The most unusual remote in this series is GM part 16245106. It was a 4-button remote used by Cadillac on certain vehicles. What made it unusual is that the fourth button, in lieu of operating a panic feature, served as a locking gas cap release.

Consumers seeking a replacement remote for one of the applications that used an ABO1502T part should note that all of the parts are compatible. Thus, the 4-button part can be used instead of the 2-button or 3-button remote. Of course, the extra buttons will not perform any function.

Some aftermarket alarm systems were designed so that you can put the same system in two different vehicles and control both of them from a single remote transmitter. Selected systems from Alpine, Autopage, DEI and Omega offer this capability. The remote facilitates this by changing one piece of information encoded in the signal when the shift button is pressed. Essentially, the shift button is an A-B switch. One vehicle recognizes the signal transmitted by the remote when it is set to A and the other vehicle recognizes the signal when it is set to B.

Want to take a quick test?  Without looking below, guess what all of the button functions are on this 8-button AUTOPAGE remote.

Within the industry, people routinely refer to remotes based on their button count and button functions. For instance, someone recently offered us a stock of the “5-button Ford ‘Hatchback’ remote”.   They were referring to Ford part number 2L7Z-15K601-BA, which was used on SUVs for a few years and has button icons with the words “Liftgate” and “Rear Glass” and well as lock, unlock and panic buttons.  Of course, we knew exactly what they were talking about, but a consumer could never buy a remote based on their description.

Our internal discussion was prompted because many newer keyfobs have more and more “controls” on them.  To complicate things, some remotes have buttons on the side or back of the remote, making it hard to depict how many buttons there really are in a single image.  We know of one aftermarket alarm LCD remote that has 7 buttons overall, but only two on the front.

The most common buttons are those that operate remote functions related to the vehicle.  (In the old days, those were the only kind of buttons on a keyfob and counting them was straightforward.)  But there are also buttons that control functions on the remote itself — such as clock functions on an LCD remote or a “Shift” button on certain aftermarket alarm systems that allows one remote to operate systems on two separate vehicles.  An older version of one Ford remote had a slide switch on the back to turn operation of the seat memory function on and off.  And switchblade and proximity (“smart key”) remotes usually have a button to release the integral key blade.

Remotes Unlimited has adopted the policy of counting all of these as buttons in our part descriptions.  These “buttons” may not operate any function on the vehicle, and they may slide inside of push in, but they look like a button and they do perform a function on the remote, so we count them as buttons.

Because of these kinds of ambiguities, we think you should never buy a replacement remote based on the button count (or brand) in the description.  Unless the part is specified by the OE part number, FCC ID number, or the make-model-year of the vehicle for factory keyless entry remotes, we recommend you use the button count as just one more piece of useful-but-not-definitive information.

Want the answers to the test?  The AUTOPAGE remote functions are Lock – Unlock – Shift (II) – Silent – Panic – Remote Start On (*) - Trunk – Remote Start Off.  If you got them all correct and you would like a job in the industry, send us a comment.

These remotes are proximity (“Smart Key”) transmitters for vehicles with the Passive Entry and Keyless Start functions. They were used on CTS vehicles from 2008 to the present.

Note: Cadillac proximity transmitters are often sold without a blank key blade.  The current GM list price for the transmitter alone is $187.72.

Alpine left the aftermarket alarm system business long ago, so none of these parts are still made.  However, Remotes Unlimited (RUI) has a limited stock left of part 8449 (SEC-8449).  If you are seeking a replacement for part number 8426 or 8426A, RUI can only help if your original remote can still transmit any signal (even a weak one).  If so, RUI can make a copy of your old remote.

For instance, one site showed the dealer list price of a common Ford 3-button keyfob as more than $130.00.  Well, the current dealer list price on that part is actually $55.71.  The webseller had added $75 to the dealer list price as the claimed expense for programming at a Ford dealer.  We find this misleading.  First of all, not all Ford dealers charge for programming.  Second, Ford remote programming instructions are readily available from numerous sources.  However, showing a fictitious dealer list price in order to make a vendor’s price discount appear larger is a common deceptive practice among web sellers of replacement remote controls.

The caller pointed out that another site listed what they said were “universal” programming instructions for key fob replacement.  The instructions they showed happened to be for a Toyota application.  However, they did not say this.  The text made it sound as if you could use the Toyota instructions for any make, model and year, which is absurd.  Replacement remotes for many factory keyless entry applications can not be programmed by a user at all, and for those that do, there are numerous different programming methods.

On another site, a used part was being sold for a Chrysler keyhead remote transmitter that cannot be re-programmed.

Our advice is to do your research before buying a replacement part from any web seller.  A good portion of those selling replacement remotes, especially on eBay and Amazon, do not really know the parts, applications and programming methods for the remote they are selling.

Automotive remote controls generally fall in the former category.  Factory keyless entry remotes, in particular, tend to be mostly functional . . . and some are downright ugly.  The same is true of most aftermarket alarm system remotes, though a few are both innovative and visually appealing.  Of course, sex appeal is always a matter of taste anyway.  

With respect to factory keyless entry remotes, this editor thinks the Nissan proximity remotes are very attractive.  My top vote in this category, though, goes to the Corvette keyfobs with FCC ID M3N65981403.  This is a very masculine, automotive look, but I think the geometry, organization of the buttons and logo all make this remote look great.

On the aftermarket side, my vote goes to the Audiovox fob with FCC ID ELVAT5C, a Prestige brand remote.  This is an older keyfob, but I think the kidney shape, large LED panel and little green second button make for a compelling look.

What are your favorites?

All of the remotes have lock, unlock and panic icons in the same position on the part.  The main differences relate to whether or not the vehicle had remote start installed and to what rear functions were included in the option package.  The main rear function icon (a triangular button in the middle position above the panic button) could have a picture of a car trunk, an SUV liftgate or cargo doors.  Some SUVs also have a rear window release icon to the right of the liftgate icon.

The most obscure of the OUC60270 remotes is one used on Chevy Express and GMC Savana vans equipped with the Tradesmen option package.  This package included locking storage bins on both sides of the vehicle.  GM part numbers 20877109 and 25840696 correspond to a keyfob that had power unlock functions for these storage compartments.

When ordering a replacement remote with FCC ID OUC60270, be sure you know whether or not your specific vehicle application is user programmable or not.  In general, Chevrolet and GMC trucks, and truck-platform SUVs are user programmable, and most other applications (including most sedans) are user programmable if the vehicle is equipped with a Driver Information Center (DIC) that supports programming.  However, Chevy Express and GMC Savana vans always require a scan tool for programming, and sedan-platform vehicles require a scan tool if the vehicle does not have a DIC that supports programming.