New here -lots of good info.
Have searched the Remote Entry key FOB issues & have one that doesn't quite fit the others.
First though, have had new '06 Copper Orange/Sunburst Stick Shift HHR LT since 2006 & found it to be great for load carrying & throwing the dog in the back & running around.

3 issues: 23,000 had front brake shuddering & I think the fix was planed rotors?, or discs., something like that.

Also had worn out front sway bar replaced at 50,000 miles. The latter was interesting as it took a while to sort out that's what it was. Dealership missed it.
It was intermittent - a clunk when went over car park entrance. More prevalent clunking in wet weather & also seemed to be triggered by backing up & swinging wheel over hard.
It would come & go, then finally a tyre place diagnosed it.

Current problem is the 2 Remote Entry key fobs don't work.
Have replaced batteries, checked solder, cleaned contacts as per advice on this forum, but no luck so far.
When working, with doors locked, 1 press of 'Unlock ' button would open driver's door, another would do passengers & a 3rd would do back & tailgate. Locking - 1 press of Lock button did all of them in 1 shot.

Deterioration was gradual - both fobs, [at different times], lost ability to remote lock, but would still unlock. Then both lost ability to remote lock.

However, both will still trigger the Horn when you hit the 'where the hell is the car?', button in the supermarket car park.
So the Fobs aren't electronically 'dead'

Before have to take to dealer for the $125 whatever they do, I am wondering if there is any testing/ settings I can try to resurrect the Fbs for door Remote Lock/unlock?

I am also curious about what the Fob Receiver set up in the car is - have read a lot about the Fob, but missed anything on where the signal goes & what that unit does to activate the door locks.
& where the Receiver unit is in the car?

VIN is: xxxxx23P16s527993

Thanks
OB

 

if the panic button still works, then it sounds like the lock and unlock buttons are just worn out.

 

I hadn't thought of that.

I've opened a Fob up & I assume that the buttons you refer to are what look like small round black 'eyes', in the inside of the rubber molding that has the raised Lock/Unlock & Horn symbols on the outside.

I would describe the tops of the Lock/Unlock buttons at the moment to be sitting 'flush' with the gray indent area in which they sit.
Should they be sitting higher than that?

Are they just a carbon contact or is there more to them?

& can one get a replacement rubber FOB face with new buttons?
Thanks
OB

 

My son has a 08 Cobalt and was having a problem that sounds about like your. I had the spare remote with me so it was never used. When he had problems, my remote worked fine. I took his apart and, how to I explain this, I had it all out of the case and took the rubber touch pad and situated it so another of the pads which worked (in your case it would be the horn) and aligned that over the contact pad on the board which didn't work and pushed. It worked. I took a pad from a old tv remote cut off a thin slice with a new razor blade, cut a thin slice off the bad remote pad and use silicone adhesive to attach the new slice (w/o getting any on the contact side of the pad). It worked perfectly. A few months later I read on this forum some one had the same problem and what he did was buy a remote off e-bay and switched the rubber push pad and he also was back in business. Hope this helps.

Note: The base of the pad that makes contact with the circuit board is a conductive material that sometimes fails that is why I cut off a thin slice and replaced it with a thin slice of a good pad from the TV remote.

https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/show...ghlight=remote

 

the button on the left is lock and the button on the right is unlock. Pretty cool that you got the fob to work again by adding some extra rubber 08! Might want to try that if you don't want to buy another, but I'd say that is something that could very easily be 50/50. Maybe see if you can find a clicker on ebay? They aren't that hard to reprogram (i don't think).

 

Well you were spot on.
Many thanks.
Just been out in the freezing car park doing what you said & pushing the horn button down on the 'Lock' contact & by gosh - it worked!!!
As did pushing it on the 'Open' contact.!!

Having a Science background I am curious as to why it does work - the Horn button seems only marginally 'longer' than the other 2 - is it something to do with a surface coating on the button??
Again , many thanks, very much appreciated.

OB

 

an08hhr Might want to move this to the how to's?

 

Glad to here you got your problems worked out w/o having to go to the dealer.




Unless yours is a one off,or sticks are different than autos.......... not sure you need to be hitting the unlock a third time to unlock the tailgate.

First hit of the button opens driver door, second hit of the button should unlock everything else (3 remaining doors as well as tailgate).

 

Youre probably correct, haven't had it working for so long I couldn't remember the sequence.
What was interesting was when FOBs were failing gradually, used to do the Fob 'dance' - wander around the car trying it, hold it above your head etc, - found it worked most often further away rather than close up.
Anyone know where the receiver unit is positioned in the car??
OB up

 

This is an off chance try...but do an ODBII scan on you port to see if any codes show up. I had an 06 and a code would not let the remote start work. Just a shot?