Keyless programming madness???

[biggitybilly]

Seeking help! I just replaced the battery on my keyless remote for a
2002 Outback. I've followed the programming instructions several
times and gotten the thing working on and off. It will work for a few
lock/unlock sequences, and then if I leave it alone for a few minutes
and come back it doesn't work again. If I try to reprogram right away
it won't work. The thing has a mind of it's own. Any advice is much
appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Todd H.]

Seeking help! I just replaced the battery on my keyless remote for a
2002 Outback. I've followed the programming instructions several
times and gotten the thing working on and off. It will work for a few
lock/unlock sequences, and then if I leave it alone for a few minutes
and come back it doesn't work again. If I try to reprogram right away
it won't work. The thing has a mind of it's own. Any advice is much
appreciated. Thanks.

Any possibility the battery contact isn't good becaus the metal has
fatigued over time and isn't securely staying energized?

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

Any possibility the battery contact isn't good becaus the metal has
fatigued over time and isn't securely staying energized?

Yep. I'd check that, maybe use a cotton swab and some alchol to clean
the contacts.

Any chance you bough a battery that had been on the shelf a LOOONG time?

Carl

 

[.._..]

FYI, I have similar problems with mine.

It turns out... those years those remotes just plain suck. Try hitting it
many times (10 or more) for long durations and it might work.

Also, the antenna is around the windshield rear-view mirror somewhere, so
point there and hold it above your head.

 

[biggitybilly]

Thanks for all the suggestions, folks. Sadly none of these seem to be
right. The inside of the remote unit is pristine (although I did try
cleaning the contacts just to be sure), and the battery seems fine
because the little red LED light illuminates brightly when the buttons
are pressed. I tried pressing the buttons for longer durations near
the rear-view mirror too and still no dice.

Now the question is whether it's just the remote that's shot or is it
the keyless system in the car that's broken...? I don't want to spend
$60 on a new remote if that's not the problem!

Any more insight is welcomed. Thanks.

 

[reversemidas]

I had a similar problem once on my previous subaru forester, this is going
back several years, but vaguely wasn't there something in the manual about
when reprogramming or introducing a new remote, you had to hold down for
several seconds the button(s) on your remote to hear a distinctive blinking
or beeping sequence from your car? Did you do that when you reprogrammed
and changed your remote battery.