Works for me Wednesday: Cheap Extra or Replacement Car Keyless Remotes

This is my inaugural Works-For-Me Wednesday. Read more about it at RocksInMyDryer

Here's my tip:

My keyless remote for my 2002 Yukon XL died recently. Not battery-dead, really dead. In trying to replace the battery I broke the little piece that held the battery inside it, totally screwing it up. Totally not fixable.

I called my local GMC dealer to see about replacing it. The price for a new one was over $400, so I thought I was out of luck.

Now that I have 3 kids, one of which is carried around in a infant seat, a remote has become oh-so-important. So one day I checked E-bay. I found and bought one that matched my truck (same FCC ID) for $16.95 + 6.95 shipping. That's right, $23.90 total. A little less than $400!

I have to program it myself, but the instructions seem simple:

For most 02 GMC trucks:

1. get in truck and close doors
2. insert key in ignition
3. press and hold unlock button on driver's door
4. turn vehicle on and off (as far as you can without starting) twice
5. release lock button on door. Door locks should unlock and lock to indicate programming mode
6. hold lock and unlock buttons simultaneously on remote you want to use. Make sure it is the correct code for the vehicle year. Repeat #'s 5& 6 for additional remotes\.
   
7. Then turn the ignition key on and off to end the programming mode.

Need an extra keyless remote for your car? Check Ebay or other auction/store sites. Make sure the FCC ID matches your current remote and that the seller gives you programming instructions.

Check out the other fantastic ideas at Rocks in my Dryer. Have a great week.

UPDATE: I got my remote in the mail, and followed the instructions above to program it. The programming took all of 30 seconds, and it works PERFECTLY! I am so happy with it I ordered another for my husband, whose had lost his.