Key Fob cleaning

[Petey]

Are there any suggestions on how to clean and maintain the contacts in the key fob?

The the unlock button on my Saturn's (almost the same at the TB) well work great for a few years, then start to get touchy. I take some alcohol on a cue tip and clean all the contacts(on the board) and it will work great again. The time between cleaning will get progressively shorter until it's only days apart. I then have find a good used one on ebay and just switch the case and start the routine over again.

I think there is something on the black pads that wears off, but what can I put on it so the circuit can complete when pushed.

 

[Blckshdw]

Are you seeing anything actually on the contacts before you clean them? You could try putting a little dielectric grease in there. See if that protects them a little bit longer. Many of the interior components (at least with the rotational switches) had a little grease on them when I opened them up for LED retrofits, I assume to keep the arms from scratching the contact pads. But could be worth a shot, if there's stuff getting inside your casing somehow.

 

[Reprise]

I repaired my driver door module (DDM) on my Sierra recently using the same method (Q-tip, 90% alcohol), but, TBH, for what a new fob costs on eBay, and the fact that you get 'years' out of a new one... I think I'd just go the replacement route on a fob. They're easy to program, as you know.

If you want to try, I'd focus on the pins that the black rubber button touches, more so than the button itself. The pins will prolly need to be bent 'up' a bit. Also check to see if the PCB contacts are intact, board not cracked, etc.

The one I got with the Sierra was on its last legs, and some of the plastic lip surround was broken off as well; I took a spare from the Envoy and swapped it over for now. One of these days when I remember, I'll pick up another new one. They sell them at the local parts stores, too, although I wouldn't pay the inflated prices they ask for a non-GM sourced product, anyway.

 

[Petey]

I repaired my driver door module (DDM) on my Sierra recently using the same method (Q-tip, 90% alcohol), but, TBH, for what a new fob costs on eBay, and the fact that you get 'years' out of a new one... I think I'd just go the replacement route on a fob. They're easy to program, as you know.

If you want to try, I'd focus on the pins that the black rubber button touches, more so than the button itself. The pins will prolly need to be bent 'up' a bit. Also check to see if the PCB contacts are intact, board not cracked, etc.

The one I got with the Sierra was on its last legs, and some of the plastic lip surround was broken off as well; I took a spare from the Envoy and swapped it over for now. One of these days when I remember, I'll pick up another new one. They sell them at the local parts stores, too, although I wouldn't pay the inflated prices they ask for a non-GM sourced product, anyway.

Nothing to bend on the board, it is just some metal lines that when then back (graphite?) button touches it the circuit is connected.

I only get at most 1.5 to 2 years of trouble free before I have to start the cleaning ritual, and the car being a 1997 they are getting hard to find on flea-bay. I probably have 6-10 of these things laying around with either the printing warn off or the lip cracked from opening it so much to clean it. Yet my TB's 15 years old and still the original (bet I just jinxed it)

 

[Reprise]

Nothing to bend on the board, it is just some metal lines that when then back (graphite?) button touches it the circuit is connected.

Prolly another reason why I just replaced mine. I forgot what it looks like under there (I've been lucky with mine, I guess, and only have had one 'wear out' on me).

What does the one on your '97 look like? Same as the TB's (tri-oval, ergonomic curves to help identify buttons by feel, etc.) ? Both of my trucks use the same type (again, lucky)

Guessing you've got the previous-gen for the Saturn (blocky, rectangular, IIRC) If the programming sequence is the same, you could try adding one of the TB-style ones. Those are pretty easy to find, IMHO.

 

[Sparky]

Alcohol may damage the rubber contact.

 

[Mooseman]

Apart from cleaning the copper contacts with alcohol, I also use a burnishing brush to completely clean them and expose new copper. You could probably also achieve the same thing using 1000/2000 grit sandpaper. And also clean the ones for the battery. Check the the solder joints for it are also solid and re-solder where necessary. I've had many battery clips come off the board.

 

[Sparky]

Sounds weird I know but a pencil eraser works well on those copper contacts.