Lots of people are curious whether it’s practical to repair a car key fob and if you ask us it surly is! Most issues with key fobs can typically be fixed at your local dealership or by a skilled automotive locksmith technician. To learn more about the common reasons of why your car key fob is not working and how to fix it continue reading this article.
How Do Car Key Fobs Work?
Car key fobs are designed to protect your car by allowing to remotely lock and unlock your car. These fobs use radio frequency to communicate with your car and when pressing the fob button it transmits a certain code that is identical the code within the vehicle system to open and close your car doors.
How Much Does It Cost To Fix A Car Key Fob?
The cost to fix your car fob depends on the nature of the problem and where you do it. For changing the battery or to reprogram it an automotive locksmith would typically charge between $50 – $200.
Choosing on a replacement over fixing can be the more expensive and can start at $300 and factors like the type of car, the model and the year can influence the cost for example a Dodge fob key replacement will be significantly cheaper than a Mercedes fob key.
What Leads To A Faulty Car Key Fob?
While car key fobs offer a lot of convenience it can be very frustrating when they stop working.
Here are the top 3 main reasons for it to happen:
Dead Batteries
The most common issue is a dead battery and actually you can easily fix it yourself. There are many guides on the internet especially on YouTube that show how to replace your car remote battery. If you’re not a handy man and want to avoid potential damage to your key fob you can hire a professional automotive locksmith for the job.
Reprogramming Is Required
Sometimes your car can lose its connection with the fob and it will stop working. It could happen because of low battery or recent battery replacement. You can follow your car manual and reset the fob by yourself. If the issue continue it might be necessary to hire a locksmith to reprogram the fob.
Damaged Fob
Your key fob can stop working because of physical damage, exposure to water or a broken circuit. Whether your dog chewed it or it felt and was stepped on, the damage is a probably beyond repairing a replacement might be needed.
