Luckily I stumbled across a thread somewhere on the intrawebs.

This morning I was getting some things from my car, and my keyless entry/remote wasn't working. Strange, the red light was flashing when I hit the button.

Then the car won't start. I figured my battery was bad (it is 6 years old after all) so my buddy jumped my car and I headed to sams to get a new battery, some dog food, and meat, no biggie.

Get new battery install, car starts fine. Turn it off and try to start again just to make sure, won't crank.

Start evaluating everything/possibilities etc. At this point every tech at sams (who are about as knowledgeable as your average parts store employee) is huddled around my engine bay sharing their expert theories.

As I let the collective's brainchild solidify, I'm hastily thread hopping, and discover it's related to the smart key - the car won't start if the battery is dead.

I refuse to let these idiots tell me my alternator is bad. I also refuse to give in and get my car towed, for, time is not a luxury, and I have meat that needs to get in the fridge ASAP.

I traverse the hills across the club of sams, onwards to the mart of wals.

The battery I need is a 1620 3 volt, however there are none in that size. I risk it and go with a 1616, which is slightly more thin, despite the suggestion to have the "correct" battery ordered.

After the perilous journey, I sat in my car, and turned the key.

The car started and now I'm home, to live another day it seems.

So, if your remote stops working, an your car won't start, start with the remote battery.

Now onto programming. The nearest dealership wants to charge nearly $80 to reprogram my smart key. Screw that.

After more threw searching, I discovered there are 2 methods that can program your remote to your car.

1) is in the manual, or the standard whey

The following worked for me.

2) with drivers door open, key in hand, everything off etc. Press and hold both lock and unlock buttons at the same time, release unlock, press and hold unlock again, release both lock and unlock. This needs to happen within 10 seconds. Took me about 5 tries to get it to work. It makes some noise or something.

Hope this helps.

 

With you knowing the way to manually set up the smart key, Is there also some way to finagle this to get the driver and passenger door to unlock when the drivers door is pass keyed open as well?

 

so you bought a new car battery because your remote died

 

I don't understand exactly, but I don't know anything more than I've stated.

 

I bought a new car battery because I thought the battery no longer held a charge.

 

Didn't want to use the key temporarily?

 

there is no key slot for the ignition if you have the smart key option, you can only use it to open the vehicle

 

The place where you turn the ignition is only a cap. It comes off and key goes in there. It's in the manual.

 

The "turn" cap on the ignition switch comes off with the push of 2 side buttons, then you can insert the key blade that's in your smart key and start the car.

 

Two corrections, one minor, one significant.

1) It's called a FAST Key. It stands for Free-Hand Advanced Security Transmitter.

2) Second, rending your whole post moot. You can actually start the car without a working FAST key fob. That metal key in the back that you can use to open the door would be pretty ****ing pointless if you could get in to the car with it, but not start it.

Pull off the black plastic cap, exposing the ignition cylinder.
Insert the key. Click it forward
The car will then tell you to remove the key. Do that.
Place the black plastic cap back on and start your car.

 

Now that's something I didn't know and has answered my long time question!

I didn't get the manual as I got mine used!

Thanks for the info!

 

Well thanks for the info. I don't have the manual either.