FAQs

Buying a replacement remote control can be a little frightening. The employees of Remotes Unlimited understand that because we deal with customers all day every day. We hope that our website provides a clear and logical path for you to confidently select and purchase the replacement part you need. If it doesn't, or you feel more comfortable speaking directly to a member of our staff, please call RUI at 877-719-1900.

• Battery Testing
• Buying Automotive Remote Controls on the Internet
• Buying Keyfobs Elsewhere
• Types of Automotive Remote Controls
• Automotive Remote Technology
• Keyfob Specification Issues
• Automotive Remote Programming Issues
• RUI Practices
• Odd Facts About Remotes

 

Keyfob Specification

 

Is Specification Of A Replacement Automotive Remote A "Big Deal"?

The answer is sometimes yes and sometimes no.  By and large, identifying a replacement remote for a recent model vehicle with a factory keyless entry system is not rocket science.  (We find it a little surprising that some web sellers still get even these specifications wrong.)  However, with older vehicles and aftermarket alarm systems, there are many possible sources of specification errors.  Here are just a few examples of some of the types of issues faced in specification:

1) For many vehicle makes and models for many years, keyless entry systems were optional equipment.  Customers who bought their car new generally know if the vehicle has a system, but they may or may not know if the system was factory-installed or dealer-installed.  If it is the latter, using the vehicle make, model and year for specification can easily lead to an error.  Used car buyers are even less likely to know the type of system installed in their vehicle.

2) Many web buyers and sellers rely heavily on the physical appearance of a part in making a purchase decision.  There are numerous instances of look-a-like parts that are not interchangeable.

3) In several cases, vehicle manufacturers have installed two different (and incompatible) systems on one model during different portions of a production year.  In other cases, they have used one system for one trim level of a model and a different system for another trim level.

4) Ford, GM and others have frequently used the same part on different model-years but with different programming instructions.

5) It is not at all uncommon for a single remote to have as many as four or five different OE part numbers.  Often, even automotive dealers do not know the inter-relationships of these various part numbers.  Their systems may show a system using a replacement remote that is no longer made or difficult to get when, in fact, there is a readily available replacement part.

6) In the 90s, when many of Toyota's vehicles still were imported, one system was installed on vehicles arriving at one port while a different system was installed on the same models arriving at another port.

7) Aftermarket alarm systems are marketed as consumer electronics products, with frequent feature and model changes.  Also, many alarm system manufacturers have gone out of business or been merged with other companies. Consequently, the original parts for many aftermarket systems are no longer made; but often there is a replacem ent part that will work.  Because cross-reference information for these systems is not always readily available, many sellers and most customers have no idea which available parts work with which systems.

8) FCC ID numbers are useful in part specification, but can also be misleading.  There are numerous cases where the same FCC ID was used on multiple parts that are not interchangeable.  There are also cases where identical or interchangeable replacement parts have several different associated FCC IDs.

These and other pitfalls are lurking out there to trip up those who do not have the best and most current part information.  (How do we know this?  Because we check our competitors' websites and because, nearly every day, we get calls from customers who bought a part somewhere and find they can not get it to work with their vehicle.)

So, What Is The Best Way To Specify A Replacement Remote?

The answer depends on the situation.  Generally, if you have a remote in your possession that worked with the vehicle at one time and it has a readable reference number on the back of the case, it is best to first try to identify a replacement part by searching either the FCC ID number or the OE manufacturer's part number.  (RUI's website and the websites of most of our reputable competitors will allow you to search by either of these methods.)

If you do not possess a formerly working remote, the most important question is what kind of system is in the vehicle.

If you know that your vehicle has an aftermarket alarm system, then the best starting point is for you to locate the receiver module (generally installed under the dashboard on the driver's side) and capture any system brand and model information you find printed on it.  Again, RUI's website allows you to search for a replacement remote using this information.

If you know the system is a factory installed keyless entry system, then you can search for a replacement part by the make, model and year (MMY) of the vehicle.  If you are unsure about any of these parameters, MMY information is encoded in the vehicle identification number (VIN).  RUI's website and most reputable competitor websites will also allow you to search by either the MMY or VIN.

If you do not have a formerly working remote and you are unsure what type of system is installed in your vehicle, it is probably best for you to call RUI and let us help you with some other system diagnostic measures.

My Vehicle Has Seat Memory…Does It Matter Which Replacement Remote I Buy - FOB 1 OR FOB 2?

For some vehicles it does matter.  On some systems, FOB 1 transmits different coded signals than a FOB 2 and the vehicle will not allow more than one of either remote to be synched up during programming.  You can only have one FOB 1 and one FOB 2.  So, the safe practice is to buy a replacement remote with the same FOB number as the remote being replaced.  Having said that, on the majority of vehicles with seat memory, there is no technical difference between FOB 1 and FOB 2.  The FOB identifiers are purely cosmetic and serve only as a convenient way for the customer to tell the two remotes apart (because they may each be associated with different seat and mirror positions).  On this website, if a vehicle has seat memory as standard or optional equipment and supplies remotes with different FOB numbers, RUI will indicate whether or not it matters which replacement part you buy.

For My Vehicle, RUI Offers A Replacement Part With A Remote Start Button And One Without.  My Old Remote Does Not Have A Remote Start Button…If I Buy A Replacement Keyfob With A Remote Start Button, Will The Button Work?

Generally, no.  If your original remote did not have a remote start button (that worked), it almost certainly means that the system installed in your vehicle either is incapable of remote starting the engine or was not set up (wired and/or programmed) to perform that function.  RUI has encountered a few situations where a vehicle was remote-start enabled but sold with a non-remote start keyfob, but those cases are few and far between.  If you do choose to buy a replacement part with the remote start button to test this and it does work for you, please let us know.  In most cases, though not all, even if remote start does not work, the keyfob will still be programmable and the other buttons should perform their assigned functions.  We suggest you call us before running this experiment on your own.