Key Fob Programming in Greenville, SC

The fob or its battery?

Many fobs that stop working only need a battery. Before asking for programming, fit a fresh one of the type printed on the old one; heat wears coin cells down, and a fob left on a dashboard through a summer afternoon ages sooner. Water is the other usual culprit, so a fob that went through the wash should dry out completely first. If the buttons still do nothing, or the car will not recognize the fob at start-up, the fob needs programming or replacing.

Programming where the car is parked

Programming pairs each fob with the car, so the car has to be there along with every fob you want to keep. On some models, a fob that is not present during programming stops working afterward.

In Greenville the car may be in a downtown garage or on the street. The city's downtown garages use plate readers and surveillance cameras, so give the garage name and level to make the car easy to find. If a gate problem comes up while you are there, the city points drivers to a call-for-assistance button that reaches a live person. On-street parking allows two hours per day, which can be tight for a job that has to happen at the car, so a driveway or a lot may be more practical when there is a choice.

What to have ready

• every working fob and key for the car
• the VIN, from the registration or the plate at the base of the windshield
• a photo ID and the registration or title
• make, model, year, and whether it has push-button start
• any replacement fob you already bought, with its part number and where it came from

A fob bought online may not match the car's system, which is why the part number matters.

If every key is gone, not just the remote, see car key replacement. More on key fob programming and the Greenville page.