OEM Key fobs

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I just picked up a 08 Lucerne and while the key fobs work well it seems like you have to push pretty hard on the buttons to get them to work so I was thinking of getting a new one but wanted to check here first for first hand reviews. The ones on Amazon say the graphics wear off fast and some don't last long or loose distance.

Has any one here had experience with the cheap ones or the OEM replacements?
 
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I recently replaced the Key-Fob for our 2001 Impala with a new unit I bought on E-Bay for $7.97 including shipping. Along with the new Fob the package contains a business card giving you the online address of a site that provides the programming instructions. I printed out the instructions and programming the car to work with the new Fob was easy.
 
I have experience with the cheap ones. I've had really good luck with KeylessRide (I think that's the name) for several vehicles including a Jeep, a VW, and an Acura. These cheap fobs work great, I've never had a problem with them. They don't seem as robustly built as the OEM, but they work, if anything, better.
 
Have you tried cleaning the contacts in them and installing new batteries?
I did that on a 10 year old OEM remote on a car that I used to have and it worked like new.
Look for info on You Tube.
 
Try taking it apart and clean the buttons. Some have soldered on buttons and you can clean those with electronics cleaner or unsolder and replace them. If they have the touch buttons just clean the gold pads and get a white paper and scrape the black pad under the squishy part on the white paper to get rid of any gloss look on the black pad.
 
Try a new battery and taking a spudger or alcohol soaked q-tip to the contacts to clean them up first. You can even go a step further and take apart the remote and take a pencil eraser to carefully clean the board contacts for the keypad - the buttons are actually pads, the backside has a conductive coating - if the coating ain't worn this can buy you some time.

I've never use aftermarket remotes or keyfobs - they do work but the longevity is a concern.
 
Thanks guys, I will try cleaning them, installing some new batteries and see what happens.

Looking on ebay I have to think some of those sellers are using the term OEM a little loose when pricing is any where from $17 to $100+, but then I have never looked into purchasing these before.
 
Check with your local parts store. They sell replacement cases that you put your factory circuit board in. Just clean the contacts with a pencil eraser. They come with new buttons, but yes the paint wears off very quick. 6 months or so.
 
Originally Posted By: 14Accent
Check with your local parts store. They sell replacement cases that you put your factory circuit board in. Just clean the contacts with a pencil eraser. They come with new buttons, but yes the paint wears off very quick. 6 months or so.


This.

I had to do the same with my 2007 Malibu remote, likely the same one as OP. You can't usually program a new remote on these without expensive equipment. The contacts behind the button wear out and you have to press harder and harder. Though I ordered my replacement shell on eBay. Make sure you get the right one as they changed the battery mount in the remote around this time.
 
Originally Posted By: Duffyjr

Looking on ebay I have to think some of those sellers are using the term OEM a little loose when pricing is any where from $17 to $100+, but then I have never looked into purchasing these before.

It's only real OEM if it came in an GM or ACDelco package and has the FCC ID of the company who supplied it. GM went with Lear or Omron.

The aftermarket ones are clones of the OEM remote - the circuitry and RF components/microcontroller are all COTS commodities, Microchip has a good chunk of that market.
 
Originally Posted By: road_rascal
I fixed a set of wonky Saturn key fobs using a pad from Keyless fix. Worked great and it was around $20 for 2 pads.


I may have to try these. The remotes work fine and really even better than I thought they would. I walked to the end of my drive way which is about 100 feet from the garage and all the buttons work from that distance even the remote start.

I also started noticing that the fob the previous owner most of used the most requires more pressure.

Cleaning and new batteries did not help.

I did find one on Amazon that has a 12 month/12000 mile warranty for $32. If this one turns out to not have the range I will use it in the summer and save the originals for winter when I need the remote start.
 
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