Like many car owners, I rely heavily on my key fob for the convenience of keyless entry and remote locking. Recently, my 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix key fob started acting up. It became increasingly intermittent, sometimes responding to button presses and sometimes not. My first thought, naturally, went to the key fob battery. After all, the car is a 2006 model, making it quite likely that the original battery was nearing the end of its lifespan.
Alt text: Close-up of a 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix key fob being opened to replace the CR2032 battery, highlighting the battery compartment and size.
Without even checking the voltage, I went ahead and purchased a new Duracell 2032 battery. I followed the molded instructions on the fob casing, holding down the unlock and lock buttons near the car for about 7 seconds after the battery replacement. Despite this, the key fob’s response remained inconsistent. The door locks would still react sporadically, which was quite frustrating.
Just today, the key fob completely failed to respond when I tried to unlock my car. I had to resort to using the physical key to open the door. Adding to the day’s automotive woes, I discovered my car battery, an Everlast Maxx, had died prematurely, just shy of its 7-year mark. Interestingly, the original equipment battery had also lasted around 7 years.
This car battery issue made me wonder if there was a connection between the dying car battery and my key fob problems. I installed a brand new Everlast Maxx battery, hoping it might resolve the key fob issue. Unfortunately, even with a fresh car battery, the key fob continued to behave intermittently. Its effective range also seemed reduced; it barely worked from about 20 feet away.
Interestingly, the trunk lock seemed to respond to the key fob with the same inconsistent behavior. However, the interior door lock switch worked perfectly, locking and unlocking the doors without any issues.
To further isolate the problem, I retrieved my second, unused key fob that had been stored since I bought the car new. I tested it with three different batteries, including the original battery it came with. Disappointingly, this second fob exhibited the exact same intermittent behavior as the one I had been using for years.
Considering that both key fobs are behaving identically, I’m beginning to suspect that the issue isn’t with the fobs themselves, but rather with the car’s receiving system. If it is indeed a receiver problem, I’m curious to know if this component is integrated with the door lock actuator or if it’s a separate unit. And, importantly, where is this receiver located in a 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix? Any insights into diagnosing and resolving this 2006 Pontiac Grand Prix key fob issue would be greatly appreciated.
