Remote keyless entry

KeyMan represents KeylessRide products. KeylessRide is the leading distributor of original equipment remote keyless entry devices ("remotes").


WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT KEYLESS REMOTES?

First, make sure your car is remote ready. If you have a working remote, that obviously indicates your car is remote ready. But some customers buy a used car and are handed a remote (which doesn't work), and are told by the salesman that the car is remote ready, all they have to do is replace the battery. Some of those remotes come in and when they are opened up don't even have a battery.
Remote ready means the car was manufactured that way--it is wired for a remote. Some Toyotas are equipped with dealer installed remotes.

Dealers can be very helpful when you need to know if the vehicle is remote ready. Call a dealer--any dealer for your car--and have your VIN number in front of you. The VIN number (vehicle identification number) is behind the lower left corner of the windshield, usually on the driver door, and on your registration and title. Ask for the parts department. Ask the parts man if your car is remote ready. He will ask you for all or part of the VIN, and run it through his computer. Every dealer I have made this request to has had an answer within a couple of minutes.

The dealer computer database goes back to the factory invoice on the car. Everything that the car was built with is on that invoice. There is no charge for this service, and the parts man will not even ask you your name. Just ask nicely.

Also, keep your ear open for anything that doesn't sound quite right. Parts people vary in competence, and at least one I dealt with one on this subject wasn't honest--she wanted the customer to think he had an expensive chip key equipped vehicle when he didn't, so she could sell him one, so she told him the car was built chip key equipped when it wasn't. The same thing could happen with a remote. Just listen to the person and you can usually tell. And if in doubt, you can always call another dealer.

REMOTE ACTIVATION

When a new remote is activated its frequency is transmitted into the car. All existing frequencies are erased when this is done. This means other remotes you may own will not work until they are also recorded in the car's electronic module at the same time. So bring all working or possibly working remotes, and the car, when you buy your new remote. There is no charge for activating other existing remotes.

BATTERIES

When a remote stops working, isn't working on one button, or loses range, the first thing to do is check the battery. We offer free battery tests--as long as the customer opens the remote. The reason  is that some remotes have a thin metal holder for the battery which sometimes falls out when the remote halves are opened. This metal bracket is soldered at one point to the circuit board and can break off. That's why the remote is not working. Unless you are good at soldering the remote is not repairable. When this happens we don't want to be the ones who just opened the remote up.

About 90 per cent of the time when we test the battery it is good. These coin batteries are all designed at a nominal 3 volts. New out of the box they measure about 3.25 volts.  All but a few measure over 3 volts when tested after installation and use--meaning the remote is usually the problem, not the battery. A few remotes use a cylindrical 12 volt battery. And a  few use two 3 volt batteries.