hazard. A single day of rain can deliver a great deal: on October 4, 2015, a Columbia gauge logged 17.7 inches of rain, a new state 24-hour record. A fob that has been through floodwater or a soaking downpour should come apart if its case allows: take out the battery, let everything dry fully, then fit a fresh one. If it still does not work, it likely needs replacing and programming to the car.

Programming where the car is parked

Programming normally happens at the car, because pairing runs through the car's own systems. If the car is in a city parking deck, give the deck name, the level and the space. At a meter, give the block and nearest cross street, and remember that city meters are enforced on Saturdays in Five Points and the Bull Street district. For a car at home, say whether it is in a garage, a carport or on the street.

What to have ready

• Every fob and key you still have, working or not; on some cars adding a fob clears the stored list, and any fob not present can stop working.
• The VIN, which is printed on the registration as well as on the car.
• The year, make and model, and whether the car has push-button start.
• The registration or title and a photo ID.
• If you bought a replacement fob, its part number.

If every key is gone, start with car key replacement. For the service in general see key fob programming, and for the city see Columbia.