Keyless Entry on the fritz

OK, I posted this up on the Impala forum, but nobody over there is very helpful to a member with low posts and non LT1 car. I figured they would know what to .look 2for, but I must have thought wrong.

So if anyone here who isn't prejudice that my car is not LT1 powered can help, I would be greatful.

As the wife and I were getting out of the car at Best Buy one night last week, the Keyless remote would not lock the door. So I figured batteries finally took a dump, so I bought a new set when inside. Came out, installed the batteries and nothing. She tried her fob that she keeps in her purse and it will not work either.

Also the doors will not auto lock when put into gear and the interior lights will come on when driving down the road and if I push a button on the fob, they go back out.

Any clues on what might be the issue or where to start looking? I need to have this working, our winters are brutal and using a key will never work for unlocking these doors when we get the freezing weather. No amount of lock deicer will keep these locks unfrozen. I also like the auto locks to keep the family safe when driving through the ghetto and hoods when we take trips into the city.

Its factory installed Keyless, not aftermarket. Its getting annoying having to use a key to unlock the door and once it starts snowing, I will be screwed with frozen locks.

Thanks in advance.

 

Just thowing a idea out ther....does the system have it's own little brain box?

 

Yeah, I believe it has a main control unit located somewhere under the dast. It is accepting signal when the interior lights kick on when I am driving and I push any of the buttons on the remote, they shut off.

 

We do live in different climates but I have had similar "b-s" things happen to some of our cars with conections and little brain boxes/master fuses, etc. My wifes's Celicas for the most part but a couple with my wagon and my 65 truck big time when I bout it, all repaired/fixed but some times stressfull to trouble shoot. long term exposure (moisture) has been the culprit although I'm not sure how bad/damp etc it is where you live. as simple as it may sound double cheuqe all the conections/grounds etc(Throwing an idea out). I'm sure I live in a much more damp climate but that dam DAMP can cause the the most stupid grief. In the past couple years I have had similar/yet diferent problems with electrical and it never came down to relacement of parts just cleaning conections/grounds etc. Time consuming for sure but then is'nt any car electrical glitch

 

I doubt you will find an answer to that particular problem in the car forums, Blackie. Did you Google it? The other suggestion I have is to ask a Buick mechanic that is a good wiring guy. And, finally...ask a shop that installs those systems after market. They may just help you out with the right info. I'm at a loss with that kind of problem.

 

Blown fuse in fuse box, probably the interior light/lighter circuit.

 

GAShon, I am smart enuff to check all the fuses. I even went as far as using my MAC test light to make sure they all had continuity. The cig lighter works fine as do the interior lights. Everything works except the keyless entry and auto locks. I am thinking the box is shot, which I hope not. Swapping one out is no big deal, programming them to my key fobs can be a treat.

 

Blackie, do you have the owner's manual? As I recall with Fords, (not sure about GM's), after putting new batteries in the remote, you have to reprogram it to the keyless entry system. I could be mistaken, but I think that's correct. There's a very simple process to it, but I'll be darned if I know what it is. It would be in the owner's manual, however.
Might be worth a shot.

 

Its not a batter replacement issue. With GM, the control unit holds the memory of the fobs, not the fobs holding the memory of the unit. It is something in the unit, when you take these cars out of park, the doors auto lock, well they do not now. I have a feeling I need to get a new control unit, dig it out from under the dash and replace it and then go to the right rear quarter panel, dig out the plug and short it out to reprogram the new one to my fobs.

 

LOL....sounds to me that you know more about the solution to your own question than anyone else, Blackie! That friend of mine that came on here awhile back that's a mechanic and Olds freak....he sells and installs all kinds of keyless entry and alarm systems at his shop. If you still haven't solved the problem I could send him this thread and see what he comes up with. He's a pretty sharp guy. Let me know if you want me to do that.

 

Send it to him for me Mike. I have done many keyless and remote installs myself, but it has been years since I did one. I also did aftermarket cruise contols, rear defrosts, AC units, power locks, power sunroofs, competition stereo systems, hell, just about anything aftermarket that can be installed in a car. Autogaurd Accessories was the name of the place I worked at for almost 2 years.

I just wanna be sure there isn't something simple I am overlooking before I start tearing it apart to replace it.

 

Done, Blackie. He owns and runs a busy shop so he may not respond or, if he does, it may be awhile.

 

OK, thanks a lot Mike

 

Hey Blackfoot....I'm silverfox's friend. A couple things I found regarding the Roadmasters and the RKE (remote keyless entry) system when searching thru Identifix....

The RKE module can become out of "sync" after a period of time. A reprogram often will allow RKE operation to resume...
1. Jumper the Program Connector (2 Black/White wires in a 2 cavity connector) in the trunk on the left side. Door locks and trunk lock will cycle.

2. Press any button on the transmitter, the locks will cycle. (Press the button only 1 time.)

3. Repeat step 2 for any other transmitter/s that will be used on the vehicle.

4. Remove the jumper from the program connector.


As I'm sure you know....always start with the obvious first. I've seen some of the other keyless entry GM's go whacko and need reprogramming.

On another note, if you have a late model GM car with a passlock system, DO NOT install a remote start system. Blackfoot may disagree with me, since he has done some remote start installs, but what tends to happen is that the remote start or bypass diode will cause the passlock system to misread and cause the car not to start......I've pulled 4 remote start systems out in the last month that were causing intermittent security system issues and intermittent no starts, and had previously had no problems.

 

Thank you for the reply Stroker, very timely and good info.

Now, am I correct in the location of the harness I need to short out being in the right rear of my wagon? That is what I had heard, that it is in the spare tire well location.

In my past experiance with the passlock, we would take their extra key(or get one from a dealer) and ziptie it to the steering column near the ignition, so it thought the key was in the ignition and it fooled the system. We never had a customer come back with a complaint, but who knows about issues years down the road, as I no longer work there.