View CartMany customers ask us what is the best way to conduct a web search for a replacement remote control for a keyless entry or aftermarket alarm system. The answer depends on which kind of system you have.
If your vehicle has a vehicle manufacturer keyless entry system and you know that it is a factory-installed system (and not a dealer-installed system), then the best way to search for a replacement remote is by the manufacturer’s part number for your existing remote. This number may be printed or embossed somewhere on the case of your original remote. Unfortunately, manufacturers do not always show this part number on remote transmitters. If there is no part number on your remote, you should be able to get the part number from your dealership’s parts or service department. They may need to know your vehicle identification number (VIN).
The reason the part number on your original remote is the best way to search is that using the make, model and year of your vehicle often leads to ambiguous results. In some cases, known as “split years”, a manufacturer may have used different systems during different parts of the model year. An example is a 2001 Chevy Blazer, which used one system for the first half of the model year and a different system for the second half. In other cases, a manufacturer will use different systems depending on where the vehicle was assembled. So, for instance, a 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid built in Japan for the North American market uses a different keyless entry remote than the same vehicle built in the US.
If you have any other kind of system, the best way to search is still by some kind of identifying number on your original remote. This could be an FCC ID number or a manufacturer part number. Whenever you replace a remote that you know worked with the system in your vehicle, matching that part or getting the current replacement remote for that part is the best strategy.
