Posted on 1/30/2026
A key fob that suddenly will not unlock the doors can make you feel stuck right where you stand. You hit the button a few times, nothing happens, and then you start wondering if the car is dead, the fob is dead, or something bigger is going on. It’s one of those problems that feels small until it completely stops your day. The good news is that most key fob issues come from a short list of causes. The key is paying attention to the pattern and not assuming the car needs a new battery or a new fob right away. How Key Fobs Actually Communicate With Your Car Modern key fobs send a radio signal to the vehicle. The car’s receiver reads that signal, confirms it matches what it expects, and then triggers the locks. On cars with push-button start, the fob must also be recognized by the immobilizer system, which allows the engine to start. Because there are multiple steps, you can have a problem with the fob itself, the vehicle’s receiver, the lock actuato ... read more