Range of key fob has decreased

My key fob that locks/unlocks the doors on my 2010 seems to only work if I’m really close to the truck. It used to work from much farther away. Also, sometimes I have to hit the button a few times before it works. I replaced the battery but that has not fixed the issue. The truck is a 2010 and this is the original key fob. Is there a fix or is this in need of replacement? Looks like programming a new one is a PITA.

 

Did you forget to charge the battery?

 

How far do you need to work from? Or is more like sometimes it just doesn’t work?

 

totally unscientific but: i gain some range when i press the remote under my chin. i think i melon-head acts like an antenna.

 

This was just driving me nuts after having changed the battery twice. One last shot at it a few days ago with another battery, and from another package, and i swear it works like new. It really makes me wonder if the last batteries i bought new were crap and almost dead when i installed them. An entirely different package of batteries, and was like day and night What were they, 1632's i think, and i got them at Walmart, both times

 

This is worth a shot. Only time I ever have range issues with my FOB is when the battery needs to be changed.

 

Programming a new remote is simple. It takes less than a minute. There are several videos on YouTube that show the process.
I only had 1 key and fob for my truck when I bought it. My old fob was intermittent and the key was worn down to where it wouldn't unlock the door. l got another fob and programmed it. The key is the hard part to program.

 

I'd say it's usually lint, but usually one discovers that when they open up the fob. Open it up again and check the contacts, sometimes they get corroded or dirty. Look at the board and see if you can find the antenna, is it in good shape? Is the board cracked or corroded? Some are easy to completely remove, check the backside too.

Could be the replacement battery is bad, did you check the expiration date?

I don't know where the antenna is in the Taco but that should be checked too.

 

While it's open:
Check where the button makes contact on the pad and clean that with a Q-Tip and a little alcohol, better with electrical contact cleaner. A pencil eraser will also work but be careful, you can erase all the "conductivity" right off it.

ETA:
Forgot, if it is an actual momentary switch rather than a flat contact, forget about the eraser, just use contact cleaner.

 

If you still have the old batteries, check them with a multimeter. You should be able to pull a good voltage reading from them. I test all AA and AAA that my kids leave laying around after changing them out in their game remotes.

 

I had the same issue, but it turned out the buttons weren't lining up. It was clicking, but not totally pushing in the button on the circuit board.

 

Have you whispered to it and told it that you love it?

That might get it more engaged in the action...

 

There are significant difference in batteries. The cheap Chinese variety cannot sustain voltage under load. Good for light use devices, not so much for current sensitive circuits. They also have date codes. Buy a good Duracell and make sure it’s not too old.

 

I can't explain it, but this does in fact work.

 

...or perhaps a chin thing.

Makes you wonder is someone with more chins than a Chinese phone book could get a response from even a zip code away.

So many unanswered questions....

 

Quantum Mechanics explains it very well. Read up.

 

I’m Chinese. I’m not clear in the message here.

 

And I think Wang is the most common last name. It would be weird holding my remote on my wang.

 

I'm not a Quantum Mechanic. I'm an old mechanic.

 

Update: I disassembled the key fob and sprayed the circuit board with CRC QD electronic cleaner. I swear this has increased the range of the fob back to normal!