After having my SC serviced the next morning the remote key would not unlock the door although the red light on the key blinked as usual. After pressing it about 4 times the door unlocked and the remote appeared to be working - I opened and locked several times. Later that day the remote worked fine unlocking and locking the door. But then the next morning same problem. The red light on the key flashes when I press unlock but nothing else happens until I press the unlock about 4 times and then it unlocks and works fine for the remainder of the day.

I don't think it is the battery in the key because once it begins to work the red light blinks brightly (no fading) and it works from a distance. Also, this just started after dealer did some work on the car - before this it was working fine. I do have a call into the dealer but curious if this might be something very simple that others have experienced.

Thanks

 

Battery would be the 1st cause. Try replacing it. You can get the battery at Wallyworld.

 

I have the same experience, the red light would flash really fast, but didn't unlock/lock the door. I did change the battery, but that didnt fix it. Any other inputs would be great!

 

I also tried the other remote key and it is doing the same thing (another reason I didn't think it was the battery in the key). Red light flashes once when I hit unlock (or lock) just as it always has done even when it doesn't activate the lock. I read that if the bettery is going the red light will fade and mine is still bright. Also, read if it is the battery that the activation distance will decrease - but that also is not happening - once I get it working (after pressing 4 times in the morning) it works from usual distance. It is just very strange that the battery would suddenly go bad the day after the car was into dealer (and is bad on both keys).

What is battery life for the remote battery? I have an 04 PB.

 

I have had some of the same problems before. Check if both doors are actually locking. The motor overheats in mine when the weather is really hot out. I wanna say like 95. And then the actual door lock switch (the thing by the handle that has the red strip) gets stuck, hence the remote won't work. It gets stuck in unlock. Then i open the door and manually lock it by pushing the switch to the lock position, then close the door. The remote works again. You can see the lock switch on the handle move a little bit like it wants to go, but it doesn't fully lock. Im not sure if that is what you are dealing with, but I have had the same problem with the remote like you have, and that was my problem.

 

Husker - Appreciate the info on your experience. I will check out the locks inside the doors and see if they are locking. I actually didn't try to open the door when the remote didn't work because I assumed it was locked. Actually the first time it happened I started pushing the unlock and then the lock buttons on the remote and for awhile I thought that after a few pushes of the lock button then pushing the unlock button would make it work. But today I only pushed the unlock button 4 times and suddenly it worked. And like I said, once it starts working it will work all day even after sitting 8 hours at work. However, after it sits overnight in my garage then it won't work unless I hit the unlock button 4 times or so.

 

The OP says you had the car serviced? What was done? This may give us a clue?

 

They did tune-up and replaced the motor to the "mister" which I thought was not working - thought it was supposed to spray mist on windshield. Turns out it swipes wipers if it is misting outside! So when they realized this they removed the new motor and put back the original one which was not broken to begin with - we just had the function wrong.

Then they adjusted tension in something under the car in attempt to fix the single metal noise the car was making when I would get in the car in the morning (the noise comes from under the front end). Dealer thought it was the metal expanding and contracting. It actually did fix the noise!! You can read more on that issue if you search my posts.

So I am concerned they were messing with the electrical system when they replaced and mister motor and then removed and put the old one back in. Are the remotes controlled by any fuses or electronics inside the car? I just think it is something they did because it happened the next day.

Tomorrow I plan to rule out it being the key itself by using my usual key and if it doesn't work when pushing once I plan to try the other key and if it works then it is the usual key, if it doesn't work it is something with the car and not the keys.

 

if swapping out the battery does not resolve the issue then chances are it is the key itself that is working intermittently. Try your other key and see if you experience the same issue. If so, perhaps they need to be re-programmed?

 

I have taken my remote key fob apart and cleaned the rubber that encases the switch and removed the accumulated dirt and this has returned my key to crisper presses . Now when I operate the key it feels better and It works better