My 96 Camry wagon came with 2 remote control fobs to lock/unlock the doors. Neither works any more. the ID shows its a Clifford item but the Cliffor website has no such item. Looks like Clifford might have been sold too. It has an FCC # but I can’t find anything on the FCC site about these units. Since the receiver/activator must be in the car somewhere, how can I get a new working fob? The dealer say it must be an after-market item; could be, I bought the car 2 years old; the fobs worked for 8 years! HELP!
Did you try replacing the batteries and reprogram the remote to the receiver?
You may have to get new remotes and reprogram them to the receiver. That, or perhaps the receiver and new remotes programmed anew.
8 years ?
batteries !
If they’re OE that’s 13 years total.
batteries.
You Can Try Some Online Help.
I notice that Keyless Ride lists Clifford in their aftermarket remote section. You can try their web site or give them a call on their toll-free number listed there. They maybe can offer suggestions.
I needed help with an inoperative remote and they were very helpful and I purchased an OEM fob from them at a very reasonable cost and received it quickly.
Click this link: http://keylessride.com/
CSA,
Let us know what happens, please.
Yes, of course I replaced the batteries - several times over the years. I might add, although I did not recently fall off the turnip truck, I have no idea on how to reprogram these fobs; nor do I know where in the car the receiving end might be. I see no code-altering toggle switches on them, no jumpers, etc., which would give a clue to changing the frequencies upon which they work. Nor, as I said, where I would match those setting in the car. The problem with the fobs is that over the years, the microswitches no longer work; one of them is always on (LED stays on…switch might have been crushed, sat on, stepped on by the dogs, etc.) and the other does not work. I have TWO of these fobs, neither works consistently. If you have knowledge of how to reprogram…and where to obtain new ones I would be quite grateful to hear from you again. Thank you.
Many thanks, I will give the site a visit…and a call. I appreciate your help.
Eric/// and will give you a followup if anything positive materializes.
Key fob’s are readily available on ebay at very reasonable prices. The seller’s provide programming instructions and the process is relatively simple. You need to follow the instructions EXACTLY and sometimes it takes a few attempts before success. I’ve bought fob’s for Ford, and Toyota cars with no problems. Volvo’s and some cars require a locksmith or a visit to a dealer to program the new fob.
You have a Toyota so expect to pay about $25 for a new fob and you can program it yourself.
I hope you are right and will try (again) on various web sites. FYI, the key fob for my newer 2003 Toyota Solara carries a dealer list price of $250…far more than the $25 you cite. That includes programming; if the programming is simply a matter of moving 4, 5, or 6 toggle switches, it is a true dealer ripoff. I’ve sold professional walkie-talkies which require “real” programming, for which us dealers charged $250! almost pure profit! and the markup on the simple cables was unconscionable! Still, 12-year-old technology should mean I just need to learn the frequency of the old fob: it has NO toggle switches and NO jumpers on the circuit board, so it must be a fairly simple version. Well, all help is always greatly appreciated…Thanks again. ERic
Hey, Eric!
Were these fobs in use right up until they quit? Did one quit first and the other keep on working for a while or did they both quit at the same time?
CSA
It is odd if both key fob’s fail at once. It maybe in receiver end of it and not the key fob at all. There is a way to test the fob’s but not sure what it is.
yes, they were in use up to their respective ends…first one, then the other. I can still get them to work if I press hard enough, or wiggle the case, etc. No, they did not stop working together, so the other end of the deal is still operative.
Since I last wrote I DID find a site that a) recognizes these old remotes and evev has their photo, b) tells who made them and the various models that applied, and c) that they are NO longer available BUT they have a substitute of the right frequency (433mHz) for $80 each. I think that’s also outrageous but at least I found someone who knows his stuff. http://www.onlyremotes.com/items/item329.htm
in case you need this info. I entered the FCC # and they came up with the item, details, etc. all of which you can see. NOw the ? is, Is it worth time on the internet to find a less-expensive vendor??? Thanks!
All this being the case, I think it’s time for new remotes. The thing that wears out on them, and all other rubber pad devices like phone key pads and tv remotes, is the rubber pads internally are coated with something to make contact with the two halves of the circuit on the board. This coating wears off with use over time and I’ve not found a suitable repair yet. ( somebody out there probably knows )
Can you open the remote and clean the connections for the buttons with alcohol or any electronic cleaner. Maybe that is the only problem.
You can, I’ve had some success with cleaning. ( some 40% of malfunctioning devices just need some sort of good cleanig.) Clean too hard or with too strong a cleaner and off comes the contact coating 
It’s a black carbon looking surface on the rubber pad face. A worn one will show the shape of the circuit board in it , a good one will still be grey all over.
I 've tried that already…did not help. The 4 microswitched are each housed in their individual tiny box, each under 1/4" wide, and about or less than 1/8" high and deep. they are sealed units soldered onto the circuit board. That plus the outer cases have seen better days. I’ve gone ahead and ordered ONE of the substitute units with misgivings which I will communicate to the company: my old one is rated at 433mHz; the sub is 434. Might make a difference but they say it is the substitute. I’ll see.