# Key fob not unlocking car? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** keys, corolla, toyota\ **Created:** [April 29, 2021, 3:59am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-fob-not-unlocking-car/176444 "2021-04-29T03:59:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jaredmcg196\_174966](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dbc845/32.png) [@jaredmcg196\_174966](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jaredmcg196_174966)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 3:59am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-fob-not-unlocking-car/176444/1 "2021-04-29T03:59:42Z")
Hey y’all. I’m wondering what a possible issue could be with my key fob. It suddenly stopped working on my Toyota Corolla S 2013. It is the original that came with the car. The 2nd one it came with is lost haha. Here’s what I did/know 1. I bought 2 new key fob batteries and they didn’t work. 2. It still unlocks my car when I put the key in the door, none of the buttons work anymore however. 3. When I push a button on the key fob there’s a little red light on it that stil lights up. Idk what that is. 4. My car battery is still top notch putting out the volts it needs to. (I read somewhere that it might be an issue if it was old or something) 5. I tried re programming it myself looking at a YouTube video, and it worked until the very end where it made a locking sound three times. The guy on the video said that’s bad and there’s a bigger issue at hand but never disclosed what it was. Any help as to what the issue is??? ---
**Author:** ![COROLLAGUY1](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/corollaguy1/32/7575_2.png) [@COROLLAGUY1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/COROLLAGUY1)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 12:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-fob-not-unlocking-car/176444/2 "2021-04-29T12:16:23Z")
A locksmith will fix your key fob in no time and its a lot cheaper than the dealer. ---
**Author:** ![ledhed75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f6c823/32.png) [@ledhed75](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ledhed75)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 2:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-fob-not-unlocking-car/176444/3 "2021-04-29T14:08:51Z")
Agreed with checking with a locksmith. I’d call around for some quotes one getting at least 2 new fobs. You also want to go to someone who has the fobs in stock for your particular car. Going to the Toyota dealer is certainly an option, but it will be significantly more expensive than a local locksmith. Once I needed a new key fob quickly for my Honda. I ended up having to go the Honda dealer, because no local locksmiths had the blank fob in stock. I hated paying the extra money, but I was glad to have it done on my timeframe. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 5:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-fob-not-unlocking-car/176444/4 "2021-04-29T17:47:01Z")
Do the power door locks work using the switch on the drivers door panel? ---
**Author:** ![jaredmcg196\_174966](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dbc845/32.png) [@jaredmcg196\_174966](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jaredmcg196_174966)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 6:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-fob-not-unlocking-car/176444/5 "2021-04-29T18:09:11Z")
Yes they do. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 6:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-fob-not-unlocking-car/176444/6 "2021-04-29T18:52:49Z")
Those buttons do wear out. I have replaced mine. I would never go with just one fob available so you need to order one new one anyway. Just order two and have the dealer program them. My GMs cost something like $80 for two and $100 for dealer programing. ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 7:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-fob-not-unlocking-car/176444/7 "2021-04-29T19:11:35Z")
Hmm, I bought a used car with two keys but only one Fob, salesperson just took one of the Fobs from my trade in and programmed that, no extra charge. ---
**Author:** ![thegreendrag0n](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thegreendrag0n/32/9265_2.png) [@thegreendrag0n](https://community.cartalk.com/u/thegreendrag0n)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 7:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-fob-not-unlocking-car/176444/8 "2021-04-29T19:19:51Z")
On one of “old new” cars I had fob failed in the way where “lock” button still worked time to time, while “unlock” did not work at all battery replacement did not help once I disassembled the fob, I found that prior owner happened to drown it in some sticky substance, probably Sprite or something of the sort I cleaned the electronics up by dipping into rubbing alcohol and blowing with air after that, fob started to work much better, at least it survived until car was traded a couple of years down the road ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 7:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-fob-not-unlocking-car/176444/9 "2021-04-29T19:22:06Z")
If your car is equipped with the Southwest Toyota RKE accessory kit there is a service bulletin for this problem, it involves replacing the receiver. ---
**Author:** ![jaredmcg196\_174966](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dbc845/32.png) [@jaredmcg196\_174966](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jaredmcg196_174966)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 9:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-fob-not-unlocking-car/176444/10 "2021-04-29T21:23:31Z")
It ain’t ☹ ---
**Author:** ![jaredmcg196\_174966](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dbc845/32.png) [@jaredmcg196\_174966](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jaredmcg196_174966)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 9:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-fob-not-unlocking-car/176444/11 "2021-04-29T21:24:03Z")
Locksmith said take it to the dealer haha ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 9:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-fob-not-unlocking-car/176444/12 "2021-04-29T21:26:40Z")
I looked in the manual, no mention of which fuse the remote might be on, all the fuses check out good? Any thing else not working, dome light etc.? ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 9:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-fob-not-unlocking-car/176444/13 "2021-04-29T21:34:04Z")
Does your car have the Smart key system or standard keys? Factory RKE has the remote in the key handle. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/0/b/0b6addd02fa4807196b9847d7f42e253314e4245.png) ---
**Author:** ![jaredmcg196\_174966](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dbc845/32.png) [@jaredmcg196\_174966](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jaredmcg196_174966)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 9:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-fob-not-unlocking-car/176444/14 "2021-04-29T21:41:44Z")
Yes sir, all fuses checked out with the multimeter. Everything else works fine. I even took it to Toyota and they said the key fob itself works. Something in the car ain’t. ---
**Author:** ![jaredmcg196\_174966](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dbc845/32.png) [@jaredmcg196\_174966](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jaredmcg196_174966)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 9:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-fob-not-unlocking-car/176444/15 "2021-04-29T21:42:22Z")
I don’t think it’s a smart key sir, it looks like the picture you provided. ---
**Author:** ![jaredmcg196\_174966](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dbc845/32.png) [@jaredmcg196\_174966](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jaredmcg196_174966)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 9:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-fob-not-unlocking-car/176444/16 "2021-04-29T21:43:05Z")
The fob works fine it was tested at the dealership and the signal is good, it’s something in the car it looks like ---
**Author:** ![jaredmcg196\_174966](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/dbc845/32.png) [@jaredmcg196\_174966](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jaredmcg196_174966)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 9:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-fob-not-unlocking-car/176444/17 "2021-04-29T21:55:44Z")
The key fob works fine according to the dealer. It sends a signal. It looks to be something in the car ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 11:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-fob-not-unlocking-car/176444/18 "2021-04-29T23:00:11Z")
Jared , you don’t need to reply to each person . Your posts are seen by everyone . That way you don’t have to repeat yourself. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 11:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-fob-not-unlocking-car/176444/19 "2021-04-29T23:01:23Z")
Not all locksmiths do this work. It might take some on line searching for a locksmith that works in electronic car locks. My daughter’s car was stolen about 10 years ago. We replaced the electronic locking system, and there was only one locksmith in Maryland certified to do that type of work. Still cheaper than the dealer though. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2021, 11:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-fob-not-unlocking-car/176444/20 "2021-04-29T23:10:34Z")
> [@jaredmcg196\_174966](#): > > The key fob works fine according to the dealer. Did they offer a solution ? [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/key-fob-not-unlocking-car/176444.md?page=2)